Parker, 96R Graphite Gray Long Handle Butterfly Open Double Edge Safety Razor for Men, 5 Parker Premium Platinum Double Edge Razor Blades Included

"Look pal, I didn't ask for your shaving life story."YEAH WELL YOU'RE GONNA GET IT ANYWAY.When I was maybe five or six years old, I received an AVON boy's toy shaving kit. I found a picture of a vintage one on Etsy: https://img0.etsystatic.com/000/0/6404262/il_fullxfull.286952360.jpgThe fake, chunky blue plastic 'razor' approximated what I saw my dad shave with daily -- disposable yellow-handle Bics. It was fun to pretend I was shaving alongside him.Fast-forward to ages twelve through fourteen. I got myself a Gillette "SensorExcel" twin-bladed razor to shave the little dirt-stache growing above my lip. That was my introduction into 'real' shaving and the modern disposable razor market. I used that type of razor for years, progressing along with the industry and its ridiculous push towards three, four, and five-bladed disposable razor heads. SNL skits about twelve-bladed razors seemed prescient when the market was still 'only' at three.Several years back in my mid-to-late twenties, I decided to ditch that wagon and started looking into straight razors. I bought and eventually sold a beautifully-designed and expensive razor after attempting to go the whole nine, strop and all. It was magnificent tool but required too much care and maintenance for my taste.I decided to pivot to the type of straight razor that my barber uses -- they aren't allowed to used fixed-blade razors for sanitary reasons, so they use what's basically a straight razor *handle* that accepts one-half of a disposable double-edged razor blade. I bought a Parker SR1 Stainless Steel Straight Edge Barber Razor and 5 Shark Super Stainless blades along with a bulk order of 100 blades and hadn't looked back since then.I'd been very happy with the Parker SR1 through my early-to-now-mid thirties, but at some point a few weeks ago it went missing. Not sure if it'd eventually turn up, I wanted to replace it but not with the same EXACT thing -- so I opted for a Parker DE razor instead. I'd been perusing DE razors back around the time I was originally researching straight razors, and decided now was the time to give one a chance...OH. OH MY. IT'S SO OBVIOUS NOW. IT'S ALL SO CLEAR TO ME.THIS is what I'd been raised on, yet took until adulthood to understand. That fake, chunky blue plastic razor I played with as a kid wasn't emulating my dad's crappy disposable Bic, it was emulating THIS, a DE-style safety razor. Those DE blades weren't made to be snapped in half and inserted into a shavette handle, they were made for THIS, to be dropped in whole and locked in place behind two butterfly doors.In my personal view... after using all sorts of razors, this basic DE safety razor design is the pinnacle of razor achievement. The razor industry fooled people with their cheapo handles and their expensive replacement blade cartridges. It should have stopped at the DE design of quality handles and cheap replacement blades, but "innovation" and capitalism go hand-in-hand. This type of razor is probably all I'll ever use now. It's much easier and safer to use than a straight razor / shavette, it accepts the same super-sharp and super-cheap replacement blades, and it's much easier to rinse and clean than those cheapo disposable razors that get clogged up on the inside after one stroke. For me, this is perfect.-----Now, with SPECIFIC regard to the Parker 96R model -- I don't know if this in particular is the pinnacle of DE safety razors, but I'm certainly happy with it. I'm surprised 'Long Handle' is in the title -- I'm a short dude and don't have especially large-sized hands, but this handle didn't seem particularly long to me at all. If *this* is a long handle, then do other DE razors have just a little nubbin of a handle and that's it? I don't know. The handle on this is... sufficient in length. It has a nice weight to it. The butterfly doors seem to open and close fine. I notice curves in the center hole of DE razor blades that aren't incorporated on the inside mechanism of the Parker, so I *imagine* it's possible that other DE razors do incorporate those into their design to lock the razor blade more evenly and precisely in place. On this one, it's possible to have one side of the razor jut out a fraction of a millimeter more so than on the other side. It hasn't been a big deal during use, just an observation.In retrospect, it's funny that the toy razor I played with as a kid approximated a better razor design than what I'd end-up using for the next ~25+ years of my life, and it took me literally this long to realize it. Even if I eventually find my Parker SR1, I'm pretty certain I'll be using the Parker 96R as my regular razor from now on.

Purchasing this razor has been a superlative experience in my life. I struggle with the irritation caused by disposable razors, but I really like the close shave that I get when shave with a Gillette multiple blade razor (mach 3, etc.). I have used this razor almost every day since I received it and have yet to see a single irritated bump on my sensitive face. I also purchased it with an escali badger hair brush and some taylor sandalwood shaving soap - both excellent. The whole experience of shaving has been forever and totally improved for me. I've used the blade about 6 times now and it shows no sign of becoming less effective. So, in short, I have discovered a way to shave that is more enjoyable, unbelievably more affordable, produces absolutely no irritation to my face, and it is all thanks to this razor.This particular razor is super easy to use, the doors open effortlessly and close dependably. It feel heavy and sturdy in my hand, but not at all bulky or cumbersome. The weight of the razor does all the work for you - you need not apply any pressure for a good shave. The finish is attractive and the operation is smooth. I would definitely suggest this ultra affordable alternative to anyone who shaves anything. I will never be going back to disposable razors or any other inferior shaving product.I will warn those that shaving with this is not like shaving with a mach3. Make sure you research the proper technique and save yourself some nicks. I did not and for my first shave I got a fair amount of nicks and cuts (however, after i used a styptic pencil to stop the bleeding - there was absolutely zero razor burn in spite of my poor technique). There are a ton of resources about how to shave with a safety razor and this particular company actually provides information when they send you the product, I just should have listened to the advice more attentively the first time!You can trust these sellers - they have been very forthright and attentive from the moment I purchased my item. They have made sure to contact me before and after the purchase to ensure my satisfaction. I typically do not write reviews, but this has been such a perfect buying experience, I could not pass on the opportunity to hopefully lead some other people to making this 100% in every way best possible shaving decision. Do it, ge this razor (or a different model from this company - we all have different tastes, but the quality will not falter, I can assure you). Your face and your wallet will thank you.