I've noted that most reviews for safety razors focus on how much better using a safety razor is than a disposable or replacement head system. While this is COMPLETELY true, it tells you nothing about the actual razor you are considering buying.I've been using the Parker 22R for over a month now, and I have definitely fallen in love with using a safety razor, but I suspect there are razors that are MUCH better than this one.
The bad: the finish is beautiful, and I didn't have problems with the grip, however, the finish is flawed on mine, with discolored spots all over, especially on the bar, and it gets a very grimy look after a shave if you don't wipe it down each time with cotton.
The butterfly wings open well enough, if not perfectly smoothly, but the razor doesn't sit perfectly evenly in the head. The result is, you need to tap the edge of the razor (SOOOO not safe) to get the blade to sit straight (or run the risk of carving your face up).
Also, some have said this razor is a bit too aggressive for beginners. I am not sure if its just because the reviewers didn't adjust the blade to be straight, or if their face just doesn't love this razor. I've had no problems with it being too aggressive (as long as you use good lather).
The last bad, the 7AM blades this comes with are absolutely terrible. Do NOT use these on your face, or you will never want to use a safety razor again. They leave patches, and there is no such thing as a close shave with them. Pick up a variety pack to find one you like, but make sure it includes Derby (I like them the best of all I've tried so far).
The good: Once you have a good quality blade set in this razor so it is straight, it's easy to use and pretty gentle. The weight is quite nice, the handle is a great length, and it's pretty cheap. I haven't tried other safety razors yet, so I'm not saying this is the best one to get started with, but my learning curve was one shave. No complaints there.
Words of caution for first time safety razor users: a good razor is important, but the blade you use in it is the most important. Get a variety back to find what works best for you, it's the best thing you can do for your face.
Also, the shaving soap/cream you use is INCREDIBLY important. The general rule is, if you can find it in your supermarket or Walmart, you probably don't want to use it. Cans and foams are totally out of the question, they dry your face out despite your other best practices, and it WILL cause your face to get shredded and give you razor burn and ingrown hairs. Nothing from nivea, neutrogena, or other big names works.
I was fortunate enough to find one in Rite Aid that works pretty well. It's from the Real Shaving Company, and it's called pro-lather. It's the best I've used so far, but I am certain it's far from the best available.
If you are a first time safety razor user, your best bet is to buy soap or cream on Amazon, since it's so incredibly difficult and expensive to find a good lather out in the world. The only places I saw real shaving soaps around were the Body Shop (but they only had one choice, but it did smell and look fantastic) and JC Penny, but they only had the lab created stuff, and nothing really natural.
To sum up: Not a bad razor, though I'm certain there are better, the blades it comes with are garbage, get others (I like Derby), and make sure you buy a good soap or cream to lather with (you'll need a badger hair brush to whip it up properly), and give yourself time to get the hang of using a safety razor. It is very rewarding, in terms of having a smooth face without burn, bumps, or ingrown hairs, and it just is a pleasant tiny morning ritual. (It's hard to explain, you'll understand within a month!)
I can verify this is indeed the case. The learning curve for this razor is not as steep as I had thought, though you cannot simply drag it around the face and neck as most current razors allow the user to. The amount of time I spend shaving is only a little longer, but this is due to applying quality shaving products, and carefully using the safety razor to produce a baby-soft shave with multiple applications of shaving cream and shaving over multiple passes. The time is well spent, and I find that a shave using this method will last much longer than before.
This is not to say you won't have some cuts or razor burn at first, since your skin has to adjust, as does the the user to new shaving habits, but the investment of time, and money is well spent.
This razor is very solid and has good weight, something you want in a safety razor since you use the weight of the razor resting against your skin to move the blade around as opposed to pressing down as most modern shavers are accustomed to doing.
The razor comes with two packages of blades, each containing 5 blades. A blade will last the typical user about 5 shaves if proper attention is paid to the correct amount of shaving cream, use of hot water, and proper care of the razor. The Ten 7AM Platinum blades are good, though I will be trying other brands of blades to determine which I like the best. Replacement of the blades is easy using the butterfly function.
If you want to try using a traditional razor that delivers great quality for an excellent price, this is the best unit to start with. Very recommended.I received my Parker razor today.I have never used a safety razor before and I was skeptical. I have used a Mach 3 for years. I used my Parker razor with Van der Hagen shave soap. I have NEVER and I repeat NEVER had a shave so close in my entire life. When I finished shaving I went to the medicine cabinet and picked up my Mach 3 and a full set of five blades and threw the Mach 3 and all of the blades directly into the trash can. I can not believe how smooth my face is and best of all I do not have any razor burn at all. I love this razor....and highly recommend it to anyone.Parker 22R Double Edge Butterfly Safety Razor and 10 Blades
"Excellent,Great,Fantastic,Beautiful,Mighty fine piece of Metal,Trust Me this razor totaly Wins "BEST in CLASS",I am 61 years old and shaved with a double edge Gillette 0ver 40 years ago when I was in the Navy and this lasted for about 7 years then I picked up a single edge adjustable that I have used till now, but when I picked up this Parker 22R everything came back to me, the feel the looks the all out "STYLE" I can not understand why I have wasted all these years without a "REAL" razor in my hands. This Parker 22R is the absolute most, I just can not say enough about it. If you want a real shave then you just have to use it yourself to know what I mean. WOOOW!!! All that and it arrived early!!! Just the finest product for the price I have ever bought from Amazon or anywhere else and I shop here a lot. Amazon over the last few years is where I always check with before I make any purchase even for something I pick up at my local brick and mortar just to make sure I do not get ripped off. I WILL be back to this seller for any and all my supplies in the future "THANK YOU very much for putting this on Amazon"I wanted to review this as a woman because I have been unable to find any resources to help women using safety razors.
I am new to safety razors this was my first, so I'm not able to compare it to other models. I can say that I switched from a Venus cartridge razor to this product a month ago and it's a fine quality product. The item is a darker shade of silver than it appears in the photo. It's heavy and solid and appropriately sized for my relatively small hands. I was worried it would be difficult to use, but it's not terribly different than a cartridge razor, and probably easier to load a blade. The butterfly closure opens and closes by twisting a mechanism on the handle. I thought it might come loose during a shave, but it doesn't.
The biggest thing I've learned so far is to shave at a 30 degree angle. I started out at like an 85 degree angle and I wasn't getting the best shaves. Once I adjusted the angle of the razor I was getting much better shaves. This razor does not have any adjustable or pivoting parts, so you have to adjust the angle yourself and the trick is keeping it at that angle as you go. Now I start by doing a pass down the leg (with the grain), lathering a second time and then passing up the leg (against the grain.) I use regular Skintimate Shave Gel and it seems to work fine, however I did decide to order some Proraso Sensitive Skin Shave Soap and Escali Badger Brush for an even closer and less razor-burny shave.
Also, don't press down on the razor, just let it do the work. If you press down too hard, you can cut yourself fairly easily. There are a lot of different blades you can try out. I'd definitely recommend you start out with the more standard blades before doing something super sharp, because these are less forgiving than cartridge razors.
I'm still trying to work out the best way to do the legs, because it's a little harder to reach the back of the leg with this razor. In particular it's hard to see if you're using the proper angle, and it's even harder using your non-dominant hand, and this is where I have cut myself both times (tiny, painless cuts.) I tried in the bathtub and it requires some contortionist abilities. I tried standing up, as in the shower, and I felt like I had a lot more control over the razor and more stability. I think the shower method wins.
Overall I feel this is a great razor. It's easy to learn how to use it, but a bit less easy to master the technique. It was priced very reasonably compared to its more expensive counterparts and honestly I think you're getting about the same thing. Forty bucks might seem like a lot for a razor until you realize it will probably last you 20 years and you're going to be paying as low as 10 cents per blade.
Safety razor shaving is by far the cheapest, most effective method out there. I've said goodbye to my cartridges and I'm never going back.
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