Parker 82R

Great razor for those that like a longer handle ( like me). I've had very good luck with Parker razor quality and this was no exception. A bit on the mild side, but patience and care still delivers a great shave. It's a heavier razor which, for me, seems easier to maneuver around the face.

**Note- if you're new to wet shaving and just shopping for a first DE- skip to the end to get my bottom line and recommendations. Not that I'm some know-it-all whose opinion matters- I just know that not everyone wants the full nitty gritty details.

Let's get the piddly stuff out of the way:

blade replacement- easy peasy, intuitive, and looks cool with the TTO. No issues there.

Weight- this thing is HEAVY HEAVY. It feels like a tool in your hand, not some effeminate cartridge stick.

Looks: it's a striking design, it's hard to deny that.

The TTO doesn't line up: this is a fairly common accusation leveled at this razor, and I can say that in my experience it's true. Didn't break the deal for me, but it might for you.

Down to it: I have Mixed Feelings about this little guy. As a long-time wet shaver I knew I wanted to "try" DE shaving. I shave each and every day so I wanted to "invest" in a decent set of kit without breaking the bank- just to see if I liked it. This is a perfect razor for that. The price is damn reasonable almost anywhere you can find it- even with your typical Barber shop markup- YMMV of course. I think I paid in the ballpark of 30 bones.

Initially I was in a state of sheer adoration of this razor- the big thing that caught my attention was the WEIGHT of this thing. It is heavy as balls. Like, at first I thought it was TOO heavy and I was really apprehensive. So take that and couple it with all the other newbie mistakes that you can make, and I was getting some really sloppy shaves.

Once I improved my technique across the spectrum of the shaving pantheon, I really started enjoying it. I used it daily for about a year and then I took off for some vacation where I didn't shave for about 60 days. So I've been reacquainting with this thing over the last six months and I can say- it's ok. It's a decent solid razor that is just aggressive enough to teach you to be cautious without being punishing. I know some of the leather-faces on here will say I'm a softie, but I found that this guy could definitely bite me if I wasn't cautious.

All that being said- I noticed right away that the TTO doors didn't line up perfectly, and you really had to give the blade the hairy eyeball to come anywhere near equal blade exposure on both sides.

So, where was I? Oh yeah, so I'm recommitting myself to DE shaving and pampering myself every day and I get an AD- I go through AS, Creams, etc. then I convince my mother-in-law that a Merkur 34c is NOT a "dinky little lame birthday gift" and I tried the 34C out.

The Merkur 34C outperforms this razor in almost every way imaginable, with the possible exception of balance, which is in the hand of the holder. So unless you're looking for something that just shimmers with beauty on your shelf- because it is a nice looking piece- go with a 34C as your first razor.

I won't go so far as to say that this Parker is out of my rotation, per se, but I'm a guy who needs some static actors in my life. I like to mess around with creams, balms, soaps, scents, etc. but for the actual shave I need to have a consistent, go-to implement that I pick up half-bleary and just go to the business of getting a near BBS every day.

I am NOT a newbie DE Razor user. The 82R is not my go to, in fact, I have been using my EJ 89 pretty much exclusively for the last several weeks. But my Parker 82R sample is fine. Doors close evenly and every time. Overall finish is decent. There is a little blade play but blade usually centers without manipulation and tightens down securely. The TTO mechanism is smooth. I have shaved with it multiple times and it is a fairly smooth shaver with good balance and the handle makes for a secure grip. It's not a super aggressive shaver but I wouldnt call it mild either. Nope, its not built like a tank nor with anything resembling the precision of a swiss watch. But I dont see anything in the razor that says it's going to fall apart on me in the forseeable future but I personally dont expect it to last a lifetime either. In my opinion, it's built on par with the Weishi (the plating on the Weishi does appear better however). Atleast my sample is. Of course, the Weishi is a much milder shaver. Im not sure of anyone else making a modern TTO that isnt ultra mild so I think that the Paker TTO is worth the look for someone that wants a modern TTO that isnt ultra mild. Most of the reviews seem positive which leads me to believe that getting a bad one out of the box isnt typical. But again, IMO the Parker 82R isnt the Muhle or EJ or Merkur of TTO's in terms of overall finish and build.

Of course, YMMV.