Parker 87R Compact Butterfly Safety Razor Short Handle Twist-to-Open Brass Frame with Textured Grip for Precision Wet Shaving

This is a great shaver but not for beginners, not for beginners! I consider this one an aggressive razor for my sensitive skin. No major issues with it only because I am an experience wet shaver but I still got a couple nicks and a small razor/blade bloody bite, nothing bad. I got a close and great shave but I felt the blade on my face the whole entire time. For me, this is not my daily drive razor but it's a beautiful razor that should be taken with a level of precaution even for experience wet shavers. Read more

To start, I own many DE razors and didn't necessarily need another one. My daily go to razor before receiving this one was my beautiful Edwin Jagger short white handled 3 piece. I will always recommend this razor. I also enjoy using my Schone gold colored slightly aggressive razor just to reference 2 of my favorite razors. This 87R is the smoothest most effective razor I have used to date. It feels just as mild as my Edwin Jagger but gets even closer in less passes. It feels magical in the way it performs. In one pass with some light touch up, I was able to get a BBS with no irritation. I don't take these reviews lightly and I would advise any wet shaver, as well as anyone sick of spending large sums of money on plastic 5 blade disposable razors. I was hooked on the multi blade razors and I do value my face. I found that a good DE razor with the right blade will out perform these expensive disposables for far less hard earned money., Buy this beautiful razor and give it a chance. In my eyes it is inspired by the gorgeous Gillette #66 Aristocrat. The fit and finish on this is really good and even my 8 year old son remarked that it is the best looking shaver I own. I own at least 12 of them, from the high quality Merkurs, the well made Razorocks to the Beautifully well made Parkers. I highly recommend this product. You can spend more but will not get a better quality tool for your face. Read more

I've been shaving with a double edge safety razor for over 40 years. However, I haven't had a "butterfly" or "twist-to-open" (TTO) design for a long time so I decided to give this Parker 87R a try. So far, I've used this razor for about a week, so the following are my initial impressions only: As for construction, fit and finish, this appears to be a well made razor. Like all TTO's, the head is a little bulkier than a 3 piece design; but, it has good heft and balance which makes it easy to use. The construction appears quite solid, with the blade doors being sturdy and well fitted. The TTO mechanism works smoothly and tightens securely. The knurling is well defined and the chrome finish appears to be well applied, on a par with at least a Merkur 34c. As for shave quality, this is a little more difficult to evaluate since it is so subjective. That said, it is my humble opinion this is a mild razor being less aggressive than an Edwin Jagger DE89, which is less aggressive than a Merkur 34c, both of which I also own. Being a less aggressive razor has both pro and con aspects. As a pro, it is much more forgiving and less likely to hurt you if you are new to using a double edge razor, particularly if you have a light beard or sensitive skin. As a con, it will take you longer to shave since it requires more passes to get a close shave than with a more aggressive razor. Something to consider if you have a heavy beard or tougher skin. That said, this is still a very nice razor capable of delivering a close, smooth shave, provided you have time and good technique. Again, my initial impression is that it is built to last; but, only time will tell. I gave it 4 stars because I would like it a little more aggressive. Hope you find this helpful. Read more

After some issues with the initial 87r that I received, Howie from supersafety razors went above and beyond to send me a replacement. The replacement came in, and the only issue with it was a lazy door which I quickly tuned up with a butter knife. This issue is purely cosmetic and in no way interfered with the blade gap or alignment. I tested it out, and the razor is definitely mild-ish, but also with good feedback and blade feel. I can't tell if that makes it medium or not, but it's a close shave regardless. Definitely more efficient than my bevel razor and my Edwin Jagger DE89 so maybe that does classify it as "medium aggressive". Either way, I now have two quality Parker razors, and I'm happy Howie jumped through hoops to make sure I didn't have a poor taste in my mouth every time I mentioned a Parker to someone. Maybe the bad units are common, maybe not, but if you get a good one... it's a damn good little razor for $30. Read more

The Parker 87R is a well-made tribute to the classic Gillette Aristocrat razor. The chrome is bright and the striped knurling is attractive and comfortable. The razor is well-balanced. I had expected a top-heavy razor because of the twist-to-open head. However, the knob at the bottom is heavy bringing the balance point below the collar where it should be. The head is based on the taller pre-1961 Gillette design. I was hoping for the flatter design similar to the Gillette Slim and post 1961 Super Speeds. The bottom plate fixes the blade quite far above the guard creating a large blade gap yielding a much more aggressive shave than an Edwin Jagger DE89 or Merkur 34C. As a result, I prefer the Edwin Jagger and Merkur razors. Update: I have had this razor for about a year now. The large blade gap is just too much. I am more likely to nick myself with this razor than I am with any of my 16 other double-edge safety razors. I much prefer my Merkur, Ediwn Jagger, Feather, and vintage Gillette razors and have retired my Parker 87R and will probably never use it again. Read more