Merkur Progress First Shave

[DE Steve]

WD 40 stinks! I would use food edible Mineral Oil instead.

3-in-1 (or sewing machine) oil works great.

Most people don't know that WD-40 is NOT a lubricant.

WD stands for Water Displacement.

It was originally made for older Distributor type automotive ignition systems. When things got damp or wet and the engine wouldn't start, WD-40 was used to spray inside and outside the distributor cap to displace any water or moisture that was causing the spark plug voltage to short to ground.

 

[AshleyC]

Yesterday was my first shave with a new Merkur Progress. It was the 510 long handle version that I bought at an Art of Shaving.

I used a Personna Platinum blade and Cremo Cream.

Now, I'd tell you what setting I used...but I don't think that has a lot of meaning. See, if I tighten it down all the way to where the spring-loaded base plate will not go down any further, it lines up perfectly with the Number 1 position on the dial. I suspect that is not by coincidence, but rather "Teutonic" engineering conceit. My Parker Variant, screwed all the way down lines up with the 2. The Indians have a more freewheeling attitude towards engineering?

Theoretically, that should be the most aggressive possible setting. One for the Merkur, Two for the Variant when they are both tightened down to the limit. Right? Seriously...I'm asking. Now, going from that 1 setting up to 2, 3, 4, 5 should make the blade less aggressive. And the top cap will still be under tension when I come back around to 1 again. Indeed, I can come back around 1 a third time and still have tension. After that the cap becomes loose and rattles.

With the Parker Variant I get that first "2" setting, then a second "2" is possible, but the cap immediately goes loose when I advance to the next "3".

Do I have this right? Tightened all the way down should put the maximum flex tension, curvature, blade exposure, rigidity, etc.?

 

[SpannerX]

Yesterday was my first shave with a new Merkur Progress. It was the 510 long handle version that I bought at an Art of Shaving.

I used a Personna Platinum blade and Cremo Cream.

Now, I'd tell you what setting I used...but I don't think that has a lot of meaning. See, if I tighten it down all the way to where the spring-loaded base plate will not go down any further, it lines up perfectly with the Number 1 position on the dial. I suspect that is not by coincidence, but rather "Teutonic" engineering conceit. My Parker Variant, screwed all the way down lines up with the 2. The Indians have a more freewheeling attitude towards engineering?

Theoretically, that should be the most aggressive possible setting. One for the Merkur, Two for the Variant when they are both tightened down to the limit. Right? Seriously...I'm asking. Now, going from that 1 setting up to 2, 3, 4, 5 should make the blade less aggressive. And the top cap will still be under tension when I come back around to 1 again. Indeed, I can come back around 1 a third time and still have tension. After that the cap becomes loose and rattles.

With the Parker Variant I get that first "2" setting, then a second "2" is possible, but the cap immediately goes loose when I advance to the next "3".

Do I have this right? Tightened all the way down should put the maximum flex tension, curvature, blade exposure, rigidity, etc.?

I think you might want to look at the gap between the guard and the blade. As you increase the number on the scale, the gap will increase, making it more aggressive.

 

[santamariasteve]

Brother Ashley,

You have it backwards.

Tighten the Parker Variant and the Merkur Progress all the way down (somewhere near zero). That is your base line and the most mild setting. Then come up to the number you like (which probably will be the first 2, 3, or 4). The higher the number, the greater the gap and the more aggressive the setting. Example: 2 is mild and 4 is aggressive.

Where you got confused, I think, is the dial revolves completely several times, not just once as it travels from loose to tight. So tighten is all the way down and then come up from there.

The dial settings on the Progress and on the Variant have nothing in common. The Variant is pretty consistent, but the settings on the Progress notoriously often don't even compare with the settings on another Progress.

But this much is certain: Both razors are outstanding performers!

Tip: Avoid using the higher settings. Your goal is a close and comfortable shave. On an adjustable razor, more is not necessarily better, unless you have piano wire for whiskers!

 

[SpannerX]

Brother Ashley,

You have it backwards.

Tighten the Parker Variant and the Merkur Progress all the way down (somewhere near zero). That is your base line and the most mild setting. Then come up to the number you like (which probably will be the first 2, 3, or 4). The higher the number, the greater the gap and the more aggressive the setting. Example: 2 is mild and 4 is aggressive.

Where you got confused, I think, is the dial revolves completely several times, not just once as it travels from loose to tight. So tighten is all the way down and then come up from there.

The dial settings on the Progress and on the Variant have nothing in common. The Variant is pretty consistent, but the settings on the Progress notoriously often don't even compare with the settings on another Progress.

But this much is certain: Both razors are outstanding performers!

^^^This^^^
He explained it much better than I.

 

[santamariasteve]

Update:

Seems you can throw a cardboard inside a Progress and it will shave well. I decided to try the much hated Merkur blade I received with the razor, and once again, the shave was exquisite. I decided to play around today, did the WTG on 1, XTG on 2 and ATG on 3.

What's funny is that even on 2, the blade feel is nothing I ever experienced until now. Now, with such direct feel of the blade on the face, I finally grasped what NO PRESSURE really means. And guess what, I always had problems with the lower neck, but did an ATG on that part on Progress 3, and there's no irritation, just bbs goodness. Seems I didn't have enough blade feel and efficiency on my previous razors.

More pros:
- I love the look, somewhat art deco maybe? (Somebody knowing these epochs, could you place the design in a period)
- This razor is not just enjoying your shave, it's fun to shave with it, trying out different settings.

How exactly do I lubricate the moving parts, and can I use WD40 for that?

I believe the Merkur Progress dates from 1955, and it is still being manufactured.

I don't think lubrication is recommended by the manufacturer. It is recommended to keep the innards of the razor clean. Maybe soak it in warm soapy water with the handle fully loosened, for an hour once a year, then rotating the dial while submerged back and forth completely several times.

Resist the temptation to use the higher settings. Your goal is a shave that is close and comfortable, not to test your tolerance for pain.

The goal of an adjustable razor is to customize the gap to your face, not to anyone else's face.

 

[AshleyC]

Thanks for clearing that up!

 

[Marlor]

Tip: Avoid using the higher settings. Your goal is a close and comfortable shave. On an adjustable razor, more is not necessarily better, unless you have piano wire for whiskers!

I have piano wire for whiskers. My Progress zeroes-out at the "+" sign, and I do the first pass at 1.5-2 (depending on how sharp the blade is), then the second pass on 2-2.5.

Then I close it right back up to the "+" to tidy up if I missed a bit.

So even if you do have piano-wire whiskers, you don't necessarily need to open up the razor to 4 or 5.

On the flipside, on my Fatboy, I use 6 or 7 pretty much exclusively.

The Progress seems to shave really well on the milder end of its setting range. I've never even tried to use it above 3. I find no need to do so.

 

[AshleyC]

I'm waaaay past the "aggressive=better" mindset.

 

[DE Steve]

My Progress zeroes out at the "+" sign. I set it to 2 for all my shaving.

After years of shaving with a Merkur 34C and wanting something just a little bit more aggressive, the Progress set to 2 does this perfectly.

 

[rreynoso]

To disassemble just unscrew the cap and pull down the knob. The part comes down easy when you get past the retaining ring as you can see on the pics.

To assemble you have to reinsert on the opposite way just pressing the retaining ring to adjust to the inner diameter, not hard but somewhat tricky.

I removed the ring to ease this process and get it cleaned more frequently. Since the only porpouse of the ring is to avoid the knob to fall when you change blades you just be careful when you do that and your good to go.

I love my Progress so much that I detailed it with red paint on the aligning marks and the dot of the handle.

I use mine on a setting depending on the blade brand and number of days of whiskers, and only tune it down to work on a twirl that I have on my neck that requires multiple passes.

Congrats and enjoy!

Enviado desde mi Moto E (4) mediante Tapatalk

 

[Franz_Biberkopf]

So, almost a month in.

For now, I found I have to ignore Mantic's advice about starting mild and finishing off more aggressive. I prefer starting on the aggressive side and finishing with an ATG pass on 1.

The best best best best part is that this is the only razor I used that seems to be blade agnostic. It absolutely doesn't matter what blade I throw in, the quality is the same! Be it Astra, Personna, and even Derby's that I vehemently disliked because they tugged and cut me give me a superior and comfortable shave in Progress, but they do get dull after two shaves.

This is a masterpiece of a razor, must say.

 

[SpannerX]

I have to say it is currently my favorite, and I just tried a Mamba .70. I prefer the balance of the Progress. And I'm discovering that I'm not much of a fan of longer handles. Might have to sell the Mamba on down the road if I don't start liking it.

 

[Marlor]

I have to say it is currently my favorite, and I just tried a Mamba .70. I prefer the balance of the Progress. And I'm discovering that I'm not much of a fan of longer handles. Might have to sell the Mamba on down the road if I don't start liking it.

Just accept that every other razor will be "nice, but no Progress".

It's the curse of the Progress, really. I'd actually recommend anyone who wants to be a razor collector steer clear, as it will ruin your collection.

 

[Marlor]

For now, I found I have to ignore Mantic's advice about starting mild and finishing off more aggressive. I prefer starting on the aggressive side and finishing with an ATG pass on 1.

I've tried both ways, and I find that starting mild works best on areas of my face/neck with looser, rougher skin, whereas starting aggressive works better on the tighter, smoother areas of my face.

Unfortunately, I have more of the former than the latter, so I follow Mantic's strategy.

 

[SpannerX]

Just accept that every other razor will be "nice, but no Progress".

It's the curse of the Progress, really. I'd actually recommend anyone who wants to be a razor collector steer clear, as it will ruin your collection.

Yeah, I find the weight, balance, and adjustability to be great. Aside from adjusting it to suit my face, everything else is almost auto pilot, besides choosing a blade to use, which lately seems to be Asco. Works great.

 

[Fozzie Bear]

Anyone have both the Parker Variant and Progress?. How do they compare shave wise?. I have the Variant and love it, but like the look of the Progress.

 

[SpannerX]

Anyone have both the Parker Variant and Progress?. How do they compare shave wise?. I have the Variant and love it, but like the look of the Progress.

I think there are a few competing reviews on here about that.

 

[Marlor]

Anyone have both the Parker Variant and Progress?. How do they compare shave wise?. I have the Variant and love it, but like the look of the Progress.

The general consensus is that they’re extremely close. Some prefer the lower-profile head of the Progress, others prefer the grippier handle of the Variant.

 

[DriftKing79]

I have them both, and love them both, both are great razor, personally I like the heavier Parker Variant a little more. Shave wise, thes are realy extremely close.