Parker Variant Satin Chrome Handle Adjustable DE Safety Razor

I purchased this handle about a year ago, and I really loved it. It's weight is great in your hand and overall feels very solid. Adjusting the blade worked great until it didn't, which is why I am giving it 3 stars. I was really hoping to get more mileage out of it than a year as I only shave about twice a week. I'm not exactly sure what went wrong, but when screwing the head back in the handle no longer holds position in any of the 5 + locations and the tightest it will hold a blade at this point is wobbly at best right around the 1 setting, which doesn't give me much confidence anymore in the handle as the blade can shift at any moment while i'm shaving. It may have been just my particular handle, but it has ended in disappointment for me since this was supposed to be an investment in this handle for years to come.

To follow up after a few years, this is still my favorite razor. This morning, I had about a week's worth of growth to slay. With a new Rapira Platinum Lux blade, the first pass used the setting on 2, and it easily went through the whiskers for a great first pass. Remaining passes were on the 1.5 setting, and it resulted in a nice, smooth, and comfortable shave. The only other razor I own that comes close to this razor is my Ikon 102 Slant, but the head on that razor isn't always so easy to rinse out during the shave.

I was looking for a adjustable razor with a better grip. My Merkur Futur gives a close shave but don't be in any type of hurry. The handle when wet can get slippery. Have to constantly make sure ones hand is dry or you might nick yourself. i have only used the Parker Variant a couple of times but what a difference! Tried it out at a #2 setting and it worked great. Will experiment a bit but the extra grip gives you confidence that you will not accidentally cut yourself. It's head is a bit smaller so I don't have to switch out to shave under my nose.

I am new to shaving with a safety razor, so take this review with a grain of salt (or a big block of alum). I started with the often recommended Merkur 34C. I worked on my lathering technique and angle, but the Merkur did not work well for me. The problem with the Merkur (at least for me) was that it is smooth and comfortable, but it requires applying the correct amount of pressure to get a close shave. Too light and you get a comfortable but not close shave. Too much pressure and you get a close shave with tons of nicks. Then I tried the Parker Variant. I used no pressure, but simply let the razor's weight and the increased aggressiveness set using the dial do the trick and I had the best shave of my life. Very close but with no nicks and no irritation. Now that the shave quality is out of the way, I must say that the build quality is miles ahead of the Merkur 34C for only $20 more. It feels better balanced in my novice hands. The head is on the larger side, but it seems to retain heat better.

Nice fit and finish, but the blade will not align properly. Tried a pretty broad sample of blades, and various ways of adjusting and tightening down the cap, but one side of the blade always has more exposure than the other, and that side actually protrudes a bit beyond the top of the guard. The result is a rough and uncomfortable shave one one side of the razor (and a pretty nice shave on the other side, actually). Bought this because is was widely reviewed as being an improvement on the Merkur Progress, but my Progress--though it sometimes requires some fiddling--can always be made to align correctly. I'm glad that others are enjoying this razor; I can see why they like it, since, as I said, the fit and finish are very nice. But my particular sample is just out of whack, and it's a big disappointment.