how long my merkur razor will last?

[talibeard]

I'm curious where you found that information. Which Merkur's are made of Zamac? My 38c is chrome plated brass. I've read that in several places, and unfortunately there is a small spot on the threading with no chrome and you can clearly see the yellow tinted brass underneath. Many murkurs may be made of Zamac, but there is at least one that isn't!

I'm not saying that you're wrong, only that there may be a little more to it that that. I don't think all merkurs are made of the same materials.

The handles (and maybe the threaded part on the top plate) are brass but the razor heads are made of Zamak since decades afaik. Various emails from Merkur all over this board confirm that, as well as the pictures from unlucky members with corroding razors.

 

[bkfist]

I'm curious where you found that information. Which Merkur's are made of Zamac? My 38c is chrome plated brass. I've read that in several places, and unfortunately there is a small spot on the threading with no chrome and you can clearly see the yellow tinted brass underneath. Many murkurs may be made of Zamac, but there is at least one that isn't!

I'm not saying that you're wrong, only that there may be a little more to it that that. I don't think all merkurs are made of the same materials.

You are seeing the very thing layer of copper plating that has to be applied to the zinc compound before the chrome can be applied.... Yes, unless it's vintage, it's made of pot metal.

A little over half-way into the video, the topic changes from blades to Merkur razors. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4gTs_FRORE

 

[jordanb_2323]

The handles (and maybe the threaded part on the top plate) are brass but the razor heads are made of Zamak since decades afaik. Various emails from Merkur all over this board confirm that, as well as the pictures from unlucky members with corroding razors.

Ah I see. Thanks for the info. Bummer...it seems pointless to make the razor head of zamak and everything else out of brass, even the threaded bar on the two piece. Got to wonder what Merkur was thinking there, and how much money it really saved them when its all said and done.

I'm not as concerned with Zamac as much as I used to be. Some knowledgeable list members have weighed in on this on this board, speaking to the science of Zamac (there doesn't seem to be just one kind), its manufacture and durability. I acknowledge those who have had problems, but I'm not sure what percentage of Merkur's or Meuhle's units made in a given year have had problems.

I invite anyone reading this who has knowledge of Zamac to weigh in (or tell us where those older threads may be found).

+1 I'm curious about the specifics on this.

 

[jordanb_2323]

You are seeing the very thing layer of copper plating that has to be applied to the zinc compound before the chrome can be applied.... Yes, unless it's vintage, it's made of pot metal.

A little over half-way into the video, the topic changes from blades to Merkur razors. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a4gTs_FRORE

Wow great link, very helpful. Its all making sense now.

 

[kingmike]

My brother brags that his Merkur is like shaving with God's fingernail. I am assuming that it is very good!

 

[bkfist]

My brother brags that his Merkur is like shaving with God's fingernail. I am assuming that it is very good!

I'd just assume it means that it's looking chipped and split... lol

 

[Greek Trojan]

Does pot metal significantly weardown after time? I'd think that most shaving tools endure such little force/wear that the strength of the metal is borderline irrelevant. Maybe it corrodes faster once the initial plating wears off? Calling it "pot metal" is a bit unfair in that pots undergo magnitudes of higher stress than a DE ever should. I'm with some of the other posters in stating that the alloy's qualities aren't widely known outside of "its not stainless steel." Couldn't even find much google searching it.

 

[bkfist]

Does pot metal significantly weardown after time? I'd think that most shaving tools endure such little force/wear that the strength of the metal is borderline irrelevant. Maybe it corrodes faster once the initial plating wears off? Calling it "pot metal" is a bit unfair in that pots undergo magnitudes of higher stress than a DE ever should. I'm with some of the other posters in stating that the alloy's qualities aren't widely known outside of "its not stainless steel." Couldn't even find much google searching it.

Potty metal usually refers to any low quality die-cast metal, often containing significant amounts of low melting point metals such as zinc... not metal that pots are made from. Yes, they tend to corrode quickly after the plating has worn through, and Merkur has a reputation of having poor plating quality.

 

[michiganlover]

Potty metal usually refers to any low quality die-cast metal, often containing significant amounts of low melting point metals such as zinc... not metal that pots are made from. Yes, they tend to corrode quickly after the plating has worn through, and Merkur has a reputation of having poor plating quality.

+1

Potty, as in garbage metal, as in trash metal.

When I was growing up (my father owned a welding and machine shop) pot metal was considered to be a cheap, and worthless substance, as it can't be welded, or otherwise normally repaired as heat simply melts it. Thus objects made from pot metal were considered to be cheap, and very undesirable. From my experience, it is even difficult to glue, as the air bubbles found in the material mean their is not enough surface area to bond the glue.

From Wikipedia:

Pot metal, also known as monkey metal, white metal or die-cast zinc, is a slang term that refers to alloys that consist of inexpensive, low-melting point metals used to make fast, inexpensive castings.

The primary advantage of pot metal is that it is quick and easy to cast. Due to its low melting temperature no sophisticated foundry equipment is needed and specialized molds are not necessary. It is sometimes used to experiment with molds and ideas before using metals of higher quality. Examples of items created from pot metal include toys, furniture fittings, tool parts, electronics components, and automotive parts.

Pot metal can be prone to instability over time, as it has a tendency to bend, distort, crack, shatter, and pit with age. The low boiling point of zinc and the fast cooling of the newly-cast part often allow air bubbles to remain within the cast part, weakening the metal. Many of the components of pot metal are susceptible to corrosion from airborne acids and other contaminants, and the internal corrosion of the metal often causes the decorative plating to flake off.

Just a couple of theories, but the slang term "pot metal" could refer to it's low melting point. The low melting point would mean the metal could be worked with nothing more than a common pot, and a heat source.

The term could also be referring to the air bubbles found in the metal as in Pock Metal (metal with visible craters/ holes in it). Perhaps over time, people changed Pock Metal to Pot Metal as they sound awful similar. Just an couple of unsubstantiated theory though.

 

[Go West Young Man]

I've been told that the pot metal of the 40s/50s is not the pot metal of today - metallurgists have refined the process to the point that pot metal can actually perform very well these days.

 

[mmack66]

"Any device you wish to disparage, when in truth you know absolutely nothing about it, can be said to be made from Pot Metal".

 

[Mike Schutz]

I have two slants in particular that the pitting is so bad as to make them unusable. I'll never buy another slant (or any other razor) from Mercur. I'd just as soon spend a little bit more and at least buy one from a company with a better reputation.

 

[bkfist]

"Any device you wish to disparage, when in truth you know absolutely nothing about it, can be said to be made from Pot Metal".

True, but many times, dare I say most, when an item IS made from die-cast metals, it is almost always deserving of such disparagement... Take Merkur's lack of quality control, and their unwillingness to at least stand behind their pitting, flaking and chipping finishes, the fit of their heads on their Futur razors with terrible blade alignment, and the reputation and use of the word "pot metal" seems well deserved.

 

[acbulgin]

For purpose of discussion, let us remember that the quality of materials in a vintage Gillette razor vs. a modern day Merkur is not the same. Vintage Gillette razors were made of plated brass.

Modern day Merkur razors are plated Zamac (aka white metal, aka pot metal). The long term durability of Zamac is greatly reduced once the plating is compromised.

To be blunt, the Merkur razor will be pretty much shot once a significant amount of the plating is compromised.

Whereas a Vintage Gillette can have all of it's plating stripped, and still live on for another 100 years.

Thank you for your post.
Your information may not be entirely correct.
According to Dovo, almost all of the Merkur razor handles are made of brass. I think the plating is copper, followed by nickel, followed by chrome.
It is the razor head that is made of ZAMK (Zinc, Aluminum, Magnesium and Küpfer (copper)).
The razor cap may also be ZAMK.
Why don’t you contact Dovo to confirm this?

I’ve had my Merkur 34C for 12 years, and it is in great shape. My Merkur Progress 500 (short handle) is 11 years old and is in great shape.

Best wishes!

 

[ERS4]

At least on merkur, the zamak of today is still the zamak of yesteryear.
Let's take a look at one of merkur's iconic designs, "futur". Since this is a relatively new design, it may help to demonstrate the quality of the merkur today; although this design is also many years old(around 1980), and murkur doesn't seem to be keen on updating the design and manufacturing methods .

The following photo is the reply of our esteemed gentleman "Old School TSD" in "Merkur Futur - A Most Unlikely Razor".
Showing corrupted internal parts of merkur futur.

Noticeable rot appears even inside the cap.

Of course everyone's usage and water quality are different, some people still use merkur razors for over 10 years.
But so many people have posted pictures of merkur corruption in B&Bs, enough to confirm that it won't last a lifetime.
But don't worry, because the merkur is cheap enough that your use is worth the fare before it rots.

 

[deafficianado]

I had two bad experiences with Merkurs. The zamak/pot metal is atrocious and combined with their shotty QC, I’ll avoid Merkur products (and all other zamak razors) like the plague. I prefer my razors to be made of stainless, brass, bronze, aluminum, copper, or titanium. These metals are much better for a razor to be made of and allow for a true lifetime of usage.

 

[Quaznoid]

I wouldn’t worry about it.

 

[Ron R]

Rinse your razor regular and it will out live most folks, the problem occurs is when cleaning, folks will use solvents, vinegar, boil, scrap....... and then the razor will deteriorate quicker IMO. I have a Zamac razor head 5 years old and looks like new( I do not use that razor as much as I use to.)
If your concerned about Zamac or aluminum razors stainless steel razors are available at every price from $30>400 US$ with a stand. Depending on your age also might be a good idea to take that into consideration also. If your very happy with that particular razor you can sometimes buy another head depending on manufacture. I bought a Yaqi Tile SS razor head for $36 Canadian and it works great and would not sell it. It is not polished but it does not need to be because finish is fine enough for my shaving needs.
Anyways don't worry about Zamac just enjoy the razor until something changes.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Why would someone dig up an eleven year old thread to give advice?

 

[Old School TSD]

Even if you do buy another razor, the Merkur should last just a few days short of forever.

I have a disintegrated Futur that begs to differ. I also have a 1950s Progress that would agree with you as it looks new in box still and gets used.
Would I buy another new one? Never.