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What DE razor did you shave with today?
- Thread starter brit
- Start date
Stuartganis
Zen Shaver
Gillette Fatboy / Gillette Stainless
Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk
1976weeklyshaver
Up & Coming
Stuartganis
Zen Shaver
Gillette Flare Tip (black handle) / Gillette Stainless
Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk
Lawrence Whitaker
Up & Coming
Yaqi Avanti & Merkur Progress
This shave is a comparison between two very similar (in design, anyway) razors: the Merkur Progress - the classic adjustable razor made by German manufacturer Merkur, and the Yaqi Avanti, made by the Chinese manufacturer that has moved from relatively cheap look-alikes into more premium territory.
Let’s address the ‘Yaqi’s ripped off Merkur’s design - how dare you support this sort of Chinese clone piracy’ argument. Yes, the style and design of the Yaqi Avanti closely follows that of the Merkur Progress. However, so does the Parker Variant - and the Variant has been around for quite some time. If people wish to harrumph over this kind of design mirroring, and shake their heads at the audacity of the Chinese, then consider also that the American-made Rex Ambassador takes its design cues from the French Gibbs adjustable; the Rockwell T2 takes its design cues from the Gillette adjustables; and the number of Edwin Jagger head-style clones out there is uncountable.
And, the Avanti does have several key design features that make it somewhat different to the Progress (as does the Parker Variant). First, the Avanti is 316 stainless steel; the Progress is a chrome plated alloy. Second, the design of the top cap for the Avanti is subtly different to the Progress: its post is longer, the thread is slightly shorter, and positioned differently. Its blade posts have a different design, create a much firmer clamp on the blade, and create a different blade angle than the Progress. Third, the build quality is substantially different: simply put, the Yaqi Avanti is better made than the Merkur Progress. The quality difference is palpable - materials, finish, mechanics. The Merkur Progress came first, certainly, but the Yaqi Avanti is a clear improvement on the original - so it most certainly isn’t a cheap knock-off (unlike the Ming-Shi 5001, which clearly is). The Avanti takes its design cues from the Progress, and they look and operate similarly, but the Avanti is different in some important respects.
Some other differences. Weight: Merkur Progress 89.6 grams; Yaqi Avanti 111.3 grams (the Parker Variant is a whopping 113.3 grams). Price: I paid CAD $160 for my Avanti - but it does sell for more than this, so hunt around on Ali Express for deals. The Merkur Progress new costs CAD $89 on Amazon and $100 at Fendrihan. Given the build quality of the Avanti, I think you get a better deal. The Merkur Progress feels somewhat cheap and flimsy by comparison, and I know from experience that the plating on the Merkur top cap can easily chip and wear away. You won’t have that problem with the Avanti.
Blade gaps: Merkur Progress: 1: 0.38 | 2: 0.56 | 3: 0.71 | 4: 0.84 | 5: 0.94 mm
Yaqi Avanti: 1: 0.55 | 2: 0.70 | 3: 0.85 | 4: 1.00 | 5: 1.15
So the Yaqi Avanti is going to offer a more aggressive shave than the Merkur on a similar setting.
How then, do the two perform shave-wise? The settings are very similar on each razor (1 to 5+), and when loading the blade, the top cap and base plate need to be in the correct orientation, found by matching a small arrow and dot on the Avanti, and two arrows on the Progress. The orientation markings on the Progress are clearer to see than on the Avanti, so a point in the Progress’s favour there. The setting markers on the Avanti are better engraved and deeper. I’ve filled the numbers and markers on my Progress and Avanti with wax crayon to improve legibility, and the Avanti is now much more legible than the Progress.
I used both razors with a first-use Dorco Prime blade, and set them to 3.5, dropping to 2.5 for the second, Against the Grain pass.
Grip: both razors have a smooth, fluted handle design, and the Avanti was definitely more slippery to hold. The additional weight goes towards the handle, and I had to adjust my grip a couple of times with the Avanti. The Progress is lighter and easier to manoeuvre.
Audible feedback: I didn’t experience much audible feedback from the Avanti, despite having a similar head design to the Progress. The build quality is the most likely reason for this. The Progress has a very distinctive audible profile, which I really like, but as I mentioned, the build quality of the Avanti is much better and it feels better on the face.
Given the higher blade gap of the Yaqi Avanti, there was much more blade feel than with the Progress. This is, to me, a feature rather than a flaw as I am leaning to higher aggression and more blade feel these days. However, when I changed to setting 2.5, blade feel on the Avanti was considerably less. Both razors glide well and are comfortable to use. The lighter weight of the Merkur makes it more fun, and as I say, I enjoy how it sounds.
Shave quality: the Avanti gives a better result after two passes and clean up than the Merkur Progress. It’s more efficient, has better blade clamping, and the greater weight will aid performance. The alum feedback was minimal for both razors, and I will say that I enjoyed the performance of both too. I much prefer the Avanti to the Parker Variant - which is longer, thicker, heavier and more aggressive; but the Merkur, despite feeling lighter and cheaper is fun to throw around the face and just sounds great.
Final thoughts. If you like this style of adjustable razor, and want something that is very well made with excellent tolerances and a good range of aggression, the Yaqi Avanti is a very good choice. It performs well, and with the right deal, offers good value for money.
The Merkur Progress is a classic razor, has no pretensions, performs well, is fun to use, but offers slightly poorer value for money given its price, materials and build quality. The Parker Variant probably offers the best overall value for this style of razor, and is made like a tank, but is much heavier and feels unwieldy compared with the Avanti and the Progress.
Both razors offer an excellent shave, but do feel and perform differently. There is room for both in the cabinet. But, if you only want to have one, I would recommend the Yaqi Avanti. It will last longer, has a better efficiency range, and feels better in the hand (despite the grip being a little challenging with wet fingers).
Postscript.
I asked ChatGPT to read this review and provide its own conclusions, setting mine aside. Its assessment:
Based strictly on your evidence:
If someone wants:
Your conclusion that there’s room for both is entirely justified—not sentimentally, but mechanically.’
This shave is a comparison between two very similar (in design, anyway) razors: the Merkur Progress - the classic adjustable razor made by German manufacturer Merkur, and the Yaqi Avanti, made by the Chinese manufacturer that has moved from relatively cheap look-alikes into more premium territory.
Let’s address the ‘Yaqi’s ripped off Merkur’s design - how dare you support this sort of Chinese clone piracy’ argument. Yes, the style and design of the Yaqi Avanti closely follows that of the Merkur Progress. However, so does the Parker Variant - and the Variant has been around for quite some time. If people wish to harrumph over this kind of design mirroring, and shake their heads at the audacity of the Chinese, then consider also that the American-made Rex Ambassador takes its design cues from the French Gibbs adjustable; the Rockwell T2 takes its design cues from the Gillette adjustables; and the number of Edwin Jagger head-style clones out there is uncountable.
And, the Avanti does have several key design features that make it somewhat different to the Progress (as does the Parker Variant). First, the Avanti is 316 stainless steel; the Progress is a chrome plated alloy. Second, the design of the top cap for the Avanti is subtly different to the Progress: its post is longer, the thread is slightly shorter, and positioned differently. Its blade posts have a different design, create a much firmer clamp on the blade, and create a different blade angle than the Progress. Third, the build quality is substantially different: simply put, the Yaqi Avanti is better made than the Merkur Progress. The quality difference is palpable - materials, finish, mechanics. The Merkur Progress came first, certainly, but the Yaqi Avanti is a clear improvement on the original - so it most certainly isn’t a cheap knock-off (unlike the Ming-Shi 5001, which clearly is). The Avanti takes its design cues from the Progress, and they look and operate similarly, but the Avanti is different in some important respects.
Some other differences. Weight: Merkur Progress 89.6 grams; Yaqi Avanti 111.3 grams (the Parker Variant is a whopping 113.3 grams). Price: I paid CAD $160 for my Avanti - but it does sell for more than this, so hunt around on Ali Express for deals. The Merkur Progress new costs CAD $89 on Amazon and $100 at Fendrihan. Given the build quality of the Avanti, I think you get a better deal. The Merkur Progress feels somewhat cheap and flimsy by comparison, and I know from experience that the plating on the Merkur top cap can easily chip and wear away. You won’t have that problem with the Avanti.
Blade gaps: Merkur Progress: 1: 0.38 | 2: 0.56 | 3: 0.71 | 4: 0.84 | 5: 0.94 mm
Yaqi Avanti: 1: 0.55 | 2: 0.70 | 3: 0.85 | 4: 1.00 | 5: 1.15
So the Yaqi Avanti is going to offer a more aggressive shave than the Merkur on a similar setting.
How then, do the two perform shave-wise? The settings are very similar on each razor (1 to 5+), and when loading the blade, the top cap and base plate need to be in the correct orientation, found by matching a small arrow and dot on the Avanti, and two arrows on the Progress. The orientation markings on the Progress are clearer to see than on the Avanti, so a point in the Progress’s favour there. The setting markers on the Avanti are better engraved and deeper. I’ve filled the numbers and markers on my Progress and Avanti with wax crayon to improve legibility, and the Avanti is now much more legible than the Progress.
I used both razors with a first-use Dorco Prime blade, and set them to 3.5, dropping to 2.5 for the second, Against the Grain pass.
Grip: both razors have a smooth, fluted handle design, and the Avanti was definitely more slippery to hold. The additional weight goes towards the handle, and I had to adjust my grip a couple of times with the Avanti. The Progress is lighter and easier to manoeuvre.
Audible feedback: I didn’t experience much audible feedback from the Avanti, despite having a similar head design to the Progress. The build quality is the most likely reason for this. The Progress has a very distinctive audible profile, which I really like, but as I mentioned, the build quality of the Avanti is much better and it feels better on the face.
Given the higher blade gap of the Yaqi Avanti, there was much more blade feel than with the Progress. This is, to me, a feature rather than a flaw as I am leaning to higher aggression and more blade feel these days. However, when I changed to setting 2.5, blade feel on the Avanti was considerably less. Both razors glide well and are comfortable to use. The lighter weight of the Merkur makes it more fun, and as I say, I enjoy how it sounds.
Shave quality: the Avanti gives a better result after two passes and clean up than the Merkur Progress. It’s more efficient, has better blade clamping, and the greater weight will aid performance. The alum feedback was minimal for both razors, and I will say that I enjoyed the performance of both too. I much prefer the Avanti to the Parker Variant - which is longer, thicker, heavier and more aggressive; but the Merkur, despite feeling lighter and cheaper is fun to throw around the face and just sounds great.
Final thoughts. If you like this style of adjustable razor, and want something that is very well made with excellent tolerances and a good range of aggression, the Yaqi Avanti is a very good choice. It performs well, and with the right deal, offers good value for money.
The Merkur Progress is a classic razor, has no pretensions, performs well, is fun to use, but offers slightly poorer value for money given its price, materials and build quality. The Parker Variant probably offers the best overall value for this style of razor, and is made like a tank, but is much heavier and feels unwieldy compared with the Avanti and the Progress.
Both razors offer an excellent shave, but do feel and perform differently. There is room for both in the cabinet. But, if you only want to have one, I would recommend the Yaqi Avanti. It will last longer, has a better efficiency range, and feels better in the hand (despite the grip being a little challenging with wet fingers).
Postscript.
I asked ChatGPT to read this review and provide its own conclusions, setting mine aside. Its assessment:
Based strictly on your evidence:
- The Yaqi Avanti is the better engineered razor.
- The Merkur Progress is the better communicator.
If someone wants:
- precision, efficiency, stainless durability → Avanti
- feedback, agility, classic feel → Progress
Your conclusion that there’s room for both is entirely justified—not sentimentally, but mechanically.’
Stuartganis
Zen Shaver
Razorock Mamba / Kai Blade
Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk
• Vintage Gillette - 1933 New Long-Comb DE Safety Razor - Double Edge - Safety Razor. •
• Blade: Black Widow Premium - DE Razor Blade •
• DAY # Seven of Blade Use. •
• Bowl: Lathered, Right out of Soap container •
• Soap/Cream: Rasozero Protettivo (protective) - Made in Italy •
• Brush/Instrument: - Omega Boar 10019 •
• Blade: Black Widow Premium - DE Razor Blade •
• DAY # Seven of Blade Use. •
• Bowl: Lathered, Right out of Soap container •
• Soap/Cream: Rasozero Protettivo (protective) - Made in Italy •
• Brush/Instrument: - Omega Boar 10019 •
Stuartganis
Zen Shaver
Razorock Mamba / Kai Blade
Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk
Stuartganis
Zen Shaver
Gillette Slim / Gillette Stainless
Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk
Stuartganis
Zen Shaver
PAA Name Taker / Kai blade
Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk
Stuartganis
Zen Shaver
Gillette Fatboy / Sputnik blade
Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk
Sent from my SM-T387V using Tapatalk