Parker Safety Razor 90R- Long Handle Butterfly Open Double Edge and 5 Blades

(Written by husband)I've never written a review before, but I feel compelled to write after using this razor for 2 weeks.I used to use Gillette Fusion cartridge razors and other iterations for the past 25 years, but this razor has changed everything for me.To be blunt (no pun), this razor is freakin' awesome!The chrome finishing is very smooth and the lock/hinge twist-to-open (TTO) mechanism is easy to use and locks the blade tight.The handle had grooves in the chrome but I feel the handle can be a bit slippery when trying to open/close the head with wet hands.Double-Edge (DE) shaving is experiencing a resurgence recently as folks are getting fed up with the high cost of multi-blade cartridge razors (Mach3, Fusion, etc.).I remember my father shaving with a (now "vintage") Gillette adjustable DE razor when I was a kid. He couldn't wait to throw it away in favor of the new pivot-head disposables (shame, those old "vintage" Gillettes are going for over $100 on eBay now.). His reason (30 years ago) was the blades at the time couldn't hold an edge. That has all changed. Which brings me to my next point.Blade edge design is different from each manufacturer. At the "dull" (ie, less-sharp) end of the scale are Derby, while Feather blades are at the extreme "sharp" end of the scale. There are dozens of choices in between. Your skin will tell you which blade is right for you. If my dad still had his "vintage" Gillette, fitted with these new blades would be just as good.Bulk price for replacement blades are between $0.06-$0.20 per blade. Each blade should last between 3-5 shaves. So depending on your shave pattern, a 100 pack of assorted blades should easily last a year and cost pennies per shave.This Parker 90R razor NEEDS to be paired with a decent assortment of blades. All DE blades are made to a certain "spec", but some fit better than others and suit different skin types.The Shark super chrome blades that shipped with this razor are OK on with my dense hair growth.Those new to DE shaving (like me) should go through the entire box of blades before attempting to try any other blades from an assortment pack in order to perfect your technique.In order to respect this razor the fine piece of hardware it is, you need to perfect your technique first, then evaluate different blades to find the one that matches this razor AND your face.I'm still working through my first box of Shark blades, but I did try a "Sharp Durablade" from one of the assortment packs and it's a different experience. The "Sharp" blade was a smoother shave, but required more passes to clear the hair growth because the blade wasn't as sharp as the Shark blade.I've never had as close a shave as with this razor. Multi-blade cartridge blades don't even come close!My normal routine:1) Hot shower to soften the hair growth2) While skin is still wet, apply a pre-shave oil to the skin (I use Village Barber oil from the UK, but you can go cheap with baby oil or even olive oil but they make a mess.)3) Soak the boar-hair brush in warm water for at least a minute to soften the bristles, also soak the razor/blade in warm water4) Shake off excess water from the brush, apply decent cream (I use Taylor of Bond Street) to the brush and whip up a nice lather in a bowl (add a few drops of water at a time until lather is creamy)5) Apply cream to skin with brush with a circular motion to work into the hair follicles6) Shave one pass "with the grain", relather, shave one pass "sideways to the grain", re-wet skin and feel for missed spots, relather and shave "against the grain" for only those spots you missed using a very light touch (avoids razor "burn").7) Rinse skin with cold water to seal the pores and apply a nice shaving balm to nourish the skin (you just removed the top layer!).Buy this razor (or any decent DE razor) and an assortment blade kit. You'll never look back.

Good Quality. Good experience. Giving 4stars because company should provide razor with razor stand or case. Cost cutting

I have had this razor for more than a month, and have the hang of it now. When I first started shaving my father gave me a safety razor to use. Somewhere along the way I switched to using those expensive brand name razors. In retrospect, it was a big mistake.When I first got this razor I used some generic blades that I already had. On my very first shave with the generic blades it was like a new experience. The blade glided over my skin like it was not doing anything. I had to go over my face with my hand to realize that it was actually cutting my hair. Even though I could not feel it cutting, my face was baby butt smooth. At first I had a problem shaving beneath my nose, but after a few tries I figured it out.My only complaints are that the handle was not as long as I thought. The second thing is that there is no way to tell the sides of the blade apart. I like to shave with one side and when that gets dull switch to the other side. My final complaint is that the handle is kind of slippery. When the soap lather gets on your hand it can be tough to hang onto. I use glycerin soap rather than shave cream, because it is much smoother and slicker. I have far fewer nicks with the glycerin soap than when I used brand name shaving cream.My final warning for people using those expensive triple blades is; at the first sign of trouble abandon ship. Those 3 blade razors are so expensive that I got used to trying to push it for one extra shave. With the safety razor that is not an option. If you try to stretch it, it will tear you up. Besides, the blades are not so expensive that you need to stretch it. Just toss the old blade and start fresh.So far I have used generic blades, Shark, and Feather blades. The generic blades were not bad at all. They actual gave me a good serviceable shave. The Shark blades were the thinnest and sharpest I tried, and definitely gave me the smoothest cut. On the downside, they did not last that long. The Feather blade was a consistent clean cut and seemed to last a good bit longer that the others. The blades are cheap enough that I will probably re-order Shark blades when I run out, but your mileage may vary. Depending on the type of beard and how you shave different blades may work better for you. The main thing is to use a fresh blade as often as needed. If I could tell which side was which, and a grippier handle it would be perfect.

Using disposable razors all my years I decided to try wet shaving like my father did sooooo many years ago when I was a kid. So I bought the Parker 90 razor and I haven’t looked back since. Yes it’s a learning curve that you have to learn to use the razor correctly!! Thanks YouTube for the training. And now when I wet shave I can see my dad standing beside me smiling saying thats my boy!

It's quite utilitarian.The revolving nature of the stem to close may create some problems, one might be required to ensure that it's nicely fastened prior to using it.A good purchase for your first foray into the world of wet shaving.