Parker SR2, SR1, SRW, and SRB Straight Razor DE

A well made shavette. Blades lock in tight. There is a circular bulge near the blade that gives support to an upstroke pass.

This a a very well designed and finished product and well worth the money. Being steel/stainless, its advisable to add some oil to the blade holder area to provide extra protection and continuous smooth operation. The product had a good weight to it.

I personally cannot get comfortable with this shavette. My hand doesn't seem to fit it. The thumb grip is too fussy and has no grip features like rubber (as per Dovo) or jimps. As a result, I am cannot get the ease of control handling this.

Also, despite being very comfortable with the Dovo shavette with feather blades working for me, I cannot get the same comfortable efficient shave with the Parker. The tricky areas also become more tedious for me.

Its a great buy and a product that's built to last. If its works for you great, if not, you only loose what you paid to to buy it.

First and foremost I see alot of other reviews calling this a straight razor.... it is not.. .what it is, is a Parker version of a shavette or a disposable blade quasi straight. The big difference is in the weight of the scales as well as balance. Ok now that that's out of the way this SR1 is AWESOME !!! for $22 and he right blade for your beard you can easily get a BBS shave hands down as easily as with a real straight razor or a DE. The SR1 is constructed of stainless steel so no rust issues there. It takes 1/2 a De blade and I find the shark super platinum works well for me. What took me a bit to get the hang of was the weight of the SR1 as it is very light and the scales don't offer a great weight to "carry" it along. Even with the light weight think of it more like a DE razor a let the natural albeit lighter weight of the blade remove the facial hair. I find taking very small strokes and being very attentive to the angle of the blade will give you at least 80% reduction on your first pass. how many other passes you do after that is a personal choice but I can tell you from expierence you can go 3 passes and get a BBS shave with no irritation if done correctly. A lot of straight shavers frown on shavettes but not for nothing I guarantee I can get as good of results with my shavette at $22 as a Dovo at over $200. I highly recommend the Parker SR1. BTW I gave ease of sharpening and lasting edge a 10 because you can change out your 1/2 blade whenever it gets dull.

Str8 RAZOR SHAVE REVIEW:

I am a total NEWBIE at sr8 razor shaving and was pleasantly surprised at the shave I got and the quality of the razor.  The blade was decent, Shark, 5 half DE blades came with the Parker SR1 str8 razor.

At $24 total (that's including shipping, $17 for razor and 5 half DE blades ((Shark)))...rating: 10 for total package.

I ended up with a BBS shave given the fact that this was my first str8 and using one!  I need to perfect my technique of course...the chin area was difficult but my cheeks and neck were the easy areas.

Quality is very good for what it is and supposed to be; I would prefer metal scales rather than painted plastic and a longer blade/realestate...but this is a good length for the mustache area and corners of the mouth.

Smoothness doesn't really come into play this is more for the blade you use and you can always change it out if not happy with the curent one; also, user technique plays a part.

This is one razor that is easy to maintain.  The Parker SR1 is a disposable blade str8 razor.  When the blade dulls, just change it out and let the razor air dry before storing it...THAT'S ALL!  I am a handicapped guy so this razor is very easy and practical for me, for a guy that wants to str8 razor shave without the maintenance of "traditional" str8's (i.e. stropping, sharpening, dropping and breaking the blade, etc.)

I WOULD HIGHLY RECOMMEND getting one of these for the beginner to str8 razor shaving; as for the pro, get one for the ease of use for vacationing or camping or for the novelty.

A fun new tool to learn.

WARNING: THIS IS NOT A TOY...RESPECT THE BLADE (BECAUSE THE BLADE IS FIERCELY SHARP) AND TAKE YOUR TIME, PRACTICE...DON'T GIVE UP!

Most of all, ENJOY AND HAVE FUN!

Bought one of these out of curiosity and have found it to be more DE like than straight like, but fun nonetheless. Was inexpensive at ~$24 US on Amazon w/120 Shark blades.

Craftsmanship is okay and it has held up for a dozen shaves so far without a problem. It is easy to change the blades and to clean. Blade holding arms are stainless steel, while the handle on mine is white plastic.

If you are looking for something to sort of mimic the straight experience without all of the paraphernalia required this is a good low-priced option. It is not the same as a straight in length of blade, nor in handling. But, it was not really intended to be.

If this was all that was available I could make do, but stubble returns faster with this than a true well-honed straight, at least on my face. YMMV, but it is fun

I have been curious about str8s for a while. I thought this SRB might be a cheap and good way to check out str8 razor shaving. I payed $12 for it, so my expectations was not high. I am impressed with what I got, it's cheaply but well made. The scissor like way it holds the blade is very easy to use and works very well. The blade lines up perfectly with the rest of the razor. I would think that the simple but elegant mechanism will work very well over time also.

I got 5 Shark halfblades with the razor, they are very sharp and easily passes the hanging hair test. I have been very careful so far, and have not cut myself.
I don't know if I'll continue to use it much though, because it takes much longer time to shave, I have to be extremely consentrated to not cut myself and the shave is in fact no better than what my safetyrazor does. However it is very good for trimming sideburns etc., I would have loved to have this razor back when I had a goatee. The precision that is possible with this razor is amazing.

I have no problem recommending this razor to people that is interested in str8 razor shaving or as a travelrazor for a str8 shaver. I think this razor will feel much more like a proper str8 than a Dovo Shavette. The Shark blades also receive my warmest recommendation.

This is the first straight razor I've ever owned and tried. The SR1 is an excellent product for the price-point. It is all stainless metal - including the handle (not sure what the rivets are made from - they appear to be copper-like). The fact that you can personalize your 'edge' with this product by choosing your favorite disposable blade is a huge advantage. The ability to use it with standard DE blades (easily split in two) makes it versatile and very economical as well. I had no problem with blade placement. NOTE: I gave N/A for 3 of 6 categories due to reliance on choice of blade.

At ~$17 (Amazon price) it's NOT a piece of junk. Compared to other 'finely' machined products at much higher price-points, perhaps some people might consider this product lesser quality but I found it not to be the case. The blade is held firmly and accurately in place. With reasonable care, I see no reason why this product can not offer several years of service.

I tried it immediately after receipt with truly excellent results - this coming from a total S/R beginner. It holds the blades very well between the 'scissor-like' arms during use. Clean up is equally easy. This product feels good in the hands though I have nothing to compare it to except DE safety razors. With a very steady hand and technique (the operative words), the end result using the supplied SHARK half baldes left this beginner with a better/closer shave than I was able to achieve with comperable safety razors. A word of advice - practice, practice, practice! ;-)

PS: I've had positive and constructive post-sale email and phone exchanges with seller. He is most anxious to assure satisfaction.

I recently purchased the Parker SR2 Straight Razor for $16. I don't have straight razor experience, but I was impressed enough with this razor to write this review. Prior to this purchase I had bought a cheap generic $7 DE Straight razor off ebay with fold metal to hold the blade. I was not impressed with the generic.

The Parker SR2 has a nice weight to it and feels well balanced. The blade holding mechanics are solid and hold the blade in the proper alignment. The color is all chrome even though it appears brownish is the picture.

I am able to get close to BBS shaves on the first pass and BBS on the second. I currently only use the Parker SR2 on my cheeks and neck. I am new to the straight razor experience (2 weeks) and the chin area is my achilles heel.

All in all...
I feel the Parker SR2 is a great buy.
It looks good and has a good balance.
Its shaves great.
Its easy to maintain.
I would recommend it to other newbies who want a little practice with a DE straight razor.

Granted I might be comparing a moped to a motorcycle in this review.
And judging from the straight razors videos on youtube... either I'm being overly careful or those guys are good... or the technics are different. The motions seem to be very similar.

I will be using the Parker SR2 to practice my straight razor motion technics.
And I believe it will help me decide whether to go full ahead and get the $200+ straight razor setup. Ok, Ok, I really want a straight razor, but I don't want all the hassle of honing, stropping, etc.

Ps. I forgot to add that I'm using Feather Blades. They allow me to focus on technic without using pressure to keep the blade on the skin. I've found that the cheaper blades will work, but I'm afraid of applying too much pressure and cutting myself. And if you use too little pressure with the cheaper blades they tend to start walking or skipping.

I also use a little more of a watery cream to prevent the razor from getting suction stuck on the face.

I really love the smooth shave and can't stop feel my cheeks. But that probably just the Feather blades talking.