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Parker 82R

Pros: price, quality
Cons: mildness
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.
Grip
4.00 star(s)
Price
5.00 star(s)
Balance
4.00 star(s)
Quality
3.00 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)
Pros: Heft, Forgiveness, Instructional
Cons: Wobbly Doors, Uneven Alignment
**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.
Grip
5.00 star(s)
Price
5.00 star(s)
Balance
3.00 star(s)
Quality
4.00 star(s)
Adjustability
0.00 star(s)
User Friendly
4.00 star(s)
Aggressiveness
3.00 star(s)
Ease of Blade Replacement
5.00 star(s)
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.
First off, let me say DO NOT BELIEVE THE HYPE! These razors are still the *** ALL Parkers have come to be known with. Too many people I've talked to, read on these boards, etc. have had little success. So why did I buy one? Good question. Thought a new tto might be a good family heirloom that I could pass along. Was I wrong! I haven't used this at all, so that reflects in my review. I plan on sending it back, but here goes...

PRICE: For over $30, get something else. Too much money for this kind of quality (see below).

QUALITY: My old Weishi is built better than this thing. The tto is the main problem, but the razor just doesn't look well constructed like it could last a drop on the tile. It would shatter I am sure. Anyway, here's the tto issue right out of the box, mind you:
1. sometimes it works
2. option two is where I hear a small "click" when I twist it down and that means it DID work but got a little stuck (it gives, finally)
3. finally, sometimes the door won't close correctly and the mechanism simply bends up into the safety bar

--In the event of 3. I must unscrew and try again, where I again get one of the above three results (roughly even, about 1 out 3 times I will get #3).

GRIP: Seems ok, that's what attracted me to it. Not knurled, but likely a good gripper.
EASE: Of course, it's a tto--(WARNING: See Quality above for this model)

BALANCE: Seems nice. Again I didn't get to use it but I have felt it and hefted it around. Seems pretty evenly distributed.

I feel a little strange giving a review of a razor I haven't used, but I felt it, looked at it, and I didn't review it on any performance criteria so I think I've been fair in my assessment.

Final observations, I have only one: Purchase at your own risk.

Review update -- 11 March 2010

For over $30, should you get this? If you already have a Merkur HD maybe not (unless you want a new tto). It seemed a litte on the aggressive end to me. Initially, I was irked by the qc issues; however, after cleaning and oiling the razor, they seemed to go away (the tto door was sticking pretty bad…it was very strange). Not sure what that was about but, hey, it seems to work now. Grip is good, but not knurled. I dropped it once with wet hands (luckily it was in the trash can). Ease—after the initial qc issues, no sweat. It’s a tto. Balance is good, but again, it’s pretty hefty; it’s not a sporty razor. A little too hefty for me, but that’s me. Final observations: Seems like a better than average big razor. About the same maneuverability as my Merkur, so really the only difference seems to be this is a little longer, the tto of course, and, I’d say anyway, the Merkur’s built better. But if you need a big hefty razor, this might work.
Grip
3.00 star(s)
Price
3.00 star(s)
Balance
3.00 star(s)
Quality
3.00 star(s)
Adjustability
1.00 star(s)
User Friendly
3.00 star(s)
Aggressiveness
4.00 star(s)
Ease of Blade Replacement
5.00 star(s)
How can you tell if the 82r in question is a 2010 model? I'm thinking about ordering from Amazon, but don't know how to tell the old model from the 2010?

K.T.
I just received my Parker 82R yesterday. It is my very first DE razor and I could not be happier with it. I ordered it from Amazon and it cost me $30.00 shipped with 10 Shark blades. This is a very hefty feeling razor with a nice grip to it. My ratings are going to be a bit subjective because I have no other DE razors to compare this to, but I really thought it was a fine razor. After using a Mach 3 for years this is something truly different. While I plan on trying some other DE razors as I go along, I really don't think I could have picked something easier to start out with. Is this razor mild or aggressive? I really couldn't tell you, but I have a tough beard and had no problem getting through it with this. I also didn't experience any nicks, cuts, or razor burn after using it either. When I was looking on Amazon for a razor to buy, the thing that drew me to this one was that A) it was heavy, and B) it was pretty. I wanted something that would feel substantial in my hand and look nice on my bathroom shelf and this razor is it. The fact that I found it to be a pleasant shaver makes it that much better.
Grip
5.00 star(s)
Price
5.00 star(s)
Balance
5.00 star(s)
Quality
5.00 star(s)
Adjustability
1.00 star(s)
User Friendly
5.00 star(s)
Aggressiveness
1.00 star(s)
Ease of Blade Replacement
5.00 star(s)
This is the first razor i bought. I love it so far. This model is called a "super heavyweight" and called that for a reason. It is hefty, and feels great in the hand. I love the long handle. I shave with my index finger running up the handle, and this razor is great for that. I have since bought a 50's Super Speed. It gives an equal shave, but i like the weight, and length of the handle on the Parker better.

Mine is the 2010 model, and i dont have any prior experience to burn me on Parker, so i decided to go for it. The balance is great also. The heavy handle perfectly compliments the new head design. The Super Speed i bought it pretty nose heavy, but the Parker feels solid.

I did not rate aggressivness because i have not been in the game long enought to compare, but it seems pretty mild. Great razor all around, as a newbie, i reccommend it!
Grip
5.00 star(s)
Price
5.00 star(s)
Balance
5.00 star(s)
Quality
4.00 star(s)
Adjustability
1.00 star(s)
User Friendly
5.00 star(s)
Aggressiveness
1.00 star(s)
Ease of Blade Replacement
5.00 star(s)
D
Sledgehammer39;1558271 said:
Hello Slantman.. I had heard all too many quality issues with Parker razors in the past. However, the newer 2010 model looks better and I might give it a try. May I inquire where you got your razor from? Thanks..

Fendrihan sells them and they are giving away a free blade sampler with each double edge razor purchase until Oct. 30.
Hello Slantman.. I had heard all too many quality issues with Parker razors in the past. However, the newer 2010 model looks better and I might give it a try. May I inquire where you got your razor from? Thanks..
Recently received this as a part of my rad and wanting to give Parker and their TTOs another chance to redeem themselves. This is the latest version of their tto lineup as 2010 make-overs or new more aggressive heads and built heavier and stronger. This particular razor weighs a tad under 92 grams which is fairly heavy. Very nicely finished in chrome over brass. The blade fits in evenly and closes tightly with no rattles( I hate rattles). I have used various blades including sharks but this time I popped in a Laser(never heard of them?) and this razor does sing however the bottom line a nice smooth and close shave using my normal 3 pass method. The handle is a nice 4" job.

So in conclusion this is a very nice razor for the money(under $30 with delivery) and will be part of my rotation.
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
5.00 star(s)
Aggressiveness
3.00 star(s)
Ease of Blade Replacement
5.00 star(s)
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