Thread: Parker DE - any good?

Hey all, I'm looking at getting myself a DE razor for those days when I don't have quite enough time for a full straight shave, and came across this. Is this a decent razor for a n00b to start DE shaving with? I have absolutely no idea what a good brand is, or what makes a good DE, so if anyone can help me out here it'd be much appreciated.
Cheers,
Tom

I think most people will recommend Merkur, particularly Merkur HD, to start with if you are looking to get a new razor. I have no experience with Parker, can't comment.

Yeah, I was only looking at this because it's cheaper than a Merkur, and being a student price is a big factor in my purchases.

I wish I had known! I sold a parker TTO earlier this month. I'm a student myself, but I DE shaved for about a year before picking up straights and hands down the Edwin Jagger 89 is the best value for money there is. It is widely considered the best DE available and I love mine. At $35 it is only slightly more than the Merkur, but an infinitely better and smoother shaver.

My dear Mosley59,

Scrape up a few more shekels, if you can, and buy an Edwin Jagger 89L. Might as well start off the right way. The Parker is far too aggressive and unrefined. I had a Parker once and could not wait to get rid of it. The blasted thing felt like a tank rumbling across my Hollywood face.

Regards,

Obie

Nothing wrong with the 3-piece Parkers. It is the TTO Parkers that are sometimes problematic.

The 3 peice Parkers are great! Definitely a good beginners razor, especially since they are pretty affordable. I think I had the 89 model and it worked just fine.

Thanks for the recommendations, I'll start looking for an Edwin Jagger DE instead, since that seems to be recommended over Merkur. Anyone know what a good price for a new one is, roughly? Found one that will get to me in New Zealand for just over $36, incl shipping - is this likely one of the best deals I'll find? As I said earlier, I'm a student, and therefore poor, so price is a biggie.

My dear Mosley59,

You have made an excellent choice with the Edwin Jagger 89L. The price you mention is about right.

You'll have a great razor.

Regards,

Obie

I had a 22r I won in a raffle. Honestly, it's a decent razor, but the grip is way to slippery for my taste. Your best money is spent on a 40s era superspeed form an antique shop. You can get them for a song and they are built like tanks. I use one as my travel razor...some trips just don't make a straight setup very easy these days.