Is adjustability overrated?

[Christoph]

I have a few adjustables - the Merkur Futur and Progress, the Gillette Fatboy as well as at least one more.

Does having an adjustable razor really do anything that you cannot easily do with a regular DE?

 

[mark_mw]

Yes - get a closer shave on demand, without having to switch to some Kamikaze sharp blade....Or, get a lighter touch up shave by the same simple adjustment

 

[brianw]

In one word...Yes

 

[Blue-EyedSon]

I suppose it depends on wether a regular DE has a blade exposure that works well for you. But even beyond this point, it is also nice to be able to adjust the blade exposure between passes. I normally don't bother with doing this, but sometimes if I'm not paying attention and the first pass goes poorly, then I'll decrease the blade exposure for the subsequent passes. Or if it has progressed smoothly between the various passes and there is still a tiny bit of stubborn stubble that remains, then I'll increase the blade exposure to finish it off. So, I find the adjustability a nice feature, but probably not quite enough to command the higher prices that the vintage adjustables go for.

 

[mark_mw]

I suppose it depends on wether a regular DE has a blade exposure that works well for you. But even beyond this point, it is also nice to be able to adjust the blade exposure between passes. I normally don't bother with doing this, but sometimes if I'm not paying attention and the first pass goes poorly, then I'll decrease the blade exposure for the subsequent passes. Or if it has progressed smoothly between the various passes and there is still a tiny bit of stubborn stubble that remains, then I'll increase the blade exposure to finish it off. So, I find the adjustability a nice feature, but probably not quite enough to command the higher prices that the vintage adjustables go for.

That's why the Merkur Progess was invented (priced in the same range as new regular DE razors), and Perfected with the introduction of the LONG HANDLE version

 

[Stubblefield]

I have a few adjustables - the Merkur Futur and Progress, the Gillette Fatboy as well as at least one more.

Does having an adjustable razor really do anything that you cannot easily do with a regular DE?

I really don't think so. There is much more to getting a closer shave than blade gap. I never got a better shave with an adjustable when compared to a non adjustable. YMMV.

 

[slantman]

The slants do a pretty good job without the adjustment hassle. However nothing against adjustable razors in particular the Progress and Futur.

 

[maxman]

I like my adjustables because when I switch blades to a kind i've never used before, I can dial it down to see how they perform. I know that I can use feathers at 7 on my Fat Boy. But I might not be able to use an astra at 7.
Also, I can make an adjustable more agressive to get just one pass.
I have a tech that I have to do two passes every time to get the same shave that I can get from my Slim at 7 doing one pass.

Having said that, I don't have any idea why the Futur has 9 settings.
I use a feather at 2.5. Anything higher and I'd leave half my face on the counter.

 

[SUMMERSRL]

This really is a YMMV situation. Personally, I've come to find the short comb Gillette New and the Merkur 34C are my favorite razors. I think I get better shaves from these fixed head razors than I did from the Fatboy, Slim, and Progress.

 

[cooncatbob]

For me adjustability means the razor can be adjusted to work with any blade.
With many of my non adjustable razors a Feather is too aggressive, but with the adjustable razors like my Slim, Fatboy or Progress I just dial down to where I like it.

 

[Uncle Erik]

Adjustables are handy when trying different blades. However, I usually use a non-adjustable most of the time.

 

[Pioneer]

I think so.

 

[Legion]

Yep, I think so.

As I've said elsewhere, adjustability makes a lot of sense from a manufacturers point of view. They can just make one razor and have it suit all the customers. The customer, on the other hand, usually just finds the setting that is right for him and leaves it there. Forever.

If you already have a razor that is right for you which is not adjustable stick with it. It will probably cost less, be simpler and have less to go wrong.


But of course, you are not going to, are you? We all love gadgets and the design of the adjustable razor is pretty cool. That is why I have yoinked so many of them off the 'bay over the years.

 

[DE Shaver]

Adjustable razors offer the advantage of changing the aggression of the shave if required. If you have razor burn or want to scale down the aggressiveness, then an adjustable razor will permit this. In addition, as a blade become duller with use, you may want to change the aggressiveness to optimize your shave. Also, and adjustable razor will allow you to have a less aggressive first pass shave and then dial up the successive passes.

 

[johnmrson]

For me adjustability means the razor can be adjusted to work with any blade.

+1

It's also good to be able to dial it up if you haven't shaved for a couple of days. There is very little that will slice through a few days growth like a Futur dialed up with a Feather blade.

 

[Walter Sobchak]

+1 to all of those who have made good points about having an adjustable and why it works well for them. Being able to adjust the gap is handy for multiple reasons.

I would also add, if there was some lunatic out there who only wanted to own one razor, an adjustable would make a lot of sense.

 

[Copierguy]

I have a few adjustables - the Merkur Futur and Progress, the Gillette Fatboy as well as at least one more.

Does having an adjustable razor really do anything that you cannot easily do with a regular DE?

I have a couple nonadjustables that are just right with this blade or that, but every adjustable of mine has a setting the will work with every blade.

 

[taffy]

I am a fan of adjustables and as has been said when your shaving and you feel a bit of stubble you can crank it up a notch or 2 to get closer shave, also you will find a setting to suit you, though having said that at the moment i must say my merkur hd is my to go razor.

 

[moshulu]

I own four adjustables (FB, Slim, Toggle, Progress) but they have all faded out of my rotation and are sitting somewhere in the back of a drawer. Hard to say why, although one reason is probably esthetics: these guys are just plain ugly. Seems to me that Gillette was able to hit a sweet spot with most of their non-adjustable razors (especially those made in the UK), so fooling around with the blade gap is superfluous. YMMV, etc.

 

[Dave Deluxe]

"Does having an adjustable razor really do anything that you cannot easily do with a regular DE?"

I my opinion NO,

When I started wet shaving, not that long ago, it was oh so important for me to get a “adjustable”, for many of the reasons stated above. Since then I have learned that I get far better shaves and more trouble free shaves with any of the non-adjustable that I have acquired than I do from the adjustable models in my possession.

However, I think that the idea of selling an adjustable razor is a stroke of marketing genius. I think the adjustable models have a strong appeal to the customer who wants to feel in absolute control and gets enjoyment from tweaking a piece of equipment. After all who wouldn’t want to have infinite control over a sharp blade being drug across ones face, many do.

In reality, I contend that most any user can adapt their technique to almost any razor given a reasonable amount of time invested and get a consistent shave that will be equal to and in most cases superior to what they can get from tinkering with their adjustable.

As always, your mileage may vary, but this is one man’s opinion.

DD