The specific orientation on the progress doesn't impact blade gap or exposure.
It's just so the adjuster starts on the + sign.
If the base and cap are not oriented properly, the adjuster will start at a different number.
Pearl Flexi Dissapointment
- Thread starter gpjoe
- Start date
The specific orientation on the progress doesn't impact blade gap or exposure.
It's just so the adjuster starts on the + sign.
If the base and cap are not oriented properly, the adjuster will start at a different number.
- Thread starter
- #42
Just to be clear:
The Razor Company has handled the situation. I received a couple of emails from Jason stating that they would replace the razor, and they sent me a pre-paid shipping label. I sent it back and they shipped the new razor.
Now the PO is having a hard time finding my house.
- Thread starter
- #43
So, this feels like a Three Stooges bit. The shipping slapstick continues:
Instead of shipping the package directly to me from Illinois, the package went BACK to Detroit, which I suppose is the normal route for something coming from the Chicago area to me.
The journey (so far, and assuming it doesn't get sent to Cleveland):
Keego Harbor to Detroit 29
Detroit to Palatine, Illinois 311
Palatine (via Elk Grove Il) back to Detroit 311
Detroit to me 171
For a total of 822 miles to reach me (and I am located170 miles from the seller).
Starting to understand why the PO is losing money and why shipping fees are rising faster than gas prices.
Instead of shipping the package directly to me from Illinois, the package went BACK to Detroit, which I suppose is the normal route for something coming from the Chicago area to me.
The journey (so far, and assuming it doesn't get sent to Cleveland):
Keego Harbor to Detroit 29
Detroit to Palatine, Illinois 311
Palatine (via Elk Grove Il) back to Detroit 311
Detroit to me 171
For a total of 822 miles to reach me (and I am located170 miles from the seller).
Starting to understand why the PO is losing money and why shipping fees are rising faster than gas prices.
And after all that I hope you have a straight razor!
I’ve lived the same PO issues. I used to live in Palatine. They have a major hub there. My stuff usually arrives at the Palatine hub and then from there to my local PO.
They should put the PO in charge of inflation. They might not stop it, but they could sure slow it down.
- Thread starter
- #46
Yeah, it's a cluster f#%@, but it will get here eventually.
Actually, I'm in no hurry and am quite entertained by the ineptitude of the Detroit office.
Besides, I have little hope that the new Flexi will be any better than the last. If the replacement has the same issues, I may contact Pearl directly, or just cut my losses and give it to an adventurous wet shaver that wants to risk using it.
Bottom line: I'm losing faith in Pearl's ability to manufacture a quality adjustable razor. It's almost like they have no control of their process and just keep cranking out the Flexi hoping that the razors are OK, when it seems many are not...still...even at version 12.96785.
- Thread starter
- #47
Most modern adjustable razors have to some degree a slight misalignment, because most of them have two bottom plates with a spring between them and a top cap and aligning all three of them precisely isn't an easy task. In most cases, the issue comes from the spring or perhaps the edges of the top cap are not symmetrical and that gives the illusion of misalignment, which is what my Pearl Flexi suffers from.
It's not very pleasant to look at it, but I can assure you that this slight misalignment doesn't affect the shave one bit, unless the blade has an uneven gap like a slant razor on both sides or the blade exposure is different. There are much more expensive razors that have such issues, so it's not only with Pearl Flexi, but yeah, it's annoying and I get that nobody would to own a razor with such issues.
That maybe what Murphy and McNeill were talking about that they see the misalignment go away once a razor is secured in place. But if that misalignment is there with a blade in place that could create some rough shaving. At least it has for me.
None of my other modern adjustables have misalignment issues.
- Thread starter
- #50
That's good to know.
The problem I had was that the blade gaps were different from one side to the other at any setting.
The gap was even along the entire blade edge on each side but (for example) if I set it at "2" on one edge, I would have "5" on the other.
To me, that is unacceptable. The gaps should be the same, or very, very close. Mine was noticeably (measurably) different.
It really depends how big the issue is, because if you have to look at the razor like 2 or more minutes and you barely see anything misaligned and the blade exposure on both sides is even, the chances of getting a bad shave from that alone are very slim.
I don't know what other modern adjustable razors you have, but for instance the Rex Ambassador is known for having the same issues to this day and it's just that people rarely talk about it.
This picture is directly from the Razor Emporium website and it shows the Rex Ambassador next to the Rex Konsul and what you see is the zoomed Ambassador and you can clearly see that it has a noticeable misalignment.
The only other modern razor that I own is the Merkur Progress, which also doesn't have a perfect alignment on both sides. Most of my vintage adjustable razors like my Slim, Fatboy and Toggle are also not super precise either, but the difference is barely noticeable and I doubt that it affect the shave in any way possible.
I've had the progress and vikings blade crusader with no misalignment. I still have a parker variant, vikings blade Augustus, VDH futur knock off, qshave Parthenon, and I might still be forgetting one or two. I've not seen the misalignment in any of them like I did the flexi pearl I sent back.
Edit: oh yeah the muramasa that I got in replacement for it also has no misalignment like it had with the flexi pearl
And to add I'm not saying those with a good flexi pearl that those razors aren't great shavers. But there are some that are above V2 that have alignment issues.
Edit: oh yeah the muramasa that I got in replacement for it also has no misalignment like it had with the flexi pearl
And to add I'm not saying those with a good flexi pearl that those razors aren't great shavers. But there are some that are above V2 that have alignment issues.
And I have many vintage adjustables with no issues like I had with the flexi pearl. Fatboy, slim, toggles, super adjustable
And if anyone is reading this and you want to try the flexi pearl I highly suggest going through Murphy and McNeil. Absolutely amazing customer support in my case and very quick turn around to resolution. Extremely above and beyond support on Christmas day and shaving with a new razor by the new year.
The razor had a nice weight to it I did like. The grip felt great. I just happen to get a dud.
The razor had a nice weight to it I did like. The grip felt great. I just happen to get a dud.
- Thread starter
- #55
Well, after taking a trip to Chicago, the Flexi has landed.
Quick inspection and this one looks MUCH better. I can't see any difference in blade gap between the two sides, and no "slope" in either blade edge. It adjusts fully through the entire range, and the fit and finish looks perfect.
I'm not going to try measuring the gaps as it looks pretty darn good by eyeballing it. I'm just going to use the razor and judge it by performance, as I do with every other razor I've owned.
Big thank you to Jason at The Razor Company for making things right!
Quick inspection and this one looks MUCH better. I can't see any difference in blade gap between the two sides, and no "slope" in either blade edge. It adjusts fully through the entire range, and the fit and finish looks perfect.
I'm not going to try measuring the gaps as it looks pretty darn good by eyeballing it. I'm just going to use the razor and judge it by performance, as I do with every other razor I've owned.
Big thank you to Jason at The Razor Company for making things right!
Well... here is the matching gif
As for the sellers that give customers the run around... they will never ever get my support. Customer service should be provided by the business that took the money from the customer, not by the manufacturer or any other third party. It doesn't matter what the small print says.
Thanks for posting the warning.
- Thread starter
- #57
Final update:
First shave with the Flexi. Astra SP, MdC Fougere, Semogue Taj Mistura, classic Pinaud Clubman.
A walk on the mild side. Set the razor at "2" and proceeded with my normal 3-pass shave, with touchup. The result was a perfect DFS, with nary a single nick or weeper.
What really stood out was the weight of the razor. This is easily (and noticeably) the heaviest razor I own. It is a beast. This is the only razor I've used that actually does most of the shaving by the sheer force of its weight.
Anyway, happy days.
First shave with the Flexi. Astra SP, MdC Fougere, Semogue Taj Mistura, classic Pinaud Clubman.
A walk on the mild side. Set the razor at "2" and proceeded with my normal 3-pass shave, with touchup. The result was a perfect DFS, with nary a single nick or weeper.
What really stood out was the weight of the razor. This is easily (and noticeably) the heaviest razor I own. It is a beast. This is the only razor I've used that actually does most of the shaving by the sheer force of its weight.
Anyway, happy days.
That's great to see you got a good shave with it. The weight is what attracted my attention to the razor.
Just reach out to Pearl. They have an outstanding customer support service. My flexi had some issues, and they resolved it immediately and I was very pleased (which is a hard thing)
- Thread starter
- #60
Just reach out to Pearl. They have an outstanding customer support service. My flexi had some issues, and they resolved it immediately and I was very pleased (which is a hard thing)
Already taken care of by The Razor Company - they replaced the razor. I'm only five shaves in, but it seems fine and I'm getting great results.
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