Question about my razor

Discussion in 'Safety Razors' started by ThomasP, Feb 21, 2018.

  1. ThomasP

    ThomasP New Member

    High i currently use a parker 82R, my facial hair is pretty coars, and even when using astra, im having a hard time to get a good shave where the hairs are the most coarse. I'm i doing something wrong, do i need a different razor? And if so which one would you recommend, i live in Belgium, so please no buy links to american sites, or razors i cant buy in europe.

    Thank you
     
  2. Linuxguile

    Linuxguile dating an unusual aristocrat

    Hi @ThomasP and welcome! I highly doubt that the issue that you are having is with the razor. Barring something mechannically wrong with the razor you should be able to get a very nice BBS shave from any razor. Most likely the issue that you are having is related to your techniqe. I would like to invite you to check out the 3pc DE Aggressive Razor Fundamentals - "Riding the cap" thread as well as the 30 day focus thread (February 2018 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion ) where there are a bunch of us who focus on technique and getting the best shaves possible and are always willing to help and provide guidance based on our own experiences. You would be surprised how much better your shaves will get in just 30 days.
     
  3. Enrico

    Enrico Popcorn

    I know very little about the Parker, but more importantly how long have you been shaving with the razor or blades? It may be just getting use to it in technique.

    If you were looking for a razor with more blade exposure I might suggest a Fatip razor out of Italy and the Merkur 34c always gets rave review out of Germany.
     
  4. Arnout

    Arnout Well-Known Member

    Hey countryman!
    There is a Facebook groep nat scheren- Nederland en België, interesting to buy local.

    I am not an expert in safety razors, i prefer straight razors.
    But I guess it will be a bit technique, good preparation to get the beard soft, good angle,...

    Feather or Kai blades might work better for you in your Parker? No idea how he shaves?

    Good luck
     
    RyX likes this.
  5. ThomasP

    ThomasP New Member

    i have some feathers but i havent used them yet, i'll give them a try tomorrow, i new to safety razors, so might be my technique, i'm used to electric razor, which i use when i have to get up early. i only use the safety razor when i have more time in the morning.
     
  6. Arnout

    Arnout Well-Known Member

    The feathers are sharper, so start cautious, no pressure, find the right angle and listen to the whispering sound of shaving
     
    RyX likes this.
  7. jar

    jar Well-Known Member

    I think you might have your answer right there.

    Shaving with a safety razor is very much like writing with a fountain pen; you need a super light hand, to use your whole arm and not just your wrist and NO rotation of the blade relative to your skin. That takes practice but once you develop the muscle memory it lasts a lifetime.
     
    Last edited: Feb 21, 2018
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  8. MR41

    MR41 Well-Known Member

    I agree that technique is probably the issue. Parker’s have heads similar to Gillette’s and there is very little variation in the effective angle you can use. If you want there are many options for razors with more forgiving effective angles. Or you could do the focus @Linuxguile suggested and learn your Parker better. It depends on your preference.
     
  9. Engblom

    Engblom Well-Known Member

    Feather blades have been suggested, and I also support this suggestion! A razor blade needs to be sharp enough to not pull noticeable in the whiskers. For some it means a Derby, for other an Astra and some just need Feather to achieve this. Just give this a try.

    As the Parker head seems to be a copy of a Gillette head, I also suggest you check you have really tightened the last quarter that requires a bit more effort.

    If you consider changing razor, consider this first: Most would agree that with good technique any razor could be used. It is true, but there are razors that are working better with really coarse beard. The most coarse areas are giving a bit more of resistance, making it more difficult to maintain the angle and the no pressure as you have to use more force to push the blade through the whiskers. With most razors you either ride the cap (shallow angle shavers) or the bar (steep angle shavers). However, with ultra mild razors (razors having zero or slightly negative blade exposure) you ride on both, as that is the only angle the razor is able to shave at all. This extra support, by having both bar and cap against the skin, I find helpful for the most coarse areas. It reduces the blade pressure. At the same time, these razors requires most skills, as you really need to be stable in keeping the only angle that works for these razors.
     
  10. wchnu

    wchnu Duck Season!

    This sounds like technique problems. If there are no defects in the razor any sharp blade should work good. If you just jump razors and blades without learning to use them properly the quality of the shave will not improve.
     
    RyX likes this.
  11. Enrico

    Enrico Popcorn

    I think OP is MIA?
     
  12. Bookworm

    Bookworm Well-Known Member

    Clicking on the profile, it appears OP has been around since October, but isn't very active.
     
    Enrico likes this.
  13. ThomasP

    ThomasP New Member

    Tried feather a few times, and my shave is now pretty descent, get a few cuts (two-three), but a little more pratice should improve my technique and shave, thanks.
     
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  14. Enrico

    Enrico Popcorn

    I'd stick to your current razor and feathers and with practice you'll have perfect shaves. Check out the 30 day focus @Linuxguile brought up and they'll help you further with technique.
     
    RyX likes this.
  15. Jayaruh

    Jayaruh The Cackalacky House Pet

    Supporting Vendor
    High their, @ThomasP , sorry I missed out on welcoming you when you posted first. Glad your technique is getting better. Stick with it, you will be a pro in no time.

    zwelcome2b.jpg
     
  16. Sara-s

    Sara-s This Pun for Hire

    @ThomasP , you have talked about your razor & blade, but not how you prepare your face for the shave. Can you please tell us a bit about that?
     

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