The Parker Variant and the Ming Shi 2000s Adjustable Razors:
A Side By Side Comparison and a Review
In some ways I feel I'm comparing two Merkur razors without the Merkur name! For example, the Ming Shi 2000s is really an almost exact copy of the Futur, and the the Variant of the Progress!
The Ming Shii can be set at much higher levels of aggression than the Variant making comparisons challenging. Price wise, a Parker Variant costs $57 whereas the Ming Shi 2000s can be bought new for $7 to $11 including shipping direct form China on Ali Express. I believe the Ming Shi and the Qshave are identical.
However, I was intrigued to see how a super budget adjustable razor that's a copy of a popular modern design (the Merkur Futur) competed against a well regarded and fairly new copy of an old favorite, the Progress, which predates the Gillette adjustable razors. So I feel that the comparison has value, though I acknowledge that it's hard to do it fairly.
The Razors Briefly Compared:
The Parker Variant:
The Parker Variant, is an Indian copy, or perhaps Parker would argue, with some justification, an enhancement of the Merkur Progress design. The head is very, very similar to the Progress. The bottom plate has four drainage holes, the Progress none. It's a two piece razor with nine levels of aggression. You adjust it by turning a knurled metal knob at the base of the handle. This knob is made of plastic on the Merkur Progress. The Variant comes in a satin finish and the sole US distributors are in Westchester, New York, though there are a number of re-sellers also.
The Ming Shi
This is a close copy, some say “clone” (though the handle is a little slimmer and the razor therefore lighter) of the Merkur Futur. The head is identical though to all intents and purposes. Even at it's lower settings it's aggressive. How aggressive?
For a comparison one Amazon reviewer of the Futur reported the following:
The blade gap for the Futur is;
On setting
1) 1.12mm
2) 1.19mm
3) 1.35mm
4) 1.47mm
5) 1.60mm
6) 1.65mm
To give you a sample of some others
Above the Tie R1 = .58mm
Gillette Fatboy at 1 = .56mm
Gillette Fatboy at 9 = 1.14mm
Merkur 38C = .64mm
Merkur 34C = .71mm
The Ming Shi 20002 is slightly longer and heavier than the Parker Variant, with a bigger head, so one is comparing different razors. Still that's partly the purpose of comparisons!
Some users report that the Ming Shi seems a little milder on all setting than the original Futur. I'm not sure, but the more I use the Ming Shi 2000s, the more I feel this might be true, (I own both razors) as it feels a little less aggressive and often smoother than the Futur. Could some boffin out there please accurately measure gap and exposure and let us know if it's true, or we are all imagining it?!
The Blade used for the Test
I used a new blade, and a brand and blade I have never used before: A Wilkinson Sword Double Edge, made in Germany. It's not “comfort coated” but is very comfortable to use!
I wanted to use a brand new blade for this test. I have to report that both razors loved this blade! I was very happy as the blade was sharp, smooth and very comfortable in all passes. I will test this blade for longevity, but so far it feels as good as anything I have, so it goes alongside my premier blades.
I just spoke with Wilkinson Sword USA, and they said this blade was made in Germany, and that Wilkinson Sword no longer makes and DE blades in Germany, India, or anywhere else!
Right now my top blades (and I've used all these in the Futur and my Mergress and tried many others that work poorly, or indifferently) are the Polsilver Super Iridium, the Gillette Nacet, and the Silver Star from Lord. A little behind these, in these razors at least are, the Astra SP and the Rapira Platinum Lux.
How I Use an Adjustable Razor
When using an adjustable razor, (and following advice from others on this forum, including Jim Chandler, plus my own long experimentation) I've found the best way, for the smoothest and most comfortable shave is to INCREASE the aggression with each pass. It seems counter-intuitive at first but it really works best. It's like lowering the blade on a lawn mower to get a closer cut. I increased the aggression on each pass on this test.
Now in previous reviews, I notice that some people seem to miss this point. I really believe that this is the best way to get a very smooth, comfortable, and importantly irritation-free shave with an adjustable razor. I have a complete thread on this method. Please review the thread and give it a whirl, and report what you find please!
A digression:
I believe that there is a great misunderstanding in the DE shaving world at large about this. Here's how I see it: We are aiming at progressive beard reduction, using multiple, multi-directional shaves to get a very smooth shave. As the hair gets close to the skin you need a MORE aggressive razor, not a LESS aggressive one! Buffing for example, should be gently done with an aggressive razor, and I submit that you shouldn't be scrubbing away with a mild razor, because that will more than likely cause irritation.
That's why the notion of using a super aggressive razor to “mow down my three days of coarse growth” as some report as a test of an effective razor, seems really wrong headed and backwards to me. If you have a mild beard, one mid-aggression razor like for example the RR German 37 is probably fine. But, if you have a fast-growing, coarse beard you may be better off with two razors for one shave! Yes two for you RAD sufferers out there!
A mild razor WTG, and a more aggressive razor XTG and ATG and, for buffing. The beauty of an adjustable is just that; you can adjust it through the shave as you progressively get closer.
This all assumes that you are a well practiced DE shaver. If you have poor or indifferent shaving skills than aggressive razors can hurt you. But once your technique is solid an aggressive razor properly used will give you a close shave with less irritation, if you have a coarse fast growing beard and use it in the way I describe above. This may all seem radical to some, but if you try it I can almost guarantee you'll like it. I've done a lot of experimentation on this, so I speak from experience, not theoretical conjecture. I'll get off my soapbox (shaving soap?) now. Back to the review!
The Routine
For testing I go through the same routine.
I clean my face and wet the beard by washing with a glycerin soap. I rinse off the soap, wet it thoroughly and apply two drops of a pre-shave oil.
By the way, I believe good pre-shave prep not only produces a better shave, but reduces irritation, and keeps you skin in good condition. I know of one rather famous reviewer whose skin frankly looks irritated, red, blotchy and awful, especially on his neck. I don't doubt he gets close shaves, but at what cost?
I use an Arko shave stick applied directly to the beard and lather with a Stirling Synthetic “Kong” brush. I rinse and lather again between passes. I thoroughly rinse the head of the razor between passes.
I remove the blade from the razor when I'm done. I dry it with a microfiber cloth. Naturally I dry the razor too when I'm done.
I finish with an Alum block, which is a good indicator of razor burn or irritation. Then after washing it off , I apply Thayer's Alcohol Free Witch Hazel.
The Shave
I shaved 26 hours before using a two shave system I'm experimenting with, involving the mild Schick Krona and the mid-aggressive RR German 37. I had a little above average growth.
I used both the Ming Shi and the Variant razors at the upper end of their settings. Not the very top end of the Ming Shi, because it is altogether more aggressive. Yes, I acknowledge this is not exactly scientific or fair, but given the limitations of time and circumstance it's the best I could do.
I shaved the right side of my face with the Ming Shi, and the left with the Parker Variant. I have very symmetrical beard growth. If anything, the left side is a more difficult test for a razor, but barely.The Ming Shi is more aggressive, so I wanted to find settings that offered a reasonable comparison at least.
I shaved using these settings with the Parker Variant: WTG at setting #2, XTG at setting #3 and AGT at setting #4. Final cleanup, touch up, buffing and J-hooking was done at setting #5, As you can see, this is at the top of the range, appropriate to the comparison, and my level of growth at the time of the shave.
I shaved using these settings on the Ming Shi 2000s: WTG at setting #2, XTG at setting #3 and AGT at setting #4.. Final cleanup, touch up, buffing and J-hooking was done at setting #5.
First Pass WTG.
Both razors were very comfortable and smooth. The Ming Shi is louder! Dead heat! Both give an excellent one pass shave, if that's your cup of tea.
Second Pass XTG.
Again both razors were smooth and trouble free. Both are a pleasure to use, and even after two passes the shave on both sides was good enough for a work day. Yet the test is to get a BBS shave!
Third Pass ATG.
Again both were very pleasant to use. At the end of this pass both sides of my face were very smooth.
Both razors were easy to use under the nose, a very good to test of ease and efficiency of the razor. I have a small face, and I don't find the large head on the Ming Shi presents problems. In fact, the smooth contours of the head make shaving these areas easy.
Buff up and J-hooking
Here I noticed a difference. The Parker Variant was a little more comfortable, and required less work to get a BBS shave. My jawline, chin, always need a little extra work. For me BBS means nothing less than glass smooth in all direction, not just some! Yes, I'm a crazed shaving fanatic!
Perhaps because the Ming Shi is much more aggressive at the top, I had to buff and J-hook very lightly and delicately when using it. This is where having a good, sharp, yet smooth blade is a bonus! Plus of course, good technique.
No nicks, cuts, or weepers from either razor, and a BBS result from both. Hardly any feedback from the alum block.
Conclusion:
Both razors were terrific. If I had either as my only razor (heaven forfend!) I would be in good shape.
In balance I preferred using the Parker Variant a little more. But the difference was very slight.
However the Ming Shi, is available new, and at around one sixth the price or even less of a new Variant.
In terms of value the Ming Shi wins. But it doesn't outperform the Parker Variant. So perhaps the old Progress design from Merkur, is better than the new Futur design!
The Ming Shi would also make a great travel razor, because although heavy and large, it can deliver a shave good enough for any business meeting and one that will last well into the evening, if you shave in the morning. Also if you lose it your only out $10 dollars or so. If you lose a the Parker razor, or it gets damaged in transit, you're out almost $60
I'm convinced that the Ming Shi compares well to the Parker Variant, but I prefer the Variant. It's a very good razor and solidly built and it has milder settings than the Ming Shi. I recommend trying the Ming Shii 2000s, because it's so low priced.
By the way, I'm not any sort of vendor.
Please let me know your own experiences, and I'm happy, of course, to answer questions and comments. Naturally one could easily poke holes in my reviewing procedure, but I hope it has value to those in this community who may want to experiment with an adjustable razor, and others who want to experiment with this Chinese copy of a Merkur favorite, or are thinking of buying a Parker Variant.
A Side By Side Comparison and a Review
In some ways I feel I'm comparing two Merkur razors without the Merkur name! For example, the Ming Shi 2000s is really an almost exact copy of the Futur, and the the Variant of the Progress!
The Ming Shii can be set at much higher levels of aggression than the Variant making comparisons challenging. Price wise, a Parker Variant costs $57 whereas the Ming Shi 2000s can be bought new for $7 to $11 including shipping direct form China on Ali Express. I believe the Ming Shi and the Qshave are identical.
However, I was intrigued to see how a super budget adjustable razor that's a copy of a popular modern design (the Merkur Futur) competed against a well regarded and fairly new copy of an old favorite, the Progress, which predates the Gillette adjustable razors. So I feel that the comparison has value, though I acknowledge that it's hard to do it fairly.
The Razors Briefly Compared:
The Parker Variant:
The Parker Variant, is an Indian copy, or perhaps Parker would argue, with some justification, an enhancement of the Merkur Progress design. The head is very, very similar to the Progress. The bottom plate has four drainage holes, the Progress none. It's a two piece razor with nine levels of aggression. You adjust it by turning a knurled metal knob at the base of the handle. This knob is made of plastic on the Merkur Progress. The Variant comes in a satin finish and the sole US distributors are in Westchester, New York, though there are a number of re-sellers also.
The Ming Shi
This is a close copy, some say “clone” (though the handle is a little slimmer and the razor therefore lighter) of the Merkur Futur. The head is identical though to all intents and purposes. Even at it's lower settings it's aggressive. How aggressive?
For a comparison one Amazon reviewer of the Futur reported the following:
The blade gap for the Futur is;
On setting
1) 1.12mm
2) 1.19mm
3) 1.35mm
4) 1.47mm
5) 1.60mm
6) 1.65mm
To give you a sample of some others
Above the Tie R1 = .58mm
Gillette Fatboy at 1 = .56mm
Gillette Fatboy at 9 = 1.14mm
Merkur 38C = .64mm
Merkur 34C = .71mm
The Ming Shi 20002 is slightly longer and heavier than the Parker Variant, with a bigger head, so one is comparing different razors. Still that's partly the purpose of comparisons!
Some users report that the Ming Shi seems a little milder on all setting than the original Futur. I'm not sure, but the more I use the Ming Shi 2000s, the more I feel this might be true, (I own both razors) as it feels a little less aggressive and often smoother than the Futur. Could some boffin out there please accurately measure gap and exposure and let us know if it's true, or we are all imagining it?!
The Blade used for the Test
I used a new blade, and a brand and blade I have never used before: A Wilkinson Sword Double Edge, made in Germany. It's not “comfort coated” but is very comfortable to use!
I wanted to use a brand new blade for this test. I have to report that both razors loved this blade! I was very happy as the blade was sharp, smooth and very comfortable in all passes. I will test this blade for longevity, but so far it feels as good as anything I have, so it goes alongside my premier blades.
I just spoke with Wilkinson Sword USA, and they said this blade was made in Germany, and that Wilkinson Sword no longer makes and DE blades in Germany, India, or anywhere else!
Right now my top blades (and I've used all these in the Futur and my Mergress and tried many others that work poorly, or indifferently) are the Polsilver Super Iridium, the Gillette Nacet, and the Silver Star from Lord. A little behind these, in these razors at least are, the Astra SP and the Rapira Platinum Lux.
How I Use an Adjustable Razor
When using an adjustable razor, (and following advice from others on this forum, including Jim Chandler, plus my own long experimentation) I've found the best way, for the smoothest and most comfortable shave is to INCREASE the aggression with each pass. It seems counter-intuitive at first but it really works best. It's like lowering the blade on a lawn mower to get a closer cut. I increased the aggression on each pass on this test.
Now in previous reviews, I notice that some people seem to miss this point. I really believe that this is the best way to get a very smooth, comfortable, and importantly irritation-free shave with an adjustable razor. I have a complete thread on this method. Please review the thread and give it a whirl, and report what you find please!
A digression:
I believe that there is a great misunderstanding in the DE shaving world at large about this. Here's how I see it: We are aiming at progressive beard reduction, using multiple, multi-directional shaves to get a very smooth shave. As the hair gets close to the skin you need a MORE aggressive razor, not a LESS aggressive one! Buffing for example, should be gently done with an aggressive razor, and I submit that you shouldn't be scrubbing away with a mild razor, because that will more than likely cause irritation.
That's why the notion of using a super aggressive razor to “mow down my three days of coarse growth” as some report as a test of an effective razor, seems really wrong headed and backwards to me. If you have a mild beard, one mid-aggression razor like for example the RR German 37 is probably fine. But, if you have a fast-growing, coarse beard you may be better off with two razors for one shave! Yes two for you RAD sufferers out there!
A mild razor WTG, and a more aggressive razor XTG and ATG and, for buffing. The beauty of an adjustable is just that; you can adjust it through the shave as you progressively get closer.
This all assumes that you are a well practiced DE shaver. If you have poor or indifferent shaving skills than aggressive razors can hurt you. But once your technique is solid an aggressive razor properly used will give you a close shave with less irritation, if you have a coarse fast growing beard and use it in the way I describe above. This may all seem radical to some, but if you try it I can almost guarantee you'll like it. I've done a lot of experimentation on this, so I speak from experience, not theoretical conjecture. I'll get off my soapbox (shaving soap?) now. Back to the review!
The Routine
For testing I go through the same routine.
I clean my face and wet the beard by washing with a glycerin soap. I rinse off the soap, wet it thoroughly and apply two drops of a pre-shave oil.
By the way, I believe good pre-shave prep not only produces a better shave, but reduces irritation, and keeps you skin in good condition. I know of one rather famous reviewer whose skin frankly looks irritated, red, blotchy and awful, especially on his neck. I don't doubt he gets close shaves, but at what cost?
I use an Arko shave stick applied directly to the beard and lather with a Stirling Synthetic “Kong” brush. I rinse and lather again between passes. I thoroughly rinse the head of the razor between passes.
I remove the blade from the razor when I'm done. I dry it with a microfiber cloth. Naturally I dry the razor too when I'm done.
I finish with an Alum block, which is a good indicator of razor burn or irritation. Then after washing it off , I apply Thayer's Alcohol Free Witch Hazel.
The Shave
I shaved 26 hours before using a two shave system I'm experimenting with, involving the mild Schick Krona and the mid-aggressive RR German 37. I had a little above average growth.
I used both the Ming Shi and the Variant razors at the upper end of their settings. Not the very top end of the Ming Shi, because it is altogether more aggressive. Yes, I acknowledge this is not exactly scientific or fair, but given the limitations of time and circumstance it's the best I could do.
I shaved the right side of my face with the Ming Shi, and the left with the Parker Variant. I have very symmetrical beard growth. If anything, the left side is a more difficult test for a razor, but barely.The Ming Shi is more aggressive, so I wanted to find settings that offered a reasonable comparison at least.
I shaved using these settings with the Parker Variant: WTG at setting #2, XTG at setting #3 and AGT at setting #4. Final cleanup, touch up, buffing and J-hooking was done at setting #5, As you can see, this is at the top of the range, appropriate to the comparison, and my level of growth at the time of the shave.
I shaved using these settings on the Ming Shi 2000s: WTG at setting #2, XTG at setting #3 and AGT at setting #4.. Final cleanup, touch up, buffing and J-hooking was done at setting #5.
First Pass WTG.
Both razors were very comfortable and smooth. The Ming Shi is louder! Dead heat! Both give an excellent one pass shave, if that's your cup of tea.
Second Pass XTG.
Again both razors were smooth and trouble free. Both are a pleasure to use, and even after two passes the shave on both sides was good enough for a work day. Yet the test is to get a BBS shave!
Third Pass ATG.
Again both were very pleasant to use. At the end of this pass both sides of my face were very smooth.
Both razors were easy to use under the nose, a very good to test of ease and efficiency of the razor. I have a small face, and I don't find the large head on the Ming Shi presents problems. In fact, the smooth contours of the head make shaving these areas easy.
Buff up and J-hooking
Here I noticed a difference. The Parker Variant was a little more comfortable, and required less work to get a BBS shave. My jawline, chin, always need a little extra work. For me BBS means nothing less than glass smooth in all direction, not just some! Yes, I'm a crazed shaving fanatic!
Perhaps because the Ming Shi is much more aggressive at the top, I had to buff and J-hook very lightly and delicately when using it. This is where having a good, sharp, yet smooth blade is a bonus! Plus of course, good technique.
No nicks, cuts, or weepers from either razor, and a BBS result from both. Hardly any feedback from the alum block.
Conclusion:
Both razors were terrific. If I had either as my only razor (heaven forfend!) I would be in good shape.
In balance I preferred using the Parker Variant a little more. But the difference was very slight.
However the Ming Shi, is available new, and at around one sixth the price or even less of a new Variant.
In terms of value the Ming Shi wins. But it doesn't outperform the Parker Variant. So perhaps the old Progress design from Merkur, is better than the new Futur design!
The Ming Shi would also make a great travel razor, because although heavy and large, it can deliver a shave good enough for any business meeting and one that will last well into the evening, if you shave in the morning. Also if you lose it your only out $10 dollars or so. If you lose a the Parker razor, or it gets damaged in transit, you're out almost $60
I'm convinced that the Ming Shi compares well to the Parker Variant, but I prefer the Variant. It's a very good razor and solidly built and it has milder settings than the Ming Shi. I recommend trying the Ming Shii 2000s, because it's so low priced.
By the way, I'm not any sort of vendor.
Please let me know your own experiences, and I'm happy, of course, to answer questions and comments. Naturally one could easily poke holes in my reviewing procedure, but I hope it has value to those in this community who may want to experiment with an adjustable razor, and others who want to experiment with this Chinese copy of a Merkur favorite, or are thinking of buying a Parker Variant.
