Best way to load a blade into Merkur HD ?

[Jarmo P]

I guess most start having the cap resting on the table or other flat surface and drop a new blade into it. And then one puts the handle + guard part on top and screws until they are at least lightly connected. And there is quite much play since the blade holes are a bit larger that the 2 "rods".

1. Now there is the possibility to lift the system a bit up from the table and continue turning the knob until the blade is tightly in place. I use this. Eplanation comes after a while why I think this is the better way.

2. The other way is turning the razor so that head is on top and then tighten and perhaps open again and tighten with the hope that the optimum blade exposure is achieved on sides.

But there is friction with this method. The head rests with its weight on the blade and that whole thing is pressed on guard surfaces. And we are not really interested how "even" the head is relative to blade are we? That does not affect the the shave really a bit?
What we are hoping is that the blade is again "even" (sorry for a better term and hope you get the meaning) with razor guard sides.
With the first and most straighforward blade loading the friction between blade and guard surfaces come only as a result from tightening the blade in place. Achieving I thing the more optimal "evennes or blade exposure".

These thoughts apply I think also to Progress and other 2 piece Merkur razors.

Then again all the above is only my current hypothesis and I could be wrong

Jarmo

 

[Jarmo P]

Bump.
I guess no one ever have thought about blade evenness in their Merkurs?
Or this forum is just for Gillette collectors like one comes to think from looking at the most posts?

Jarmo

 

[krawlx]

I've never thought about blade evenness. The razor itself has two knobs under the head that fit into the two holes on the blade. I thought that was a sure fire way to ensure evenness. That is, unless the knobs are uneven or the blade has a manufacturing defect.

As Merkurs are pretty widely used, and as blade unevenness has never been expressed to be a problem, I don't think you need to worry about it too much.

 

[Jarmo P]

Perhaps that is true what you said krawlx and no one really interested though I read some questions people asked (maybe it was in shavemyface forum) about it. And I should have perhaps posted my words to General forum or to shavemyface.
Since this thing has really for sure degraded to a Gillette this and that advertising merchants one.

 

[Zot!]

I didn't realize that it mattered before until someone mentioned the play of the razor blades in Merkers in an earlier post and now check not only my Merker HD but also my Lux (similar but three-piece) and my Feather Portable (another three-piece).

(1) I lay the head down with the shaft and bumps facing up.
(2) I set the blade through the bumps and shaft.
(3) I look to see that the blade is even with the same space around the bumps and shaft and end overhangs.
(4) I carefully place the rest of the razor onto the head shaft and bumps and carefully tighten.
(5) I lift the razor and look from the top of the head to see if everything is even--both the sides and the ends.