Merkur Futur Safety Razor - Polished Chrome

TL;DR: beautifully manufactured and finished, provides the closest shave I’ve achieved with anything less than a straight razor - but probably not for beginners. The large head can make it harder to shave under the nose, but with practice that’s not a problem.
The full version: this razor requires careful handling and although adjustable, you’ll probably not need to use it on anything over the 2 or 3 setting - if you dial it up at all. I have the matte finish Futur as well as the polished and love them both, but the polished finish probably has a slightly smoother feel on the skin. It’s subtle, but noticeable. I use my Futur razors for shaving my head as well as my face, so I’m very confident in praising their quality and performance!
People understandably have worries about grip on the smooth handle and security of blade retention by the unusual head design. After using a Futur for a few years, I can honestly say I have never lost grip on the razor and the blade has always been securely gripped and correctly aligned by the “snap on” top plate. Never had a problem, not once. The only drawback I’ve found is that shaving under the nose can be awkward at first, but practice soon gets around that.
One warning: when adjusting the razor’s setting, it’s best to hold the head with a towel and then turn the handle. It’s not worth risking the head slipping in your fingers and getting cut by the blade. It’s not like you’re adjusting it often, much less in the middle of a shave, but I recommend this cautious approach! Not a fault - just knowing your tools, like any other area of life.
All up, the Futur is my favourite safety razor bar none and great for head as well as face shaving. As you can see, it’s a good size - and it’s quite heavy too, giving it a pleasingly solid feel in your hand. Absolutely recommended - though with caution for beginners.

This is a beautiful razor, well balanced and yes, it is heavy. Because of the balance I found I can easily use a light touch to glide the blade over the skin. The weight helps to keep the razor steady. The head is big so shaving under the nose requires a bit more effort, but doable. My beard is average, and my skin tends to be a bit sensitive, so I found setting 2 and 3 too aggressive for now. I feel I need to get used to this at setting 1 for a couple of weeks. Sometimes I let a few days to a week go without shaving, so I envisage the higher settings will come in handy to reduce on a first pass.
As this is the chrome model, I was conscious of the possibility that this could be slippery. I have not found it so. I think because you hold the handle where the indented part of the shaft is, this gives sufficient grip and control. Having said that, I always make sure I do not have soap on my hands, wet hands are fine.
Loading blades is easy but you have to think about what you are doing. It could be possible to cut yourself and I have seen reviews where the razor is criticized because you have to grip the head while changing settings. My response would be - learn your tool! All DE Razors can cut you if you don't respect them. I am experimenting with different blades and techniques which is all part of the joy that goes with traditional wet shaving.