(This post was last modified: 10-28-2021, 12:18 AM by Scaramouche.)
Just a note on the dot alignment (which troubles me not at all) - on my Muramasa, the setting number stays exactly aligned in the window to wherever I set it with or without a blade, because inserting a blade doesn't affect it at all - the adjustment is exclusively in the safety bars. In my Taiga, the adjustment dial pointer is just a shade ahead of the vertical "zero" mark on the baseplate column with no blade - with a blade, the dial pointer and the zero mark align more or less perfectly moderately tightening the cap - and you can vary this by tightening it a lot or a little. For practical purposes, it has no significance, because I set the adjustment
after I insert a blade to whatever number I want for a comfortable shave, and it's always repeatable. On the Rocnel, whatever mechanism secures the blade sets the "zero" dot on the adjustment dial almost a full setting ahead of the little raised knob on the handle without a blade and completely closed. With a blade inserted, the zero dot on the adjustment dial aligns almost perfectly in the center of the raised knob with a Personna or Feather blade, again completely closed. You can vary this of course depending on how tightly you crank it down, but I've found you really don't need a lot of force to secure the blade on any of these razors. And the practical difference in the zero alignment in any of these, to me, is of no importance at all - it could
potentially make a difference if you sometimes adjust the setting
before you insert a blade, and sometimes adjust
after, but using any adjustable razor that's probably not a "best practice."
It's worth noting that the thickness of the blade affects the precise zero alignment of any 2 piece adjustable razor (with no click-stops) I've used that works by adjusting the cap height respective to the baseplate.