Parker, "The Convertible", Double Edge Safety Razor – Interchangeable Open & Closed Comb Plates, Solid Brass/Chrome 93 g Handle, Customizable Shave from Mild to Aggressive

Retro is in fashion and there is no better tradition to revive from the past than shaving with a safety razor.I saw a video for the leaf 3 blade shaver and researched and got interested in wet shaving with a safety razor. I saw the name Parker mentioned often. I really wasn't sure how much to spend and what the difference was. What sold me was the brass handle. I loved the look and it is different than most other shavers and I tomes with a second base plate (the thicker one) but I prefer the thinner plate.After using it for over a month and watching numerous videos these are my thoughts:1. The shave is as good as the Mach 3 or similar cartridge shavers and I enjoy shaving more than I ever have.2. Most DE razors do a very good job regardless of price. Pick the one that looks good.3. I think the screw type head is more solid than the butterfly (where you turn the handle on the bottom to open the top to change blades). Also, a blade can easily last from 1 to 4 weeks so at most you would be changing it once a week.4. All you really need is warm water and soap. I found pure mineral oil and witch hazel are the two best things for shaving and have been used for hundreds of years.5. Don't over do it: I shave every other day. Even though I have yet to cut myself shaving I did get some razor burn. I backed off and just listen for the sound of the blade cutting the hair - and avoid scraping the skin.Any DE razor blade brand works fine with the Parker. I ordered a 100 pack of Astra blades on amazon and they work great.I also bought the generic version of the Merkur Futur the River Lake RZ700 and I think that shaver is excellent and costs half as much but the Parker is easier to get into tight spots and looks nicer and comes with two base plates and the chrome is very high quality. Also, the knurling on the handle is important when your hands are wet and covered with soap or shaving cream.

I had bought this DE razor because my old one was getting old and paint was chipping away (van der Hagen Traditional). I have soft sensitive skin and read this was a mild razor so I took a chance. I started with the open comb attached and it literally destroyed my 2 week beard! Finished my first pass and noticed noticed skin irritation and very minor cuts. For the second pass I decided to attach the closed comb and finish up. The second pass was incredibly mild and pleasant to hear the whiskers cutting smoothly! Both combs didn’t clog and has a decent heft overall. I’ve wet shaved for a decade and I’m glad to have bought this Parker DE razor. It’ll compliment my Parker shavette and will try out another Parker DE.

"Moderately Aggressive" is right-on...Me - Wet shaver going on 6 years using all manner of double edged safety razors, cut-throats, and kamisori style shavettes...Comparing this razor to my vintage Gilette super speed (shave prep and blades stayed the same (the ONLY difference is the razor)) this razor is much heavier and less aggressive. After my standard 3 pass shave I had to do more 'polishing' than normal to get that BBS shave. Feels good in the hand and the knurling is great if your hands are wet. Great feedback in the razor and sounds great "popping" off the hairs... Overall pleased with the razor and I'll keep it in my rotation.

This safety razor is heavy, but it shaves very well as the weight provides a more thorough cut.

If your like me and are trying to get the closest shave with the least irritation and have facial hair that grows in multiple directions… the closed comb bar head might be a little rough for you. I can almost feel the over exposure of the blade bounce as it cuts. And I am making sure to make the angle as shallow as possible to get a cut but no matter how flat the skin or shallow the angle is, its rough. The open comb is doable and that head is the only one I’ll use. Not as aggressive as the variant open comb or merkur 23c open comb version, which were way aggressive, but beginners and/or people in a hurry may still have issues with the open comb head as well. Also its misleading that its stated the open comb is more mild than the closed comb when usually its know in the shaving community to be the opposite in general when it comes to open and closed comb heads and I thought that was odd. I guess, when it comes to parker, their open combs are more mild than their closed bar razors? Im probably keeping it being that most open comb razors are at this price point regardless.

I love this razor. (with the provided Parker blades) The open comb plate is mild enough to shave on a hurry without worry. The closed comb plate is just a bit more aggressive. Great for a beginner D.E. shaver like me.

I have been using this razor every few days for several months. I really want to like this razor for personal nostalgic reasons. I even purchased an assorted bundle of about 100 blades from various brands in case that the blade brand makes a difference. But after this morning's shaving experience I am compelled to write this review.When I have the time to participate in this shaving ritual I do enjoy it. But do I get the best shave? No, not even close. It may sound sacrilege but I always have to use my trusty Panasonic travel shaver to touch-up my chin and corner of my lips. This morning I had a warm shower, put in a new Gillette Platinum blade and applied a generous coat of shaving cream. Just from the sound I knew that the blade wasn't cutting right. I flipped over the new blade and it didn't change anything. I picked up the very cheap BIC single blade Metal razor and finished the job. I've had better experiences than this morning but I didn't spend the time to investigate why and what made the difference. I thought that this shaving instrument should be the cat's meow. Well, it wasn't.

This is a fantastic razor. I was a little apprehensive about using an open comb razor but this razor does a great job. It provides a smooth close shave with all blades that I have tried in it.