Parker 78R Razor: A Closer Shave Than Ever

[Updated October, 2023] I got a Parker 78R three piece safety razor to put it through its paces.  Here is my report.

Background

[Note: Parker/Super Safety Razor links are affiliate.]

From the Parker/Super Safety Razor website:

*Just introduced* The Parker 78R 3-piece double edge safety razor has a highly textured electroplated handle that makes it terrific for use with wet and soapy hands. Parker’s newly designed razor head delivers an excellent shave – both close and comfortable – it is mild yet efficient, excellent for both men and women.

PRECISION ENGINEERED 3 PIECE HEAD – This razor has a 3 Piece modern razor head which has been designed to minimize cuts due to its precise blade angle and exposure. It is an excellent choice for beginners and veteran safety razor users.

Three-piece safety razors disassemble into three separate pieces for easy and precise blade alignment. The three-piece razors offered by Parker Safety Razor are quality pieces designed to last for many years. This design dates back to safety razors from the early 1900’s. Parker has enhanced this traditional design with modern materials and etchings that set the brand apart from others on the market today….

Weight: 2.9 oz.

Length: 4 in.

Material: Solid Brass frame with textured electroplated dark gray graphite finish for improved grip

My Experience With The Parker 78R

Out of the box the 78R looks a little slim, but nice. There are three plating options–Chrome, Satin Chrome, and Graphite (I got the Graphite version).  It is definitely not one of Parker’s “heavy duty” razors, coming in at a svelte 2.9 ounces. Some of the other Parker three piece razors weigh about the same, though their “heavyweight”  twist-to-open razors hit 4+ ounces.

The “fit and finish” of my razor is quite good–better than I expected in fact, given the “value” pricing of the razor.

Handle

Many will notice that the 78R’s handle is fairly “skinny” with a diameter smaller than many other safety razors.  However in practice I did not experience any problems with the smaller diameter: the handle’s deep texturing more than makes up for any shortfall.  Personally I prefer a handle with a larger diameter but I found the grip and handling characteristics of the razor quite secure.

Head

The head of the 78R razor is a new design for Parker–it is not the same as Parker’s other three piece heads. The scalloping of the head’s skin guard bar is also slightly different.  This head fully covers the tabs of the typical double edge blade.

Parker tells me that the engineering/design of the head is slightly less aggressive than their other three piece heads (more on that in a moment).

The Shave

 

Let’s talk more about the Parker 78R’s “aggressiveness.”  Geofatboy’s video below gives it a “6 out of 10” for aggressiveness, or a little more than baseline.

I do not agree with that.  I prefer “mild” razors and I think the 78R feels noticeably milder than Parker’s other three piece razors.  However, I wonder if that is partly because there is a little less “blade feel” than the other Parker three pieces (it’s still there, but less).  On the other hand I get a pretty easy three-pass “BBS” shave out of it!

So I wonder if it might be more appropriate to use “Leisureguy’s” razor rating method here: I find the 78R is comfortable and efficient.

Other Reviews Of The Parker 78R

As the Park 78R razor is new, there are very few reviews available.  I did find this, though:

Conclusion

The Parker 78R three piece safety razor is another fine example of Parker’s “value” philosophy.  I think, a few nit-picks aside, it’s an excellent razor for its price point.  You can find the 78R on Super Safety Razor’s website: use coupon code MANTIC78R for a free Parker black  leather razor cover with a purchase of any of the 78R models.