Parker 99R Heavy Duty Barberpole with Butterfly Opening and Chrome Plated Finish

This has been my best purchase in a good while. It has a perfect length and weight for my own preferences when it comes to shaving and it is very sturdy and easy to use. Operation is very simple the only thing you have to be careful about is making sure you properly tighten it as otherwise the blade moves in the head and causes irritation.In general use I can't fault it at all, it is easy to clean and doesn't slip in the hand thanks to the finish on the handle. Delivers an excellent shave, it takes longer than a normal razor to get a close shave but it does a much better job of it. And its actually quicker for a fast shave if you don't want a close shave it will get you down to the standard of an electric razor shave very fast and more comfortably than a multiblade as it won't pull like they do so you can go faster. However there is a definate skill element involved, after a few months you get faster at achieving a really close shave with less irritation if any.I matched it up with some wilkinson sword blades to start out with as they have a reputation for being a balanced blade being neither to sharp nor too dull. It was a good choice for me but I will still try out some feather blades eventually but out of a pack of 10 I have barely used half since I got the razor ten months ago. It has saved a lot of money just on blades alone as my heavy growth was murder on conventional blades.In terms of other things to go with it like soap I have found what I use doesn't make a huge difference. You can use normal modern stuff as easily as normal shaving soap it doesn't really matter if it works for you. At the moment my perfect combination is a nivea pre shave scrub which removes all irritation and nomad shaving soap which comes in the wooden bowl. I have tried a bunch of other soaps and foams but so far the nomad is the best of the bunch.

This is a brilliant razor i started of with the Parker 22R that i thought was a good heavy duty razor and given that the 99R was heavier and slightly longer i decided to try it and i was not disapointed, it feels great in your hand and it gives you a very close comfortable shave, the build quality is good and the barber pole handle enables you to use it with wet hands however if your not used to double edge razors and you decide to try this then take your time as this being a close shaving razor it would be very easy to cut yourself, but dont let that put you of, ive been converted from expensive cartridge type razors for a number of years now and use my safety razor every day and very rarely cut myself. In a nut shell i love the Parker 99R coupled with a good soap and blade you wont get much better and the price is very resonable, i had my eye on a vintage Gillette Fatboy as i love that solid build quality but the short handle put me of whereas the Parkers handle alone is 4 inches, now if parker made the 99R adjustable (like the Fatboy) then that would be somthing else. I always take the blade out and dry both the blade and the razor evertime i use it and with doing so i can see this lasting me a life time. So if you are after a good quality heavy duty razor that will last you a lifetime for a very reasonable price then buy this you wont be disapointed i promise you.

This is a heavy DE razor weighing in at 4oz in real measurements. the cut is a little aggressive but used with a light touch it performs well. used with preshave oil and bodyshop macca root shave cream. this and the 98r are the heaviest razors on the market, why weight? it gives that bit of extra control over the facial maneuvers needed to get at those stubble hairs that refuse to die in the morning, especially around the lower lip and jowls, used with Astra platinum blades for extra glide.Finished off with a cold rinse and Nivea aftershave balm, look out for that smooth BB face, it could be yours.Update 27/11/19.I have just persuaded a colleague to buy one of these plus the Astra blade pack, he said, " I noticed the difference with the first stoke, far superior to disposables" another score for the DE community.

I started DE shaving about two months ago as a response to the many thousands of tons of waste plastic that disposable razors account for, its actually quite unbelievable. I bought a decent name razor for about £13..and it was good, and I couldn't believe what a close shave I got. However, as time went by, I noticed that I had missed cutting in places and I ended up learning that I had to shave 2 or three times (it's a learning curve). I always thought that it was down to the razor blades. And then I started to read some of the reviews and took a chance. How wrong had I been? This razor made all the difference. I don't know whether it's the heavier weight or the longer handle, but I now get an even closer shave with just one shave. Highly recommended and worth every penny. DE shaving not only gives you a better shave, its also a whole lot cheaper than the now quite expensive disposables...I kid you not. A fresh blade actually lasts me up to two weeks. And it all helps to stop all of the plastic pollution.