Parker 87R Compact Butterfly Safety Razor – Short Handle Twist-to-Open Brass Frame with Textured Grip for Precision Wet Shaving

I started out with a Merkur 34C, which is an excellent razor for its price, but the more I shaved, the more I realized it just doesn't "work" for me. (Context: I have a very coarse beard with sensitive skin.) It would cut my whiskers, albeit not efficiently, and unless I was careful not to attempt to shave too closely, the additional passes would leave my face unhappy. I reserved myself to thinking this was the best I could get...That is, until I chanced upon the Parker 87R.This razor is an Indian-made copy of the Gillette No. 66 Aristocrat, fabricated completely from machined and stamped brass with a very even chrome plate. If you look closely at it, you'll quickly realize the fit and finish isn't quite up to those vintage Gillette standards; the stampings have rough edges, you can spot the occasional ding or nick under the plating in places, and the solder/braze joints aren't the prettiest or most even you'll see, but these are merely cosmetic issues. What really matters are the mechanics of the 87R, and this is where it truly punches above its price point.First impressions of working the TTO mechanism were promising; the silo doors open smoothly with no hitches, the bottom knob turns smoothly with no metal-to-metal rubbing sounds, and the inside barrel that screws the doors open and shut doesn't have any excessive slop. "Not bad," I thought, considering Parker has a somewhat checkered history when it comes to quality control. But the amazement didn't stop there... I took a brand-new Astra Superior Platinum blade, loaded it into the razor, twisted the knob clockwise and gave it a close look. The blade sat damn near perfectly in the razor! And while I didn't go so far as to use a set of feeler gauges to measure the blade gap, it looked pretty much dead even on both sides. Bravo, Parker! Best of all, the mechanism held the blade in place rigidly, which is what you want if you don't want to slice your face like a loaf of bologna. I can tell you that bottom knob will not come loose easily on its own, either.But the proof, as they say, is in the shaving. And that's where I was about to be blown away...Oliver Scarcliff of Anthronicle opines that the 87R is a mild but efficient razor, and I'm inclined to agree with him. Once I found the right angle (which, admittedly, is steeper than that of other razors, about 45 degrees or so if you want to be exact), I could hear the Astra SP cutting through my wiry whiskers but not feel it. I wonder if, when some wet shavers talk about how a razor "sings," this is what they're talking about. The resonance told me I was actually doing something without any excess pressure or effort; "let the weight of the razor do the work," in other words.Long story short, my two pass WITH the grain yielded a shave that my girlfriend said was the closest I've had yet. How's THAT for an endorsement?I splashed on some Proraso Red aftershave and was pleasantly surprised to find just a mild tingle on my face with zero burn. This, folks, just feels like "the right way." I'm so impressed with this razor that I think I'll make it my new daily driver. Don't get me wrong, I like the Merkur 34C, but the Parker 87R works for me in a way that the former doesn't; it gives me a mild, but efficient shave without butchering my face. Parker has a winner in this TTO, in my opinion. Five stars!

To start, I own many DE razors and didn't necessarily need another one. My daily go to razor before receiving this one was my beautiful Edwin Jagger short white handled 3 piece. I will always recommend this razor. I also enjoy using my Schone gold colored slightly aggressive razor just to reference 2 of my favorite razors. This 87R is the smoothest most effective razor I have used to date. It feels just as mild as my Edwin Jagger but gets even closer in less passes. It feels magical in the way it performs. In one pass with some light touch up, I was able to get a BBS with no irritation. I don't take these reviews lightly and I would advise any wet shaver, as well as anyone sick of spending large sums of money on plastic 5 blade disposable razors. I was hooked on the multi blade razors and I do value my face. I found that a good DE razor with the right blade will out perform these expensive disposables for far less hard earned money., Buy this beautiful razor and give it a chance. In my eyes it is inspired by the gorgeous Gillette #66 Aristocrat. The fit and finish on this is really good and even my 8 year old son remarked that it is the best looking shaver I own. I own at least 12 of them, from the high quality Merkurs, the well made Razorocks to the Beautifully well made Parkers. I highly recommend this product. You can spend more but will not get a better quality tool for your face.

I've been shaving with a double edge safety razor for over 40 years. However, I haven't had a "butterfly" or "twist-to-open" (TTO) design for a long time so I decided to give this Parker 87R a try. So far, I've used this razor for about a week, so the following are my initial impressions only: As for construction, fit and finish, this appears to be a well made razor. Like all TTO's, the head is a little bulkier than a 3 piece design; but, it has good heft and balance which makes it easy to use. The construction appears quite solid, with the blade doors being sturdy and well fitted. The TTO mechanism works smoothly and tightens securely. The knurling is well defined and the chrome finish appears to be well applied, on a par with at least a Merkur 34c. As for shave quality, this is a little more difficult to evaluate since it is so subjective. That said, it is my humble opinion this is a mild razor being less aggressive than an Edwin Jagger DE89, which is less aggressive than a Merkur 34c, both of which I also own. Being a less aggressive razor has both pro and con aspects. As a pro, it is much more forgiving and less likely to hurt you if you are new to using a double edge razor, particularly if you have a light beard or sensitive skin. As a con, it will take you longer to shave since it requires more passes to get a close shave than with a more aggressive razor. Something to consider if you have a heavy beard or tougher skin. That said, this is still a very nice razor capable of delivering a close, smooth shave, provided you have time and good technique. Again, my initial impression is that it is built to last; but, only time will tell. I gave it 4 stars because I would like it a little more aggressive. Hope you find this helpful.

This is a great shaver but not for beginners, not for beginners! I consider this one an aggressive razor for my sensitive skin. No major issues with it only because I am an experience wet shaver but I still got a couple nicks and a small razor/blade bloody bite, nothing bad. I got a close and great shave but I felt the blade on my face the whole entire time. For me, this is not my daily drive razor but it's a beautiful razor that should be taken with a level of precaution even for experience wet shavers.