Why the hate for Parker razors?

[redrako]

Parker up until years ago, was hit or miss with it's quality control. My first razor five years ago, was a Parker 91R. The build quality of my 91R was very good, with thick, evenly coated chrome coating and a head that held the blade well with equal blade exposure and gap on both sides of the head. I was lucky.

The Parker 91R of that day was a very aggressive razor with quite a blade gap and exposure. It probably was a step down from the Muhle R41 (2011), but in retrospect, my face paid a price starting out with such a razor. A few years ago, my wife was cleaning around my shave counter in the bathroom and knocked the coffee mug holding the 91R onto a tile floor snapping the head from it's bolt screwed into the handle. I assured her that I did't like the razor (half-true) and more importantly she hasn't gone anywhere near my shave kit since.

I understand that Parker has reengineered their heads, making them less aggressive. Some day, I'll pick up another 91R just because I'm a sentimental guy.

 

[rff000]

I got a Parker 52 TTO which was pretty cheap ($14), probably because it's an older model from the aggressive period. It really looks nice and shiny with no defects in the metal but it causes more cuts and irritation than any other razor I own. The EJ 89 and my old Gillettes never cut me, for example. Maybe that's why some people don't like the aggressive Parkers. I periodically keep giving mine another try, thinking that maybe I can finally make it work.

 

[Cphobes]

Parker Variant is a great razor I love it. Lately, I'm using the 68S handle with a Maggard's V3A head as the original OC was too much for me but I knew the risk when I bought it. It's rumored the V3A is almost the same as the Parker closed comb head, at least a few sources here indicated as such.

Every parker I've owned is as good if not better than I expected. I don't blame Parker for the OC being too much for my face.

 

[santamariasteve]

I believe the Parker Variant adjustable razor is one of the better razors on the market. And they are inexpensive and well built.

 

[Chandu]

I find a lot of the Parkers to be too heavy for me. I had a 99r that was far too heavy.

 

[nelsonic21]

I got an 87r last year because of the short handle and design. However, I found it too aggressive with a lot of blade feel. I got nicks/irritation with most shaves.

 

[Drunk Bender]

I will through in my 2 cents. It is not a DE, but my Parker SRX shavette is very well built and my favorite shavette of the three I own. Just food for thought.

 

[ajkel64]

I don't own any Parker Razors yet. Yet being the operative word.

 

[dmshaver]

I have no ill will towards Parker. It was a Parker R90 that got me started on this wonderful hobby/pastime of wet shaving. I have moved on from my first razor, but I still have it.

 

[Timeclo]

I own a Parker 26C and it's a good razor. It feels smooth but it tends to be rough on certain spots, especially on my neck. It's one of those "feels smooth but slight irritation afterwards" razor. It's pretty efficient but not as comfortable as others like Merkur 34C.

 

[BigJ]

Nothing wrong with Parker IMO! They do a great job hitting a key segment of the market.

 

[kluber]

Parker Variant is a great adjustable for me! Good price point too.

 

[RayClem]

One of the posts noted the some Parker razors were rather heavy. I have large hands and love that aspect of the razors.

The Parker closed comb razor is more aggressive than the EJ/Muhle head. I have EJ DE89LBL, Muhle R89 Grande and Parker 98R Ultra Heavyweight razor. I like the efficiency of the 98R. For me, the DE89LBL is too light, but YMMV.

I also have a Parker 24C open comb and a Muhle R41 Grande. The Parker is nearly as efficient as the R41, but it is not nearly as aggressive. The 24C is one of my favorite razors. I also have a Parker Variant, which is similar in design to the Merkur Progress. The Variant is heavy, but for me that is not an issue.

 

[AZBronco]

Like others--I don't have any disdain for Parker. For me it's probably due to them having quality issues when I first got into DE shaving so I chose an EJ before falling down the rabbit hole. With Parker's costing more than a lot of vintage Gillette's and GEMS, and usually only a couple of dollars cheaper than EJ and Merkur, I never was curious enough to try them. I do have a Parker shavette that works well despite being so light weight.

 

[RayClem]

Like others--I don't have any disdain for Parker. For me it's probably due to them having quality issues when I first got into DE shaving so I chose an EJ before falling down the rabbit hole. With Parker's costing more than a lot of vintage Gillette's and GEMS, and usually only a couple of dollars cheaper than EJ and Merkur, I never was curious enough to try them. I do have a Parker shavette that works well despite being so light weight.

Parker did have some quality issues early on. However, it is my understanding that the importer who brings the razors into the USA worked closely with Parker in India to provide feedback and to address the quality issues. I certainly have no concerns about the quality of the razors I purchased, at lease no more than I would with any other zinc alloy plated razor.

Today, it seems that most of the discussion in about CNC-machined razors from aluminum, brass, bronze, copper, stainless steel and titanium.

 

[Earcutter]

This is a pretty old thread, 2014? Either way, the Variant definitely wasn’t out then and I personally think the Variant changes everything. I’m shocked at how well it shaves for me. Many say it’s the sleeper DE that’s underrated and I agree.

 

[RayClem]

Since this thread was started back in the days when Parker was having QC issues, perhaps it is good that it was reactivated to let folks know that they no longer need to be concerned.

 

[cito]

As recently as two years ago, I experienced QC issues with Parker. I bought and returned two different Variants due to uneven blade gaps from front to back. I wanted to love that razor, but I wouldn’t give them a third chance...

 

[sg01fc]

I wouldn't say I dislike Parkers. I only had one, the variant, and it shaved nice very smooth at certain settings. However, it did have a problem with blade gap differences on each side which became more of an issue as I went to higher settings. Parker was very quick to try and make things right, but I returned the razor. And this was about two months ago.