$11 Baili vs $57 Parker

[Umma2gumma]

Left side of the face, Baili BD176.

Right side, Variant set to 1.5 (I find it a little too aggressive for me).

Both loaded with new Astra SP blades.

Skipped WTG and did two passes with each.

Both gave me a BBS quality shave.

The cheap Baili provided very little audible feedback and took a very little time to achieve BBS, with little cleanup.

The Variant was very loud, and I had to do multiple passes over some areas. It probably took me at least 50% more time.

Looking at both razors side by side, Parker has a much smaller gap (at a low setting) but much more blade exposure.

Baili has a large gap but little exposure.

The result is high efficiency with low aggressiveness.

I am not bashing Parker (or Mercur Progress that it is based on), rather amazed at the efficiency of a cheap Chinese razor.

 

[Boar Fighter]

Higher price = better, might work for products that have objective specifications (a smart phone with faster processor will be faster than one with slower processor), but not for wetshaving. If it works for you, use it, no matter the cost. I use only 2 razors regularly. The Baili BD176 and the Edwin Jagger DE89. I don't find any difference in the shave between them. The Edwin Jagger has better plating and that's it. Since i 've found these two, i didn't bother to try other razors. It's as good as it gets.

 

[Umma2gumma]

It seems that in the mild range, I just can’t do any better than BD176 or its TTO sibling.

Not that Variant is a slouch.

 

[branford]

The performance of blades varies in different razors. Maybe try a couple of different blades in the Variant to see if your shave improves.

 

[Umma2gumma]

I will.

To be clear - I am not saying that Variant is inefficient, rather that Baili is more efficient and smoother than Variant at low setting with same blade. I can get a BBS with both.

I've tried Astra and Parker Platinum in Variant, both of which are about the same in performance.

 

[Olegausany]

Reading this makes me even more curious how Variant would compare to Gillette Black Beaty 109 since they are both adjustable

 

[branford]

You might also want to try the Variant on a higher setting with a more mild blade.

 

[Twelvefret]

Left side of the face, Baili BD176.

Right side, Variant set to 1.5 (I find it a little too aggressive for me).

Both loaded with new Astra SP blades.

Skipped WTG and did two passes with each.

Both gave me a BBS quality shave.

The cheap Baili provided very little audible feedback and took a very little time to achieve BBS, with little cleanup.

The Variant was very loud, and I had to do multiple passes over some areas. It probably took me at least 50% more time.

Looking at both razors side by side, Parker has a much smaller gap (at a low setting) but much more blade exposure.

Baili has a large gap but little exposure.

The result is high efficiency with low aggressiveness.

I am not bashing Parker (or Mercur Progress that it is based on), rather amazed at the efficiency of a cheap Chinese razor.

Did you change hands or use the same for both side? It makes a difference.

 

[fast shaver]

Nice review. Parker & Pearl are way overrated IMO. Glad you found the Truth with the Baili.

 

[Badgerstate36]

IMO, cheap, Chinese razors like the Baili are highly underrated.

 

[Umma2gumma]

Nice review. Parker & Pearl are way overrated IMO. Glad you found the Truth with the Baili.

Not sure I'd call it overrated, I am only comparing them at Parker's lowest setting and I can't make Baili more aggressive when I am ready. I am sure that for every adjustable razor, there's a non-adjustable razor that beats it at any given setting.

IMO, cheap, Chinese razors like the Baili are highly underrated.

Yes, agree. I also have their TTO and it's also very good.

Did you change hands or use the same for both side? It makes a difference.

I can't shave with my left hand. That's one activity in which I am not ambidextrous at all.

 

[BigJ]

Good comparison!!

 

[Mitzie]

I use a plastic shim and some users put waterproof tape under the blade to control the Baili's aggressiveness to suit my liking.

The Baili and the Wilkinson Sword black plastic razor, again used with a plastic shim, are my go-to razors.

 

[JBlaze]

Left side of the face, Baili BD176.

Right side, Variant set to 1.5 (I find it a little too aggressive for me).

Both loaded with new Astra SP blades.

Skipped WTG and did two passes with each.

Both gave me a BBS quality shave.

The cheap Baili provided very little audible feedback and took a very little time to achieve BBS, with little cleanup.

The Variant was very loud, and I had to do multiple passes over some areas. It probably took me at least 50% more time.

Looking at both razors side by side, Parker has a much smaller gap (at a low setting) but much more blade exposure.

Baili has a large gap but little exposure.

The result is high efficiency with low aggressiveness.

I am not bashing Parker (or Mercur Progress that it is based on), rather amazed at the efficiency of a cheap Chinese razor.

I actually love my variant I have tried the futur and the Chinese knock off and the progress and they lack behind the variant. However I think that the variant is great at the higher settings I have not tried The baili but do have a weishi and it's good quality tho mild. I could say tho when I use the variant I actually use less passes and it's very effective and font mean to cast doubt but don't think the baili is as good but I can be wrong.

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[JBlaze]

BTW I use my variant on setting 3 and higher I only would use lower settings if I'm shaving daily or on clean up touches. I found that going a setting higher than the max numeric settings is awesome. Anything past 2 twists above max is finicky and more prone to getting cut.

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[Umma2gumma]

Baili 176 is a fantastic razor, I believe that’s what Razorock sells as DE-1. Their TTO is also very good. It’s kind of hard to imagine a much better mild razor.

I hope to eventually switch to more aggressive setting, that was the whole idea behind getting a Variant in the first place.

As I said earlier, looking at Baili, their secret seems to be a small blade exposure combined with a large gap. Can’t get that with Variant, obviously, or it wouldn’t ever be aggressive at any setting. So they have a larger blade exposure, which is fixed, and a small gap at low setting, which is probably less efficient for a mild shave, but gets progressively more efficient as the gap grows. I think the Variant is far more sensitive to the shaving angle at low settings, because it’s got such a fat head profile combined with small gap.

With time I will undoubtedly become far more proficient with Variant - its head is a direct or near direct copy of Progress, which is a good enough design to have been in production since 1955.

 

[branford]

Is the Razorock TTO and similar models equivalent to the ubiquitous Weishi 9306 TTO?

I have very sensitive skin and a coarse beard, but the Weishi was so mild as to be effectively useless, even with Feather blades.

 

[JBlaze]

Is the Razorock TTO and similar models equivalent to the ubiquitous Weishi 9306 TTO?

I have very sensitive skin and a coarse beard, but the Weishi was so mild as to be effectively useless, even with Feather blades.

I never used the tto but maybe a razorock mission would be a better fit its more efficient than the de89 but still mild

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[Olegausany]

Is the Razorock TTO and similar models equivalent to the ubiquitous Weishi 9306 TTO?

I have very sensitive skin and a coarse beard, but the Weishi was so mild as to be effectively useless, even with Feather blades.

You really should look for adjustable razor

 

[branford]

My current daily shaver is a Rockwell 6S, and I'm very satisfied. I generally use plate 3, and sometimes plate 4 if I haven't shaved in a while. However, I'm getting a little bored and restless, and might want some new razor toys.

If the Rockwell Model T isn't too expensive on release, I'll probably give it a try. If not, I might buy a Variant