Futur, just not that impressed

[Dave Colangelo]

So I have always liked the look of the Futur but since I only paid $12 for Gillette slim adjustable I could never justify the high price tag of the Futur. Well now that im out of college and have a job I decided to get one from a very nice member here. Lightly used and at a good price I could not wait for it to arrive. Well it came in yesterday and I had waited for it to shave so I put in a fresh Astra SP, whipped up some TOBS Eaton College and got to work. To be honest I was very underexpressed. Maybe I built it up to much in my mind, or maybe it was just not that great. Im sure you are wondering what was not great about it for me so here are some (somewhat objective) opinions.

The Not So Great:
- Unlike the Gillette the Futur does not have a click or anything to hold the adjustment in place. The threads are tight enough that it did not move around on me but I would like to see a click of some sort on the adjuster.

- The 1 was not as low as expected. The 1 setting (the lowest) still seemed a little harsh for me which was a bit surprising as on 1 on my Slim Adjustable it barely removes any hair. Having sensitive skin I much like and almost need a very very non aggressive razor.

- The latch top mechanism that holds the blade in has me wondering how long it will last. It is very fancy but I have my doubts about it, my '31 ford and '31 Gillette are both still working because they are simple. My '88 Porsche always had problems because it is complex but that is neither here nor there.

- I know that it has some plastic bushings in it which concern me a bit in terms of longevity.

The Great:
- The finish is great, I have the matte version but it is very even and well done.

- The razor is very heavy which is something I like.

- The adjustment mechanism is very smooth and works quite well.

- The top in lieu of its fanciness seems to hold the blade well.

- The sides of the blade do not stick out like on many razors which is nice.

- It shaves well, all be it aggressive it still shaves well.

- Because of the way the blade is held there is lots of space under it which helps to keep hairs out of it, in a sense it is clog proof.


Well I will be traveling for the next 2ish weeks and have brought it along as my exclusive razor. This will force me to use it and see how I like it. I am still optimistic for it and hope that it will impress me. Maybe it was just a bad shave yesterday, maybe not. I know it may not be right to judge it just on its first shave but they say you can judge a person in the first 10 seconds you meet them so why not a razor...

Regards
Dave

 

[Sir Lurkalot]

Some love it. For me it's just meh.

 

[SmoovD]

The only thing I do not care for is the size of the head. Makes getting under the nose a bit of a chore. Other than this trivial point I like the Futur a great deal. In fact, it is only one of two modern razors in my collection and is regularly in the rotation.

 

[Attila]

When I still used DE razors regularly (I use straights now) it was my absolute favorite shaver. Nothing shaved as smoothly or as closely with as little effort. Try different blades in it. My favorites were Astras, Personnas and Feathers.

Believe me, the clicking mechanism is not that big of a deal. You get used to not having it after a while. Not sure about the head mechanism, but time will tell I suppose, although I haven't heard anyone complain about it yet... I'm sure it isn't as bulletproof as some of the vintage heads or a 3 piece head, that's for sure.

Can't argue with the results of the shave though!

 

[breadstick]

I was in almost the same scenario as the OP. I got my Futur from a member here last weekend. My first shave was yesterday with TOBS rose and an Astra blade. I started on the 2 setting and was instantly blown away. Usually, Astra blades give good shaves the first two or three shaves, then they really hit their stride and the shaves get better. My first shave with my Futur was simply outstanding. I have the same hesitiation about the longeivity of the head staying on like it should, but if it goes out I'll either buy another or move up to the vision. I don't see ever not having this razor in my rotation.

Now I just need to steal my Mergress back from my brother and I'll have three modern razors in my rotation of about 20 vintage razors and an Ikon.

 

[Foyle]

There is a very heavy spring inside that will keep the adjustment in place. The lack of a clock mechanism inside is a good thing IMO. You can really fine tune just how you want it adjusted. It has a couple of teflon bushings inside, but I've never heard of anyone wearing them out. The springs that hold the cap on should last. How many Slims are there with lazy silo doors or clock mechisms that are frozen? A lot. The Futur is a good razor. Those things that you listed as cons I consider pros.

 

[OMEN]

I have been interested, but if I save up I could get Feather's razor which I feel I'd like more. A simple Jagger DE89 is on there too but the cost will go up as I like a rougher handle. I tried my dad's and almost dropped it a couple of times.

 

[bosseb]

The Futur was my second razor. It taught me that my skin doesn't accept harsh treatment. I tried it again a few years later with the exact same result.

 

[bmilcs]

Dave, I find that the Futur is much friendlier at a high setting. I find it uncomfortable at the 1-4 mark but when I crank it around 6, the blade feels great and I get fantastic face and dome shaves. YMMV

I also love Polsilvers in mine. Best combo IMO! Gonna use it tonight in your honor.

 

[GencoOliveOilCompany]

Started with the Futur several years ago as I figured the most expensive razor would be the best. Yikes! Even dialed down to 1 it was a monster. Impossible to do under the nose work as well. I sold it after 2 months (and a gallon of blood loss). That said, many wet shavers use it effortlessly dialed >5 and consider it the best DE razor out there (all sorts of YouTube reviews). Sorry, not me.

 

[ChiefShaver]

I use my Futur from time to time...on the setting till 3 the shave is ok for my skin...when i shave with setting on 4 and upwards i get endless razor burn.No matter how gentle i shave...don´t know why...under the nose it´s quit heavy to shave because of the big head but thats another story...

The best thing about this razor is the weight.It feels so so solid...just as a rock...but i don´t know (and will not know-->and try) when this razor falls into the sink. Is the razor broken or is there a big crack in the sink?!

 

[gmgaj]

I had one, and felt it shaved well if you go slow and pay attention to using no pressure. I got very good shaves with it, but 2 things made me trade it off. First, the head was large, and shaving under my nose was problematic. Second the smooth handle was slippery if any water or soap got on it, and I didn't like having to wipe it off during my shave. Some don't mind it, but it is the only razor I owned that made me dry it off, and it was a pain. I traded mine off on a progress, and have been very happy with the change. The progress shaves just as well, as does my New, New Deluxe and slim/SA.

 

[Acmemfg]

It was a great razor and I have nothing but good words for it...however it just got less and less use with the arrival of my 2011 Muhle R41, even less when I received a Weber Classic handle to use along with it, so I sold it. Since making the transition to Straights, even the Muhle sees only occasional duty, but affords a shave as close (probably closer) than any of the straights currently on hand.

 

[NingYupOwaDat]

I have never had any desire to try a Futur to tell you the truth, I don't like the look of them at all.

 

[cheesepiece]

The Futur polarises opinion. I don't yet have an opinion but that's all set to change when I get home to my awaiting Futur on 08/29/13.

 

[bmilcs]

The Futur wasn't love at first shave for me. It's really heavy and the grip needs some getting used to.

However, you eventually earn fantastic shaves that rival the very best DEs out there... With both comfort and shave quality. Take the time to learn the ways of the Futur. It's worth the initial aggravation and blood shed. My best head shaves are definitely a result.

 

[rgraham]

Every time I look at mine, I say.......

Klaatu barada nikto

 

[bmilcs]

Beautiful shave tonight with my Futur at 6.5 with a Polsilver 2.

Semogue 620 and MW Bay Rum!

 

[skleice]

I had one that I used exclusively for about 6 months. I got great shaves with it, but I found that I grew tired of it's heft and bulkiness. I also wasn't huge fan of the space-aged look and lack of knurling. I can see why some people love it, and some don't. Whatever works...

 

[bmilcs]

Here's solid evidence of how good the Futur really is: