Looking at these two excellent pictures, I would say a plumber would prefer the Variant and a college professor would prefer the Progress. The shaving performance would be equal, however.Parker made in India
Merkur made in Germany
I know we are not helping you to make your choice easy, but this are my 2 cents.
As I mentioned before, I have both and because of this discussion, I decided to shave with both this morning. This is my conclusion.
I know, this will probably make it even harder for you [emoji51]
On my face, they feel the same. I think any difference I noticed is just my brain trying to find those differences, but honestly, the they feel the same.
Even though they are made by different manufacturers, think of them as if they were 2 presentations of the same razor made by the same manufacturer. I hope this makes sense.
The difference is pretty much aesthetics. This is what I think. Take a look at these 2 pictures and ask yourself which one looks better to you. Which one you'll see in your bathroom.
You can't go wrong with either one. Both have great craftsmanship, both shave incredible well and both look gorgeous.
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