I'm thinking of purchasing them both, but I curious to see which one is preferred more?
Thank you to all that respond!
Thank you to all that respond!
None.
Frankly, I do not like the Merkur Progress, and regret the purchase.
I find it is not as efficient and comfortable as a regular 33c/34c. I have to crank up the aggressiveness to get a comparable shave, and by then it is not as smooth.
I have a half-dozen different adjustable razors, and I do not get a consistently good shave from any of them. It is too time/day/week consuming experimenting with different settings, blades, angles trying to find a good shave. Sometimes I get a good shave, sometimes even excellent, but even then the results are not consistent.
If you want a mild shave, buy a good mild razor; if you want a moderately aggressive shave, buy a good moderately aggressive razor; if you want an aggressive shave, buy a good aggressive razor. If you want to start your shave with a mild setting, use the mild razor; if you want to do touch-ups at a close setting, finish with the aggressive razor. You can buy two or three good razors for the price of a Merkur Progress. Problem solved. Sort of. If you push it too much going for that ultra-close shave, you will get razor burn.
Sure, I will get out my adjustable razors from time to time and try them again. Maybe my opinion will change one day. If nothing else, it relieves the monotony of getting perfect, quick shaves every day from a Merkur 33/34 or my classic Gillette New Type Long Comb.
With the 33/34, Merkur somehow found the sweet spot of blade exposure, gap and angle. Convert this to an adjustable and there is no way you are going to get a perfect combination of blade exposure, gap and angle at every setting. NO WAY! I do not know how to design a great razor. And so I do not want to have to figure out the best setting for an adjustable razor. I have tried.
Also, the Merkur Progress is a bear to open and close to remove the blade for drying.
I have absolutely no intention of trying the Parker Variant, or any of the latest whiz-bang adjustables. Except for the Toggle, all they seem to do is vary the blade gap (while more or less maintaining a stable platform for the blade, unless they are damaged), which is my least favorite (and most dangerous) variable in a razor. If I disposed of all my adjustable razors, I would not miss them for a minute.
Bottom line:
Adjustable razors are gimmicks for gadget freaks.*
Most people would do best to skip this waste of money.
* I am a gadget freak, in some areas, but not a gimmick freak.
But some people are. Given all the useless gimmicks that have been introduced with cartridge razors, it is odd they have never made an adjustable cartridge, have they? When cartridges came out in the 1970s, my first thought was that they needed to give users the option of making them shave closer. But nobody asked me.