What's new

Problem with Merkur Futur - Ideas?

After years of using the Merkur long-handled safety razor I sprung for the Futur a week ago. Have been THRILLED with the difference in shave quality between my old razor and the Future with the setting around 3.5. I changed my blade (Feather) this morning and immediately noticed that the blade was slanted - one side had adjusted less than the other. The razor has not been dropped, fallen, or had anything else unusual happen. Here are some pics with the Futur set to 6 where the problem is most pronounced, although believe me it's plenty disturbing at 3.5 (the razors setting was the same in all these pictures):

proxy.php


proxy.php


proxy.php


Any ideas? I will email the seller (DERazorBlades fulfilled by Amazon) and the manufacturer, but if anyone knows an easy fix that'd be great.

Thanks,

LFS
 
Merkur's quality control has been a bit shoddy as of late it seems. Best way is just to contact whoever you bought it from and they should take care of you.
 
Check to make sure it is assembled correctly. It doesn't matter which way the cap is oriented, but does matter which way you place the blade support platform (the part that has the "wires") back on. If you disassemble the Futur, upon re-assembly set the adjustment to its lowest (i.e. mildest) setting, and make sure you verify that the bottom of the blade support platform on both sides is flush against the head prior to replacing the cap. If it is not flush, disasssemble and turn the blade support platform 180 degrees, re-assemble, and check once again. I have 2 Futurs and I found out the hard way that the blade support platform must be replaced properly.

To Disassemble, open the razor to its widest gap and then remove the cap. Then put your index and middle finger below the head (with the handle between your two fingers) and push and hold down the top of the head with your thumb. While holding down (you will feel the tension of the spring while you are holding the head down), with your other hand, unscrew the handle.
eric.
 
Last edited:
Agree with Statement, contact the seller first, see what they can do or at least say about it, failing that contact merkur directly, afteral it is their product.
 
+1 on verifying the assembly. There is quite a bit of tension in that spring, and you need to make sure the head is depressed the entire time you're screwing the two pieces back together. IIRC, there may be a youtube video or two out there that have a visual demonstration. Best of luck, and I hope this problem doesn't steer you away from this great razor.
 
Well, it took a lot of fiddling (turned the blade platform and flipped the spring, what was the bottom seemed flatter than the top) but I think I've got it seated correctly. Glass, thanks a lot for the dis-assembly instructions. I hope I don't have to do this often, but I'm very glad to not have to send the razor back for another one. I was humored to see that this was my first post after registering in 2007 and lurking on-and-off since then, this is indeed the place to come with questions like mine. Thanks again.
 
Problem recurred, I think the spring might be f'd up. I'm going to screw with it a little more and then return it (for another one). Thanks again though.
 
If the problem recurred, I would exchange it for a new one without the problem. I have tried somewhere around a 30-35 different DE razors, and the Futur is my favorite. It provides an excellent shave.

eric.
 
Last edited:
Definitely time for a call to Merkur for a new one no reason you should have to put up with shoddy workmanship when you pay this kind of money.
 
Los Feliz Slim, I have a similar problem with my Futur satin finish. The blade gaps are significantly uneven.

I purchased from the same Amazon seller DERazorBlades. Did you have any luck contacting them or Dovo Solinger ?

Thanks to the instructions from glassmtn99, I was able to disassemble and seek out the root cause. The spring looked okay on mine. What I did notice was that the threaded post on the blade support platform was not welded on straight. This is visible by the eye, but fairly minor and I am not sure if I could capture it in a photo. The result is that no matter what adjustments are made on re-assembly the blade support platform will not be in the middle of the head.

I have been aware of this since I installed my first blade, and have been experimenting with both sides. Not the kind of variable a new DE shaver (like me) should have to deal with. I have no idea what gap distance each side represents relative to the setting (I have been using 2).

I am of course disappointed by this, considering what got me into this business was watching a Merkur segment on "How It's Made" and thinking I was buying the top end of quality.

Anyway LFS, I would love to know how your attempt to get a warranty replacement turns out. I don't want to ship this one back without getting a replacement as its my only DE Razor.

Thank you! Its nice to know I am not crazy ;)

EdgeHog
 
I find it interesting that you both ended up with the same problem from the same vendor...I was thinking it could be that the vendor got a bad shipment. If I were you guys I would immediately have the vendor replace them, or return them and buy something else or from someone else. No excuse that your new DE shouldn't work perfectly. The Futur is a great razor (I love mine) but it would definitely be hard to judge that if the razor didn't work right :( .
 
Edgehog, I emailed the seller and Dovo and received no response, so I processed the return electronically through Amazon, which will automatically give you a return label when you go through the steps to tell it that you received a defective product. Simultaneously, I ordered a vintage Gillette adjustable from eBay and waited for that to arrive before putting the Futur in a box and sending it back (it was usable in the meantime, but needed to be fiddled with before/during every shave). The Gillette arrived yesterday and I absolutely love the way it looks, feels in my hand, and most importantly the shave. I will be returning the Futur for a refund and sticking with the Gillette.

I am shipping the Futur back tomorrow and will update when it's resolved w/Amazon and the seller once and for all.
 
A thread elsewhere on this site, comparing the Feather to the Merkur slant, includes close-up photos of both razors. The comparison puts the Merkur in a very bad light. Does anyone know for sure whether it is true that the Merkur is made from cast zinc? If so, this brand is vastly overpriced and has no relationship to traditional German craftsmanship.
 
Top Bottom