I've tried several adjustable DE razors; the Fatboy, Merkur Vision, Progress (several, including a Mergress), Futur (several), Long-handle Super Adjustable, etc. Of all these, the Progress is the only one I've really liked (though I still have a Futur). I've liked it in all that avatars I've tried (including a regular Progress, short-handled Mergress, long-handled Mergress, and now the Bull Progress).
I've also had a vintage Progress, and a modern one. The difference between these is supposed to me the QC that Merkur used to have, which was supposedly much better several years ago than it is now. I must point out that I never really had a problem with Merkur QC, apart from a new slant, that I found to have some really bad cosmetic issues.
All the Progress avatars I've had have shaved very well. The Mergress tweaks did make the razor more balanced, but the real effect was minor. The one thing I always hated about the Progress was the handle.....which felt cheap and slick to me, and the Mergress doesn't address that issue.
So, I asked Bob of Bob's Razor Works to convert the razor into a 'Bull Progress'.
Essentially, this conversion involves cutting off the old Progress handle, and replacing it with a new 'Bull Mastiff' handle with a custom adjustment knob. The only bit of the Progress that is retained is the head assembly.
This change makes the originally 2-piece Progress into a 3-piece Bull Progress. Here are a couple of pics of it:
I opted for the 3.75" BM XL Deluxe handle, which means that it's a little longer than a 'standard' BM handle, and it has the vertical grooves. This also means that the handle is heavier than normal. The total weight of the razor is about 100 g. This is a substantial weight, and it shows when shaving.
To address the cosmetic changes first: The conversion takes care of all the issues that the Progress had. It now looks good, in addition to it being a lovely shaver. It also feels substantial in the hand, whereas previously it felt puny. It gives you the solid feeling of a Futur, without having the massive head. The knurling on the BM handle is excellent, and feels great. The adjustment knob works as it should.
Functionally, it's only slightly different from a regular Progress. The added weight does make it a bit more aggressive at the same blade exposure, but most importantly, the handle balances the razor well. There's even a magnet in the adjustment knob, to enable you to pick blades from a counter. Pretty cool!
On the negative side, you lose the numbered markings on the adjustment knob; instead Bob has grooves on the handle and every alternate one is red. So when you replace the blade you need to be aware of how many red grooves you need to pass, to regain your previous setting. This is a minor issue, but it can certainly **** some people off.
The other negative is the 3-piece setup: I personally don't have an issue with it, but some people prefer a 1-piece TTO to a 2-piece razor, and they prefer a 2-piece over a 3-piece, so I guess this could be an issue for those people.
The rest of my review could apply to any Progress, as it deals with the head --- the business end of the razor, as it were.
One issue with the Progress has been the occurrence of uneven blade exposure over the length of the head. This seems to be more of an issue with the modern Progress razors, not the vintage ones. Bob converted a vintage Progress for me. There are no issues at all with the construction of the head.
I love the adjustment mechanism on the Progress, as it allows you to adjust the settings on the fly, unlike the old Gillette TTO adjustables. The head is also significantly smaller than the Futur, and even more so than the Vision, making it easier to shave areas like your upper lip. The curvature makes it easy to find the right shaving angle too.
The shaves I get from this razor are quick, comfortable and very close. I usually use about a 3.5 for all my passes. This gives me a medium-aggressive shave, and coupled with a smooth blade like the Red IP, the shaves were wonderful. They lasted a long time, and were obtained with no fuss.
The Progress doesn't give you much feedback when shaving, and the Bull Progress, with its extra weight, gives you even less. There's no 'singing', like a Futur. You'll just have to use your fingers to tell where you need to touch-up.
Basically, I love this razor. Bob has taken something that worked really well for me, and he's converted it into perhaps the perfect shaving implement (again, for me....YMMV).
To finish, does the BRW Bull Progress give me a better shaving experience than a stock Progress? --- Yes!
Is it a better product for me than a Mergress? --- Yes! (mostly because of the handle).
Does it shave better than either of those two razors? Not really. The head is the same. That determines how it will shave.
Given that fact, I'd still say this is the best version of the Progress I've ever tried.
Price: The price for a Bull Progress conversion is a little more than a BRW Bull Mastiff handle. I'll let Bob quote you his price on the conversion, but it is about the same as for other conversions.
Previously reviewed in this series:
The Classic Shaving Cobra Classic
Gillette New Improved Big Fellow
The EverReady Streamline
The Gillette NEW (modified)
The Henckels Rapide
I've also had a vintage Progress, and a modern one. The difference between these is supposed to me the QC that Merkur used to have, which was supposedly much better several years ago than it is now. I must point out that I never really had a problem with Merkur QC, apart from a new slant, that I found to have some really bad cosmetic issues.
All the Progress avatars I've had have shaved very well. The Mergress tweaks did make the razor more balanced, but the real effect was minor. The one thing I always hated about the Progress was the handle.....which felt cheap and slick to me, and the Mergress doesn't address that issue.
So, I asked Bob of Bob's Razor Works to convert the razor into a 'Bull Progress'.
Essentially, this conversion involves cutting off the old Progress handle, and replacing it with a new 'Bull Mastiff' handle with a custom adjustment knob. The only bit of the Progress that is retained is the head assembly.
This change makes the originally 2-piece Progress into a 3-piece Bull Progress. Here are a couple of pics of it:
I opted for the 3.75" BM XL Deluxe handle, which means that it's a little longer than a 'standard' BM handle, and it has the vertical grooves. This also means that the handle is heavier than normal. The total weight of the razor is about 100 g. This is a substantial weight, and it shows when shaving.
To address the cosmetic changes first: The conversion takes care of all the issues that the Progress had. It now looks good, in addition to it being a lovely shaver. It also feels substantial in the hand, whereas previously it felt puny. It gives you the solid feeling of a Futur, without having the massive head. The knurling on the BM handle is excellent, and feels great. The adjustment knob works as it should.
Functionally, it's only slightly different from a regular Progress. The added weight does make it a bit more aggressive at the same blade exposure, but most importantly, the handle balances the razor well. There's even a magnet in the adjustment knob, to enable you to pick blades from a counter. Pretty cool!
On the negative side, you lose the numbered markings on the adjustment knob; instead Bob has grooves on the handle and every alternate one is red. So when you replace the blade you need to be aware of how many red grooves you need to pass, to regain your previous setting. This is a minor issue, but it can certainly **** some people off.
The other negative is the 3-piece setup: I personally don't have an issue with it, but some people prefer a 1-piece TTO to a 2-piece razor, and they prefer a 2-piece over a 3-piece, so I guess this could be an issue for those people.
The rest of my review could apply to any Progress, as it deals with the head --- the business end of the razor, as it were.
One issue with the Progress has been the occurrence of uneven blade exposure over the length of the head. This seems to be more of an issue with the modern Progress razors, not the vintage ones. Bob converted a vintage Progress for me. There are no issues at all with the construction of the head.
I love the adjustment mechanism on the Progress, as it allows you to adjust the settings on the fly, unlike the old Gillette TTO adjustables. The head is also significantly smaller than the Futur, and even more so than the Vision, making it easier to shave areas like your upper lip. The curvature makes it easy to find the right shaving angle too.
The shaves I get from this razor are quick, comfortable and very close. I usually use about a 3.5 for all my passes. This gives me a medium-aggressive shave, and coupled with a smooth blade like the Red IP, the shaves were wonderful. They lasted a long time, and were obtained with no fuss.
The Progress doesn't give you much feedback when shaving, and the Bull Progress, with its extra weight, gives you even less. There's no 'singing', like a Futur. You'll just have to use your fingers to tell where you need to touch-up.
Basically, I love this razor. Bob has taken something that worked really well for me, and he's converted it into perhaps the perfect shaving implement (again, for me....YMMV).
To finish, does the BRW Bull Progress give me a better shaving experience than a stock Progress? --- Yes!
Is it a better product for me than a Mergress? --- Yes! (mostly because of the handle).
Does it shave better than either of those two razors? Not really. The head is the same. That determines how it will shave.
Given that fact, I'd still say this is the best version of the Progress I've ever tried.
Price: The price for a Bull Progress conversion is a little more than a BRW Bull Mastiff handle. I'll let Bob quote you his price on the conversion, but it is about the same as for other conversions.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Previously reviewed in this series:
The Classic Shaving Cobra Classic
Gillette New Improved Big Fellow
The EverReady Streamline
The Gillette NEW (modified)
The Henckels Rapide
Last edited:
