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The Parker Variant is Available!

Mine didn't even show up.

I got a package with a packing slip for the razor. Instead of the razor there was a bunch of packs of Feather blades. I don't even really like Feathers.

Dang...

I emailed them twice earlier but no reply yet...

View attachment 712885

Keep at it. They will make it right. Things like that happen quite a bit. Feel for you that you have to wait a few more days....:001_huh:
 
Oh I'll get by...

:001_rolle

Sure I'll find something to shave with.

Just spoiled I suppose.

I'd been watching the tracking number with increasing anticipation. All that Ovaltine and I got a crummy blade.

Hahahaha.
 
I broke my first de and was leaning towards purchasing a futur but now have found the variant. Several users mentioned the future having too big of a head for under the nose shaving which led me to the Parker. Any advice?
 
My lovely better half got one for me for Christmas and I am super impressed with the razor. I got the black model and I have to say the plating and everything else on mine is perfect. It replaces my Mergress and just in time; I've had repeated problems with a loose adjustment knob on the Mergress (though I know how to fix it now.) The Variant feels much better in the hand. As stated earlier, it's heavier (which I like), has great knurling on the handle (which I appreciate) and solid feel on the adjuster knob.

It's somewhat surprising to me that a razor made in India would feel so much more quality than one made in Germany, but that's definitely my impression. Everything about my example screams "well-built," and the shave has been smoother and more trouble-free than the Mergress.
 
My lovely better half got one for me for Christmas and I am super impressed with the razor. I got the black model and I have to say the plating and everything else on mine is perfect. It replaces my Mergress and just in time; I've had repeated problems with a loose adjustment knob on the Mergress (though I know how to fix it now.) The Variant feels much better in the hand. As stated earlier, it's heavier (which I like), has great knurling on the handle (which I appreciate) and solid feel on the adjuster knob.

It's somewhat surprising to me that a razor made in India would feel so much more quality than one made in Germany, but that's definitely my impression. Everything about my example screams "well-built," and the shave has been smoother and more trouble-free than the Mergress.

Congrats on your acquisition. Yes, I agree with the quality assessment you stated. I to am impressed considering it was made in India and somehow it feels better and more precise and higher quality than my Progress, which I hold dear to me. I guess Germany also has some QC issues just like the rest of the razor manufacturing world. Still a great razor, but the Variant has it beat on nearly every level, I find it hard going back to my Progress.
 

KeenDogg

Slays On Fleek - For Rizz
I broke my first de and was leaning towards purchasing a futur but now have found the variant. Several users mentioned the future having too big of a head for under the nose shaving which led me to the Parker. Any advice?
I don't have one but I have heard the handles can be quite slippery.

Kindly,
Adam
 
I broke my first de and was leaning towards purchasing a futur but now have found the variant. Several users mentioned the future having too big of a head for under the nose shaving which led me to the Parker. Any advice?

Hi @ChappellHeel. Welcome to B&B. If you have not already, hop over newbie threads and introduce yourself!

To answer your question, to me, the Futur head is bulky, but I think most could still manage shaving under their nose. Slimmer heads make this easier, obviously. As @KeenDogg pointed out, the handle on the Futur can be a bit slippery and one must be careful when changing blades and/or adjusting settings during the shave as to avoid cutting yourself. I still really like the Futur and it shaves very well if you like aggressive razors (blade feel), but its not perfect with its design.

The Variant is very nice as well. I have found it much less aggressive than the Futur on lesser settings but both are nice razors. My only real complaint is that the handle on the Variant does not have near as nice a grip as other razors I'm used to -- despite looking more "grippy" in the photos. Still much better than the Futur handle though (or the Muhle R89 for that matter). I also think the Variant shaves a bit smoother.

Just my two cents on owning both. I'm sure others feel differently. Cheers!
 
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Thanks kruber! Very helpful!

Sorry that I misspelled kluber!

I believe that after doing a lot of reading that I'd rather have a Variant than a Futur. So I was all ready to pull the trigger but I made the mistake of continuing to read this great website. Dang it!!! I ending up reading several people go and on about the Rockwell 6S. Then I found that Rockwell is building a variable razor that seems to be exactly what I want. I'd rather not wait until March for the Rockwell but I think that I would prefer it over the Variant.

Decisions...Decisions...

Life would be so much simpler if we didn't have all of these options, lol.
 
I broke my first de and was leaning towards purchasing a futur but now have found the variant. Several users mentioned the future having too big of a head for under the nose shaving which led me to the Parker. Any advice?

The Futur seemed clunky to me. Yes, it was hard to maneuver under the nose. It was the heaviest razor that I owned which added to the aggressive factor. The gap on the tightest setting (1) was larger than my other razors, save the R41. It was just too aggressive for a daily driver and I traded it. The Variant looks very promising as a replacement . . .


I believe that after doing a lot of reading that I'd rather have a Variant than a Futur. So I was all ready to pull the trigger but I made the mistake of continuing to read this great website. Dang it!!! I ending up reading several people go and on about the Rockwell 6S. Then I found that Rockwell is building a variable razor that seems to be exactly what I want. I'd rather not wait until March for the Rockwell but I think that I would prefer it over the Variant.

I'm already on that Rockwell waiting list, so that's the only thing holding me back from picking up the Variant. BTW, it also has a bronze handle. My first razor was a second-hand Parker and the doors had a problem staying closed tightly. That was the only other razor that I remember trading. It sounds like they've upped the quality control with this new razor?

How do you guys like the black handle vs silver?
 
Mine arrived yesterday.
The vendor is top notch and a stand up guy. Very nice to me about a shipping mix up even after some gruff from me through email. Totally undeserved apparently as his emails were not reaching me when I first tried to contact him.

I used it this morning.

It's very nice. The finish is excellent and I really appreciate the knob. I always hated the plastic knob on the Progress.
 
Tried a different blade in the Variant today. Have been using Astra AP with great results but just obtained 50 Polsilver Iridiums. All I can say is, "WOW!"

What a smooth blade for me in an already smooth razor. Love the combination. Have any of you found great combinations using the Variant?
 
Tried a different blade in the Variant today. Have been using Astra AP with great results but just obtained 50 Polsilver Iridiums. All I can say is, "WOW!"

What a smooth blade for me in an already smooth razor. Love the combination. Have any of you found great combinations using the Variant?
Polsilver is great in the Variant. So is the Bolzano, both super smooth. But, I found THE ONE for me, and that's the Kai blade. Superb sharpness, like a Feather, but smooth as a Polsilver or Gillette Silver Blue. And holds it's edge better than Feather also. I've gotten 3 superb shaves out of the Kai so far. A real sweet blade/razor combo imo....:thumbup1:
 
An Astra SP on setting 4 for the WTG/XTG passes and dialed down to 2 for the ATG is just about perfect for me. The same settings with a Feather reminds me that No Pressure really means no pressure. No blood but it feels irritated. If I can refine my technique a little the Feather would also be a viable option. Next up will be Gillette Silver Blue. For me they shave pretty much the same as the Astra, but I get 5-6 shaves out of it as opposed to 4 for the Astra.
 
An Astra SP on setting 4 for the WTG/XTG passes and dialed down to 2 for the ATG is just about perfect for me. The same settings with a Feather reminds me that No Pressure really means no pressure. No blood but it feels irritated. If I can refine my technique a little the Feather would also be a viable option. Next up will be Gillette Silver Blue. For me they shave pretty much the same as the Astra, but I get 5-6 shaves out of it as opposed to 4 for the Astra.


Interesting on your various blade use as it parallels my experience with feathers and the Variant as well. I've used a personna lab blue only once with this razor, and all other times with the Variant have used a feather blade.

I concur, with a setting on 4 for first two passes + feather, it gave me some irritation. Works (for me) much better on a 3 (or perhaps a 3.5) for WTG/XTG passes and a feather blade. I also dial it down for a final pass/touch up to a 2. (Feather is a routinely used blade for me).

(I dont recall what settings I used the lab blue on) I have not tried the Variant with an Astra SP yet.
 
A while back I emailed SSR about the material used in the head. The reply was the top cap wasn't brass but "alloy". He said that brass didn't perform well in the casting process.
Coming from a casting background I can agree that thin pieces such as the top cap with a post can be difficult to cast in brass.
I would guess its Zamak or a variation. The rest is supposedly all brass.

Cheers
John
 
A while back I emailed SSR about the material used in the head. The reply was the top cap wasn't brass but "alloy". He said that brass didn't perform well in the casting process.
Coming from a casting background I can agree that thin pieces such as the top cap with a post can be difficult to cast in brass.
I would guess its Zamak or a variation. The rest is supposedly all brass.

Cheers
John

If true that's disappointing. I'm pretty sure some of their other tto razors are all brass. Wonder why they didn't follow through with the better material on this one? That's a deal breaker for me. I'd much rather pay more for Rockwell's new tto. Or use a vintage fat boy or slim.
 
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