Parker 99R Review

When it comes to safety razors, one of the best budget-friendly brands out there is Parker Safety Razor.

One razor that captures the attention of a lot of men is the 99R. Taking a page out of Merkur 38Cs playbook, the Parker 99R is a weighty, closed comb razor with a swirled handle design.

But is it worth considering?

In this review, we take an in-depth look at the Parker 99R razor and let you know everything you need to make an informed decision.

Let’s go!

Highlights

Features	Parker 99R
Comb	Closed
Safety Bar	Straight
Head Composition	Brass
Handle Composition	Brass
Handle	Swirl
Plating	Chrome
Country of Origin	India
Blade Compatibility	All double-edge safety razors
Number of Pieces	1
Weight (oz)	4
Weight (g)	113
Length (in)	3.8
Length (cm)	9.6
Price	$32

Weight

The Parker 99R weighs a hefty 4.0 ounces. This is heavier than the Merkur 38C (3.88 ounces), Parker 96R (2.79 ounces), and Edwin Jagger DE89 (2.36 ounces) – making it one of the heavier options out there.

Why is this important, you may be wondering…

Weight directly impacts not only how the razor feels in your hand but also how the razor performs. With greater weight, more stability is transferred to your hand, resulting in greater accuracy and shaving efficiency.

However, it’s a balancing act.

Razors that are too heavy or too light can cause skin irritations, nicks, and cuts. The optimal weight of a razor depends on many factors, including the thickness of your hair, the length, the sharpness of the blade, and the cutting angle at which you hold the razor.

While there is no true ‘ideal weight’ for a razor, we recommend a weight that is comfortable for you to hold and maneuver. A good starting point is around 3 to 4 ounces – which the 99R firmly places itself into this sweet spot.

For comparison, here is a chart showing how the 99R stacks up to the rest of the field:

Here’s a table with all the weight of several popular safety razors so you can see how the Parker 99R compares:

Safety Razor	Weight (ounces)	Weight (grams)
Parker 99R	4.00	113
Bevel	3.10	88
Edwin Jagger DE89	2.36	67
Feather AS-D2	3.40	96
Merkur 23C	2.12	60
Merkur 34C	2.72	77
Merkur 37C	2.72	77
Merkur 38C	3.88	110
Merkur Futur	4.44	126
Muhle R41	3.17	90
Muhle R89	2.40	68
Muhle Rytmo	2.47	70
OneBlade Core	2.33	66
Parker 96R	2.79	79

Length

At 3.80” in length, the Parker 99R shouldn’t feel too long nor too short, making it a comfortable size for most men.

To put the length into context, the 99R is still shorter than the two other razors that it is often compared to, the Merkur 38C (4.00“) and Parker 96R (4.30″).

When holding and using the 99R, expect greater precision and control when shaving your face, particularly around the neck and mustache area. Additionally, you should have no problem making confident and precise strokes for sideburns, goatees, and other edging tasks.

Here’s a chart comparing the length of the Parker 99R to other safety razors:

Here’s a table with the length of the Parker 99R alongside comparable safety razors:

Safety Razor	Length (in)	Length (cm)
Parker 99R	3.80	10
Bevel	4.41	11
Edwin Jagger DE89	3.74	10
Feather AS-D2	3.54	9
Merkur 23C	4.20	11
Merkur 34C	3.19	8
Merkur 37C	3.31	8
Merkur 38C	4.00	10
Merkur Futur	4.25	11
Muhle R41	4.21	11
Muhle R89	3.75	10
Muhle Rytmo	3.70	9
OneBlade Core	4.53	12
Parker 26C	3.75	10
Parker 55SL	4.00	10
Parker 96R	4.30	11
Parker Variant	4.00	10

Handle

Like the Merkur 38C, nicknamed ‘The Barberpole,’ the swirling handle, the Parker 99R razor provides an elegant design. Unfortunately, this leads to a less than confident grip that can be a bit more slippery when compared to other handle types (i.e., diamond knurled).

So be sure to have a small towel nearby to keep your hands nice and dry when shaving.

Pieces

The Parker 99R is a one-piece safety razor – this design is commonly referred to as a butterfly razor.

You can easily change the blade with a simple twist of the handle.

The handle and cap are all attached to one another. So unlike a two or three-piece razor, regularly cleaning or disinfecting this razor won’t be nearly as easy. Plus, with moving parts, the razor will degrade with regular use over the years.

Performance

When shaving with the Parker 99R razor, you can expect a fairly mild and comfortable shave. This razor is not too aggressive, so it is a good choice for beginners.

If you desire closeness, the Parker 99R can still provide smooth results by making multiple passes – particularly across and against the grain without too much irritation. The heavier body of the razor lends itself to good control and stability.

Country of Origin

The Parker 99R is made in India. While not normally associated with precision engineering and craftsmanship like Germany and Japan, it still is of acceptable quality. Furthermore, the production of Parker razors in India results in a significantly cheaper product, which many consider when purchasing.

For comparison, the Merkur 38C costs approximately $60, whereas the Parker 99R costs a modest $32.

Nearly 50% savings.

Blades

Just like other safety razors, the Parker 99R can be used with all types of double-edge razor blades. Allowing you to find the right razor blade for your skin and facial hair type.

So you are free to test all the popular brands, including Feather, Astra, Derby, and more, without being locked into a proprietary system.

Reviews

The consensus is quite positive when analyzing feedback across several online stores, social media (Reddit, YouTube), and forums. With an average 4.5/5 star rating, poor reviews were few and far between.

Here’s what we found:

Parker 99R is a budget-friendly razor that many reviewers found to be a great value. The razor is said to have a good finish, weight, and grip.

However, some reviewers found the razor difficult to use, especially around the nose. Additionally, some reviewers found that the quality of the razor deteriorated after a year or so of use.

Here is a video review of the Parker 99R to see it in action:

Other Parker Safety Razors

Parker also offers a few other safety razors that you may have come across in your research:

• Parker 96R: Good for beginners. It has a butterfly opening like the 99R that makes it easy to rotate blades, and the results are smooth results after a few passes.
• Parker Variant: For intermediate wet-shavers that want to fine-tune their shave. The adjustable safety bar allows you to customize the aggressiveness of the shave, and the diamond-knurled handle provides a nice grip.
• Parker 26C: An open comb razor that can plow through thick, dense facial hair. Provides a nice bite to the shave.

Here’s a table comparing some of Parker’s most popular razors:

Features	Parker 99R	Parker 96R	Parker Variant	Parker 26C	Parker 55Sl	Parker Adjustable Single Edge Injector
Comb	Closed	Closed	Closed (Adjustable)	Open	Slant	N/A
Safety Bar	Straight	Straight	Scalloped	None	Scalloped	Straight
Head Composition	Brass	Brass	Brass	Brass	Brass	Stainless Steel
Handle Composition	Brass	Brass	Brass	Brass	Brass	Stainless Steel
Handle	Swirl	Knurled	Knurled	Knurled	Knurled	Plastic
Plating	Chrome	Graphite, Chrome	Graphite, Chrome	Graphite, Chrome	Graphite, Chrome	N/A
Country of Origin	India	India	India	India	India	India
Blade Compatibility	All double-edge safety razors	All double-edge safety razors	All double-edge safety razors	All double-edge safety razors	All double-edge safety razors	Injector blades only
Number of Pieces	1	1	2	3	3	1
Weight (oz)	4	2.79	3.87	3.4	3.4	1.24
Weight (g)	113	79	110	96	96	35
Length (in)	3.8	4.3	4	3.75	4	4.96
Length (cm)	9.6	10.9	10.2	9.5	10.2	12.6
Price	$32	$30	$57	$32	$32	$34

The Verdict

Overall, the Parker 99R is a good-performing safety razor. Here’s what we liked and didn’t like about it: