Merkur Vision

I switched to this while using a straight razor.First the pros. I love the way it feels in the hand, you know youre holding something even when wet. You can easily adjust it according to your stubble. Blade changing is a snap, just open drop out the old one and drop a new one in its that easy. Now the cons. It has a big head which makes shaving the upper lip a pain. The finish is spotty in places and mine IS taken care of. I was a lil flush so I spoiled myself a bit, it is expensive.
I would recommend it to an experienced DE shaver but not a person just switching from a disposable because it can be very, very aggressive.

Product been reviewed so many times, will try to add observational summary not to bore you guys to death.

1) Not first DE razor. It was my first, cut myself more times than I can remember. Almost quit DE shaving. After getting few other razors and mastered them, went back to Merkur and enjoyed it.

2) Haven't seen anything as aggressive. While weight and balance are nice, this thing if not adjusted carefully can be a monster. Used the same blade on this nd other razors, multiply sharpness x3. Figure it gives angles that are sadistically close to whomever dares.

3) Want to say quality made, for the mechanism at least perhaps, but I painstakingly took good care if it and yet every other week I see more corrosion on its metal. Not sure why since I wash and dry it thoroughly. Jury still out, but have a bad feeling this will turn ugly within a year's worth of occasional use.

4) Overall, think you'll get better and nicer looking razors for cheaper like Bluebeard Revenge (Dreadnought) or Muhle R116

I got mine for a birthday present and I couldn't be happier.
This thing is huge but balances really well in my hand.
After my second shave I had the big razor/top lip problem overcome by pulling my nose over to one side.

I haven't had any of the problems I'd read about on the web so consider my self fortunate, or they fixed the problems.

This giant is really adjustable from extremely mild to very, very aggressive.

It took me 3 or 4 days to get the adjustment right and I must admit you have to pay attention to the shaving angle.
But you can't half hear when it's correct, this thing sings when it cuts; just like a home run, you know it when you hear it kind of thing.

I love mine and it's a keeper.

It's a great razor with great adjustment and silo doors for change the blade, and it's top heavy, great for using the wight of the razor only.

This was my fiurst DE razor. It is an amazing engineering wonder. I had many great shaves with this razor. Why did I stop using it? A metallurgical problem caused the butterfly assembly to break away from shaft. I have been trying to get a replacemet part for a month. I have been in contact with DOVO. Hopefully I an get a replacmennt part soon. For now I am using a Parker 99r and that razor works really well for me.

The blades that came with the Merkur are terrible in this razor. I wish that I saved them for a different razor, but I did not. Derby blades were pretty harsh too. Wilkinson Sword worked out really nicely.

THis razor is nice, but it is overly complicated. The metal is prone to breakage where thhe butterfly assembly meets the shaft. Some areas of the racor have some corrosion issues, but overall this is a great razor.

Great if your a giant. Ha Ha
I guess I just like normal size razors
Any one want to buy a vision

It's not that harder to use than the Futur, it has silo doors, if you like the futur you will not have a huge problem with the Vision, think of it as a bigger Futur with silo doors

Big minuses for being useless for beginning shavers. The head is too big and is a pain to use under the nose. However, the razor will last forever, and is designed for experienced users. Very aggressive even at low/smaller settings.

I think that this would be a really great razor except for two nagging issues. I rinse my razor visually clean under the hot water tap in the slightly open position after each use, but still have had loss of adjustment range and diss-assembly problems.

Field stripping the Vision 2000 razor is very easy as long as the time between dis-assembly has not been too long. Some force may be needed to start dis-assembly, if the razor has begun to internally corrode or get sludged with minerals and soap residues.

The significant issue is the adjustment ring. The adjustment ring is not taken off the razor during field stripping. My razor has lost adjustment range and the indexing of the adjustment markings has changed, despite the razor being periodically soaked in Scrubbing Bubbles and hot tap water.

These issues have not affected the shaving qualities of the razor as I do not use the settings at the end of the adjustment range,

For the price of this razor, the change of indexing and shortening of the adjustment range bother me and cause me to think of the Pils and Feather stainless razors.

I could better live with the diss-assembling of this razor, if the adjustment range and indexing were stabile, or could be easily reestablished. I get the same feeling about the adjustment ring as I get when I see a nice straight razor marred by a water spot.

I have used a Slim DE in my rotation and they work well for decades with only a hot tap water rinse.

My tap water is not very "hard". I see some sludge on diss-assembly, but no corrosion. Since I cannot remove the adjustment ring, I do not know what is going on inside where I cannot see after field stripping this razor.

If someone knows a better way to maintain this razor, I would like to hear about it. The maintenance effort is not significant for me compared to the stropping, honing, and cleaning required by my straight razors.

5/16/2013 Update:
I had some white corrosion of the alloy starting between the open/close knob bottom and take down button (end cap). Removing this corrosion showed the beginnings of pitting under the corrosion. I now take down the Vision after each shave, wipe it clean, blow dry, and reassemble. This is quick and easy to do. No further apparent corrosion deterioration has occurred since I began using this more stringent maintenance regimen. I still cannot take down the adjustment mechanism, or reset the dial marking start and end points to match the razor's adjustment range. I think that the small alloy components could be broken during a dis-assembly attempt, if corrosion is permitted to progress to a point where dis-assembly becomes difficult.

The Vision still gives me a closer and more comfortable shave than any other DE razor I have tried, although there are many other fine shaving DE razors in my rotation.

I acquired my Vision slightly used as a set with the Merkur Vision stand and the Merkur Vision silver tip badger knot brush for $ 100. The set is definitely worth the price. The brush has softer tips than any other badger brush that I have used.

I wish that the Vision's alloy components could be replaced by stainless steel or plated brass and that the adjustment mechanism could be made easy to take down and calibrate with the adjustment dial markings.

I've been shaving with a Futur for over a decade, and in the last two or three years I've sold my other razors and have been shaving exclusively with the Futur. I've always wanted a Vision; I found a BST Vision at a good price and bought it last week...

This is a razor that I enjoy using even more that the Futur; it's hefty, and like the Futur, well made and nicely finished (My first Merkur was a Progress in 1964 or so, and they were poorly made and finished back then); the fit and finish of both the Futur and Vision far surpasses the rest of the Merkur line. The presentation is well done, the razor and blades are fitted in a foam insert in a tin box. It is beautifully finished in matte silver, and all of the actions work smoothly and precisely; this is a well-made, well-engineered razor!

It's a hefty razor, more so than the Futur, and larger too. Nevertheless, it is beautifully balanced - it just begs to be held at the narrow waist, and is extremely maneuverable and easy to shave with. It handles with, across and against the grain with aplomb - no drama whatsoever! Yes, it's big and heavy, but the feeling is like that of driving a Mercedes 500: a massive piece of machinery capable of responding to your least bit of input!

It has a wide, continuous range of adjustment, and the smooth-turning adjustment ring opens it up from mild to dangerously exposed. There's a setting for everyone here! The hatch opens and closes smoothly, and it breaks down for cleaning easily.

Conclusion: It's a great razor, easy to use (if you have good technique) and delivers a close, irritation-free shave with a range of adjustment to please anyone!

I have been using this razor for 45 days, and I have to say that out of all my razors, most of which are now just display pieces, including a 1963 fatboy, that it is the single best shaver I own. It shaves my face way better than I can with a straight (feather AC).

I have been using the Vision for a little more than three years and I consistently find that it is the finest performing razor of my 16+ inventory of tools. I believe that the price compared to the Pils and Feather S/S is very competitive. It is more comfortable and closer than the Gillette Adjustable series and is much more sensitive than the Futur. It closely matches my Progress Long-handle razor, however it clearly emerges as the winner.

This is a great razor. I have used this razor a couple of times, and have gotten a great shave every time.

Price: I bought this razor second hand but it will still costly.

Quality: The quality is actually pretty good. But it is hard to get a great clean. I would like to give this a 10. But wish it was a bit easier. The adjustment V-I-S-I-O-N. Wish the head was slightly smaller.

User Friendly: This razor is very friendly.

Grip: The grip is pretty good. I wish there was more friction.

Easy of Blade Replacement: Very easy.

Aggressiveness: As aggressive as you like it.

Adjustability: Very adjustable

Balance: Very well balanced.

UPDATE?

Has Merkur surmounted the Design / Quality problems of the [now] Vision 2000 which some of these owners' (and former owners') posts describe, and which seem more striking in the earlier posts going back to 2006? Is there anything new to say -- especially any good news quality wise? Lee's stopped carrying this razor because of its being problematic -- is there any reason why he should consider it again?

Let's assume the prospective buyer understands that he will have to do routine maintenance on it -- here in Oregon's Willamette Valley, our municipal well water (Veneta, 15 mi. W. of Eugene) is so full of calcium & iron that 'CLR' cleaning solution is a must for lightly-chromed bath fixtures and works super, compared to Vinegar (5-6% Acetic Acid). A razor soak in 'CLR' overnight, with a tooth-brushing next day, leaves razor or anything else caked with calcified soap sparkling clean! I fool with my Pocket Watches because they're worth it -- can same now be said of one's lately-purchased Merkur 'Vision'

Appreciations !

PRICE: I don't think its worth $100+. I see it more in the $70-$80 price range. I bought the Futur for $55 @ westcoastshaving.com and I believe that the Vision should have only been atleast a $20-$30 upgrade from the Futur.

QUALITY: I love the finish on this and its very heavy. My fingers always get a workout when I shave with it. To me, I think it could have been constructed with more precision as far as knobs, springs and adjustments go. But over all, at first glance of it, you can tell its made for the experienced shaver.

USER FRIENDLY: As far as ease of taking care of the razor, I think its fairly easy. Do I think that a $100 razor should need to be taken apart and put back together again after each blade change, NO. But I guess doing the surgery part on it is pretty cool (if you're into that kind of stuff). I like assembling things so I can't really complain much.

GRIP: Well, just like all razors, it's slippery when wet. But I haven't dropped it or anything during an actual shaving session. I like to dry it every couple times before each pass but thats normal with all the rest of my razors. I will say that this is a heavy razor and at my first couple trial runs, I felt a bit of a strain but I eventually got use to it.

EASE OF BLADE REPLACEMENT: In all honesty, the open/close butterfly option was probably what got me to purchase this particular razor over the Futur and the Progress (I then developed RAD and bought the other two razors anyway). Its quick and easy. Just open it up, drop the old blade out and insert the new blade. DONE.

AGGRESSIVENESS AND ADJUSTABILITY: Its an adjustable. So to each his own liking. Thats probably why you get this razor in the first place. Maybe to tinker with the settings and see just how aggressive you can go without cutting your face up.

BALANCE: The balance on this is great. Sometimes I think one side of the blade is showing more than the other but I think I just need glasses. Hahaha.

OVERALL: I Love this Razor. I use a lot more frequently than my Futur and Progress. I use this razor when I want to do a whole beard shave. I pretty much just use the progress and Futur when I only want to shave my neck and keep my beard on my face.

I've owned this razor for about a year. I've been very careful about keeping it clean and generally taking care of it. Over the past several months it has gotten more and more difficult to open it and adjust the aggressiveness. I clean it every other month and still it has corroded to the point where it us unusable. I am sending it back to Merkur. If they replace it, great. I would not recommend buying this. Anyone who is seriously considering purchasing this model should read a review by someone who has owned it for at least a year. It has too many parts which equates to too many possibilities for failure. Had I known what I know now I would have went for the Merkur 12C Long Handle Barber pole. It is simple, gets great reviews, and most likely will last much longer than this did. In fact for the price of this imminent failure you could buy two higher rated razors.

Sorry Merkur. This one is a longevity nightmare.

Maher;1310768 said:

if you forget about the price tag which is not that bad for a top of the line razor this device is top, I agree it might look a bit awkward and that is only because we are not used to its looks, look more and more and you will fall in love, this is what happened to me and now I am the proud owner of one. Simply put my #1 shaver and I keep calling on it if not daily then at least every other day if not more. Go for it if you search around you can and will get a good deal on one, they scarcely appear on the BST and are snapped out in a second.

Click to expand...

I'm sure it shaves well for some folks, but I'd like to know why it is 50-100% larger and bulkier than it needs to be.

if you forget about the price tag which is not that bad for a top of the line razor this device is top, I agree it might look a bit awkward and that is only because we are not used to its looks, look more and more and you will fall in love, this is what happened to me and now I am the proud owner of one. Simply put my #1 shaver and I keep calling on it if not daily then at least every other day if not more. Go for it if you search around you can and will get a good deal on one, they scarcely appear on the BST and are snapped out in a second.

I thought this would be the one razor I would use for the rest of my life. But after about a year of it I gave it to my wife, who uses it for her legs. The head is too big for the area around the nose, but the real problem is the adjustment mechanism. Instead of clicking into place like the old Gillette, this simply turns and stays on the selected setting because of its own pressure. Well, it tends to move off the setting and, once it gets a little gummy from soap residue, it becomes impossible to turn it for the full range of settings. It comes with instructions for cleaning, which requires disassembly and soaking, etc. I didn't love it enough to go through that. It looks great, like a razor Fritz Lang would have invented, but I greatly prefer my Gillettes, including the SS.

I have about half a dozen razors in my rotation but acquired this to see what it was all about. I ended up with more fear than love. I tried it for a while, put it away for a while, and then used it again for about a month to master it. I was finally able to use it without drawing blood, but only if i was very, very careful. As for the ratings:
Price: Obviously pricey for a DE razor
Quality: Well made, worked out of the box, disassembled and reassembled easily
User Friendly: I had to put this on the least aggressive setting to avoid blood-letting and even then I had to be very careful. The right angle of attack is completely different than any other DE I have used and makes for relearning each time.
Grip: It is big and easy to grip. The length makes it nice for part of the face but awkward for other parts.
Blade replacement: Simple TTO
Aggressiveness: The most aggressive DE I have used. Gave me the best BBS shave of any of my razors, 3 passes plus touch up, on the least aggressive setting
Adjust: As above, it does adjust easily but of no use to me as I needed it on the least aggressive setting and I use my Fatboy on 6.
Balance: If this were your only DE it would be easy to get used to it. But when rotating with other DE's, this balance is confusing.

In short, to overcome the fear of slashing myself, I sold the beast. I never cut myself with any of my other DE's. For my money, I like my Mergress a lot better.

Larry