A thought about my Gillette Slim vs the Merkur Vision.

[JasonJT]

Good evening all.

I was thinking about something on the train while going home. The Merkur Vision TTO adjustable razor like my Slim.

I know what the Merkur Vision is, a huge overgrown adjustable razor that looks rather clumsy to other razors (and also needs taking apart for cleaning). But what I would like to know is that how Gillette made the Slim so 'slim' (pun not intended -- ahem) yet it seems very well made and its slightly smaller than my Sledgehammer.

So why was the Merkur Vision one hulk of a razor if there are much smaller adjustable TTO razors out there please?

NOTE: I have also held a Merkur Futur and I found it one of the worst feeling razors in the hand there is. It felt like a toy compared to my 39c Sledgehammer and even my Gillette Fusion.

Jason.

 

[silverlifter]

So why was the Merkur Vision one hulk of a razor if there are much smaller adjustable TTO razors out there please?

Looks like an aesthetic/design choice, as opposed to an engineering one. Merkur know how to make adjustables, like the venerable Progress. Seems they also know how to make fugly.

 

[Old School TSD]

Technology marketing 101.
Smaller, better, faster, cheaper.
Gen 1- Fatboy - combined the blue, regular, and red tip into one razor, cheaper than buying all 3.
Gen 2- Slim - Redesigned components into a smaller package, better lower profile head to get under the nose, cheaper?...idr what they sold for, but manufacturing costs were certainly lower.

 

[santamariasteve]

Because . . . to some guys size does matter.

BTW don't dismiss the Merkur Futur so quickly. I have about 75 razors, and it's the smoothest shaving razor with the most solid feel that I have ever used. Yeah, I wish the handle was not so smooth. But I have never dropped it, or even come close to dropping it.

The bigger complaint I have about the Futur is the aggression is way over-clocked. I have tough old man whiskers and a mild setting of 1.5 is perfect for me. I have no idea what the engineers at Merkur were thinking when they designed the ultra-high aggression of the Merkur Futur.

 

[romsitsa]

Slim is made out of brass, Vision zamak, the later has to be thicker for rigidity.
The Visions head covers the blade tabs and is almost shaped like a half circle.
The rest of the Vision is proportionate to the oversized head.

 

[CTM]

Good evening all.

I was thinking about something on the train while going home. The Merkur Vision TTO adjustable razor like my Slim.

I know what the Merkur Vision is, a huge overgrown adjustable razor that looks rather clumsy to other razors (and also needs taking apart for cleaning). But what I would like to know is that how Gillette made the Slim so 'slim' (pun not intended -- ahem) yet it seems very well made and its slightly smaller than my Sledgehammer.

So why was the Merkur Vision one hulk of a razor if there are much smaller adjustable TTO razors out there please?

NOTE: I have also held a Merkur Futur and I found it one of the worst feeling razors in the hand there is. It felt like a toy compared to my 39c Sledgehammer and even my Gillette Fusion.

Jason.

Slim all day! That was my first vintage Gillette and I was hooked ever since!!!

 

[ERS4]

I seem to hear someone talking about "smaller" ；）

Going back to normal, I think Merkur seems to be trying to find something different during the development of Vision and Futur in order to cater to the shift in the market.

Zamak is the material they are good at, but its fragile characteristics and processing method also limit the development of the shape. The complex and special structure must be thicker to be strong. This is the design process of "form follows function".

Unfortunately, Merkur has been stuck in that period, and has not created new products until today; on the other hand, its competitor Muhle has created new razors in recent years.

 

[BigJ]

Slim all day! That was my first vintage Gillette and I was hooked ever since!!!

+1! My first Slim was not vintage at the time, it was a hand-me-down!!

 

[Quaznoid]

Slim. Why mess w anything else?

 

[Iridian]

The Merkur Futur and Vision were futuristic designs at their time, they still are nowadays. The Vision is no longer made, it took much more effort in production than the Futur and there were many returns. Something like that.

Basically, the designer might have been a Science Fiction fan, who knows. And this was his vision how wet shaving razors would look in the year 2022...

Curved and contoured lines were en vogue, cars went from boxy to curved from the 80s to 90s as well.

P.S. consider adding the handle of the Yaqi Tony Monster or something similar like the West Coast Shaving WCS Handle 175S to your razor, that would turn your 39c truly into a sledgehammer. You seem to like it that way!

 

[Alum Ladd]

What always boggles me about the 195 and Slim Adjustable's were their price.

When the Slim was released in 1962, Gillette managed to make it cheaper than the 195. It retailed at $1.50. Gillette kept to that price until 1966, when the price was increased to $1.74.

From the Inflation Tool Calculator Value of 1962 US Dollars today - Inflation Calculator - https://www.inflationtool.com/us-dollar/1962-to-present-value?amount=2&year2=2022&frequency=yearly $2 in 1962 was $18.68 in 2022 money. Knock off the change and I would guesstimate that to be around $14 in todays money.

For the sheer build quality and complexity, can you imagine getting an equivalent top line adjustable for £10.56 now @JasonJT? The economies of scale that Gillette achieved back in the day staggers me. Much of the manufacturing was also hand assembly.

This may interest you @JasonJT if you haven't already checked it out Slim (Standard) – Gillette Adjustable Razors - https://gilletteadjustable.com/slim/

 

[romsitsa]

For the sheer build quality and complexity, can you imagine getting an equivalent top line adjustable for £10.56 now @JasonJT? The economies of scale that Gillette achieved back in the day staggers me. Much of the manufacturing was also hand assembly.

Here is one. For fairness let us add that Gillette always produced razors, so development costs should have been lower, while anyone today will start from scratch or outsource the processes.

9.14US $ 39% OFF|New Adjustable Double Edge Shaving Safety Razor Shaver Blades Zinc Alloy Chrome Razors With 5 Blades - Razors - AliExpress

Smarter Shopping, Better Living! Aliexpress.com

www.aliexpress.com

 

[Rhody]

What always boggles me about the 195 and Slim Adjustable's were their price.

When the Slim was released in 1962, Gillette managed to make it cheaper than the 195. It retailed at $1.50. Gillette kept to that price until 1966, when the price was increased to $1.74.

From the Inflation Tool Calculator Value of 1962 US Dollars today - Inflation Calculator - https://www.inflationtool.com/us-dollar/1962-to-present-value?amount=2&year2=2022&frequency=yearly $2 in 1962 was $18.68 in 2022 money. Knock off the change and I would guesstimate that to be around $14 in todays money.

For the sheer build quality and complexity, can you imagine getting an equivalent top line adjustable for £10.56 now @JasonJT? The economies of scale that Gillette achieved back in the day staggers me. Much of the manufacturing was also hand assembly.

This may interest you @JasonJT if you haven't already checked it out Slim (Standard) – Gillette Adjustable Razors - https://gilletteadjustable.com/slim/

Wow
The only thing I’ll add is Gillette model also has a lower price on the razor because they want you buying their blades. That may account for the 1.50-1.75 price point.

 

[Quaznoid]

I think criticizing Gillette for selling its razors cheaply to encourage future blade purchases is off the mark. First of all there was nothing nefarious in Gillette’s marketing effort; it was good business for them (at least in the early years) that also provided good products for consumers at low prices. Secondly, as other manufacturers entered the blade market the blade-promoting marketing strategy was less effective. Once the consumer had many non-Gillette blade choices the strategy of locking them into Gillette blade purchases was largely over. Gillette continued to offer great razors at good prices because economies of scale made it possible and profitable even if the consumer never purchased a Gillette blade.

 

[raydoc]

Slim all day! That was my first vintage Gillette and I was hooked ever since!!!

1967 slim, reconditioned and re-plated in nickel by Matt at Razor emporium. Great, my daily razor.
And by chance, the same model I started with in 1968!

 

[discomike]

I give the Merkur Futur a thumbs up. Been had it for 10 years now. I don't recall it ever slipping from my hands when using it. I have the polished silver finish. Love the weight and the stateful looks it has.

Note I use my Futur for facial shaving, but not under-the-nose shaving, so I can't tell you the performance of the Futur in that area.

I had a chance to own the Vision as well but never pulled the trigger based on the problems I read about it.