Parker 87R Compact Butterfly Safety Razor – Short Handle Twist-to-Open Brass Frame with Textured Grip for Precision Wet Shaving

I started out with a Merkur 34C, which is an excellent razor for its price, but the more I shaved, the more I realized it just doesn't "work" for me. (Context: I have a very coarse beard with sensitive skin.) It would cut my whiskers, albeit not efficiently, and unless I was careful not to attempt to shave too closely, the additional passes would leave my face unhappy. I reserved myself to thinking this was the best I could get...That is, until I chanced upon the Parker 87R.This razor is an Indian-made copy of the Gillette No. 66 Aristocrat, fabricated completely from machined and stamped brass with a very even chrome plate. If you look closely at it, you'll quickly realize the fit and finish isn't quite up to those vintage Gillette standards; the stampings have rough edges, you can spot the occasional ding or nick under the plating in places, and the solder/braze joints aren't the prettiest or most even you'll see, but these are merely cosmetic issues. What really matters are the mechanics of the 87R, and this is where it truly punches above its price point.First impressions of working the TTO mechanism were promising; the silo doors open smoothly with no hitches, the bottom knob turns smoothly with no metal-to-metal rubbing sounds, and the inside barrel that screws the doors open and shut doesn't have any excessive slop. "Not bad," I thought, considering Parker has a somewhat checkered history when it comes to quality control. But the amazement didn't stop there... I took a brand-new Astra Superior Platinum blade, loaded it into the razor, twisted the knob clockwise and gave it a close look. The blade sat damn near perfectly in the razor! And while I didn't go so far as to use a set of feeler gauges to measure the blade gap, it looked pretty much dead even on both sides. Bravo, Parker! Best of all, the mechanism held the blade in place rigidly, which is what you want if you don't want to slice your face like a loaf of bologna. I can tell you that bottom knob will not come loose easily on its own, either.But the proof, as they say, is in the shaving. And that's where I was about to be blown away...Oliver Scarcliff of Anthronicle opines that the 87R is a mild but efficient razor, and I'm inclined to agree with him. Once I found the right angle (which, admittedly, is steeper than that of other razors, about 45 degrees or so if you want to be exact), I could hear the Astra SP cutting through my wiry whiskers but not feel it. I wonder if, when some wet shavers talk about how a razor "sings," this is what they're talking about. The resonance told me I was actually doing something without any excess pressure or effort; "let the weight of the razor do the work," in other words.Long story short, my two pass WITH the grain yielded a shave that my girlfriend said was the closest I've had yet. How's THAT for an endorsement?I splashed on some Proraso Red aftershave and was pleasantly surprised to find just a mild tingle on my face with zero burn. This, folks, just feels like "the right way." I'm so impressed with this razor that I think I'll make it my new daily driver. Don't get me wrong, I like the Merkur 34C, but the Parker 87R works for me in a way that the former doesn't; it gives me a mild, but efficient shave without butchering my face. Parker has a winner in this TTO, in my opinion. Five stars!

This is a great shaver but not for beginners, not for beginners! I consider this one an aggressive razor for my sensitive skin. No major issues with it only because I am an experience wet shaver but I still got a couple nicks and a small razor/blade bloody bite, nothing bad. I got a close and great shave but I felt the blade on my face the whole entire time. For me, this is not my daily drive razor but it's a beautiful razor that should be taken with a level of precaution even for experience wet shavers.

Great razor, aggressive and has a nice weight. Just a heads up it does not come with blades like advertised. Only reason I am even writing this review is because I am fully against false advertisement even if it is something I don't care about like the razor blades.

Note: Not a Vine Voice related review. I started shaving with a safety razor long ago when I received a Gillette Aristocrat Jr. from a college room mate from India. The razor he gave me is now 60 years old and still works well, but I decided to try something a little different.The Parker 87r is a near copy of the British Gillette Aristocrat that preceded the above mentioned Aristocrat Jr. A bit wider handle with barber pole grooves for a sure grip. Having learned on the old Gillettes, I prefer the shorter handles (this is a lot like finding good fitting shoes or a proper bicycle saddle. When you have found what is right for you, it's just right).I like that the 87r is all brass which has been plated, I believe this helped my old razor survive so long (I have had other razors made from zamack fail as a result of galvanic corrosion).Blade centering is spot on.The blade gap and angle are also perfect for my face and beard when using Personna blades, much like my old Gillette. About the same as setting 6 on my adjustable razor. Enough to get the job done efficiently without being too aggressive. I see it as a close comfortable assertive shave.I also enjoy the word India discreetly stamped on the underside of the base plate. It reminds me of old friends and younger days, as well as helping me to keep track of which side was used last, to get the most shaves per blade.

The Parker 87R is a well-made tribute to the classic Gillette Aristocrat razor. The chrome is bright and the striped knurling is attractive and comfortable. The razor is well-balanced. I had expected a top-heavy razor because of the twist-to-open head. However, the knob at the bottom is heavy bringing the balance point below the collar where it should be. The head is based on the taller pre-1961 Gillette design. I was hoping for the flatter design similar to the Gillette Slim and post 1961 Super Speeds. The bottom plate fixes the blade quite far above the guard creating a large blade gap yielding a much more aggressive shave than an Edwin Jagger DE89 or Merkur 34C. As a result, I prefer the Edwin Jagger and Merkur razors.Update: I have had this razor for about a year now. The large blade gap is just too much. I am more likely to nick myself with this razor than I am with any of my 16 other double-edge safety razors. I much prefer my Merkur, Ediwn Jagger, Feather, and vintage Gillette razors and have retired my Parker 87R and will probably never use it again.