Since January 2019 I have gone down the rabbit hole somewhat, purchasing, in this order, the Merkur Futur, Parker Variant, Merkur Progress Long Handle, Merkur 23C & 25C, Muhle Rytmo, Muhle R102 and Parker 26C. These are all fabulous razors and I experimented with shimming, different blades and different shave soaps and creams. After a bit of an absence, I have come back to the Progress Long Handle and now use it daily. The long handle is great, and I do choke up on it when I need to (you can make the long handle "shorter" but you can't make a shorter handle longer). Shaving the smoother parts of my face on a 3 setting gives me as close a shave as the Muhle R102 (which has the same head as the R41) but without the tugging, and the trepidation. Being an older guy with ... MoreSince January 2019 I have gone down the rabbit hole somewhat, purchasing, in this order, the Merkur Futur, Parker Variant, Merkur Progress Long Handle, Merkur 23C & 25C, Muhle Rytmo, Muhle R102 and Parker 26C. These are all fabulous razors and I experimented with shimming, different blades and different shave soaps and creams. After a bit of an absence, I have come back to the Progress Long Handle and now use it daily. The long handle is great, and I do choke up on it when I need to (you can make the long handle "shorter" but you can't make a shorter handle longer). Shaving the smoother parts of my face on a 3 setting gives me as close a shave as the Muhle R102 (which has the same head as the R41) but without the tugging, and the trepidation. Being an older guy with creases around my mouth and sensitive skin, the 1.5 setting with zero pressure on the razor gets super close against the grain with no irritation whatsoever. Bottom line, this razor does everything so well I don't want to use any other. Worth every penny in my book.

A great shaver with one minor drawback

This is an amazing razor I would recommend to anyone given its versatility and ease of use.I will dock one star given there is one minor drawback however in that one must pay close attention to blade alignment during assembly before use.I also received an example of minor cosmetic quality control oversight on the part of Merkur where the notch made to the head to aid in proper assembly was rather sloppy. It was not straight and even extended onto the bodyPerformance and how well I rate this razor remains unaffected, but it is somewhat of a disappointment.

Classic German Razor

The plating is gorgeous. Fit and finish are excellent. Ditto mechanical operation. Blade fit is perfectly symmetrical. The yellow adjustment knob is reminiscent of the plastics that were commonplace in the 1950s, which is when I think this razor was introduced. I've experimented with settings from "1" to "5", with "2 1/2" and "3 1/2" working best for me. Excellent, barbershop-quality shaves. Adjustability makes a difference for me.See mantic59 at his blog or You Tube for his good tips on using the Progress.Still confused about upmarket wet shaving? Try brush-lathering. Brush-lathering alone will up your shave game enormously, even if you prefer to stick with cartridges or disposables. For $25, or thereabouts, you can buy a brush, and a small selection of shave ... MoreThe plating is gorgeous. Fit and finish are excellent. Ditto mechanical operation. Blade fit is perfectly symmetrical. The yellow adjustment knob is reminiscent of the plastics that were commonplace in the 1950s, which is when I think this razor was introduced. I've experimented with settings from "1" to "5", with "2 1/2" and "3 1/2" working best for me. Excellent, barbershop-quality shaves. Adjustability makes a difference for me.See mantic59 at his blog or You Tube for his good tips on using the Progress.Still confused about upmarket wet shaving? Try brush-lathering. Brush-lathering alone will up your shave game enormously, even if you prefer to stick with cartridges or disposables. For $25, or thereabouts, you can buy a brush, and a small selection of shave creams or soaps. Decide for yourself.Service and shipping from Smallflower were excellent. Those folks are doing good work.

Could be the one!

I have: Merkur 1903, Muhle R41, Muhle R89, Merkur Vision, Merkur 38C Long Handle, and now Merkur Progress. They all shave differently. My go to, and favorite is/ was : Merkur 38C; it it the balance of aggressiveness, smoothness, and simplicity. The Progress is a simple two piece design, that is adjustable. The head is square, as opposed to the 38C. So, it's taking some time to adjust to the way it shaves, but I'm on my way. I can open it up, to really get close. I have to find the right setting, for me. But, from what results I'm getting; it's a WINNER!!! My opinion: Merkur 38C and Merkur Progress, are the best two razors I have. I've been doing this wet shaving for about 8 years now.

Fantastic razor

Just used it for the first time and got a great shave with just two shaves.The first was on a setting of 3.5 and the second was on a setting of 2.0. This resulted in 2 ultra smooth cheeks and slightly less smooth on the chin. It felt good and comfortable in my hand in all positions and the weight was perfect allowing it to do the work without me having to press it to my face. I think this will be my razor of choice for the rest of my life. I would give it 5 stars but my problem was the lack of a owners manual.

Great razor, I was intending

Great razor, I was intending to buy mühle r41, but after reading some reviews I was a bit unsure that I'm ready for it. I am shaving only for a couple of months so decided to go for adjustable razor instead. Great decision, gives much closer shave than mercur 34c for my head and beard.

Merkur Progress 510 Long Handle Safety Razor in Chrome

I have been using safety razors for many years now, but this is the first adjustable razor I have used. I am extremely impressed.No.4 setting for the first pass with 1.5 for the second seems to work well for me and leaves my face with a very close shave but no razor burn.A few reviews I read criticised the bulkiness of the head and problems with shaving around the nose as a result. I have experienced no problems at all with this, it is just a case of adjusting your blade angle to get in.A first class piece of German engineering which delivers a top class shave.

Merkur Progress Long Handle

I started shaving with a safety razor 6 months ago. I initially started with the MK34c. I was happy with the razor, but I wanted something adjustable. I have a tough beard but, sensitive skin on my chin and neck. I have been very pleased with the feel and performance of the Progress with an Astra blade. It allows me to customize my shave. Great service and price from New England Shave Company.

My Favorite Merkur, Handle a bit slippery

After looking for a replacement to my old Gillette adjustable razor, I went with the Merkur 2000 Vision. A collectible as it's high maintenance caused it's demise, it was to heavy and to much of a hassle. I then tried Both the Futura Long handle and the Progress Adjustable Long handle and my favorite is the Progress. Mu only problem is that the handle being plated and not available in Brushed chrome is a bit slippery. The future long handle brushed chrome is my second favorite at about the same price but I find myself going back to the Progress time and time again. My favorite blades are Feather from Japan as they are extremely sharp or Merkur's Own. They are both platinum plated with Merkur's hold an edge a bit longer and Feather's being a bit sharper. Your choice. ... MoreAfter looking for a replacement to my old Gillette adjustable razor, I went with the Merkur 2000 Vision. A collectible as it's high maintenance caused it's demise, it was to heavy and to much of a hassle. I then tried Both the Futura Long handle and the Progress Adjustable Long handle and my favorite is the Progress. Mu only problem is that the handle being plated and not available in Brushed chrome is a bit slippery. The future long handle brushed chrome is my second favorite at about the same price but I find myself going back to the Progress time and time again. My favorite blades are Feather from Japan as they are extremely sharp or Merkur's Own. They are both platinum plated with Merkur's hold an edge a bit longer and Feather's being a bit sharper. Your choice. I still have an old steel frame adjustable short travel razor for trips but as they are almost impossible to get in any decent shape (they wear out and the metal frames loose there geometry the merkurs are great. Tip 6 on Gillette is 4 on the Merkur.

Very Good Adjustable Razor

Pros: The adjustable safety razor can be varied between mild and aggressive depending on the needs of the wet shaver. You can play with a 3 pass shave setting and a 2 pass shave setting and still get great results. Simple construction the razor has a great design, is easy to use and will last for long time. Cons: Slippery handle, so don't drop it because if you crack the plastic end it is difficult to find a replacement. To use the razor, one has to go through a learning curve for assembly and usage, which makes it fall short for beginners.