Parker Men’s SR1 Stainless Steel Straight Edge Razor With 5 Parker Platinum Blades

I know, stupid review title. But what wasn't stupid was my purchase of the Parker SR1 stainless steel razor. After viewing straight edge shaving videos on Youtube (which I recommend), I became fascinated with the thought of trying it myself. When I saw the prices for disposable blades for the straight edge, I saw $ signs.I think it really has become criminal what companies like Schick and Gillette are charging for disposable blades. They've also become completely carried away with creating blades with as many as five razors! Apparently you also need a battery for some, why, I have no idea. I used to use Atra Plus double blades with some sort of moisturizing strip. I even bought generic Rite Aid brands which were much cheaper but they were still about $1 per blade. I also typically got only a week out of a razor because of all the shaving cream and stubble that got caught between the blades. Trying to shave Monday after skipping the weekend usually meant changing the blade or trying to scrape all that gunk out of there. Yes, it's what I and most Americans have been raised on and it's definitely easier than a straight edge.I originally purchased 100 Derby brand blades ($8.49), the plastic shaving factory razor, and a vile of styptic powder (you'll need this) all for about $22. That's 100 blades which last about 5-7 days depending on how thick your beard is. You can do the math but you don't need to be Einstein to know you are saving an unbelievable amount of money on razor blades. The problem with the plastic Shaving Factory razor I bought is that it's simply cheaply made. Eventually the round hinge will wear down and your razor will swing freely. The Parker is all metal, it holds the blade much more tightly and you'll discover there's a little rust on both razors when you change blades. The Parker is much easier to clean with a little toilet paper and water. I personally believe that the Parker for some reason, maybe due to its sturdiness, causes much fewer nicks and cuts. All in all, it's a great well made, professional straight razor.This is a longer review than I intended but I might as well give you the heads up on shaving with a straight razor. The good news first, you CAN learn to shave with a straight razor and nick yourself very infrequently, like anything else it takes practice. For example, I haven't had a single nick in 2 or 3 weeks of daily shaving. I use regular shaving cream, maybe a brush is better but Edge gel with Aloe Vera is fine for me. I can get a good close shave in about 5 or 6 minutes. Then again I've been doing this for about 6 months and perfecting my technique.Now for the bad news, in the beginning, you will cut yourself. One time I cut myself bad enough to consider tossing the blades and razor asking myself "I can easily afford regular disposable razors, why am I putting myself through this?" You will come to a point where you'll wonder if it's worth the hassle and some will go back to disposable Gillette's or maybe an electric razor. That's fine, I'm not an evangelist for straight razors. Then again, if you're careful (practically run the razor horizontal to your skin, remember the angle of attack is about 10 degrees, that's nearly horizontal to your skin), don't rush, keep the skin wet and add shaving cream to areas you want to shave again, go SLOW in the beginning, watch Youtube videos for some pointers. Rinse the razor in cold water. Shave after a shower or after washing your face with hot water. The upper lip was tough until I realized I can push my nose out of the way! Stretch your skin, contort your face to get as much of a horizontal surface as you can. Develop a routine and shave the same way every time.Well that's about it, sorry about going on so long, this was supposed to be a review about the Parker SR1 and yes, I highly recommend it. Apparently it's what professional barbers who still give shaves use. It's a little odd how the blade fits in the razor but you'll get used to it quickly. Regarding my shaving experiences and advice, I hope it helps. I don't know exactly when it happened, but there was a day when I said, "Hey, I haven't cut myself in 2 or 3 weeks". After I noticed while changing blades I had used about 1/4 or 26 of the 100 blades I figure probably six months. I hope my advice helps and you will learn to master shaving with a straight razor in half the time it took me. Good luck.

About 6 months ago I decided to switch from an electric to a Gillette pro-fusion. A few weeks later I decided to "man-up" and go to a double edge (DE) razor. About 4 months ago I took the ultimate plunge into testosterone driven shaving, the straight edge. After doing a lot of research I decided to go with this replaceable blade straight edge, sometimes known as a "Barber's Razor." I've read that the sharpening and honing skills needed to maintain a traditional, non-replaceable blade straight edge are almost as difficult to master as the shave itself. Maybe someday I will try that style of straight edge, but will stay with my SR1 for now. Having used this razor for over 4 months, here are my observations.* The razor seems well constructed, especially for the price.* It feel comfortable in the hand and well balanced* Changing the blade is safe and easy, once you pick up the technique. You need to separate the two halves and swing them away from each other. Lay the blade the lower half lined up with the pegs, set the top half over the blade, lining up peg to hole, then clamp it shut.* If I'm typical, you will cut yourself when you are learning. Not nick, CUT. Friends and coworkers are going to notice. I use Proraso Styptic Gel, which can stop bleeding on a cut. A standard styptic roll-on or stick that might work on a small nick, won't work well.* The most common time you are going to cut yourself is when the blade first contacts the skin. Make sure you lay it flat, or with a very low angle, then raise it slowly as you move it across the face.* Sounds obvious, but always be aware of where the blade is. Accidently bumping it against the skin as you move the razor to another area can cause a nasty cut.* I find I am less likely to nick or cut with a new, sharp blade. I replace the blade with each shave. If I try to use the same blade more than once, the shave is not as good, and cuts are more likely. You can get 100 Derby blades for about $7 so cost is minimal.* Use a good, shaving soap or cream. Do NOT use the gel or foam stuff in a can from the grocery store. This is critical. I like Proraso Shaving Soap and Taylor of Old Bond Street creme, but I'm sure there are other good ones.* Watch some videos on YouTube to see different techniques.* Shaving with the grain seems easier to master than against the grain. However, for a clean shave you will need to do both.* Practice shaving your face, with and against the grain, without a blade on the razor so you can experiment with hand placement. Try shaving with dominant hand only or switch left to right hand depending on location.* During you first several shaves, stick to the easy flat parts, such as check and neck. The area around my lips and chin is still a challenge for me. Until I got more confidence I did those areas with my DE razor.* Don't straight razor shave if you are in a hurry, distracted, or stressed. At first I limited my straight razor shaving to weekends. If you are in a hurry to get ready for work, you don't want to have a bare razor to you face. You will make mistakes. You will bleed. You need to have plenty of uninterrupted time.* Don't expect this to be a great shave at first. You are learning the technique and you may have to touch up certain areas with a DE or other razor.* This is a learned skill that takes time. After 4 months, I still consider myself a novice. Be patient.