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| Parker Variant with the charcoal handle. |
But there was (past tense) just one fly in the ointment. For those users with skin that is extremely susceptible to tiny nicks or for some who wanted to use the sharpest blades (Feather brand), at its mildest setting, the Variant was perhaps just not quite mild enough.
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| Parker Variant with the satin-chrome handle. |
But I found the simple solution, which I used this morning. As a matter of fact I'm still basking in the quiet satisfaction of a truly close and comfortable shave -- one of my best ever.
What has taken the Variant from a very good razor to the best is the addition of a shim -- a reverse shim to be more specific.
A reverse shim is an edge-less blade inserted between the top cap and the blade that actually does the shaving.
A reverse shim makes a DE razor less aggressive. A normal shim (referred to simply as a shim, with no preceding modifier) is placed between the blade and the baseplate, and makes a DE razor more aggressive.
The shim is made by taking an old DE blade and trimming off just the cutting edges with a pair of scissors.
Unlike a DE blade used for cutting whiskers, a shim doesn't wear out and can be used indefinitely.
If you're considering a new DE razor -- and perhaps the only razor you'll ever need -- consider adding the Parker Variant to your shave den. Click on the graphic above to shop for your Variant.
Happy ideal shaving!
Hi Doug,
ReplyDeleteI'm glad that my reverse shim suggestion worked better than expected in your Parker Variant. Achieving one of your "best ever" shaves is great news! :) Thanks for your update, too, on what happened when you placed a reverse shim in your Gillette Slim Adjustable. Reverse and normal shims are trickier with TTOs, but who knows? Maybe the reverse shim will also work with that razor, too.
Reverse shims are very good, but my favorite safety razor modification is still tape strips under the cap edges because tape strips can decrease both blade exposure and guard span in razors like the Parker Variant for even less aggressiveness. Plus, once you set the tape on the cap, you can leave it alone and it doesn't add an extra piece to the setup. Here is the link to my razor modification guide for those that missed it from before:
https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/wiki/Modifying_Safety_Razors
Good luck with your experimentation. I hope that you continue to get better and better shaves. :)
SBTN - It's good that you re-posted the b&b link, which is recommended reading!
DeleteThe Variant straight up has been excellent for me. Two passes, first on 3 then on 2, sometimes just on 3 again. It's my daily driver, time to buy another for long term storage.
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