Merkur Futur help

[Cerbul13]

I can perfectly fine understand that is a good razor, and that many people like it because of its sound, which comes from the fact that the blade is being allowed a bit to vibrate.
However, I am trying to get more advice from shaving standpoint, and from the fact that it seems to me that the ATG allowed angle is not as shallow as some other razors allow. I might be wrong, but can someone compare an DE89 with Futur from the comfort of shaving ATG point of view? Or give some differences, or some reasons why this razor seems to be better?
Obviously, being able to adjust it is a plus. But what else is so nice about this razor, technically speaking, as from what I hear around, there is also something technical about it, that makes it so nice.
So anyone can give more details about its shaving performance and comfort?

 

[Mick]

can someone compare an DE89 with Futur from the comfort of shaving ATG point of view? Or give some differences, or some reasons why this razor seems to be better?

take the blade out of the Futur and it will be similar to a DE89

Futur shows a LOT of blade, even at the lowest setting.

It is a nice, well made, modern, razor. In fact the Futur and Vision are about the only "new design" razors made in the last half century.

They are large, heavy, and awkward until you get used to them. After that, you will wonder why you even bother keeping your other razors around


The Futur and Vision compared to some other modern adjustable razors

Left to right: Fut

Vision - Futur - long handle Super Adjustable - long handle Progress - short handle Progress

 

[Cerbul13]

If you say that Futur shows more blade, and comparing the experience with a very old open comb that I got lately, I could conclude that the cap of the razor doesn't hide the blade enough just as an open comb.
Now my question would transform into this:
If you are saying that the shape of the head itself is very similar to DE89, then how does it differentiate based on the fact that DE89 has a more curved blade position compared to Futur. In my opinion is a bit of a tradeoff. You get shallower angle with DE 89, but you can't take max usage of it due to the blade being hidden by the head itself. While with Futur, it allows more blade contact due to head not covering as much as DE89 does, but the angle of the blade, is a bit less shallow then in the case of DE89. I would very much like to know how much does the Futur curve the blade once is in its place ready for shave, as from what I can tell from some pictures, it doesn't seem curved at all, or maybe a tiny bit.
Can you describe the difference in feeling?

If I were to describe the difference in feeling between my DE89 and the open comb (looks like merkur 1904 like, but mine has absolutely no name inscripted on it, so no idea what brand it is, I just know is very old, and the material as it is build, seems to be almost manually manufactured), then I would have to say that the blade exposure of the open comb allows shallower angles when going ATG. It vibrates due a bit more then on the DE89 due to more blade being out. It is very nicely build as to not let you cut yourself, also due to the teeth feeling like they want to enter your skin when you push it. Also, it is quite efficient at cutting WTG/XTG. The blade exposure is pretty large, allowing for both direct contact of the blade with the lather covered areas, making it more luxurious and less prone to razor burn, also the blade being so highly exposed as it allows a shallow enough angle in order to be able to cut ATG comfortably. One thing that I would like more, is a more curved position of the blade, to allow more comfortably for a shallower angle of attack.

 

[BarbaGnosa]

I'm not sure I fully get all your points, but I just acquired a Futur Monday, and shaved twice with it, and am thus far very impressed. One issue, though, that I'm just beginning to explore the meaning of: the Futur grips and holds the blade somehow differently thant the Cadet TP44, my favorite razor. Shaving with the TP44 blades literally sing (more of a zing) as I shave, the better the blade, the higher and sweeter the zing (Personna reds better than Bic Yellows, for instance) providing a very efficient, close, yet smooth and comfortable shave. The Futur grips and holds the blade differently (a differently shaped, spring-held clip mechanism vs. the TP44's simpler, more elegant screw-tight plates), and I haven't yet experienced that nice singing zing as it razes, although it does provide a very efficient, close, comfortable shave -- which feels somehow different, and that difference, I suspect, has to do with the angle of the blade within the razor head, the angle at which the blade meets the skin, how the blade is gripped by the razor, and other razor head shape and configuration issues.

Nonetheless, after just a few months and a multi-razor adventure, I'm beginning to consider simplifying, clarifying, purifying the den to just the Cadet TP44 and Futur -- for the time being, as I focus on working through the blade samplers and various wetware until I've got my favorite shaves more deeply informed, honed, clarified. Then onto SEs, probably sometime this summer.

 

[StuMcB]

For me it looked nice, I bought a chrome one years back. Nice. Use it now and again.

 

[Cerbul13]

I'm not sure I fully get all your points, but I just acquired a Futur Monday, and shaved twice with it, and am thus far very impressed. One issue, though, that I'm just beginning to explore the meaning of: the Futur grips and holds the blade somehow differently thant the Cadet TP44, my favorite razor. Shaving with the TP44 blades literally sing (more of a zing) as I shave, the better the blade, the higher and sweeter the zing (Personna reds better than Bic Yellows, for instance) providing a very efficient, close, yet smooth and comfortable shave. The Futur grips and holds the blade differently (a differently shaped, spring-held clip mechanism vs. the TP44's simpler, more elegant screw-tight plates), and I haven't yet experienced that nice singing zing as it razes, although it does provide a very efficient, close, comfortable shave -- which feels somehow different, and that difference, I suspect, has to do with the angle of the blade within the razor head, the angle at which the blade meets the skin, how the blade is gripped by the razor, and other razor head shape and configuration issues.

Nonetheless, after just a few months and a multi-razor adventure, I'm beginning to consider simplifying, clarifying, purifying the den to just the Cadet TP44 and Futur -- for the time being, as I focus on working through the blade samplers and various wetware until I've got my favorite shaves more deeply informed, honed, clarified. Then onto SEs, probably sometime this summer.

The only thing I can suspect here is that the Futur is somewhat in-between an open comb that has a lot of blade vibrance, and a DE89 which holds the blade pretty fixed. However, besides the close and comfortable shave that both give, raising the question about how does a not so tight fixed blade affects the feeling of a shave, I really can't find more info about what I should buy next.