Parker THE VARIANT CLOSED COMB - ADJUSTABLE Double Edge Safety Razor, Customize your Shave with a Turn of the Dial from Mild to Aggressive - 5 Blades Included (ROSE GOLD)

I purchased this razor as a replacement for my Futur adjustable which was lost by the airlines. Futur was very nice so why didn't I purchase another? More on that to come, but now let me tell you my first impressions having used this Parker for the first time moments ago. The Parker is solid and shaves beautifully. The more aggressive settings work well for my first pass, dialing down to a less aggressive setting for subsequent passes gave me a baby smooth shave with no irritation. Now let's compare. The Parker is much safer. The blade adjustment mechanism is accessed from the base of the handle, not by swiveling the business end of the razor as in the Futur's case. I sliced my finger making a blade adjustment during a shave with the Futur. Also, the checkering on the handle made for a secure grip. Second, the head design on the Parker Variant is slimmer and less bulky, making it much easier to shave the upper lip and just under the nostril area. Finally, the razor's design makes it easier to clean and keep maintained. Some disassembly was required on the Futur to completely clean the razor compartment. The reason I tried this razor instead of just repurchasing my lost Futur was because of the way the company owner helped me with an issue I had on a previous purchase. He quickly took care of my issue and made everything very easy for me. We chatted and I mentioned I lost my old razor and he mentioned the Variant. Because of his personal attention and interest, I bought the Variant. Thanks Howie!

This razor is awesome! I decided to make the change from disposable razors to a safety razor a little over a year ago. My reasoning was the cost of disposable and the coolness factor of the old school razors. I started out with the cheap $15 plastic feather razor with the supplied feather blades for ease of use and cost. When I finally figured out what i was doing with a safety razor I figured it was time for a upgrade. With so many options on the market i had no clue where to start so I started researching. Every razor seemed to have different shaves and different characteristics. I went back and forth between so many razors. I almost even got more confused. It finally came down to parker. Parkers have been around for a while, their cost didn’t break the bank and they have so many great reviews everywhere so that helped me choose a brand. Now to choose what parker? I went back and forth between was the 99r and the variant. I liked that the 99r had the butterfly but the variant was adjustable. I finally decided to fork out a little more and go adjustable. Not that the 99r would have been a bad choice but for the fact I could choose my shave with the variant. Im really glad i did too! My first shave with the variant i put it on the 4 setting. It was good for my face but irritated the h... out of my neck! The next shave i stuck with 4 on my face and cranked it down to 2.5 for my neck. It was the best shave of my life! I would highly recommend anyone who has never shaved or is newer to wet shaving to look into a adjustable safety razor. Not saying the non adjustable are bad but you might choose one thats not right for you and that would ruin the whole experience. With the adjustable if its too harsh you can just move it down to the next setting and shave away! Now for the razor. I chose the gun metal color. The razor looks awesome! The weight and balance feel great. The length is a little shorter than I expected but i had no issues while using it. I was a little worried about the loading of the blades over the butterfly but they are a breeze to load with the 2 piece design. Overall I don’t regret my decision one bit and would highly recommend this razor to anyone from beginner to experienced.

Hopefully this comparison review might give you some extra information in your research and save you time. I started DE shaving about two years ago, so I not an expert, but have some good experience. My latest and most expensive razor purchase is the Parker Variant. I’ve bought and tried maybe ten-fifteen lower-cost razors previously and give away all but the top few. Shave: The Variant gives a great shave for me on level 3 with Derby Extra blades and Edge orange-cap gel. I got sbout at week of double-pass shaves from one 10 cent blade. Grip: I like that the Variant has knurling on the handle. It does help some. I hold the razor a bit higher though with my fore-finger above where there is no knurling. Build quaily and function: The quality seems good and functions and adjusts really well. Rinsing: I really like the long and completely open channels for rinsing, and do not clog or have reasonable potential to clog like the multi-blade disposables do. Easy to rinse and does not delay shaving. Loading a blade: Easy to load a blade. With the Variant hold the top cap by the ends then loosen about three turns, pull off the head, dump the blade, load a new blade over the screw and pins, hold the new blade on by the ends, load the cap back to the body with about three turns to bottom out, then adjust back to height setting. Adjustment: I grasp the razor head with thumb on top and handle between first two fingers. Twist the bottom of the handle. Appearance: My personal Variant that I bought has a matte finish that is a little more gold or amber than a sliver color. I like the matte finish for its slickness. The black coating on the handle of the Variant is a bit translucent and generally lighter than I thought, which doesn’t hurt its performance and looks fine. Under the nose: Not able to easily get all the whisker up high under my nose. I use another razor with thinner head to be sure to get them all. The Variant leaves the blade exposed on the edges, which you could cut your nose with the side of the blade if you are not careful enough. Safety-bar-comb: The Variant has a slight not-open skid pad, diagonal, and about 4mm wide. In conclusion, the Variant is a very good razor, handsome and manly (R-R-R) on the bathroom counter! It is not my favorite though. Happy shaving! Update: I found the Schick Injector and have a new favorite. I have a 60’s non-adjustable and a 70’s adjustable used from eBay with blades from Amazon. Fantastic blade life, easiest shaves, long blade life. I gave my Variant to a friend.

I am a fan of wet shaving and dabble in electric shaving on and off depending boredom. My go to wet razor is an old Gillette barndoor type that my grandfather used in the late fifties and I own a few higher end German DE razors that I really don’t like the ergonomics. My Braun electric razor broke again ( no matter what I spend I get about a year of daily use out of a Braun of electric razor before they break ) and I decided to go back to wet shaving exclusively and as we all know that requires me to try another new DE razor. Wanted to get an adjustable razor this time and based upon my dislike of the German brand slippery handle styling I decided to go with the Parker. The Parker is well made and solid feeling with a slightly longer handle compared to the old school Gillette with a really nice grippy texture. The head is a bit larger than I am used to but that is to be expected based upon the design. Loaded a German brand blade which happen to be my favorite blades... go figure right? Lathered up and adjusted to a setting of two and this razor provided a nice three pass smooth shave, keep in mind I shave daily so no major growth. Very comfortable handle with no slipping like the more expensive German brand DE razor, attack angle and head size were quickly manageable and provided a satisfying and comfortable shave with no damage to my face. Based upon the first shave ( within a minute or two I can just tell if a DE razor is going to work for me) and the fact that I have been wet shaving for 40 years I am more than happy with the Parker adjustable razor price and performance, I look forward to using this razor daily.

My First Impression..... Lots of Pros: Nice heavy feel to head as you let it slide down your face. Ick. Creepy, but true. I loved the grip, which is very non-slip. It fit even my large hands well. I think that because the balance is more toward the head (than that of my butterfly razors) that my hold on this is naturally more toward the middle and I don't miss that it is not a "long handle" version. Good looking razor... Quality looks great on this one, too. I think it will last a long time. The last few millimeters that you tighten the head down with are against a spring, so that you can stop before the tightest setting. This is how it is adjustable. I plan to store it, not all the way unscrewed, but enough to where the head is not pushing on the spring. I bet that will give the spring a much longer life. I think since it is adjustable, I'll be able to make use of the Feather and Astra blades that I got in an assortment. They were too aggressive and cut me too often on my Weishi long handle. (Of course, I may need more training in proper angle.) I also love the way the hair and soap under the blade edges is so easily cleared away. I don't know if all non-butterfly razors are this way, but I love it. I often shave with 2-3 days of growth on my beard. Based on some reviews, I started at setting 1.5 and did not nick myself with the Shark blade. Even at 2, my throat-area problem areas were safe. Great sound to this razor as well. If you wet shave partially for the experience, then this will be another thing about it that you enjoy. Minor Cons: I don't like the Shark blades that come with it. didn't like them in my Weishi either. They're kinda okay, but I found the Derby, Trig, Big Ben, and Lord blades worked better for my face (at least in the Weishi). I have three butterflys: Weishi Long Handle, Van Der Hagen, and a Dorco. After first impression with the Variant, this one beats them all. General Warnings: 1. Like one reviewer said, be careful if you rinse it with hot water while you shave. The head will/can get very hot. 2. Be careful about shaving in the shower. There have been lots of instances of infections because the razors and blades stay so moist. Warmth and moisture is prime bacterial breeding ground. I just don't do it. Wastes water anyway.

Not paid, this is a free, real endorsement. Highly recommend the Parker Variant. I don’t know about the whiners who say it’s cheap, mine is solid. The following is my advice, particularly for beginners. I’ve been wet shaving with cartridges for over thirty years. Recently got into DE shaving as a result of burning through the remainder of my Gillettes. I’ll write an apology letter to their marketing department for being a toxic male later. I started a month ago with the Merkur 33C, which is a worthy razor. Just buy the Parker Variant, it’s more versatile for your every shaving need, adjustable and solid. It’s not rocket science to learn how to use an adjustable razor. Go on YouTube, study geofatboy among others. For those wanting to minimize costs and aren’t interested in buying 12 DE razors for every need, the Parker Variant more than covers you for most shaving. I particularly like being able to dial it up for parts of my cheeks and dial it down for my chin or other areas where you can get weepers. Other advice, try to get the most aggressive razor you think you can get by with. Whatever works, if nothing else, get a variety pack of different blades to experiment with what works for you. Get a decent shaving soap. I got GBS shave soap with their dish and brush. The shave soap itself is nothing to write home about. If I had to do it over again, I’d just get some Proraso and mix it with a badger brush in a coffee cup to save some money. I got some pre-shave to oil to start with. It helps, but if you have a decent shave soap, you’ll be ok without it on a budget. Shave balm or aftershave is nice, but not really necessary, again, if you’re on a budget. Now, alum block, that’s the bomb. I bought some alum and it makes a good shave into a great shave. About 45 seconds of minor sting makes the rest of the day great. To sum, the Parker Variant is a great razor, get some good shave cream, alum and a good badger brush. I’ll be working on some Personna and Feather blades. Go as aggressive as you think you need to avoid too many passes that create burns and irritation. Happy DE shaving.

So I normally don't write reviews, just do not have the time. However this is one I need to write. So I got on the band wagon to try a straight razor oh, its the "cool" and "manly" way to shave (I know this is a safety, I am getting to that). Spent over $200 between the straight razor (Dovo), strop, strop paste and strop conditioner. Even bought a parker shavette to try first (nice scar under my nose to prove it!). All in the pursuit of the "perfect shave" with less irritation. Went through the stropping, lather and about 30-40 mins later had a great shave. However also lost a layer of skin! The straight is really cool and you have a feeling of accomplishment when done but it takes time, a lot of time to get it right. In comes the Parker Variant safety. I was not hip on going back to a safety (learned how to shave on one 40 years ago) but needed a faster shave option and the cartridge leaves my face scraped up. SO THIS THING ROCKS! I got a kick A$$ shave in the first pass. Had a few nicks but each shave they are becoming less and less. My face is baby smooth (Wife likes it big time, worth the money just for that :P). So what I have learned that works best is I use Feather blades (work great just don't put a lot of pressure or OUCH you will be bleeding. I do three passes (could get by with one but want that "ultimate shave") start with "3" with the grain, then "2" across the grain, lastly "1" against the grain (all but lip area, stick with across to keep the loss of blood down) and a final clean up with the "1". Oh, also, save your money on the fancy soaps, I have tried those as well and all they did was make my face burn. Nivea shave cream and the aftershave balm are great! and they are cheep! And if you want that "extra" hedge the bet in getting action, splash a little cologne on over the Nivea balm. Hey when you get the far side of 50 any hedge in getting some action is worth any cost!!! Not sure if I can recommend a You tube guy but Geofatboy has some great videos in how to shave. Thanks and good luck! Update: 2-23-22 I have been using this razor for well over 2 years now and it has an issue that the blade is exposed more on one side than the other. I contacted the vender and was shocked! They are replacing the razor. I guess it is a known issue. GREAT customer service!!! Aside of the issue with the side of the razor it has worked great, I learned to only use one side. Buy hey thought I would call them for advice as to a fix and they took great care of me!! Highly , Highly recommend!!!

Just getting into double edge shaving. Quite a learning curve and as many have advised try different products, especially the blades. Well I did and after about eight different blades I was still ending each shave with nicks, cuts, and scrapes. Then wondered if it was the razor I initially bought. Paid a hefty price and so kept working with it, with different blades, with different cream, and different prep techniques. Was about to give up on double edge shaving. Decided to spend even more on this adjustable model. Wow what a difference from the first shave. Now several shaves later I have had none of the nicks and cuts, plus a much more even and closer shave. I have only used the level 1 setting and will try upping the adjustment next shave. The razor is hefty and feels solid in the hand. Grip is very sculptured and thus no slipping in wet hand with shaving cream. My other razor was much lighter and shorter handle. Also had butterfly opening for blade changes which I prefer. But my first razor is cleaned, in its box, and will be donated to charity. Hopefully works for someone else. The first razor was highly rated on Amazon and other sites. But it was certainly not for me. This razor is a joy to use. A great shave. And feels great in the handling. Will learn to live with the blade change mechanism. In short this razor is expensive but totally worth it for me.