Parker 66R Long Handle Butterfly Safety Razor Twist-to-Open Brass Frame with Textured Chrome Finish for Close Comfortable Shaves

When I was 17 in 1964, I joined the Marine Corps. I was issued a Gillette safety razor and a can of Barbarsol at boot camp. It served me well for many years, but then in the early 70's, Gillette came out with the "Track Two" razor, and the DE razors soon disappeared from sight! Other brands came out and each one competed for the market. Instead of prices going down with the competition, they went up... much like printers and ink cartridges. Before the internet, it was near impossible to find a safety razor, much less the blades! I, like many other "purests" suffered through many years of using these crappy razors, then along came Amazon! I'm 69 years old now, and a little slower on figuring things out, but the idea finally came to me to look for good ole safety razors. Lo and behold! there were many to be found; though none by Gillette. I went through the descriptions and reviews of dozens before deciding on the "Parker 66R" It's hefty, has a long enough handle to feel comfortable, has the butterfly opening which is really convenient, and came with 5 blades. I also ordered a cake of shaving soap, a badger hair brush and bowl just like I used to have. I could hardly wait to try it out. After my shower, I filled the sink with hot water, took the brush and began to mix a nice lather. I brushed it on and oh my! what a great feeling! The razor glided smoothly over my old weathered face, and I couldn't believe how much I missed it. It was like finding an old friend again. I virtually savored the moment as shaving was now a real pleasure again. I was so impressed, I decided to mill an old piece of raw cherry wood into a shaving stand (see photos). The blades are ok, but I'll probably order a different brand when these wear out, which may be awhile, as I used to "sharpen" my blades to make them last much longer than they were intended. How you may ask, do I sharpen a double edge blade? Easy... Take a drinking glass (key word is GLASS not plastic), fill it half full of warm or hot water, take the blade and carefully slide it down the inside edge of the glass with your index finger until it is submerged, then rub it side to side about a dozen times, take it out, flip it over and do the same to the other side. You're good for another 10 to 12 shaves! Parker seems to know what us older guys like in a razor, as they make a number of different styles. I'm sure you won't go wrong with any of them, I'm really really happy again!!! Read more

Best razor I’ve ever used. I started using safety razors with the Edwin Jagger DE89. It was a good one that wasn’t very aggressive. After four years of use though the threads that hold the head on popped off. I tried the Merkur MK-23c after that for a few more years. It worked ok but it was harder to get a close shave with it compared to the DE89. The Merkur was also more aggressive and harder to work with. I accidentally left my Merkur behind on a move so it was time to try something new. I didn’t want a razor with a screw on head as it might break down the road. Enter the butterfly style. I wanted a heavy handle though so I don’t push to hard. That seemed hard to come by with the butterfly style. But why hello Mr Parker! I gave this one a try and man I’m glad I did. I’ve used it once and I’m super impressed. I even gave the included blades a try even though I already have my favorites. I have very sensitive skin and thick hairs, a very difficult combo to live with. This razor is perfect for me though. The weight is heavy as expected but perfect for not applying to much pressure. Let the weight of the razor do the work. Closest shave I’ve ever gotten with minimal effort. Easier to clean than the Edwin Jagger and much easier to use vs the Merkur. The only difficult part to rinse on the Parker is the very middle portion where a support piece is. Other than that, perfect razor. Read more

It's a really nice, well-made razor, but it's too aggressive for me. I have very fair, sensitive skin, and I just can't take this razor. It provided a super close shave. It also provided some razor burn. The handle is beautiful, but it's a tad too rough for me. I appreciate good knurling, but there are spots on the handle that just feel rough and unfinished. I'll be giving it away to a relative and see what they think. In the future, I'll stick to Parker shave brushes (which are great by the way). Read more

I have three Parkers and really like all three of them... A Parker 99, 82 and this Parker 66.... This Parker 66 is my favorite because of the handle... I shave in the shower and this handle has excellent grip features. Theres no dropping it... the Shave is absolutely fantastic. I feel like Parker has the same razor head on the three mentioned, but different handles. I could be wrong though. The 99 is fantastic, with a unique handle like a barber pole, but this is my newest and I'm really digging it. This razor has a long handle, is nice and heavy, solid as can be and looks like jewelry. This is a really sturdy razor with a great shave... Many years will I have this bad boy.... if you are still stuck in the trap of believing the guys on TV that you need a five blade razor.... quit getting lied too and spending a fortune for garbage.... treat yourself to an actual razor for once. Read more

Returned to using a DE razor after using the Gillette SkinGuard razor for about a year. I was drawn to the Parker 66R because I liked the butterfly opening mechanism. The Parker is a nice, solid, and good looking DE razor. The butterfly mechanism opens smoothly, and the Parker's materials and construction are high quality. I also purchased an Edwin Jagger DE 89. Both razors had good reviews and are considered good choices for sensitive skin. After using both for a couple of weeks, I found the Parker to be more aggressive than the Edwin Jagger DE 89. The Parker seemed to give me a slightly closer shave than the EJ, but it turned my neck red. If you're more concerned about skin irritation than getting a close shave, go with the Edwin Jagger DE89. If you want a closer shave, go with the Parker 66R. Read more