In China, what you perceive as copying, they consider innovation. It's a different world over there.
-
Domain Change - We have moved to https://paste-and-cut.com as our new domain.
If you are using shortcuts or bookmarks for the old paste-and-cut.com.au domain, you need to update these or they will cease working from the 25th January, 2025. Please check the notice post for more details on this change to the forum.
Which shaving product has really surprised you?
- Thread starter bald as
- Start date
In China, what you perceive as copying, they consider innovation. It's a different world over there.
rbscebu
Mr. Strop
What you have there is a Ming Shi 2000S, a clone of the Merkur Futur (whose patent has expired). It is sold under a few different brand names.Dave at The Wet Shaving Co sent me a new Lansky adjustable to review. He was given some samples and was thinking about stocking them. I was very surprised at how good this razor is for the price. It's actually one of my favourite DEs.
I have saved with both and there is no discernible difference between the two while shaving or in the result. There is a slight difference between the two razors in mass and handle diameter. For those who don't like legal clones, you can still buy the Futur at about ten times the price of the 2000S
I PIF'ed my Future and kept the 2000S.
Last edited:
Nanook
"Abandon all money, ye who enter here."
I actually had to go and look that up and you're right, it's a dead set copy.
Razor Burn
President of the TF Custom Brushes Fan Club
Grand Society
Da Menth Heads
2019 Charity Auction Winner
2020 Charity Auction Winner
From memory their were 2 copies and one was the "better" shaver but way to bulky for my liking so I kept one as a travel razor and the other went to my brother who never uses it.
Didn't mind the blades though as similar performance to the Astra Greens.
Didn't mind the blades though as similar performance to the Astra Greens.
I think it was the Ming Shi, and Qshave. Both able to look the same using cheaper materials and labour which saves cost. That's Eastern Innovation.
Razor Burn
President of the TF Custom Brushes Fan Club
Grand Society
Da Menth Heads
2019 Charity Auction Winner
2020 Charity Auction Winner
Yeah I bought one of each as the reviews were half decent considering the cost so what did I have to lose.I think it was the Ming Shi, and Qshave. Both able to look the same using cheaper materials and labour which saves cost. That's Eastern Innovation.
Got some OK blades and its sure beats a cart for travel shaves but not convinced me to rush and buy a Futur.
I did nearly slice myself removing a blade once as the top cap design is horrible!
I dabbled in this shaving caper a few years ago and bought a Qshave version. There was an alignment issue which meant that the blade stuck out further on one side. After a few uses I couldn't be bothered having to always examine the razor to work out which way I needed to hold it, so I threw it out and went back to my electric shaver until recently.I think it was the Ming Shi, and Qshave. Both able to look the same using cheaper materials and labour which saves cost. That's Eastern Innovation.
I put a nice deep slash in my left thumb that needed stitches or in my case liquid skin from the chemist because it was one of those cuts that are deeper than they are long. Just taking the cap off and my thumb slipped and slid along the blades edge.
Welcome back from the abyss
rbscebu
Mr. Strop
I wasn't aware that there were two different copies being manufactured in China. I have only shaved with the Ming Shi 2000S copy. Never had a blade misalignment.
Opening the top has to be done with care. Some people just shouldn't be allowed to play with sharp things. SR shaving teaches you that.
1
There actually more than two, from what ai have seen at least 6 different brandings all Chinese, most likely selling each other's stock.
There actually more than two, from what ai have seen at least 6 different brandings all Chinese, most likely selling each other's stock.
rbscebu
Mr. Strop
Yes, I appreciate that there are many of the same sold with different brands, I just didn't realise that there were at least two different manufacturers. That is not so common in China's rather regulated manufacturing industry. Normally they would just have one manufacturer of an item and then badge as required by the vendor.
BTW, China's labour rates are not as low as many may think. A tradesman now earns about USD 10 per hour plus free housing for him and his family and free medical. It's what a worker produces per hour that matters, not their rate of pay.
Razor Burn
President of the TF Custom Brushes Fan Club
Grand Society
Da Menth Heads
2019 Charity Auction Winner
2020 Charity Auction Winner
Yeah I recall the Mingshi version was better as no misalignment and a better shave, at least with my experience. For a copy of the Futur it was OK as no way I'd spend the asking price of the original as the head is just too bulky.
The Gold 14k gold plated version is
. This is the only adjustable DE I have tried that I cannot complete a shave on its Maximum setting. 1 pass on 6 and dial it way way down 2 or 3. Apparently there was a razor released call the Merkur Vision which was even more aggressive.
Nanook
"Abandon all money, ye who enter here."
I was given a few packets of these as a freebie and asked to try them out. After seeing where they were made, I really wasn't expecting much from them at all. I loaded one in my Parker 99R Butterfly which gives a pretty aggressive shave with the Astra blades I normally use.
In the Parker, they actually felt quite dull so my suspicions were correct. However, after rinsing off, I was surprised at how smooth my skin was, they shaved better than the Astra's. Now I'm really hoping that someone will stock them as I really want more.
In the Parker, they actually felt quite dull so my suspicions were correct. However, after rinsing off, I was surprised at how smooth my skin was, they shaved better than the Astra's. Now I'm really hoping that someone will stock them as I really want more.
Those are Chinese blades made from Shanghai they’re very similar feel to a BIC like a bloody paint scraper as YMMV.I was given a few packets of these as a freebie and asked to try them out. After seeing where they were made, I really wasn't expecting much from them at all. I loaded one in my Parker 99R Butterfly which gives a pretty aggressive shave with the Astra blades I normally use.
In the Parker, they actually felt quite dull so my suspicions were correct. However, after rinsing off, I was surprised at how smooth my skin was, they shaved better than the Astra's. Now I'm really hoping that someone will stock them as I really want more.
Agree not my cup of tea for a razor blade.
The Gillette factory in Shanghai is now producing some seriously good blades, worthy of a try.
Nanook
"Abandon all money, ye who enter here."
I found that with Treet Falcon razor blades, I used them in my Merkur Futur fake the other night and was literally mopping up the blood on my neck whereas other blades have never been a problem.
I’ve tried nearly all the Chinese blades and they’ve never agreed with my skin in any razors, my skin and razors LOVES the Russian blades directly made from St Petersburg factory.
Try the Thai Super thins, London Bridge, Gillette Blue blades originals, Gillette Rubie SE Asian version. All from the Gillette Shanghai factory. All are decent blades. ( super thins are my favourite Asian made blade, up there with the best.)
Note Cloud, Racer, River, Ying Jili, etc non Gillette Chinese blades I have tried have been not so good for my shaves, in fact terrible.