Lawrence Howard Phillips—October 4, 2020
I find the Parker 92R an excellent value for those wanting to get started into wet shaving without braking the bank. It has a bit of heft and the handle is long, which is my preference. The handle has a great feel with lots of grip, I have no problems controlling the razor. I am a newbie to wet shaving and it is important to look at the YouTube videos for proper shaving techniques before using a DE razor. Coming from cartridge razors, DSC Executive, it is important to note that you need a very very light touch when using the Parker 92R, let the weight of the razor do the work. My first shave was a very pleasant experience except for one aspect. The shave I got was about 5 times closer than what I could get with a cartridge razor. As a result, I was not prepared for the irritation that sat in about 10 minutes after the shave. This occurred with using a post-shave balm. I highly recommend only changing the razor first, use your go to shave soap so that the only unknown is the razor and the razor blade. The included Parker razor blades are sharp, not necessarily smooth. The razor blade will add to the discomfort. To mitigate, use Dickinson's Enhanced Witch Hazel Hydrating Toner with Rosewater, no alcohol. This really helped to relieve the irritation. Do not use any alcohol splash until your skin gets adjusted to the close shave. I have three shaves using this razor and blade combination and I'm still getting adjusted to the closeness of the shave. Also, order a blade sample pack to determine which blade gives you the most comfortable shave. Take your time with the razor, use a three pass technique to get a close shave, take off a little at a time using a cleanup pass to get the tough spots, finish with the Dickerson's. My understanding it takes about two weeks to condition your face for this close of a shave. It is also important to note that when placing the blade in the razor make sure you always check the alignment of the blade after closing the butterfly doors. Make sure the blade edges are straight and even on both sides. I love the weight of this razor along with the black knurled grip for great control. A great looking razor, a great feeling razor and a great razor to start with. Read more
Terry R. Nye—March 24, 2013
This is the first time I've used a butterfly razor in probably 40 years or more. I remember the simplicity of using my Dad's butterfly Gillette razor back then, and this one works just the same. The Parker 92R razor arrives securely packaged along with a small sample of Shark blades. The razor is attractive, has a good heft to it, and the handle is textured for a secure grip. The butterfly opening is smooth, and I had no problems with it opening on its own as long as I held the handle on the textured grip and did not try to grip it high up on the razor (I suspect those who reported problems with the razor opening while shaving were holding it too high up on the handle where you turn the handle to open the razor). As far as I can tell, the blade sits flat in my razor, and opening the razor for cleaning and/or blade replacement is extremely simple. There is nothing to unscrew - you simply twist the knob on the upper part of the handle to open the razor. I love the textured handle, which allows for a very secure grip even with wet hands. It took me a while to get used to the shaving angle and lighter pressure needed to shave with this razor. The edges of the razor are jagged (to help lift hairs, I presume), and I think that contributed to some of the cuts I experienced initially. It helps to watch some You Tube videos about shaving with a double edged razor to get a better feel for how you should do it. You definitely want to hold the razor almost perpendicular to your face and then gently lower the edge down until to achieve the proper shaving angle. You also do not want to press the razor into your face like you need to do with plastic disposable razors. Just let the weight of the razor press against your face while you shave. I found I also have to be careful not to stab the edge of the razor against my face as I shave, a bad habit I picked up using disposable razors, as it will definitely cut you. A styptic pencil is a worthwhile investment to stop bleeding from cuts and nicks until you get the hang of shaving with a double edged razor. As time went on, though, I found I was shaving smoother, faster, and with fewer nicks. After using this razor for a while I bought an Edwin Jagger De89bl Double Edge Safety Razor Chrome Plated to see if a more expensive razor would be worthwhile. I was surprised to find I preferred the Parker 92R in terms of ease of use and better grip while shaving. No doubt there are some shaving snobs who look down on anyone who uses anything other than a Merkur or Edwin Jagger razor, but there is really no reason to spend the extra money as the Parker 92R works equally well. Your shaving experience will be enhanced by using a barber brush and soap as it allows you to easily reapply shaving soap as you go along to shave from different angles on your face to get a closer shave. An alum bar (e.g. Barber Alum ) is also a worthwhile investment and will help seal nicks and cuts and make your face feel better after shaving. I recommend the Parker 92R razor to anyone interested in buying a double edged razor. Once you get the hang of it you will be rewarded with a closer shave than you've had from disposable razors at a much lower cost over time. Read more
Matthew K Pollard—February 25, 2015
I'm very happy with this purchase. I've had it for about a week now, and have switched from disposable and electric. I've never used a double edged safety razor, so I am still getting used to it. I expected that my face may take some time to get used to the new razor, and this is true. I would also suggest that you take into consideration, that if you are a new DE shaver, to expect sometime for your skills in it to become sufficient. And take your time! I have found myself nicking my face, and knowing that I should have been more careful around my chin or a bump. This is not a fault of the razor, but because of my skill level with it. Once I have this down, I know that I'll have an excellent shave. The quality of this razor is great; the weight is heavy enough to feel good in my hand, and the handle is textured enough to not slip. It is a very sharp (no pun intended) looking razor, and I also purchased a chrome stand with which to set it after my shave. The DE blades that come with it are sufficient, and I used my first one for 3 days in a row. It is rather easy to twist the handle and open the razor to remove and replace the blade. I recommend using the left over paper from the new blade, to cover the old one and put a piece of tape over it. This will keep you or someone else from cutting themselves while taking the trash out, or if needing to root around in the trash for something else. Pros: - Heavy - Good looking - A quality product - Provides a good shave - Mid-range price, and ultimately a price savings over disposable - Ease of use in replacing blades Cons: - More expensive starting price over disposables - More work in replacing blades (due to safety) - More of a learning curve over other types of razors Read more
