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Parker 87R. Worth Getting As An Affordable Tribute To Gillette Aristocrats Or Superspeeds?

Do not buy that rubbish.
I bought it a few months ago (87R). I knew it doesn't shave anything like an Aristocrat before I bought it. Just got it for the looks. It is a pretty mild razor. Workmanship is pretty bad. A few users complained of uneven blade exposure. Mine is even, but then again the shave is not very good. The 3 piece Parkers are much better for me.
You've been warned.
 
I liked my 87R. It is better than other modern TTO razors in quality. Everything is smoother and tighter with better threading action etc. It has the loudest feedback of razor I have ever used. You really can hear every stubble being cut. Now truth be told I only use it as a blade holder as TTO razors in a razor stand works so well in that purpose.
 
Just an update.

Thanks to the great kindness of @nemo, who provided me with a beautiful example of a 48'49 Superspeed as a PIF (I merely had to pay for a modest shipping fee), I am now able to actually savour the joys of a United States built Gillette TTO from the golden age of razor technology and build quality.

A beautiful machine. I will be going into great depth in a new thread covering it that I will start in the next few days.

It's no wonder that there are so many 'Tribute', or Homage clones attempting to mimic it.
 
I have one. Bought it for the same reasons; looked great, all brass and I knew I would never be willing to drop $$$ on the vintage Gillette the 87R resembles. I guess I got lucky since I did not have any issues with my 87R. I would say it is close to my Red Tip in aggression. I find the 87R provides an excellent shave and the weight and size is what I prefer. There is a wavy finish on the base plate where the blade sits but that only shows when changing blades and does not effect the shave. I had a coupon so it cost me $18. Well worth the money for me but YMMV.
Agree there @bdehne. If you manage to get an example that has no quality control issues, then maybe it's a good buy if you want something like the Red Tip in efficiency, as a homage at an affordable price.

I would be be interested to know how the 87R compares to the Red Tip in blade angle and exposure.

How does it compare if you have looked at both side by side with a blade loaded? Maybe you should do a comparison one- face-side each shave and get back as to results. Would be interesting!
 
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My experience with the 87R has been similar to most here - pretty razor but the actual shave was nothing to write home about. Mine was actually on the mild side and did not seem to have any obvious blade alignment issues. Did not like the efficiency of it, compared to the Aristocrats I usually shave with, which are smoother and much more efficient.
I ended up PIF-ing in to a friend.

In my mind, the Parker is more of a cheap collectible if you already own Gillette Aristocrats, as it looks really nice on a shelf next to those awesome razors of old. But I wouldn't buy one instead of the real thing.
Speaking of the real thing, Aristocrats do pop up on the forum at reasonable prices. From a financial perspective, they will retain their reselling value pretty well so you can try several until you find the one (or ones) you like. And when you do, an Aristocrat in good shape will give you a lifetime of excellent shaves and, maybe, to the next generation as well.
 
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