MERKURProgress 510 Long Handle Safety Razor - No Blade Included

This is just a lovely razor. It has the virtue of adjustability via the plastic knob of an unknown ancient colour. Using this numbers 1 to 5 can be selected. This corresponds with 1 to 5 mild to aggressive. I normally start at 3, with the grain. Then 2, across the grain, and 1, against the grain. This gives me a baby smooth shave every other day. It's relatively easy to set the dial before a pass but difficult to see the numbers. I can't say the razor is easy to hold. It is heavy, and feels very substantial but it is smooth metal, it gets slippery and is easy to drop. The other drawback is the plastic knob. Apparently a lot of people don't like it and there is even a brass or stainless steel replacement ( an Opgress) which can be had for an unlikely sum of money. Personally I think the knob is great. Nobody can say what colour it is. Objectively it's yellow but it could be old ivory or an off white or cream. Whatever, I really love it. The Progress came out in 1955, it's 66 years old. I think this knob makes it look like something out of the 30's. It's exquisite, delicately curved on the bevels and embellished with the Merkur crest on the bottom. Lovely, and this razor is a lovely old thing and a piece of precision German engineering at the same time. I highly recommend it.

Thread rotted on top head after 6 months, not what you'd expect with this price razor. unable to contact supplier

This was a great razor that should have lasted for decades. After only two years the the top plate failed. I clean the razor after every use with a brush and dry it carefully so I was disappointed that the screw threads broke off in the handle and now it won't grip the blades. Apprarently this is a known and common problem. Unfortunately spare parts do not ship to the UK so that is end of a short life for a very expensive razor. Cheap materials and/or bad engineering. Shame. Two stars - one for each year that it worked.

Really good razor although when I put blade in I found it did not line up with the dot and number 1 position. Having checked you tube there was a fix for this. Get some decent shaving cream not out of a can and you will never go back to the supermarket and buy the 3 ,4 or 5 blade cartridge razors again.

This razor is a retro look design, it does look like it dates from the 1940s. It's quite heavy in the hand too but well balanced in use. The adjustment knob goes twice around its scale (1-6 then 1-6 again plus a bit more) to provide a huge range of adjustment. I've never needed to turn it beyond 5 (on the first turn) before it tears my face off. The handle is also quite thick and as this is the longer handled version it fits in my large hands well. Merkur do a shorter version also. Cleaning the razor is easy as the guard bars are channel section so they can be washed out from either end under the tap.

I originally bought the short handled travel version of this razor and found it was extremely good. However, the handle was just a bit to short for my hands although it would be OK as a travel razor.Just bought the long handled version and consider it to be the best razor I have ever used. Handle length is perfect, perfect balance and weight. It can also be customised to suite your beard and skin type by changing the angle of the blade via the knurled knob on the bottom. I currently use 2.5 with a Supermax blade but I will start to try other settings with different brands of blade.All in all a top notch razor that will be difficult to improve.

I've got quite a few de razors from vintage and new and I've got to say this is one of the best I've got, love the weight and the look with the mustache shape blade tray and the smooth fluted handle with the cream plastic nob, when using, you got to make sure you got a good grip on it with the handle being smooth, but I use the old trick of rubbing my fingers on a alum block which helps a bit.I would recommend this razor or any de razor for that matter to anyone who is after a nice clean shave with blades that don't cost you a arm and a leg.If this is your first de razor or your starting to get into wet shaving i would also recommend buying a brush and proraso red (sandalwood ) shaving soap, it's cheap and you get a great lather.

All good