I purchased this beautiful razor not as a collectible but rather as a shaving tool and I couldn't be more pleased. This razor combines craftmanship of old with Phil's wonderful "shave ready" preparation skills. I look forward to many years of smooth, comfortable shaves.
Like the way it can be tucked in the tube. (Oddly, I’ve not seen any photos of this online. Maybe I’m not looking carefully enough!) The brush is generous and lush. The tube is light, but also because of that appears thin and cheap, but overall a very good if not, pricey travel, shaving brush.
For the past 6 years I have been using a combination of a Ikon #102 and a Edwin Jagger DE86 to complete my shaves. Now I am only using the Merkur Progress 500.
Being able to change the blade gap allows me to use one razor for all areas of my face. But as well I can change the blade gap to correspond with 1 or 2 days worth of stubble.
The head of the razor is not too bulky and I can easily shave in those tight spots (e.g. under the nose). And rinsing the head is very effective, as it is not necessary to unclog it during shaves.
Short, chubby synthetic brushes are my kryptonite. I've tried many others, but you can't beat perfection. Gentle on the face, splay easily, but aren't floppy. Absolute perfection.
This is the best shaving soap, hands down! Always a pleasure ordering from Classic Edge … you even get a hand written note of thanks for ordering from them!!!