Parker 90R Nickel Long Handle Butterfly Safety Razor

(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.

This is the first product review I've written on Amazon. Nothing I bought here before has really inclined me to take the trouble, but this little razor, well - it's almost life-changing. Bold statement to make for something as insignificant as a shaving implement, but it's warranted in this case.I used to look at shaving as a necessary annoyance. It wasn't pleasant, but my wife doesn't like a beard so I made myself do it. But being as annoyance, I usually slacked off in doing it which resulted in my shaving once a week, if that (my beard doesn't grow terribly fast). Which resulted in my usually sporting a few days' worth of beard, an unkempt look. However, once I picked up this razor, all that changed. Why? To put it simply, what used to be a necessary annoyance has become a pleasure I look forward to. Seriously. I now wish my beard grew faster so I could shave daily.Using a safety razor necessitates a few other things: a good shaving soap/cream (I recommend the Omega shaving soap available from amazon), a good brush (badger hair is best), and using an aftershave is advised, if not necessary. All these things feel great on the skin and are just plain *fun* to use. It also necessitates that you pay attention to what you're doing rather than just going through the motions. However, the reward is a shave that's much closer to anything you've ever managed with the multi-blade razors while at the same time feeling easier on your face. No razor burn, just smooth skin.Last but not least, hell, using the safety razor/brush combo just makes you feel... male.Now, about this particular razor:- Quality: very good. It's heavy and feels like a solid, quality tool in your hand. Doesn't rust and is easy to rinse.- Design: excellent. The butterfly design makes it easy to replace blades and remove them to rinse after shaving. The shape of the razor helps find the correct angle for shaving. It's hard to describe, but to put it in simplest terms it just fits naturally: placing it against your face in the way that feels natural ends up being just the right angle.- Cuts and hacking up your face: complete myth. It's not difficult at all to shave without ever nicking yourself (I think I've done it twice in 2 months).Note about multi-blade razors:They're dominant in the market not because they're superior to the safety razors, but due to profit margins. Anyone can make razor blades for safety razors and as a result, they're available for around $0.10. However, the Mach3, etc. cartridges are only made by their manufacturers and by controlling their manufacture, they're able to jack up the price - they can cost over $3.00 each. Makes sense from a profit standpoint.