Mingshi 2000S (futur clone)

Just a heads up for everyone here who may not have seen it on other forums.

While the AliExpress Qshaves and the Minshi are the real deal (my Qshave was perfect), it seems all the eBay sellers out of Malaysia and Thailand that are offering the sub $5 razors are doing a "bait & switch".
 
Just a heads up for everyone here who may not have seen it on other forums.

While the AliExpress Qshaves and the Minshi are the real deal (my Qshave was perfect), it seems all the eBay sellers out of Malaysia and Thailand that are offering the sub $5 razors are doing a "bait & switch".
Sorry what do you mean by doing a bait and switch, additionally I think we can agree that only Merkur are offering "the real deal" but there are good counterfeits out there.
 
The Qshave and Mingshi are not counterfeits. They make no claim to be Merkurs. They consider themselves clones and you should think of them as generics.

Merkur has had a good run, 40 + years with the patent before these generics popped up. Think of the drug companies that invest billions (yes, that's right) into drugs and then only get 5 to 8 years patent protection before the generic brand becomes available.

When you go to Chemist Warehouse do you insist on the name brand. Very few do.

As to what is happening with eBay, several sellers, or possible just the one with multiple identities, offered what appeared to be the Mingshi, then after sales went off the chart due to interest expressed on another shaving site, changed the photos to a Nanjie butterfly type razor in the description but not the main caption.

As the weeks have passed buyers are all reporting have received a piece of junk and not the Futur generic clone. So far they seem to be getting their money back after making a claim.

Not sure if I'm allowed but I could post the link to one of these sellers and just have a look at the negative feedback.
 
When you go to Chemist Warehouse do you insist on the name brand. Very few do.

I do insist on the original drug and so should you - that's the only one that went through human trials. The generic ones are usually not exact copies, but have some slight differences. Some argue, those differences are minuscule or the compounds are equivalent, but then nobody can say for sure, how they will interact with your body...
 
I'm not a chemist but have done a lot of research into the medical/pharma industry and my understanding is that the main differences are the fillers but the active compound must be the exact formula as the original.

It's not the cost of production that differs, it's the R&D costs (including FDA approvals etc) that are the biggest costs.
E.g. The cancer drug sorafenib costs 86 cents per tablet to produce but sells for about $130 per tablet to purchase. We can't really say there's a ~140x markup as it cost $1 billion to bring to market...however, once this cost is recouped, it's pure profit at the consumers/governments detriment.

Knowing all this, whenever I have the option, I always opt for the "generic"...which is the exact same active compound (by law, it must be the exact compound...e.g. some generic drug makers in India have gotten in trouble in the past for slightly altering the active compound).
 
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I'm not a chemist but have done a lot of research into the medical/pharma industry and my understanding is that the main differences are the fillers but the active compound must be the exact formula as the original.

It's not the cost of production that differs, it's the R&D costs (including FDA approvals etc) that are the biggest costs.
E.g. The cancer drug sorafenib costs 86 cents per tablet to produce but sells for about $130 per tablet to purchase. We can't really say there's a ~140x markup as it cost $1 billion to bring to market...however, once this cost is recouped, it's pure profit at the consumers/governments detriment.

Knowing all this, whenever I have the option, I always opt for the "generic"...which is the exact same active compound (by law, it must be the exact compound...e.g. some generic drug makers in India have gotten in trouble in the past for slightly altering the active compound).

These so called fillers are also often the mode of delivery...how the compound is absorbed/delivered by/into your system

I am not talking about the cost/politics etc. - I am probably very much with you one those.

I am just talking about the actual drug and its effectiveness - the original drug is the only one that has actually undergone human trials and that you can be certain does what is supposed to do (as certain as you can be).

The generic ones can be - and everything simple and old like aspirin etc are - but if it is something new/more complicated (cancer treatment, special antibiotics etc.) I would always go only for the original.

Just a very simple case: a drug has been designed to be most effective by taking 5mg/kg body weight. They have undergone human trials and found out, that using a certain delivery method, from every 60mg tablet, on average 50mg are absorbed into your system. You weigh 80kg and your Dr rightly prescribes 8 x 60mg tablets of the original drug.

Now you go and buy the generic - they also come in 60mg tablets - but differ in the filler and are therefore absorbed at a different rate by your body. Are you getting more or less of the drug into your body? Do you want to do the guesswork, when it is actually important?
 
My mingshi "phutur" (a Chinese take on the Futur) has arrived.

I opted for the add on stand also.
I'll use the razor tomorrow but first impressions are good as the blade gap and exposure looks very even.

If it's good, I'm gonna order one for travel and one for the wife.
 
My Oh My!!!

I am shocked and surprised by the Mingshi razor.
I can't believe how this is made to look exactly like the Futur! I wasn't expecting such quality workmanship but it's basically a carbon copy of the Futur, albiet about 50 grams lighter.

I've used the razor for 4 shaves now and here's my feedback...

First shave was not good at all. I went all the way up to 6 and it was uncomfortable and aggressive but not cutting very well. It felt like a LOT of blade chatter! This is something that occurred in the Futur also, which was the reason I sold it off as the Progress shaved significantly better.

So, I added a shim and this made a huge difference!! The blade was much more sturdy and comfortable. I was able to dial it down to 4 and it was shaving pretty good but there was an uneven blade exposure so one side was awesome and the other very aggressive.
I popped open the top cap, the blade was in the top cap so I centered it and pushed the razor on to the top cap, which I have found the easiest way to load the blade into this razor.

The last couple of shaves after the initial fiddling around, were really great! The razor shaves really awesome, very comfortable and totally BBS...even on the neck! And talk about well balanced...hold the razor where the indent on the handle is and you won't even realise you're holding a 100g razor! But be warned, the razor is hefty and if you apply pressure, you'll get razor burn and tenderness for sure, as I did today. I got too comfy with the razor as it was shaving so smoothly (barely felt the blade) and the balance is so good, I inadvertantly applied a bit of pressure and quickly realised it!

I also got the holding stand for US$5 and it's so cool! The razor fits perfectly and looks really great.

This is honestly the biggest bargain in the wet shaving world at this time! I would recommend this to everyone. I'm gonna order a couple more as it's turned out to be a truly awesome razor, which I will definitely keep and use!
 
Yes... they are quite a razor! The only problem I have had in the couple or so months I have been using my two (one from Maggards, an identical one from Shenzen via eBay) has occurred when I have forgotten that I was shaving with a fairly (although I wouldn't say overly) aggressive razor! I have not had to shgim minne and experienced no discernible blade chatter. I'm not surprised that some people have, though. Can't expect world's best practice QC and consistency in a razor of that price! Can I ask where you got the stand?
 
Yes... they are quite a razor! The only problem I have had in the couple or so months I have been using my two (one from Maggards, an identical one from Shenzen via eBay) has occurred when I have forgotten that I was shaving with a fairly (although I wouldn't say overly) aggressive razor! I have not had to shgim minne and experienced no discernible blade chatter. I'm not surprised that some people have, though. Can't expect world's best practice QC and consistency in a razor of that price! Can I ask where you got the stand?

I actually found the blade chatter too much in the futur also, so I suspect it's the design as opposed to the qc of the Chinese made ones.

I would suspect the progress would also have a lot of chatter however, it doesn't and I believe that to be because the progress bends the blade quite a lot, whereas the futur/mingshi barely bends the blade.

I bought the mingshi along with the stand, it was a package deal for US$11. If you want the link, let me know.
 
What's 'blade chatter'?
When the blad is not held perfectly tight by the head and (especially with a tough beard) slightly vibrates during the shave...resultingiin lots of nicks and weepers.
 
When the blad is not held perfectly tight by the head and (especially with a tough beard) slightly vibrates during the shave...resultingiin lots of nicks and weepers.

CHeers, so that would be easy to feel when shaving then I guess?
(Ordered up one the clones yesterday, at under 10 bux it's not too big a gamble. )
 
CHeers, so that would be easy to feel when shaving then I guess?
I guess that depends on your skin, beard and your mindfulness...

Some say, they have never experienced it, in my opinion almost every vintage razor I tried exhibits it to some degree...
 
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