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Parker 22R

This is my first DE razor.
In looking at all the reviews, I think that maybe the 2010 version of this razor is different to earlier versions.

I love the long handle, it seems very well balanced and I think the long handle makes it easier for a noob to not use pressure.

There was no problem aligning the blade correctly as previous reviewers have said.
It does sometimes get a little loose during your shave and you must tighten it again.

It looks really nice and shinny. Overall a great razor

Just wanted to add, this is not TSA friendly. I have twice had my bag opened so they could make sure I had no blade in the Razor.
Grip
4.00 star(s)
Price
4.00 star(s)
Balance
5.00 star(s)
Quality
4.00 star(s)
Adjustability
1.00 star(s)
User Friendly
5.00 star(s)
Aggressiveness
4.00 star(s)
Ease of Blade Replacement
5.00 star(s)
Since I have owned numerous Parkers (and most not too good) I was a little leery buying this one but at a close-out price of only $15 what the hell. The new ones have the so called 2010 head and are slightly heavier. The most important thing I looked for is the finish and blade exposure. Also does the razor close and open correctly. So on all three measures the answer is "yes" . I did a one pass shave and have to say its a fairly but not extremely aggressive razor. Beautiful balance as well. Probably by increasing the weight and changing the heads on all the 2010 razors Parker may have made a mistake. Only time will tell. But this particular model passes the grade.
Grip
4.00 star(s)
Price
5.00 star(s)
Balance
4.00 star(s)
Quality
5.00 star(s)
Adjustability
1.00 star(s)
User Friendly
5.00 star(s)
Aggressiveness
3.00 star(s)
Ease of Blade Replacement
5.00 star(s)
This has been my first safety razor and I have been using it for the past year. It is a very comfortable razor with a nice grip and weight. It is a little too balanced towards the handle but this doesn't pose too much of a problem. The handle, while comfortable, can be a little slippery if any soap gets between it and your hand. My only problem with this razor is that, even though I love the finish and it seems hard-wearing, it is a soap scum magnet. It is impossible to keep clean!

Overall though a decent razor and grate for the price.
Grip
4.00 star(s)
Price
5.00 star(s)
Balance
3.00 star(s)
Quality
4.00 star(s)
Adjustability
1.00 star(s)
User Friendly
5.00 star(s)
Aggressiveness
3.00 star(s)
Ease of Blade Replacement
5.00 star(s)
This is my first DE razor. Bought on Amazon with 10 Shark Super Chrome blades. I purchased this razor because of its low cost.

I agree that this thing has a slippery handle and that it collects soap scum readily. Also, the blades tend to either be more exposed on one side or the other OR are at a slight angle.

It is difficult to hold this razor by the very tip because the tip is the same size as the rest of the handle. For me a bigger handle tip makes a lot of difference in control.

I have researched this Parker 22R today trying to see if it is actually a slant! Compare the head of this razor with a Merkur HD and a Merkur Slant, it resembles the slant. No literature on the 22R states that it is a slant, tho.

With all of that said, I was too aggressive with my first shave and razor-burned my neck pretty badly. All subsequent shaves have each been better than the last. I have a coarse, thick, heavy beard. I will most likely wind up getting a Merkur HD when I can afford it.
This is a nice safety razor. The price will have you think you are getting a piece of junk but the fact is that this razor is well made and sturdy. The design itself is a bit "rough" and by that I don't mean poor quality, I mean is not as sleek as higher end ones. Compared to my Muhle Pinsel it's kind of ugly but not really ugly. I would have preferred a chrome finish but I'm ok with the gunmetal finish just for the sake of variety.

As others have commented there is a design flaw: one edge is more exposed than the other. To me this is a good flaw because one side is moer aggressive than the other. I use both sides without problems and the less exposed side comes in handy when I shave against the grain (which is not often). If this was an accident then I guess it was a good accident and I wouldn't change it. I never really wanted an adjustable razor but after having the Parker 22R I'm beginning to see the virtues of an adjustable razor.

Blade replacement is a snap and the razor itelf looks like it will last a while. The only real issue I have is the balance. While the razor is not extremely out of balance it is obvious that the handle is heavier than the head. This might not be an issue with some guys who prefer it that way, I, however, like my razors to be top heavy.

2 smaller issues I have (really, not that big of a deal): the handle can get slippery and the razor collects a little more soap scum than the rest.

Definetely not a luxury item, more like a working tool. I'd recommend this razor to anyone on a budget getting started, as a traveling razor, or someone wanting to see if a couple of different blade settings are useful before spending 3 or 4 times as much for an adjustable one.
Grip
3.00 star(s)
Price
5.00 star(s)
Balance
3.00 star(s)
Quality
4.00 star(s)
Adjustability
1.00 star(s)
User Friendly
5.00 star(s)
Aggressiveness
2.00 star(s)
Ease of Blade Replacement
5.00 star(s)
This is my current razor, as I've only been in the game for about six months. Overall, though, it's a great razor, especially for the price. It is aggressive, like other reviewers have stated, but I've found that it's great for teaching proper angling and shave direction. That is to say, it's not so heavy that I'm afraid to follow my crazy neck grain in several directions.

I'm looking forward to procuring a more "pro" level razor at some point in the near future. :laugh:
Grip
3.00 star(s)
Price
5.00 star(s)
Balance
3.00 star(s)
Quality
4.00 star(s)
Adjustability
1.00 star(s)
User Friendly
4.00 star(s)
Aggressiveness
3.00 star(s)
Ease of Blade Replacement
4.00 star(s)
Swampfox;1537298 said:
This was my first DE razor, and it was a great starter razor. I really have no complaints about it, as it allowed me to experience DE shaving, helped me learn how to DE shave and gave me the opportunity to find out how wonderful this style of shaving really is.

Same here this was my first DE razor. I set on my counter while in the shower without its blade. My 4 year old son (who wet shaves.. lathers and shaves without the blade) decides he is going to begin without his father. Long story short get out of shower with 22R in multiple parts. I since have bought many DE's. Here recently getting a Parker 90R on Monday which I love!!! I gave my vintage Gillette a break.
Grip
4.00 star(s)
Price
5.00 star(s)
Balance
3.00 star(s)
Quality
1.00 star(s)
Adjustability
1.00 star(s)
User Friendly
4.00 star(s)
Aggressiveness
4.00 star(s)
Ease of Blade Replacement
5.00 star(s)
This was my first DE razor, and it was a great starter razor. I really have no complaints about it, as it allowed me to experience DE shaving, helped me learn how to DE shave and gave me the opportunity to find out how wonderful this style of shaving really is.
Grip
2.00 star(s)
Price
2.00 star(s)
Balance
1.00 star(s)
Quality
2.00 star(s)
Adjustability
1.00 star(s)
User Friendly
4.00 star(s)
Aggressiveness
3.00 star(s)
Ease of Blade Replacement
2.00 star(s)
This was actually my first DE razor. It was the cheapest thing I could find at the time, which was the main factor behind the purchase. But less than $10 US you can upgrade to the Edwin Jagger 89, which is a vastly superior razor.

The quality is decent, but I have had a problem where if i even slightly over-tighten mine one of the side hinges pops loose. But it definitely won't fall apart in your hands.

User friendly like only a TTO can be, with the same ease of blade replacement that drew me to it with the price. The lack of adjustability is no big deal to me, since I pretty much fall right around the middle anyway.

As others have noted, it is a little on the aggressive side, and I did manage to give myself a few good cuts before getting the hang of it. The balance also feels a little off to me, like the handle is entirely too heavy and long. But with the spiral cut into it, there is no way you could ever drop it.
Grip
5.00 star(s)
Price
3.00 star(s)
Balance
3.00 star(s)
Quality
2.00 star(s)
Adjustability
1.00 star(s)
User Friendly
4.00 star(s)
Aggressiveness
4.00 star(s)
Ease of Blade Replacement
5.00 star(s)
D
I have always believed you get what you pay for. The range of opinions here demonstrate an inconsistency in performance that is best avoided. I think the Merkur classic is a good entry level razor for the newcomer to wet shaving. Quality make and sturdy feel, as well as being relatively inexpensive. If I am going to put a razor to my throat I want quality.
I bought this razor new from Amazon. It was one of my first DEs.

Price: I gave this razor a6. It is cheaper than a merkur, but more expensive than a used Gillette. You can also buy a Feather popular brand new for less and in my opinion the Feather is a better razor.

Quality: I gave this razor a 4 because my parker rusts after every use if I do not soak it in alcohol after I use it.

User Friendly: It is fairly easy to use.

Grip: It grips well, even with wet hands.

Ease of Blade replacement: Its a TTO so blade replacement is cake.

Aggressiveness: I would rate this as a fairly aggressive razor.

Balance: I would like to see a little more weight in the head of this razor.

I certainly would not recommend this razor to a newbie or to anyone else for that matter. For the price if someone wanted a new razor I would recommend a Feather Popular. If they wanted an aggressive used razor I would recommend a red tip. Its a shame that mine keeps rusting.
This is (was) my starter razor.

I liked it.

It is on the light side, but shaves well.

I overtightened mine because it didn't "lock" into place and messed it up a little. It just didn't seem rock solid when loaded up.

It looks great, shaves well. Balance is a little off. I find myself digging some with it (applying pressure).

A month and a half into using it I started getting some brassing on the inside of the head.

Overall a great deal, but not high-end razor performance. Definitely good for getting your feet (face) wet in DE shaving!
Grip
4.00 star(s)
Price
5.00 star(s)
Balance
4.00 star(s)
Quality
4.00 star(s)
Adjustability
1.00 star(s)
User Friendly
4.00 star(s)
Aggressiveness
4.00 star(s)
Ease of Blade Replacement
5.00 star(s)
This razor is aggressive to be sure, and also on the cheap side in terms of construction. I would not shave with it, given a reasonable alternative.
I also bought mine from eBay. It's my first DE razor so maybe I'll get a higher quality one later, but this one works fine for me. The blade sits evenly in the razor, when you close it fully, the blade bends a little. It's supposed to I guess. I shave my face & head and it gives me a nice shave. I probably ought to get one of those blade sampler kits sometime.
Thanks, Tony
I buying this model lately at Ebay.

The good side..
This razor is verry aggressive...perfect for a hard beard like i have.
Beautifull desing.
Affordable price

The bad side...
The head seems to me a little bite fragile.
Is verry hard to shave with a cheap blade (7am copie pakistan made...verry poor quality) because a aggressivenees of this razor.
The head is light compared with the handle


*Please forgive my bad English I am French-speaking.
Grip
5.00 star(s)
Price
4.00 star(s)
Balance
2.00 star(s)
Quality
3.00 star(s)
Adjustability
1.00 star(s)
User Friendly
4.00 star(s)
Aggressiveness
5.00 star(s)
Ease of Blade Replacement
5.00 star(s)
Rob, try scubbing bubbles bathroom cleaner and a toothbrush on the soap scum----works great !========Pete
The problem I have with most of my vintage DE's is balance. I have large hands, and my previous Gillette was too short and top heavy. This lead to fairly aggressive shaves, whether I wanted them or not.

I sampled several Merkur, Parker and a Goodfella's DE's recently at a trade show and ended up walking away with this one. The handle is long enough, and it certainly is an attractive razor even though the gunmetal surface can lead to slippery hands. It's easy enough for most noobs to work with, and the balance (for me) is spot on. Its weight is focused on the handle, not the head like so many DE's on the market. Some may prefer all the weight to be in the head, but I, like many others, who alternate between a cartridge and a DE are used to the weight being on the stick.

For that reason I recommend this as the perfect entry level DE for someone just getting into wetshaving. The results are fantastic if you know what you're doing, but if you're a seasoned pro that likes a short, stubby handled top-heavy razor, this may not be your cup of tea.

I've gathered that this is a fairly inexpensive razor; I walked away with mine for less than ten dollars (remember- trade show prices. I also scored 50 Mach Three blades for less than twenty five dollars.) It comes in an attractive brown fiberglass (possibly plastic) box that's perfect for travelling.

I really can't think of any negative things to say about this razor, except that maybe the grip gets too slippery from time to time. Also, this razor attracts soap scum like no other I've ever owned. I boil it in a pot of water on the stove about once a month to get the soap stains out of the finish. Other than that, I really can't complain about anything. It's taken a liking to all blades I've fed it and it's really hard to nick yourself with this one unless you're using too much pressure. You have to align certain blades (Feathers and Personna's come to mind) by sight and make sure they sit on even when tightening down. This is not a problem if you've ever used an older Schick that was designed around the decades old blades of the time.

I wanted to add a little update.

I won't be using this razor anymore. It's gotten to the point that I can't get a blade to sit in there evenly without getting a bend or crimp that makes the blade gap on one side unusable. It's fine if you only use on side of the blade, but it's a DE and if you're only able to use one edge then what's the point?

I never was crazy about Parker, and this helps to affirm my feelings. Looks like its back to a Gillette for me.
Grip
4.00 star(s)
Price
3.00 star(s)
Balance
4.00 star(s)
Quality
4.00 star(s)
User Friendly
5.00 star(s)
Aggressiveness
3.00 star(s)
Ease of Blade Replacement
4.00 star(s)
This was my first DE and I really like it alot. However after using this razor with Derby's for about a month, I noticed that the blade did not set evenly in the razor. More blade showed on one side. This caused one side to shave more agressively. I received a bunch of cuts before I realized it. Parkers are noted for these kind of problems.
Grip
5.00 star(s)
Price
5.00 star(s)
Balance
4.00 star(s)
Quality
3.00 star(s)
User Friendly
4.00 star(s)
Aggressiveness
5.00 star(s)
Ease of Blade Replacement
5.00 star(s)
I like this razor because it gives me a good or even great shave easier than Merkur 25C.
Merkur has a more tight setting of the blade and thus need to be more precise of the cutting angle. Parker has much more room between comb and it allows larger varieties of cutting angles. I'm not sure is this thing typical to all TTO's comparing to Merkurs 3 piece systems. Anyway due to this attribute Parker 22R could be really aggressive(maybe too) to one's face or give a great close cut to other. It depends so much YOUR own way to handle this and what is your technique. If you are not sure for your pressure this might become a aggressive version for you.
I haven't try different blades yet but Parker gives a good shave with a blade that didn't work at Merkur so well.
The quality and finish are in a good level. Not the top notch but absolutely not bad either.
The plastic box is where the razor comes is too cheap looking just like a catch from a bargain basket maybe they try to give a feelings back to old times but it does the the job and that's it.
I've been using this razor 5 weeks now, so I'm feeling comfortable commenting by this point. I'm new to wet-shaving, and this was the first one I bought, so I don't have a big frame of reference on razors. After using this one for a week, because of all the comments swearing as to their good shave, I picked up a 1940's Superspeed. I love the Parker 22r, but the Superspeed tears up my neck. I tried a few different blades, I've settled on Feathers in the Parker, and get a great smooth shave with hardly any or no irritation. When you drop the blade in, it has a little wiggle room until you tighten the doors down, so you have to align it by sight so one edge isn't more exposed than the other - yeah that's a design flaw, but you can work around it. I prefer the long handle over the shorter Superspeed, and I haven't had a problem letting the head do all the work without my adding extra pressure.

Bottom line, it may be an inexpensive razor, but it's working really well. Plus the gunmetal gray looks great! I love this razor, it's doing a good job for me, much better than the classic Superspeed I tried.
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