Edwin Jagger DE86

The EJ DE86 was my entry to DE shaving nearly four years ago, and to date I haven't found a reason to replace it. Is it aggressive? Is it mild? I have no idea; I've not tried other shavers to compare.

Some disparage 3-piecers, but I like having the ability to pull the EJ apart and clean thoroughly. The build is rock-solid and basically bombproof. The threads in the handle have developed a bit of a squeak recently when (dis)assembling, but I chalk that up to soap residue and as a sign that I need to give it a cleaning.

My beard is on the finer, softer side, yet I also use pre-shave oil and shaving cream, so I'm not exactly bushwhacking with this rig. It glides around very smoothly. I find that its compact size aids maneuverability for 3- and 4-pass shaves, and the balance is perfect. For the same reasons it was easy to master.

I love this razor - it was my first DE razor and it was the best choice for this.

I got the DE86 really cheap from a website that was getting rid of the long handled ladies' version with pearlised coloured handles. It was cheaper to buy this than to buy the head alone from the same website!

I wanted a long handle because I have big hands and arthritis, but the original handle lacked a bit of grip. This was easily fixed with an iKon special edition long handle ($32) or you could put any handle you like on it to get the heft, length and grip that suits you.

This razor is mild and forgiving, perfect for a beginner DE shaver but so pleasant to use that you could keep using it forever. Some people might complain that it is not aggressive/efficient enough for an experienced DE shaver but you could put a more aggressive blade in it. The head securely locks the blade into place so there is no chance of movement and the alignment is perfect.

The head is very well made and looks good. If you look after it there is no reason why it shouldn't last forever.

In summary I think this is the perfect beginner DE razor. Better than a Merkur 34c HD which many people say is a great beginner razor. I have given this same razor to two friends who are starting out in DE shaving and they love it too.

I got a great deal on mine but I know that they can get up to 40.00 to 60.00 here in LA.

This was second to last "Modern Razor" purchase and I have to admit that this is a great razor at any price. I have a problem with purchasing DE razors right now and have spent considerably more and less for my shaving obsession and after purchasing this one I don't see why you'd need to spend more for a good shave. This razor is not very aggressive but still does a great job, it is well balanced and the handle doesn't slip as long as its rinsed. The build quality looks like it will last forever and the size is perfect. You can really feel the quality in your hand and know it after you take your first stoke. Its easy to maneuver and I particularly like that the weight is in the head where it should be. You can let weight of the razor to the work and take you time but if you fond yourself in a hurry you can also do a quick shave safely without bloodshed. I think everyone should get one of these razors it will be part of your regular rotation after the first use.

The review form asked what I paid for this, but I just spotted these on Amazon.com, sold and shipped by Amazon, including free shipping .... are you ready for this? Are you sitting down?

$28.50

I can say with confidence you may find a better razor out there, and you may find a cheaper razor out there, but you categorically will not find a better razor cheaper than this one. The value proposition is unmatched, IMNSHO.

As has been mentioned, manufacturing quality, fit and finish on this are superb. While some prefer a TTO, I have both and have become a fan of the 3-piece. Hold the head in a towel while attaching the handle, I cannot imagine why folks feel they are more likely to get cut with this than with a TTO.

Weight and balance for me are about perfect. Grip is no issue, I have never dropped it. Wet hands are no problem, soapy hands could be, I admit, so rinse your fingers. Most reviewers don't mention grip as an issue. I gave it an 8 for grip, though, since a knurled metal handle is inargueably superior. But this is fine.

I have always been confused that folks call this a 'mild' razor. It is not. I finally went to a friend's house and shaved with a Merkur HD to figure out why folks say this. I concluded they are just wrong. This razor is extremely close to the Merkur HD in aggression, which is why these seem to be the two most popular recommendations for new DE shavers. While side-by-side this might be slightly less agressive than the HD, they are clearly next-door neighbors on Aggression Street. They are both medium-aggressive razors, and frankly you won't find a huge difference between these two. People talk about them like this is a Gillette Blue Tip and the HD is a Red Tip, and that is not subject to opinion, it's just plain false. Try them side by side with the same blade and soap/cream, and you will have to agree.

This was my first razor. I've used a Gillette Fat-Handled Tech, Gillette Slim Adjustable, and now the Merkur HD, and I have to say this is by far and away my favorite. For a very experienced shaver review of this razor, see GeoFatboy's YouTube on the Edwin Jagger.

You may find a razor you like better. But you will not find a better razor value than this, I guarantee it, with Amazon selling them, shipped, at under $30. Want to know my idea of an ideal starter shave kit?

Edwin Jagger $35 Best Badger brush in black
Edwin Jagger Sea Buckthorn Soap
Edwin Jagger Apothecary shave mug
Edwin Jagger DE89 (any color, chrome, black or white)

You will have super quality gear at reasonable prices. That's my story and I'm sticking to it!

My first DE was a Merkur HD and I love it, got the EJ and I loved the look of it but didnt like the shave I got at first. Now I prefer it to the Merkur, I think its a much smoother shave.

Well before this one I had a Merkur Progress that I used and that one razor served me well. Then I stumbled upon a person saying that the Edwin Jagger Razor was one of the best to be had. So I got one and it is pretty good.

At first I was taken aback at how aggressive this razor was..or the lack there of. And this razor aggressive setting is similar of a progress set 2, though with that you can still get a very close shave. With that in mind you do not get as much razor burn even if you go over the same area again and again. Even further more you can be a bit reckless and get away with it.
With the design it has you can be sure that the blade won't be off nor move which is great with the blade being sandwiched securely.

The weight is some what half the weight of the progress but I have grown accustomed to it. The balance is good. The look is great, the feel is good and very functional.

Though there are a few things that can be better. First off the handle can be a bit slippery if you do not rinse it off but that is easy enough. The blade replacement can be a bit irksome as well. Even then I am used to it, kinda fun to see how many safe ways to replace the blade you can find.

With that all in mind I think that this razor is very good and an even better buy. And yes the price is worth it. This is a great beginner's razor as well.

This is what I purchased for my first DE Razor and I think it was a good call. It is a very handsome peice and seems well built. I thought the smooth handle might be a problem, but it is not. I loaded it with a Feather Blade which was easier to put in that I assumed. I found the the balance to be very good for me and was able to produce a close nick free and cut free shave on my first DE Shave ever, so I would say that makes this razor a great start.

I've only used this razor for a week but I see no reason why I would ever want to change, The price is right ($35) the quality is superb and the balance and grip fits my way of shaving perfectly. It does not feel over aggressive and I can't really say that I need that in a razor either, perhaps if I changed blades (now I have some that I picked up at Wal-Mart) it would be more aggressive but this razor is doing a great job as it is. I'm new to DE razors so maybe my experience in aggressiveness isn't that great yet but I have been wet shaving for years with those multiple blade systems and this razor delivers a greater shave then those other ones have ever given me.

I also like that it is a three piece non-adjustable razor, that way I know when I have fastened the blade it won't change or move out of it's position and it makes it simpler for me to shave in the same consistent way every time and not having to worry about adjustment, fewer parts means less things that could go wrong (KISS - Keep It Simple Stupid) And even though changing the blades is not as easy as some other razors out there it doesn't take me many seconds to unscrew the pieces, change the blade and put it back together again.

As a conclusion I would definitely recommend this to any one looking for a DE razor and I don't think that the cost of $35 is much either, I'm sure that you can find other razors for less $ but if you are changing to a DE razor no matter what you have used before an initial investment of $35 is nothing if you consider that it's an investment that will last you much longer than any multiple blade system or electric shaver out there. Just look how often they release a new multiple blade system, how many blades are they up to now, five? Soon we'll probably see twice that!

A great razor, not really remarkable though. Used it for a week and went back to a cheap Parker. I keep wanting to bring it back into my routine, but I am only 6 weeks in and having great success with the Parker. I believe it is more aggressive and as my skill develops it should provide me with the shave I want (closer)

It is a beautiful design though and a very solid smooth head that glides very comfortably. It is very capable of serious razor burn though in unskilled hands (mine).

Perhaps I'm too new to DE shaving to be writing reviews but I just can't help myself! I've tried the Merkur 1904, Futur and Progress (in that order) but this is my current razor of choice. Perhaps greater experience will change my view but:-

Price: In the UK this razor costs £20 directly from Edwin Jagger which is a snip.

Quality: I have been singularly unimpressed by the finish of the Merkurs I've tried, especially considering how much they cost. This little beauty is faultless. I know (sort of) that the important thing is the quality of the shave so who cares that this razor is delivered in a decent carton?

Grip: No problems here but I can imagine this razor might be fiddly for guys with bigger hands.

Blade Replacement: I would prefer a 2 piece design but then handling blades requires care whatever the system.

Aggressiveness: This is where I have much to learn. If aggression is a positive attribute are we all working up to straight blades? I don't find this razor aggressive and as a newbie that suits me great.

Balance: This razor doesn't have the heft of others but what weight is there is well balanced.

If this had been my first DE I doubt I would have tried the others... but then again I would have been left wondering what I was missing... I'm sure that thought will return but for now I'm happy.

An inexpensive entry into the fancy, non-vintage, non-Merkur razor world, this Edwin Jagger is clearly very well made and should last basically forever.

Price - not heinously expensive. I got mine from Best Grooming Tools, which had surreally fast shipping.

Quality - Really well made, well packaged. As solid as a Merkur, and much more luxurious. The head especially is very heavy, clean and solid.

I'm not going to go category by category on the rest of this. It's a great three-piece razor, no surprises, a little more aggressive than a basic Merkur but not prone to gouging one's face off either. Really an elegant, well balanced, solid little razor.

Hello behrendprof:

Could you please post some additional pictures of this razor? It looks pretty cool, and I am planning on getting my first DE razor. I was wondering if this would be a good newbie razor for me? Is this a more secure razor than the DE-89 chrome (slippery) on the Rasage site? Thanks for any info.

I picked up this razor from Rasage Poulin recently and have been shaving with it for the past week. Thus far, I am extremely pleased.

Price - from RP, $36.99 CN plus about $10 CN for shipping. Not the least expensive but less that other EJ razors and quite competitive with Merkur, etc.

Quality - no problems here. Others have already commented on the quality of the Muhle-Pinsle head in this line of razors (the DE89L, specifically). The key difference between the two is this razor's faux ebony handle versus the textured 89L handle.

Grip - I also have an EJ Chatsworth razor and thus far I prefer the grip and straight lines of the 86. Less spinning in my fingers. This razor is not as secure as an HD in the hand, but it is not a problem.

Blade replacement - this is a three peice razor. I prefer two piece as I am confident one day I'm going to lose blood to a three piece.

Aggressiveness - This is interesting to me. I have also been using a new 38C and I find this razor gives me much better shaves. I can only guess that the size and mass of the 38C (which I thought would help) change my technique enough to erode the quality of the shave (both razors using Israeli Personnas). This little razor is shaving me about as aggressively as my HD.

Overall, I'm happy with this razor. It's good looking, comfortable, easy to use, and can be had at a pretty nice price. Looks like I'll have to sell the 38C becasue I like this much more.