I was graciously loaned the Parthenon razor by Dennis AKA @DesertTime for this review.

Part One:
First impressions. The Parthenon, the result of a collaboation by Weshi and Qshave is nicer than I expected. The black handle gives it a post-super adjustable look, while the oversized (to my Gillette user eyes) head of the razor give it a proto-Toggle vibe.

The knurling feels similar to the super adjustable too, which adds to the dichotomy of holding something that feels like a super adjustable, but weighs more than a Fatboy.

Pros: It opens and closes just like any Gillette one piece razor. Has a nice feel in the hand, and for the weight, doesn't feel unbalanced. From the blade tray up, the razor is a Gillette clone. The "organic" flowing of the head into the handle is a design choice, not something they were forced to do. It's obvious that they could have gone with a Fatboy style collar if they wanted to...so I'm going to list that as a positive thing.

Cons: Mostly nitpicks. There are marks on the underside of the razor head where it looks like it was slightly gouged. I'm going to assume that this is from the press fitting of the head to the handle.

I would have liked to see more texture on the twist-to-open knob, as I predict it will become slippery if someone has soap on their hands and wants to open it. I keep my hands dry while shaving so I don't think it will be an issue for me.

In closing, I like this razor already and I haven't used it yet. It looks like the bastard child of a Gillette ajustable and a Hone 15 (or Futar), which appeals to my whimsical side.

The weight of it is making my lizard hindbrain insist that weight = quality. I do wish it was nickel plated, since I'm not a huge fan of chome razors. Chome looks cold and sterile next to nickel's warmth. On the other hand...Ooh, Shiny!

Part Two:
First Shave.
Kiss my Face Limes Shave Cream
Shavemac D01 two-band badger
Astra SP, first use.

I'm on the mild side of the "mild to wild" crowd. I set the intial shave at #3, as that is what I set my Gillette adjustables at. I quickly dialed it down to #1 and found that it still felt rather bitey, like a Gillette adjustable set at #4 or #5. How much of that is due to weight or blade exposure, dunno. Even set at one, it gave a very nice one pass + touchups shave. Handle length is perfect for the razor's size and weight. Finding the angle was intuitive, though it felt a bit off from the normal Gillette angle, slightly shallower, perhaps.

There was no noticable difference in the shave when switching sides between passes. Blade exposure and angle appeared pretty even on both sides.

If I have one complaint it is that it clogs worse than any razor (well except for cartridge razors) I've ever used. With that observation, being clogged didn't seem to affect the shave. Cleaning the razor post shave was equally annoying, as two clumps in the center of the guard bar refused to rinse away until I physically dislodged them.

No nicks, and no razor burn or any redness from traumatized skin.

This is a good razor, if a bit aggressive feeling for my taste. Do I absolutely love it? No, not really. But I don't hate it either.

What would I like to see changed? Some sort of holes or cutouts under the blade for soap and stubble to pass through. Other than that, I think the razor is fine as is.

More thoughts after tomorrow's shave!

Second shave.

More comfortable than the first. Kept the setting on 1. All in all a good shave, but definitely noticed it bogging down as it got clogged. I had to open the razor's doors to rinse it properly mid shave. (Note: both shaves were done on two day stubble).

If I was using this razor daily, I wonder if the clogging issue would go away?

Final thoughts:

If someone is looking for a long handled, heavy headed adjustable that is also a tad bit more aggressive than a Gillette adjustable razor, this might be right up your alley.

For myself, this razor just tips over the line between solid and heavy. Add in the clogging issue, and I'll take a pass on getting this razor. This version of it just feels half baked and unfinished, though beautiful to look at and a good shaver. I'll try to get in one final shave with it tomorrow, and see if consecutive daily shaving improves the experience.

Had my last shave with the Parthenon razor yesterday. Shaving daily does not elimate the clogging issue. Halfway through the shave, I opened it up to 5 to see if that would ameliorate the issue, and it helped a little bit, but didn't solve the clogging.

Opening a flow through slot or providing some holes might help turn a good razor into an exceptional one. Also the laser etched numbers are rather faint, and might cause issues with people with sight problems. Correct those two issues, and I would buy one.

I'm not sure they can without completely redesigning the collar. Adding holes will just direct all the lather and stubble directly towards the internal mechanisms. As a short term fix, it would be adequate, but long term reliability would probably become an issue.

I'd have to sit down with the razor in front of me to verify that, but I think I'm right.