I'm sure this thread, or a similar one has been started before, but I wanted to ask anyway. Who has a Merkur VISION and hates it? I really loved mine until it started developing mechanical troubles. I have always cared for it and cleaned it properly. It just frustrates me to no end that such an expensive piece of equipment could be so flaky. I'm using my backup razor while the Merkur is on vacation in Germany getting repaired. Surely I'm not the only one to have had these issues?!
Who hates their VISION?
- Thread starter TonyH
- Start date
I'm sure some here have read my complaints about the quality issues with my Vision, so I don't want to bore everyone again besides stating that if Merkur was making cars they would be worst on the road.
I once had a Honda Civic that stalled on the Santa Monica Freeway during morning rush hour and started leaking fluid all over the concrete. My Vision has never done that.
Merkur seems to have problems with the Vision & Progress. The fixed head razors & Futur seems to be fine in terms of quality control.
I HAD a Merkur Vision, and then I gave it away.
I try not to raise a huge outcry about it, because I know some people like their Vision, but I share your sentiments. Way too much money for what you're getting.
If you want, you can do a search for the Vision Surgery thread, which might help you resolve some of your issues. I'd like to point out that the Vision is the only razor I know of that has a thread devoted to its surgery. Food for thought.
Don
I try not to raise a huge outcry about it, because I know some people like their Vision, but I share your sentiments. Way too much money for what you're getting.
If you want, you can do a search for the Vision Surgery thread, which might help you resolve some of your issues. I'd like to point out that the Vision is the only razor I know of that has a thread devoted to its surgery. Food for thought.
Don
My 34G HD's head/razor clamp is .023" narrower on one end that the other, thus the blade exposure is uneven on both sides. So their quality issues run the complete line. My Mergress is perfect, but to me that was just luck, because I am 2 out of 4 with problems. So 50% defect rate is pretty bad, needless to say these guys aren't 6 sigma, hell their not even 2 sigma. Maybe they are going for 6 delta, yep, that's it.
I like my Vision, but I don't shave with it much anymore. It is too much worrying about whether the adjustment is "correct". Yes, I know it is whatever I want it to be, but it is just easier to shave with my Merkur Classic and not have to think about it.
Tim
Tim
I wrote the Vision Surgery post, and I hate mine. Well, I guess not hate it exactly; I haven't used it in years and time heals all wounds as they say. But I'm definitely not fond of it, and do my best to steer guys towards something less sucktastic.
Worst thing is, the 2007 revision of the Vision fixed none of the problems from the factory, but *did* make it impossible for the end-user to fix these problems himself. Thanks a bunch Merkur.
I had my eyes on the Vision for a long time. After reading reviews elsewhere it seemed like the Rolls-Royce of razors. And after reading this thread im not so sure. Is it just a bad batch of razors, or is it just hit-and-miss quality control? If thats the case I may as well stick with my beloved Interceptor.
It's a perfect storm of a bad design plus misguided cost cutting plus indifferent quality control.
The design has several parts that can be put in backwards, which wouldn't matter except that their casting moulds aren't symmetrical so things only "work" one way.
There are places that need snug movement-free friction fits, that are full of plastic that flexes and distorts and wears badly. Bronze would seem to be the ticket here but it's probably too expensive.
There is an adjustment problem where you have multiple parts that have inter-dependent adjustments, and if they aren't all set exactly right then the blade gap won't be right at the two extremes, and you may not even be able to adjust the blade through the full range, or the high and low stops may not correspond to the V and N marks on the knob. Because these adjustments in the mechanism are interdependent it's an extremely fiddly process, made more annoying by the lack of calibration marks and the aforementioned plastic compressibility.
Once it's adjusted right it shaves fine for awhile, but that plastic just keeps wearing and distorting. I tightened mine up with teflon tape for awhile but that was a kludge and only worked kind of ok.
The design has several parts that can be put in backwards, which wouldn't matter except that their casting moulds aren't symmetrical so things only "work" one way.
There are places that need snug movement-free friction fits, that are full of plastic that flexes and distorts and wears badly. Bronze would seem to be the ticket here but it's probably too expensive.
There is an adjustment problem where you have multiple parts that have inter-dependent adjustments, and if they aren't all set exactly right then the blade gap won't be right at the two extremes, and you may not even be able to adjust the blade through the full range, or the high and low stops may not correspond to the V and N marks on the knob. Because these adjustments in the mechanism are interdependent it's an extremely fiddly process, made more annoying by the lack of calibration marks and the aforementioned plastic compressibility.
Once it's adjusted right it shaves fine for awhile, but that plastic just keeps wearing and distorting. I tightened mine up with teflon tape for awhile but that was a kludge and only worked kind of ok.
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My Vision is beautiful, hanging on its hook. I won't be shaving with it, though.
Thanks for that. I don't think I'll get a Vision after all. I would like to own a razor that is better than my Interceptor, yet still has a TTO mechanism.
The Vision is a waste of money, IMO. Can be a great razor if treated properly but not worth the money. They Futur is much better and actually provides a better shave I think.
Well I like TTO razors because of the ease of changing blades. I can't comment on adjustables because I have never used one.
Jeez, I feel like the lucky one after reading this thread. I've got five Merkurs with a sixth on the way. One of them is the Vision and it's been solid, with no issues at all. I don't shave as often with it as I'd like, but that's more from having way too many razors to choose from, rather than a dislike for the razor itself.
How do you find shaving with your Vision? Like I said earlier Ive been looking at it for a long time and deciding whether or not to get one. How long have you had it and how many shaves it has done?
Why not just cut to the chase and get a truly quality razor ... a vintage Gillette? There are dozens of models that were made with far superior workmanship than some of the dung on the market today and many can be bought for half the price of said dung.
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