Don't be afraid to make one of the three Adjustable Merkur Razors your first razor; it could likely be your last.  These offer a varying amount of exposure between the blade and guard.  Shave with the grain at the most aggressive setting for you upon the first pass.  Then perform an across the grain pass with a less-aggressive setting.  If your bold, go for a final against-the-grain pass at a very mild setting of the razor for ultimate closeness.

To get this shave that can't be bettered and good looks and sounds to boot, one must deal with

1. the price
2. the need for maintenance

• Nearly ideal handler that gives amazingly good results
• Just pop top off to swap the blade
• Requires little cleaning
• 4.3" (109mm) tall
• Weighs a hefty 4.3 ounces (122 grams)
• Kind of like visiting San Francisco; seems all who use Futur have something good to say
• Made in Merkur's distinctive matte finish which matches Dovo's metal brushes we carry (when we can get 'em)
• A teensy bit slipperier than I'd prefer; the #38's handle texture would be welcomed, but beauty comes at a cost
• See further down page for the shiny one

The 'gap' (space between blade and blade guard) is finicky on Futur, more so than the more basic "Progress" and non-adjustables shown below...if the gap appears slightly uneven, it is due to normal tolerances and not a defect.  Slight tolerances are quite normal-first and foremost, the chrome plating will not have identical thickness all over the razor due to the curving surface, and this leads to slight differences in the gap across the span of the blade.  Futurs are hand-assembled, too, and with hand assembly comes unavoidable expansions of tolerances which nonetheless do not influence function/performance of Futur.  I'd still choose it first and foremost in the Merkur line, or over any other more-made-by-machine safety on earth.

The blade, once inserted, has a little bit of give around the cut-outs along the center for easier blade loading/unloading.  As it is virtually impossible to hold the Futur's "cap" perfectly in balance to center the blade perfectly, the blade's always a little bit more exposed on one side than the other in every sample I test, at least by the calculating nature of my Mitutoyo feeler.  Again, this is normal, and happens basically with every safety razor to some degree.  If you feel one side's more agressive than the other, try to load the razor with the blade tipping it towards the less agressive side while closing it, to tame the more aggressive side a bit.

   The Merkur Progress "510" is the same basic razor as the original Progress, but with longer ~4" handle.  Weight goes up to 3.5 ounces (100 grams).  Like original Progress, use varied adjustments for different passes, and let the heavy head work while gently passing upon skin.
The '510' does NOT fit in the little plastic case.

The Dovo 40010 leather case is a zippered, lightly padded top-grain cowhide model.  It fits any Merkur safety razor, along with many travel brushes such as the Omega 50014 turnback, the Muhle travel brushes, the Vulfix 2273 & 2190, and the Simpsons Case.  As you can see from the pics, it is handmade in Germany.  This isn't 'genuine cowhide' leather like you'll find at big box discount stores.  Those are affected by artificially-accelerated tanning processes.  Instead, this leather's soft, pliant, durable-that's what more time-consuming tanning does.

We've also got the Merkur #900300 Plastic Case if you'd like to buy it alone.  It fits the classic short-handled models, be they thick or thin handled, and this includes the Progress, the #11/15/33/34/37/42 models, and the #45 Bakelite razor.  Mühle's short-handled classic designs also fit (R41, R89, etc).  THE CLEAR PLASTIC LID IS EXTREMELY FRAGILE.  I love how this thing works, but don't put it in checked luggage unless you've put it deeeep inside a well protected area and also have opened the lid from the base.  When we ship these things alone, you'd think the Hope Diamond was within, and I'd still feel queasy packing them along!

For Merkur's 2-piece models, a long screw attaches to a threading within the razor; turning the handle's bottom attaches/detaches the razor's head.

The slanted guard on the 37C/39C models is not parallel to the razor's edge, forcing a scything motion across skin and focusing initial intensity of cutting energy to a narrow area of blade.  37/39 certainly must be characterized as aggressive razors which mow 'em down quick, but with care they can give amazingly-smooth results in fewer passes for many users.

The 11C/12C "open comb style" models, due to the irregular topography created by their comb guard pressing against the skin, specialize in easily springing pesky neck hairs which grow parallel to skin and 'lay down' during shaves.  Great on the neck.  Pretty intense, though; I'm an old hand at this now and I can't imagine how anyone could possibly describe it as a mild razor.  For some, though, this breed of aggression's just the ticket for a tough neck or swirling beard growth pattern that otherwise just never really gets smooth as a baby's bottom.

The Merkur 37C, aka The Slant, weighs 2.7 ounces (76 grams) and has the same 3" (75mm) overall length as the 34C.  It is a version of the 34C Heavy Duty which provides a scything motion for the blade-upon-skin action.  The 'bent' guard results in a blade movement with one edge leading the way down the face, focusing cutting energy to less blade real estate.  Will your face like it?  That'll depend upon your blade's sharpness and how light your touch.

I think the Slant's much like an experienced chef whom can use mostly 'slice cuts' with a kitchen blade, as opposed to 'push cuts'; 'slice cuts' put the arm's mass * acceleration arm on a narrow range of metal.  'Push cuts' do the same, of course, but to lots more metal simultaneously upon that being cut.  There's times for both.  Most friends/relatives I see in the kitchen are push-cutting far, far too often; perhaps I only need associate with more culinary types to change this viewpoint.

You can get closer shaves with an identical number of passes with the 37C vs the 34C, or for that matter really any straight-comb fixed-position razor.  You can also feel burned by it; some will find results too aggressive, perhaps even slightly uncomfortable.  It is a polarizing piece, not for everyone like Mister Vanilla Ice Cream two models above.  But I personally feel a light, 1-pass shave with Slant and Feather blades is amongst the best double-edge safety razors achieve.

The Merkur 903881001 #38C Razor/Brush Set (above) includes the #38C razor, the 'matched' #90138001 silvertip badger brush, and their #904002001 razor/brush stand.  All components are 100% made in Merkur's Solingen, Germany factory.

The Merkur 903981001 #39 Razor/Brush Set (above) includes the #39C razor, the 'matched' #90138001 silvertip badger brush, and their #904002001 razor/brush stand.  All components are 100% made in Merkur's Solingen, Germany factory.

Merkur 43 Razor

The classic 3-piece Merkur models assemble in the old-fashioned method-top of handle's bestowed with threading matched to bottom of head, with guard and blade sandwiched in between.  These come in the open comb style like #11 and #12, too, which is assuredly aggressive but great for neck whiskers growing parallel to skin.  No slanted-head model here, though.

From Merkur's 2010 newbies, the 44011 is a cool 3-piece with a smooth black handle & sharply-angled base.  The 3.8"-long (96mm) smooth handle's thickest part, right in the middle, is about 15mm.  This razor's decently heavy at 60 grams (2.1 oz).  When you screw in the handle to the head, the angled tip of the base always stops at the same spot.  The best way we can describe which way this faces is to say that if the plane of the blade was the floor, the plane of the angled base cuts into the floor at a 45° angle.

Merkur's Travel Razors are 3-piece-design assemblies with handles that also break down into 2 further pieces...come to think of it, they're 4 pieces, aren't they?  But they're easy to assemble, and take up very little space in a travel bag.  These come in a durable push-button leather case, in either the open comb or straight comb style.  Compacted into their case and stuffed with 3 wrapped blades for a trip, these take up just 1.7 x 2.2 x 0.8" (42x55x20mm) of space and weigh only 1.8 oz (50g).  About as compact and functional as a travel-specific safety razors could be.

Though the #90933000 (collapsing model w/ straight cut) has a blade/handle angle of incidence and exposure of blade identical to many other 3-piece razors in Merkur's lineup, we've had a fervently vocal dissenter whom would like me to label this an ineffectively-mild razor,...I suppose due to its balance?  Anyway, he's out there, and while we're not going to refund anyone for a safety razor (I'd imagine you'd prefer to be 100% certain the piece that you'd buy has never potentially touched another customer's hands, let alone their face), I would say that if you want a travelling piece that's aggressive you'll need to either go for the Bakelite #45030 razor 2 models above or get the #90985000 open comb design.

• Stainless steel
• Satin finished
• Three finger holds
• Weighs 22 grams w/ a blae
• Supplied w/ 5 Merkur twin blades

• Nickel finish
• 4.5" (114mm) Length
• No Finger Rest
• Fixed center screw
• Corrugated edges
• Supplied w/ plastic sheath

• Nickel finish
• 4.5" (114mm) Length
• No Finger Rest
• Fixed center screw
• Corrugated edges
• Supplied w/ plastic combination brush/comb & leather pouch
• ~5.0 x 1.8 x 1.1" (127x48x30mm) in the pouch, and weighs 1.8 oz (52g) all together
• Made in Germany

Dovo 43454 (Oxidized Steel)
The 43454 is also a precision 4.5" scissor for grooming beards and mustaches, but made of oxidized steel.  Not for steaming in an autoclave, but highly resistant to rust, and it has a distinct look and rubber-grippy feel in the finger holes.  Spiffy.

By any measure of application, essentially you use the very last centimeter or so of scissoring motion to make the cuts.  This is where these kinds of scissor really shine.

• Oxidized steel
• 4.5" (114mm) Length
• No Finger Rest
• Fixed center screw
• Corrugated edges
• Supplied w/ plastic sheath

Dovo 43456 (Stainless Steel)
The 43456 is also a precision 4.5" scissor for grooming beards and mustaches, but made of stainless steel, and thus can also be used by professional stylists (the above #43450 is only intended for personal use) as it will withstand autoclave sterilization.

By any measure of application, essentially you use the very last centimeter or so of scissoring motion to make the cuts.  This is where these kinds of scissor really shine.

• Satin-finished stainless steel finish
• 4.5" (114mm) Length
• No Finger Rest
• Fixed center screw
• Corrugated edges
• Supplied w/ plastic sheath