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DE89 alternative?

I have a whole bunch of Gillettes, prefering pre-war Tech's and New Types. I also have an Edwin Jagger DE89 (the classic smooth handle). Pardon me, but I love that razor. It bothers me not that its zamac so lets ignore that and ignore that I have a few other contemporary razors.
I'd like to buy another DE89,, but it seems silly. So my question is this.. what would be a similar but a bit different razor to the DE89, about the same price range that would be a nice change in the rotation? (Lets ignore the Muhles, same head so ,, not a different razor)
Thoughts?
 
Italian Barber just released the RR MJ-90 a couple of days ago which might be exactly what you are looking for. It is a machined aluminum head which Joe claims to have "improved" the original DE89 design. It comes with his Ti handle and I almost pulled the trigger on it a couple of times. Even though I am not a big fan of the DE89 heads (I think it lacks character), I was very interested in any improvement to make the design better.
 
If you're in the US or Canada, the Fendrihan steel head mk2 has been getting good reviews. It's closer to the Merkur CC head design, but that one isn't too far off the EJ head.
I almost went for the RR MJ-90 and the Fendrihan mk1 and mk2, but I'm just not too keen on the design. Plus, I have a Giesen and Forsthoff open comb on the way in hope it would improve my opinion of the design (the GF being somewhat different, but should still be very similar).
The iKon ShaveCraft 101 could be similar in mildness, some say it's more efficient than the DE89 heads, some say it isn't so... I'm probably getting one once it's back in stock in the UK.
 
If you are lucky enough to encounter one of the old Weber razors (stainless steel)....

I found their head to be quite similar to the DE-89.

Good luck in your search, I traded my Weber DLC head for a stainless slant head several years ago and have been looking for a replacement ever since then without much luck, at least in the price range of most of us mortals.

.
 
(After rereading your post, I must say that my personal choice would be another 89 series razor!)
 
I am a fan of my Edwin Jagger DE86 (a DE89 with a black handle), enough so that I got a clone (Maggards V3) and later a EJ DES89L (lined short handled DE89). With different sized or weight handles they'll perform slightly differently and if you love the DE89 I don't see why having the same head would be a problem. The Muhle probably shaves a little different due to a slightly different handle (I have to try one of my DE89 heads on my Muhle r41's handle to essentially create a r89 and see).

That said, I found the Merkur safety bar head to be a similar experience while different enough it might keep you interested. I got mine on the 38c since I like long handles (and preferred them for a while). Now that I also love short handles I'll probably have to get the 34HD or 33 as well.

If what you like about the DE89 is the mild to medium aggression maybe go a bit different? Try a mild to medium open comb. I love my RazoRock OLD Type OC, and from what I read the Merkur open combs may be milder than the RR or the safety bar DE89.
 
Reading back the OP, the first razor that springs to mind is Merkur 34c HD. Both offer a similar shave, but the 34c is different enough in feel/balance to warrant the purchase.

Personally I'd go in a different direction.
For variety, I'd look at a slant razor and perhaps a modern OC. I'm a bit biased towards slants as I have one on my shopping list.
If you want to keep the DE89 feel, I'd experiment more with different handles. The default handles on my DE86 are actually a bulldog type handle from ebay or the Parker 26c's handle.
Both are significantly heavier than the original and offer a different balance with slightly more aggression/efficiency, which I like.

Also, if you want a little more efficiency, a shim can offer that at no extra cost.
I'd also give Kai blades a try in the DE89. They're slightly wider (by 0.2mm I believe) and thicker than most blades and they feel very similar to a shimmed razor to me.
I've only used a few of those so far, but I've been very impressed with their performance in all my razors, especially the DE86. Very sharp, very smooth and have great durability. I tossed them after the 8th shave, but I think they could have done a couple more with no problem (normally I toss my other blades after 2-3 uses).

Let us know what you decide.
 
I put the Maggard v3 head on the Muhle R89 handle and it works great. Yeah the heads themselves are pot metal but who cares? I've dropped everyone of my razors much higher than the 18" that people claim the posts will snap and they didn't.
 
The DE89 was my first DE Razor about 4 to 5 years ago. After it, I purchased the Merkur 34C HD. I still love the 34C, though the 41C/1904 and the Muhle R41 have stolen some thunder from it. Especially the 41C/1904!

As for the DE89? It sits in a metal box. I do give it mean and angry looks every now and then. Why? Looking back, it ruined my DE shaving experience. I look at it as a God-Awful razor now.

If someone asked me to recommend a beginner, intermediate, or expert DE Razor, I would say: MERKUR 34C HD, if they don't already have one.

The funny thing is that I purchased the 34C after I broke the central threading bar on the top cap of my DE89 (my only razor at the time). It didn't fall, I just went to screw it on one day (about an year from purchase) and boom, it snapped in half! part of the bar remained on the top cap and part of it remained in the handle. I was able to remove the part that remained in the handle. So, I rushed to purchase a replacement by seeing what other razor people were recommending and I quickly purchased the 34C. I love the 2-piece design. Edwin Jagger was kind enough to send me a replacement top cap for free though! But, I would never recommend the DE89 to anyone. The purchase wasn't completely in vain though, the DE89's Barley handle is nice and fits my R41 head and my 41C/1904 head perfectly.
 
Wow,, great and thoughtful guidance! Lots of interesting choices... not saying what i'll do but I WILL report back once i've got something to compare to the DE89
thanks lots!!!!!!!!!
 
The DE89 was my first DE Razor about 4 to 5 years ago. After it, I purchased the Merkur 34C HD. I still love the 34C, though the 41C/1904 and the Muhle R41 have stolen some thunder from it. Especially the 41C/1904!

As for the DE89? It sits in a metal box. I do give it mean and angry looks every now and then. Why? Looking back, it ruined my DE shaving experience. I look at it as a God-Awful razor now.

If someone asked me to recommend a beginner, intermediate, or expert DE Razor, I would say: MERKUR 34C HD, if they don't already have one.

The funny thing is that I purchased the 34C after I broke the central threading bar on the top cap of my DE89 (my only razor at the time). It didn't fall, I just went to screw it on one day (about an year from purchase) and boom, it snapped in half! part of the bar remained on the top cap and part of it remained in the handle. I was able to remove the part that remained in the handle. So, I rushed to purchase a replacement by seeing what other razor people were recommending and I quickly purchased the 34C. I love the 2-piece design. Edwin Jagger was kind enough to send me a replacement top cap for free though! But, I would never recommend the DE89 to anyone. The purchase wasn't completely in vain though, the DE89's Barley handle is nice and fits my R41 head and my 41C/1904 head perfectly.
Great story.
 
As other posters have said I guess it depends which way you want to go. If you want something similar I wholeheartedly recommend the 34c. Otherwise maybe take a big swing at something different and try an open comb or a slant.
 
Reading back the OP, the first razor that springs to mind is Merkur 34c HD. Both offer a similar shave, but the 34c is different enough in feel/balance to warrant the purchase.

Personally I'd go in a different direction.
For variety, I'd look at a slant razor and perhaps a modern OC. I'm a bit biased towards slants as I have one on my shopping list.
If you want to keep the DE89 feel, I'd experiment more with different handles. The default handles on my DE86 are actually a bulldog type handle from ebay or the Parker 26c's handle.
Both are significantly heavier than the original and offer a different balance with slightly more aggression/efficiency, which I like.

Also, if you want a little more efficiency, a shim can offer that at no extra cost.
I'd also give Kai blades a try in the DE89. They're slightly wider (by 0.2mm I believe) and thicker than most blades and they feel very similar to a shimmed razor to me.
I've only used a few of those so far, but I've been very impressed with their performance in all my razors, especially the DE86. Very sharp, very smooth and have great durability. I tossed them after the 8th shave, but I think they could have done a couple more with no problem (normally I toss my other blades after 2-3 uses).

Let us know what you decide.
+1 on all points.

I have an EJ89L that I use for my travel razor. It is versatile enough to handle any amount of stubble. And if I lose it, it's easy to replace.

At home, I use a 34G for a daily driver. It isn't as pretty to look at as the EJ, but it shaves just a little bit better.

I've used many different handles with an EJ head. Handles from Techs, Merkur, Stahly, Tradere Gen1, they all fit and they all give the standard EJ head a wide range of performance.

(If you do try different handles, don't force it on. You'll know immediately if the threads match or not. If you encounter resistance, don't go any further, or you can damage both head and handle.)

If you haven't got a Slant razor yet, try that. The Slant isn't for everyone, but everyone should still try it out to see for themselves.

And since you're looking for something different, how about an SE or Injector razor? Or even a Shavette? All are in the same price range, and should be fairly easy to find.
I
 
There is always the Dreadnought Spartan razor. I believe it is a rebranded Edwin Jagger de89. It has the spartan soldier head and crossed swords on the top of the cap. Only problem is it sells for around $80. I bought one used off of ebay for $15. It shaves great.
DNSPARTANgloss.jpg
 
Look at Stirling or Maggard's house-brand razors. Different heads available (both places have a "regular" head that is similar to what you're looking for, but don't discount the other offerings. ) and you can get them with a nice stainless handle for $20 +/- a couple of dollars (depending on exactly which head you get).
 
So what I did was order:
1x Merkur Classic 1904 / 1906 Safety Razor, With Bar for $32.99 each
- which... has a handle that is too short for me so i swapped in a tech handle and its not a bad head. My wife, looking at the handle said simply "looks cheap" . She's right. For a few bucks more the EJ does not 'look cheap'
1x (HEAD ONLY) RazoRock OLD TYPE Razor Head for $7.95 each
- which is way too mild a head, at any price
1x Ming Shi 2000S Adjustable Double Edge Safety Razor for $9.99 each
- which is a club , a huge razor , unmanageable, untenable, and not half as attractive in person as it is in pics.
NONE OF WHICH was a waste of money , exploration has a cost,, and a reward.
I'll continue exploring contemporary razors - and keep falling back on my vintage Gillette's as needed!
 
So what I did was order:
1x Merkur Classic 1904 / 1906 Safety Razor, With Bar for $32.99 each
- which... has a handle that is too short for me so i swapped in a tech handle and its not a bad head. My wife, looking at the handle said simply "looks cheap" . She's right. For a few bucks more the EJ does not 'look cheap'
1x (HEAD ONLY) RazoRock OLD TYPE Razor Head for $7.95 each
- which is way too mild a head, at any price
1x Ming Shi 2000S Adjustable Double Edge Safety Razor for $9.99 each
- which is a club , a huge razor , unmanageable, untenable, and not half as attractive in person as it is in pics.
NONE OF WHICH was a waste of money , exploration has a cost,, and a reward.
I'll continue exploring contemporary razors - and keep falling back on my vintage Gillette's as needed!

I wish you had gone with the Open Comb version of the Merkur 1904. I love that thing.
 
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