MERKUR Progress 510 Adjustable Double Edge Safety Razor - Long Handle Adjustable Razor With Dial Made in Germany Plastic-Free Closed Comb Straight Bar

I bought Merkur Progress 510 long version in 2016. (For thirty dollars less than its current price). I have been using it since then without any problem. It is wonderfully engineered in Germany. It feels solid, substancial and very well balanced in your hand. I dropped it countless times but nothing happened to it. No rust whatsoever either. It is as solid as a German Leopard tank! I noticed some complained here that when its inner barrel comes off (it suppose to for cleaning reasons) it can not be pushed back in! In truth there is a reason for it. On the barrel where it meets the yellow plastic adjustment knob, there is a squeezable small metal retaining ring. In order to put the barrel back you have to squeeze that ring while pushing it back in (see the picture). It is as easy as that! I strongly recommend to anyone this little German gem.

super expensive but this is the perfect length and the ability to adjust the blade is a game changer that any person who shaves their head and face everyday like me will appreciate and know you need a precision tool that can get the job done repeatedly without question and this screw on design has much more longevity than more expensive clip on heads of this same brand..this is the handle to buy

This razor is a legend among wet shavers. Easy to adjust in quality build

****UPDATED******Was a little hesitant to go back and tray this razor with the Feather blades again. Previous experience was that the Feathers are just too sharp, FOR ME.HOWEVER, after doping some more research and discovering some on line recipes for homemade shaving oil, I decided to try the Feathers again after having very good experience with the Astras using shaving oil. The shaving oil makes a world of difference. Got a close head shave, with the Feathers., and with minimum nicks compared to past shaves with the Feathers.Bottom line, from my personal experience, lubrication is the key regardless of the razor you use, and shaving creams/foams offer minimum protection.Just a few links to shaving oil recipes.[...][...][...]Just a couple of personal points.I would add tea tree oil to any shaving oil just for antiseptic purposes, and it doesn't smell THAT bad.We have used tea tree oil around our house for years as a general purpose natural antiseptic fro all types of cuts, scrapes, abrasions, etc. No complaints at all.AND, from what I have seen in my personal case, the thicker the shaving oil mix (ie the more castor oil) the better. I am working towards a pure castor oil base and only a few essential oils for scent, antiseptic purposes, and skin nourishment. But mix to your own preference.*****Original Post*****Just received my Progress Adjustable one day ago, took the first shave with it and from what I saw with that first shave, this will be my day-in, day-out, razor.Just as background, I have purchased and still own AND USE, a Merkur 47c, and the 'Merkur Long Handled Safety Razor' model 180 ASIN: B000NL0T1G. I purchased and own, but no longer use the 'Perfecto Double Edge Long Handled Safety Razor' ASIN: B00SA7YS58, and the 'Extra Long Chrome Double Edge Safety Razor' ASIN: B013JGAKDI. I have also purchased and returned a Merkur HD 34C. I use Feather, Astra and Personna blades. As for the razors;-Merkur 47c – Was my go to razor. Very nice balance and weight-Merkur Long Handled Safety Razor model 180 – Only used occasionally.-Perfecto Double Edge Long Handled Safety Razor – Cheap/Bad Design, ergo bad shave-Extra Long Chrome Double Edge Safety Razor – Cheap/Bad Design, ergo bad shave-Merkur HD 34C – Good weight, handle too short for meBlades-Astra – Excellent all around blade. Good combo with the Merkur Progress Adjustable-Personna – Good blade. Needs extra effort to provide as close a shave as the Astra and the Feather-Feather – Sharp. Can provide an excellent shave, but requires being careful and takinig your time.All that being said. From the first time I started using the Progress, I could tell the difference in the shave. This razor is heavy and to some may seem bulky. Even though I like the heavier, longer handled razors, when I first held this one, I was wondering would it be too heavy and bulky. However upon shaving with the razor, I could tell this was going to be a good shaving razor. As I mentioned, the weight and bulk, will take some getting used to. I did not even consider ordering the shorter handle version, and I am glad that I didn't. As with the 47C, the heavy weight is easily managed with the longer handle. That was one of the main reason I did not like the HD 34C. Even the larger head on the Progress seems to work in it's favor, especially when combined with the sharper blades and utilizing the adjustments. In the past, I had trouble getting a close face shave with the 47C and the 180. Shave looked close, but beard was coming back pretty quick. And my bead is not that heavy. Shaved with the Progress loaded with an Astra blade and only need a 1.5 for my head and a 2 for my face. One of the closest shaves I have had since switching to the DE razors. Looking forward to trying with a Feather and a Personna blade.From my experience, if you have a DE razor and aren't getting the closeness in your shave your desire or you have a problem with nicks and cuts, this may be your solution. But as with all DE razor shaves, take your time, use a sharp blade, and LUBRICATE, your beard/head before shaving.

I finally got the stubbles on my Adam's apple.I used a Gillette Silver Blue blade with this razor set on number 5.I still want to try a Feather blade which they say is sharper, but the Gillette Silver Blue blade made in Russia did work without any nicks.Note something interesting about the Gillette Silver Blue blades ... they have four of the corners numbered from 1 to 4 ... that way if you want to keep the same orientation or if you want to rotate the blades position between cleanings, then you can do that.UPDATE 4/14/2014There is TRIANGULAR mark on the bottom section with the handle.There is DASH or MINUS mark on the top section with the two post where the blade goes.The top and bottom sections can be put together in two ways.1. With the triangle and dash marks aligned.OR2. With the marks on opposite sides.This determines how the male threaded bolt fits into the female threaded handle.Bottom Line:With the two marks together on the same side,The adjustment index will indicate from least aggressive to max aggressive as 1,2,3,4,5With the two marks NOT on the SAME side,The adjustment index will indicate from least aggressive to max aggressive as 3,4,5,1,2It's no big deal.With the screw and the white cap turned fully clockwise (head is lowered to bottom or tight), you have the least aggressive cut.With the screw turned several turns counter-clockwise from the bottom or tight position (head is raised) and you have the most aggressive cut.If you want the read-out to be 1,2,3,4,5, then have the two marks matched up triangle and dash.Three will be the MIDDLE settingIf the marks are NOT matched up, the razor will still cut and fully clockwise with the head lowered will still be the least aggressive.It's just that the INDEX numbers will shown as 3,4,5,1,2Five will be the MIDDLE setting.Second Bottom Line:JUST ALIGN THE TWO MARKS UP EVERYTIME and be done with it.I have the Progress, the Slant, the Open Comb and if I only had ONE RAZOR, It would be the Adjustable ProgressI use a three setting for the first couple of passes and the five for the last pass.