Hi everyone, I'm new to the forum. I'm 57 years old and have been shaving for over 40 years. For over 10 years my favorite shaving combo was Gillette Sensor, Barbasol and Aqua Velva. But in recent years my beard has become more coarse (and I think Sensor blade quality has deteriorated?) and my all time favorite razor no longer does the job. Plus I end up with lots of cuts which never happened before. I tried Fusion, Mach 3 and Quatro but I'm not impressed with any of them. On a whim I bought a Personna M5 Magnum (cheap 5 blade razor), and also tried some King of Shaves Alphagel Shave Gel. A BIG difference. No cuts and a very close, comfortable shave. I'm so impressed with the KOS Shave Gel that I'm thinking of trying a double edge razor to use with it. Several years ago I tried a 1950's Gillette butterfly style and got a comfortable shave but not close. I also have tried a new Merkur 3 pc. with open comb and got a somewhat closer shave but lots of cuts. I've been doing some research and narrowed it down to either a Parker 22R or a Parker 96R. I would appreciate any advice regarding these 2 models and which one would be best. I prefer they butterfly type and don't want to spend a whole lot in case it doesn't work out. Also I've read a lot of good things about "Shark" blades and would appreciate any input on these or other blades that may be better. I shave WTG, re-lather, and then shave ATG. My biggest problem is getting a very close shave like I used to without the nicks and irritation that have started in recent years. It's been very frustrating. Thanks very much!
Parker makes good 3 piece razors, but not so good butterfly (Twist To Open, or TTO, as they are called around here). There are a lot of blades to choose from. It's fairly difficult to recommend "the" blade. I use Sharps and Feathers. I tried a Shark, and the first shave was better than a Sharp (for me), but the second was one of the worse, most horrid shaves I've had since I started this "hobby". I wouldn't recommend buying any blade in bulk until you've tried a few different brands. Welcome to The Shave Den! :signs046
First off, Welcome to The Shave Den! A great community of guys and gals that enjoy wet shaving, I hope you enjoy your stay! Be sure to sign up for the November Newbie Give-Away for a chance to win some great shave gear! While its not required, how about you hop over to the Newbies Section and give yourself a proper introduction thread, I'm sure you'll receive many warm welcomes from the friendly folks of this community.
I think I speak for everyone when I say, get one of these. Just kidding. I've been eying the 22R since I started a couple months ago and have heard mixed reviews. I started with a Merkur HD(34C) and couldn't be happier with it. A lot of people like the Shark blades, but I think most everyone would recommend picking up a sampler pack of blades. What kind of soap/creams are you using? I was surprised to find out what a difference that made. Welcome to the Den!
I've been using a Parker 22R for 2 months now and am very pleased with it. I don't have a very large comparison base, being the other razor I have is a Gillette travel razor that I won in the newbie giveaway here at the Den. Even as a newbie shaver, I have had minimal nicks or razor burns with the 22R and that was in my first 2 weeks of shaving with a D/E. Not had any problems with blade alignment or the butterfly doors operating the way they should, either. Those are the 2 biggest complaints that I have read in reviews about the Parker 22R. Now that I have another razor in my small arsenal, I now understand why some have listed the 22 as an aggressive razor. I just go slow and pay attention and have had no problems. As far as blades go, I really haven't tried enough of them to render an honest opinion. The 7 o'clock that came with the Gillette did not last long, only about 3 shaves. And I don't have a heavy beard, either. The blades I bought at the local supermarket lasted longer than the 7 o'clock. I just put in a Personna yesterday but have not used it yet, but from the reviews, it seems to be a pretty reliable blade. Seems too, that Feather makes the sharpest. Hope this helps. Dan
First of all.... Welcome to The Shave Den :signs046 As mentioned earlier, Parker makes some nice razors, but the TTO's are not rated highly :sad023 I have a Parker 91R and am very pleased with it! You might also check Weishi razors as you seek a TTO. They are really nice (especially the gunmetal) and very pleasant to use :happy088
I started with the Parker 22R because that gun metal finish caught my eye. The handle does not inspire confidence with wet fingers but it's a workable razor if a but bulky. You might consider Merkur 34C for the knurled handle and better balance. Nothing wrong with Shark Chromes (been shopping on Amazon have we? ), but keep your options open on blades, Derby, Astra, etc. You don't have to follow the herd, it's your face after all.
I'm not familiar with the Parker razors enough to give any advice, but I will say this: regardless which razor you go with, get a blade sampler pack (or two). get as wide a variety of blades as you can. try each for a week or so. yeah, it's a long process, but the experience is good, and you'll have a good base line for judging new blades down the road. speaking of base line: be sure, before you start experimenting with blade sampler packs, pick one brand of blade and use it exclusively for at least a month. that way, you're focusing on the technique and artistry of DE shaving, instead of relying on the differences of blades (real or perceived differences). doesn't matter which blade you use, plain ol' Personnas from Wal Mart will be fine, just something that when you do start trying different blades, it's the effect of the blade you're judging, not the learning curve of your technique.
Do you still have the 3 piece Merkur open comb? If so, I'd suggest you keep it so you have something to compare your new razors against. It might be that the Merkur is too aggressive (shaves too close). I have no experience with Parker razors but from what I've read their 3 piece razors are quite good. You might also check out a Gillette Tech. They're more mild than your merkur open comb and might be just what you're looking for. Plus, they're common and tend to sell at a low price. You might also try picking up a brush and some soap/ cream. It does make a difference.
THANKS! Thanks to everyone for all of your recomendations! Based on everyone's input I've narrowed it down to either a Gillette Super Speed or maybe a Merkur 34C. And I'm also considering Derby and Shark blades. I've been shaving for so many years with multi-blade cartridges that I've become a very fast and a very hard pressing shaver, so I'm going to have to develop a new technique!
Both are great razors, so I'm sure you'll be happy. If you haven't already, be sure to check out Mantic's video series. Be sure to keep us updated too!
I was just about to say the same thing... Also, a long-forgotten resource that really helped me with my technique was: Leisureguy's Guide to Gourmet Shaving New products and gadgets are fun, but technique is just as critical to getting a close, comfortable shave.
IMHO one should first invest in the right technique, before spending money on the gadgets....... You enjoy new stuff even more if you know how to use it
hi scott69 welcome to the shave den i have tryed difrent parker,s and after a long tryel and eror i have picked and very very happy with the parker 72R i now its a three piece, but a mutch better parker than thair open top,s that i have tryed,the handle on the 72R is black coted with a great grip,for me i found this a great razor and i picked the DERBY blade,s they ar very forgiving on the skin well for me,good luck i hope you find what you ar looking for.
Too easy! Gem Jr. 1912. An aggressive razor that's also quite comfortable. They're dirt cheap on ebay and shave like a dream. If you look around you'll find that they come in about a hundred different handle configurations. While not my prettiest razor, the most comfortable would be the "fat handle 1912" If a stubby screwdriver and a safety razor had a baby this is what it would look like. Super razor, great shaver, feels good in your hand too.
Made a decision ! Have a question ! Thanks to all of your help and suggestions I made a decision and bought a really nice 1960 Gillette Super Speed Flare Tip. To see it here's the Ebay number: 230401110641. (I can't post any images or links yet because I have less than 5 posts on the forum - strange rule). I also got some Shark, Derby & Gillette 7 o'clock blades; and I got some TSD Shave Cream here at the Shaving Den. I thought the Shark blades might be the most forgiving to learn on? But I'm not sure. I would appreciate any suggestions on which of the 3 blades to start with. Thanks again!
Thats a nice looking Super Speed, congrats on the win! Now as far as blades go, my own opinion is to start with the Derbys. I have found them to be a good middle of the road blade. The Sharks I have used seemed pretty comparable to a Derby, maybe a touch sharper. The 7 O'Clocks, well I guess that depends on which ones you have. There are Super Platinum (Black Pack), SharpEdge (Yellow Pack) and PermaSharp (Green Pack). I have tried the Black and Yellow packs, but not the Green pack. The Black were ok for me, but I didn't like the Yellow pack, they were too harsh. This Poll may help some too. Here is where the standard YMMV comes in.
