Parker 90R

I bought this razor for my son and ended up liking so well that I kept it. This razor is very easy to use, it is well balanced and I guess the best thing I like is the feel of it as you are shaving.

I just got one of these and have about 4 shaves in with it. Here is what i think. For the money a first time DE shaver cant pass this up. THe quality of the razor is top notch very well made. The shave isnt really aggressive but its very forgiving making the learning curve very easy. I gave the grip a 7 best i felt a bit like the razor was slipping out of my hand a bit when it got wet from the water. Other than that if you a starting out in DE shaving this is a great choice.

Hi all, I have to say that this razor was given to me as a gift as before I was using the plastic Wilkinson Sword DE model. This razor is a fantastic one to start with, it feels solid in the hand and has given me some of the best shaves ever, I will never go back to Mach3 now.

Due to me starting to get the collection bug, i thought i try 2 Parkers. I ordered the 90R and the 91R (review follows) and the two razors could not be more different, despite their similar numbering.

The 90R Razor seems average in almost every respect to me. The price was certainly alright (under $20 shipped).

However, the razor itself is rather.....dull. Not talking about aggressiveness here but overall impressions leave me wanting more from this, albeit good looking, razor.

The quality is rather average. It seems light and maybe a tad too light, with the doors and the head seemingly flimsy, if only a little bit.

The user friendliness is something i have a hard time rating as it involves blade replacement. The butterfly mechanism for blade replacement is a no brainer and easy and therefore reflected in my "8" rating. How come i rate it a "4" in overall user friendliness? Because the handle and the opening design is just not adequate if you have wet hands. It slips and the opening mechanism is in the middle of the handle. Not a very good design i think.

The razor itself has a little slippiness and the level of aggressiveness is rather in the middle of the road, with a mild tendency to be aggressive but not too much so (and the complete opposite of it's sibling, the 91R, which is a monster in aggressiveness).

I rated a "5" in adjustability. It's non adjustable but i didn't want to bring the overall ratings down for this.

Balance, again, is rather average. It's a fairly light razor and the balance is "ok" but not great.

Overall a cheap, average razor that i probably won't use too often....

I originally chose this razor because I wanted a new TTO razor to start and I really like the handle design (still do). I paid $20 on the 'bay, from a really nice seller (no complaints about the merchant).
Mine arrived with a slightly bent safety bar and the doors don't close evenly - it's slight, but noticeable. The finish is nice and even, but the head is really thin metal. Loaded with a blade, the protrusion is considerable. This razor is aggressive, and I think some problems I had as a beginner can be attributable to this razor. That being said, when I revisit now 1 year later, I do get good shaves. But I don't think this is a good razor for a beginner.
The handle, while featuring a really attractive pattern, is pretty slippery.
For the quality, the razor should be cheaper (or quality should improve). I don't think this razor is necessarily bad. I just think that considering the price of an entry level Merkur, the Parker is no bargain. However, it's good that companies are still offering new TTO designs and I don't know how Parker's TTO's compare to Weishi or others. Obviously there's a niche to fill in this market. It's just hard to get excited about this razor.

To throw my 2 cents in,
Maby I got the lemon but the 90 R I bought was Terrible!!!. Blade gap was uneven and couldnt be centered. The big thing was the blade also could not be flexed enough in in the razor (even when torqing down very hard on the tighting nob-it just woudnt produce the right angle . The only way I could use this razor was to make darn shure the safty bar didnt make any contact (And I mean any)with my skin. Or it would scrape very badly. I wouldnt recommend this to my worst enemy.

A razor with its own personality! I have been around for over 45 days and thought I would try my first review, so with limited experience here goes.

I bought this razor along with a Merkur HD for my first DEs. I chose this one to contrast with the HD. This one has TTO, a long handle, and is somewhat more forgiving. After I started, I was advised to concentrate on the HD, but I have used this one a few times with various blades. I have read where the head is similar to the head of a Super Speed but this razor has its own personality in all respects. I have also read that this is the most popular of the Parkers.

Tale of the Tape:

Length: 4 1/4 inches (HD is 3 1/4 inches)
Weight: 2.51 ounces (HD is 2.75 ounces)

Price: Around $25. I have seen it on a number of web sites and I think it is sold in Knife Shops. I think it may have a small following for that reason. Its not inexpensive but mid-range.

Quality: I did not think it was bad. I feel that the blade exposure was even and the plating done ok with the exception of the head. The TTO mechanism operated smoothly and silo doors closed flat. The center bar rises above the curvature of the cap.

User Friendly: The TTO mechanism was easy to use. The part that you twist to open the silo runs along the bottom 2/3 of the handle and not just the knob at the bottom so that you have to hold the top 1/3 and twist the bottom 2/3. Other than that it is easy to operate.

Grip: The pommel is smooth and can be slippery. There are facets for the grip so you know the location it was designed for holding the razor. The grip is a negative as slippery with some weight could cause you to drop this razor. I think that because you hold the razor on the part of the pommel that opens the doors that you can losen the doors while shaving.

Ease of Blade Replacement: TTO basic with a notched bar. I hear a pop sound made by the blade bend as the doors are clamped. I don't hear this with other razors.

Aggressiveness: Middle of the road. It is a notch or two less aggressive than a Merkur HD.

Adjustability: This is hard to rate as it does not have adjustable settings. It can be held at a different angle for more aggressiveness and can be aggressive before the safety bar stops it from scrapes. You can get a close shave without using a lot of passes.

Balance: This razor has some heft and is definitely top heavy. You feel like you are holding something substantial. I didn't like the balance or manueverability compared to the HD but I think you could get used to its balance especially if you like long handles. I found that I don't.

Thoughts: The head cap is not rounded like most razors. You can see this on some of the posted pictures. The round cap switches to concave indentations at the edges. I like the feel of the cap to determine the blade angle and this takes the contact with the skin away. You can get a good shave in three or four passes. Both sides of the razor were the same aggressiveness to me. If you must have new and a TTO, like something that is not too tame, or want a heavier and longer handled razor, then you should pick this. In general, for a few dollars more you should really go with a Merkur.

This is my first DE razor also.
:lol:

I got my off Ebay for 20$. I have really enjoyed using it, but now that I have been using it for a couple months, I am wanting to try something with a shorter handle. I have never been cut by this baby, and the only irritation I have had are due to using the wrong blades for my face.

The razor is a cheap looking little bastard, but surprisingly does its job with heart.

The Parker 90R is my first and only DE razor and has been the perfect beginer tool. Its very hard to cut yourself with this razor and it works perfectly with the Derby or Feather blades.

A cool feature is that there is two built in settles for your blades, one which protrudes out signifcantly more than the other side of the DE blade. One side is very non-aggressive while the other gives you a clean shave.

It also comes in a nice red box. I plan on buying a Merkur Slant for my next razor because I want something more aggressive, but I am happy that I started with the Parker 90R.

castlecraver said:
Price: Can't be beat. Picked mine up from Nashville Knife Shop for $25. Perfect for the budget-minded first-timer.

Quality: No complaints at all. Silo mechanism is super smooth, and the razor feels solid in your hand, but not at the expence of being chunky or too heavy.

User Friendly: I can't imagine a more user-friendly razor. The Parker is sized just right for those of us who were used to Mach 3-sized razors before -- its longer handle and lighter weight make wetshaving an easy transition.

Grip: Again, no complaints. For those of you who like a short, stubby handle, this razor probably isn't for you. If you're more accustomed to longer-handled, lighter weight razors though, the Parker is perfect. The handle feels perfectly natural in my smallish hands.

Blade placement: Nice big bar to drop the blade onto. Can't miss. Overtightening is next to impossible, as the handle isn't serrated such that you'd be able to get a tight enough grip.

Aggressiveness: Experienced wetshavers will probably dislike the aggressiveness of this razor, although I find it perfect for a beginner. I've been using it with Derby blades, and 3 passes always does the job. The Parker is forgiving enough to allow for just a slight bit of pressure, as its not quite heavy enough to do the job on its own.

Adjustability: This is a fixed razor.

Balance: Depends on your preferences. Once again, probably agreeable to those who are just switching over from disposable cartridge razors, but not optimal for more experienced wetshavers who like a heavier razor.

Dimensions:

Width of shaving head: 4.2cm

Width of handle: 1.1cm

Overall height: 10.9cm

Height of shaving head (at center): 1.1cm

Depth of shaving head: 2.5cm

Comb: Closed
Opening: Silo
Markings: "India" on underside

Price: $25.00 approx

Above: Parker 90R (side view)

Above: Parker 90R (side view)

Above: Paker 90R (open view with Derby blade)

Above: Parker 90R (underside)

Video:
See the opening mechanism in action,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VggB2_nA7X0

Verdict:
Perfect starter DE, and will serve you well for years to come. I intend on upgrading at some point, but again, I don't see getting rid of my Parker. Can't beat the price, makes for an easy transition from cartridges, and very forgiving.

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Price: Can't be beat. Picked mine up from Nashville Knife Shop for $25. Perfect for the budget-minded first-timer.

Quality: No complaints at all. Silo mechanism is super smooth, and the razor feels solid in your hand, but not at the expence of being chunky or too heavy.

User Friendly: I can't imagine a more user-friendly razor. The Parker is sized just right for those of us who were used to Mach 3-sized razors before -- its longer handle and lighter weight make wetshaving an easy transition.

Grip: Again, no complaints. For those of you who like a short, stubby handle, this razor probably isn't for you. If you're more accustomed to longer-handled, lighter weight razors though, the Parker is perfect. The handle feels perfectly natural in my smallish hands.

Blade placement: Nice big bar to drop the blade onto. Can't miss. Overtightening is next to impossible, as the handle isn't serrated such that you'd be able to get a tight enough grip.

Aggressiveness: Experienced wetshavers will probably dislike the aggressiveness of this razor, although I find it perfect for a beginner. I've been using it with Derby blades, and 3 passes always does the job. The Parker is forgiving enough to allow for just a slight bit of pressure, as its not quite heavy enough to do the job on its own.

Adjustability: This is a fixed razor.

Balance: Depends on your preferences. Once again, probably agreeable to those who are just switching over from disposable cartridge razors, but not optimal for more experienced wetshavers who like a heavier razor.

Dimensions:

Width of shaving head: 4.2cm
Width of handle: 1.1cm
Overall height: 10.9cm
Height of shaving head (at center): 1.1cm
Depth of shaving head: 2.5cm

Comb: Closed
Opening: Silo
Markings: "India" on underside

Price: $25.00 approx

Above: Parker 90R (side view)

Above: Paker 90R (open view with Derby blade)

Above: Parker 90R (underside)

Video:
See the opening mechanism in action,
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VggB2_nA7X0

Verdict:
Perfect starter DE, and will serve you well for years to come. I intend on upgrading at some point, but again, I don't see getting rid of my Parker. Can't beat the price, makes for an easy transition from cartridges, and very forgiving.

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