My Parker 92R came in yesterday and I am excited to give this razor a go. It is my first Parker so I am excited to see how it will perform. As with many razors I pick up I try to provide a first impression account followed by a review a few days later. Along with the first impression I try to provide a comparison with another razor. I was a bit torn as to which razor to use for a comparison, I thought about using the RazoRock TTO because both razors have a one piece design, I considered the Edwin Jagger 89lbl – simply because I love it, but decided on the Merkur 23C (aka Merkur 180) because it is comparably priced and if you are looking for you first razor provides a nice comparison of not only two types of razors, but also two brands. The 23C is also useful for those more familiar with classic shaving because it tends to be a known razor.

First Look

One of the things I was looking forward to with the Parker 92R was its weight. It is referred to as the ‘Ultra Heavy Weight’ – I was excited to get my hands on it – once I did I was a bit surprised to find it to be lighter than I imagined it would be. The official weight is 59 grams, I don’t have any real concept of what 59 grams feels like, but it doesn’t feel like much. Just for the record the 23C comes in at 50 grams, and it does feel lighter than the Parker. Next to the weight the handle is what stood out to me straight away, it has a nice feel and size, and looks good (more on the handle below). Overall, without a really close inspection, the razor felt like it was a quality razor.

Assembly

The Parker 92R has a single piece, butterfly design; twisting the handle opens the bay doors allowing you to replace your blade. For the most part I prefer the three piece design like that of the Merkur 23C, I really shouldn’t because the one piece design makes it much easier to replace blades, but with that trade off you have moving parts, and moving parts can go wrong. But the Parker seems to be built quite well and I don’t anticipate and problems, at least not in the near future.

The Handle

Most of my razor handles are made from chrome so the black Parker handle is a nice departure. The handle is patterned (click on image to get a better view) and is made out of, what seems like, plastic or some type of rubber plastic mix. It seems as though it will provide excellent grip, and it feels good to hold. The handle on Parker 92R is thicker than the chrome handle of the Merkur 23C, but not quite as long. I don’t really have an issue with razors slipping from my hand, but if you are concerned, the Parker 92R definitely would be the razor with the better grip.

The Cutting Head

As mentioned above the Parker 92R has a butterfly design to it and as a result is slightly more bulky, at least compared to the closed comb head of the Merkur. Visually the two heads seem to be more or less similar in terms of blade angle, with the Parker having a bit more of a blade gap.

Final Thoughts

The Parker 92R, at least with a closer look, seems to be a quality razor, and could make for a nice first razor or as addition to your current line-up. I had a unfounded bias towards the Parker line up until now. I’m not sure where, or how it developed, but I always favored the the Merkur and the Edwin Jagger’s. Having had a chance to take a look at one up close, the bias was really misdirected. I can’t speak on performance yet, but I will post a review in a week or so after I have had a chance to use the razor a few times.