Differences in 89 style heads

[WVShaver]

Yes, it is that head. But I buy them on Aliexpress from factory store. The Yaqi factory calls them scalloped heads.
The shave is not very similar to DE89. For me it is much better. More aggressive. The head has much more exposure and gives me the shave I need with my super tough whiskers.

Thanks for tossing me down that rabbit hole. I have never bought anything from Aliexpress but it looks like everything has free shipping and there is tons of Yaqi stuff on there. I will likely make out an order in the next few days for a couple heads and a brush. At $7-8 per head it is a great deal if they shave as good as the 89 heads I like.

 

[ivan_101]

Thanks for tossing me down that rabbit hole. I have never bought anything from Aliexpress but it looks like everything has free shipping and there is tons of Yaqi stuff on there. I will likely make out an order in the next few days for a couple heads and a brush. At $7-8 per head it is a great deal if they shave as good as the 89 heads I like.

You are welcome. Always a pleasure to pull someone deeper into the hole.
It's the Yaqi factory store. It is normal to have 2-3 times lower prices. When they have massive discounts the heads are 5.7USD only.

I can recommend to you also this head 7.0US $ |Yaqi Chrome Color Cobbed Razor Head Without Logo - Razors - AliExpress - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32881002941.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000013.1.646d7fafI1f7Pz&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller&scm=1007.13339.274681.0&scm_id=1007.13339.274681.0&scm-url=1007.13339.274681.0&pvid=ca6538c0-b290-4118-a912-b9442ed25379&_t=gps-idcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller,scm-url:1007.13339.274681.0,pvid:ca6538c0-b290-4118-a912-b9442ed25379,tpp_buckets:668%232846%238110%231995&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22sku_id%22%3A%2265610305418%22%2C%22sceneId%22%3A%223339%22%7D&pdp_npi=2%40dis%21USD%218.4%218.4%21%21%21%21%21%402103239d16598661924864849e7ab5%2165610305418%21rec Very interesting. Gives a nice shave. Less close than the DE89 style.

 

[Invicta]

The same as my uncles. I wonder if yours has the narrower top cap & wider gap as well. After looking around the bay and other places I have found countless 89 style heads and would like to try a few of them to find one similar to the random one I have so I can have a couple spares. With the quality of the Zamak heads I know it won't last forever. My uncles DE89 already has quite a bit of wear on it from years of use.

The blade gap is about 0.72mm which is standard but I have never measured it. I prefer the Merkur 34C which has the same blade gap but a tad more blade exposure. Not a lot difference in the shave but the 34C feels a tad more aggressive.
I would forget chasing DE89 heads and suggest you go for a Merkur Progress (two piece razor). It is adjustable so you can tune it to your preference. It is a zinc alloy razor but replacement caps are readily available.
If you can go up in budget, I would suggest a Razzorock Game Changer .68. That blade gap is similar to the DE89 and has neutral blade exposure; some even say negative blade exposure. It is made from stainless steel so will last a lifetime.

 

[ivan_101]

The blade gap is about 0.72mm which is standard but I have never measured it. I prefer the Merkur 34C which has the same blade gap but a tad more blade exposure. Not a lot difference in the shave but the 34C feels a tad more aggressive.
I would forget chasing DE89 heads and suggest you go for a Merkur Progress (two piece razor). It is adjustable so you can tune it to your preference. It is a zinc alloy razor but replacement caps are readily available.
If you can go up in budget, I would suggest a Razzorock Game Changer .68. That blade gap is similar to the DE89 and has neutral blade exposure; some even say negative blade exposure. It is made from stainless steel so will last a lifetime.

+1 for the Progress. Can't argue with that.

 

[RayClem]

I have a Muhle RE89 and a EJ DE89. As far as I can tell by appearance and by shave quality, the heads are the same. When testing new DE blades, I put a favorite blade in one and the new blade in the other and do a face-off using each razor or different sides of my face.

Personally, I am not a fan of the design of the razor head. The head clamps the blade well back from the lip of the top cap. That cantilever allows for chatter of the blade as it moves across my face in an attempt to cut my tough beard. Thus, I tend to get irritation when using those razors. I have a number of razors what clamp the blade very close to the lip making for a superior shave. For those with beards that are less tough and skin that is less sensitive, perhaps that design does not make any difference.

 

[ivan_101]

I have a Muhle RE89 and a EJ DE89. As far as I can tell by appearance and by shave quality, the heads are the same. When testing new DE blades, I put a favorite blade in one and the new blade in the other and do a face-off using each razor or different sides of my face.

Personally, I am not a fan of the design of the razor head. The head clamps the blade well back from the lip of the top cap. That cantilever allows for chatter of the blade as it moves across my face in an attempt to cut my tough beard. Thus, I tend to get irritation when using those razors. I have a number of razors what clamp the blade very close to the lip making for a superior shave. For those with beards that are less tough and skin that is less sensitive, perhaps that design does not make any difference.

So, you are in the rigid blade camp. I am in the chattery blade camp. Clamping is not everything. As a matter of fact I usually get more irritation with razors that clamp the blade closer to the edge. The Ming Shi 2000s is very chattery, but I get excellent shaves @6 with 70% of the blades.

 

[Cannon Cocker]

No, I am not sure if it is a true R89 that's why I mentioned it was random. And the newer R89s are fairly easy to tell apart because they have casting numbers on them. I believe mine has a number 4 cast into the head, but I'd have to double check.

And not all EJ's have the logo on them. My circa 2017 one does, but my uncles that is older does not have the logo. That is something else I noticed right away, and started looking at pictures of them online and have seen quite a few with and without logos. I don't know if all of the newer ones have logos or not, but would assume they started doing it sometime between 2008-2017.

Even though his EJ isn't quite as efficient as that random 89 head I have it is very close and much more then my EJ89 and R89. So there is obviously some variation in the heads or they were changed at some point to be slightly less aggressive. I wish I had another older EJ89 to compare them with.

I will look into the Yaqi ones. Thanks for the tip.

My R41 Zamak has a number 5 casted on the bottom side of the cap. I have read if the R41 Zamak has a #4 the whole cap is made with Zamak. If it has a #5, then the stud screw is made from brass and attached to the Zamak cap. I believe the R89 does this as well, but the numbers may be different.
l believe this was done because most of the corrosion failures occurred with the stud screw.

 

[WVShaver]

You are welcome. Always a pleasure to pull someone deeper into the hole.
It's the Yaqi factory store. It is normal to have 2-3 times lower prices. When they have massive discounts the heads are 5.7USD only.

I can recommend to you also this head 7.0US $ |Yaqi Chrome Color Cobbed Razor Head Without Logo - Razors - AliExpress - https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32881002941.html?spm=a2g0o.detail.1000013.1.646d7fafI1f7Pz&gps-id=pcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller&scm=1007.13339.274681.0&scm_id=1007.13339.274681.0&scm-url=1007.13339.274681.0&pvid=ca6538c0-b290-4118-a912-b9442ed25379&_t=gps-idcDetailBottomMoreThisSeller,scm-url:1007.13339.274681.0,pvid:ca6538c0-b290-4118-a912-b9442ed25379,tpp_buckets:668%232846%238110%231995&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22sku_id%22%3A%2265610305418%22%2C%22sceneId%22%3A%223339%22%7D&pdp_npi=2%40dis%21USD%218.4%218.4%21%21%21%21%21%402103239d16598661924864849e7ab5%2165610305418%21rec Very interesting. Gives a nice shave. Less close than the DE89 style.

Thank you Ivan, I will likely buy at least one of each since they are so cheap. About how long does it usually take for delivery from these places? I had looked at aliexpress a couple years back on some other items not related to this hobby but felt the website a little bit shady. Since then I have read of quite a few people using the site and having good luck.

 

[ivan_101]

Thank you Ivan, I will likely buy at least one of each since they are so cheap. About how long does it usually take for delivery from these places? I had looked at aliexpress a couple years back on some other items not related to this hobby but felt the website a little bit shady. Since then I have read of quite a few people using the site and having good luck.

It is very subjective, how long will it take. Look carefully if there are different shipping methods when you put the goods in your cart. Sometimes some sellers will offer many different shipping methods. Different times and prices of course. I have hundreds of orders from Aliexpress. Everything, even dress shirts for my suits, which proved to be quite decent.

 

[WVShaver]

The blade gap is about 0.72mm which is standard but I have never measured it. I prefer the Merkur 34C which has the same blade gap but a tad more blade exposure. Not a lot difference in the shave but the 34C feels a tad more aggressive.
I would forget chasing DE89 heads and suggest you go for a Merkur Progress (two piece razor). It is adjustable so you can tune it to your preference. It is a zinc alloy razor but replacement caps are readily available.
If you can go up in budget, I would suggest a Razzorock Game Changer .68. That blade gap is similar to the DE89 and has neutral blade exposure; some even say negative blade exposure. It is made from stainless steel so will last a lifetime.

Thanks for the input. I actually have a 34C and 23C but don't think they come close to the smoothness I get with the 89 series razors. I plan to gift one to a friend and keep the other to try out more at a later date. I have quite a few different razors at this point since they are fairly cheap when buying used here in the exchange and we have some very generous members. I haven't had the chance to test all of them out yet but so far I haven't found anything that shaves as smooth as the 89 series for me.

My second favorite so far is the Rockwell 6c with plate 4. I don't have a lot of shaves with it yet but I plan to use it in a regular rotation when I finally get around to testing everything else out. As for other adjustables I got a Gillette Slim from a member here and also recently picked up a Black Beauty 109 for a good price that I quite like on about setting 5. It isn't as smooth for me as the 89 series razors or the 6C, but it is a fine razor and one I plan to use regularly in the future.

I also have that knock off Ming Shi 2000 Ivan mentioned but haven't had the pleasure of trying it out yet. It was in a lot I bought here on the forum. I don't know what to expect with that one since I have read many different things. I must say this is a very fun hobby and I look forward to many years of fun trying out new equipment. The options are quite endless and I expect it will take me a long time to find what I truly like best. But I will likely sort through what I don't use and gift it to friends and sell the rest on here after I have made up my mind. At least for the most part it isn't a very expensive hobby unless you get really deep into the rabbit hole.

 

[WVShaver]

My R41 Zamak has a number 5 casted on the bottom side of the cap. I have read if the R41 Zamak has a #4 the whole cap is made with Zamak. If it has a #5, then the stud screw is made from brass and attached to the Zamak cap. I believe the R89 does this as well, but the numbers may be different.
l believe this was done because most of the corrosion failures occurred with the stud screw.

You are correct, my R89 has a 8 in the head. I was thinking of the R41 head I got with it when I purchased the R89. I can't remember if the R41 head I have says 4 or 5 on it since I have it loaned out at the moment. It was likely made in the last 1-2 years so I expect it's whatever material the most recent ones are made from. It was the worst razor I have tried so far, way too much blade feel for me. I must say, I love very little to no blade feel but with a razor that still cuts very close.

For me my uncles DE89 and my random 89 style head does this perfectly for me. Very little, if any blade feel and a very nice smooth shave. The Rockwell 6c plate 4 is very close to this, and the Black Beauty on setting 5 is not bad either but is slightly more likely to give me some irritation.

 

[WVShaver]

I have a Muhle RE89 and a EJ DE89. As far as I can tell by appearance and by shave quality, the heads are the same. When testing new DE blades, I put a favorite blade in one and the new blade in the other and do a face-off using each razor or different sides of my face.

Personally, I am not a fan of the design of the razor head. The head clamps the blade well back from the lip of the top cap. That cantilever allows for chatter of the blade as it moves across my face in an attempt to cut my tough beard. Thus, I tend to get irritation when using those razors. I have a number of razors what clamp the blade very close to the lip making for a superior shave. For those with beards that are less tough and skin that is less sensitive, perhaps that design does not make any difference.

I expect your R89 & DE89 are almost identical. Most of the 89 style heads I have tried are almost identical but my uncles being an older one and that random head I have are noticeably better shavers. I'd love to find an older genuine DE89 like my uncles with a slightly more aggressive cut then the newer ones. I expect Yaqi is the next one I try out and have high hopes.

And my whiskers are fairly coarse, I can't say on what scale since I don't go around rubbing other guys faces but expect it's more coarse then average. It feels like sandpaper after a day without shaving and is a bit wiry and stiff if grown out. My skin is also somewhat more sensitive, mostly on my neck & chin area but again I have no idea on what scale.

My neck is very strange in that I can only shave upwards instead of downwards like most people. And sometimes going sideways works fine if I am careful. But if I shave downwards like most peoples with the grain it is always very irritated in a couple areas. I believe my hair must grown in the opposite direction of most peoples here? The rest of my face I can shave any direction if I am careful.

What got me interested in wet shaving is when I started shaving 15+ years ago I found all of the cartridge razors gave me lots of irritation and one day got a free Schick Hydro 5 to test out and it was love at first shave compared to the other cartridge razors. I shaved irritation free for the next 10+ years but then about 2 years ago I noticed I started getting a lot of irritation again and the Schick Hydros blades felt very different to me. While there is no official announcement I would bet anything they changed blade suppliers due to Covid shortages. That may be fixed by now, or a permanent change but it doesn't matter much since I switched to DE shaving and love it. The DE razors may take a tad bit more concentration but shave even better for me and at a fraction of the price.

 

[ivan_101]

@WVShaver

Something I forgot to mention. The Yaqi DE89 style head needs alignment by hand 50% of the times you load a blade. Usually takes me 30-40 seconds, but I thought you should know that.

 

[WVShaver]

@WVShaver

Something I forgot to mention. The Yaqi DE89 style head needs alignment by hand 50% of the times you load a blade. Usually takes me 30-40 seconds, but I thought you should know that.

That's a bummer to hear since I don't have any of those issues with my current 89 heads but if the shave is worth while I can accept having to do that. What makes this more bothersome for me is the fact I remove my blade after each use and rinse and dry it for the next time. I have had a lot of people tell me the blade lasts longer this way but I haven't tested it out to know firsthand. It's just a practice I started in the beginning and haven't felt the need to change it.

Edited to add - Another neat tip I picked up is I got a strip of magnetic tape I put on my wall and labeled numbers next to them from 1-5 so I can put my used blades on the magnets after I dry them and know how many shaves are on them. I believe a roll of this magnetic tape is only a few dollars and can be made to look fairly organized if looks are of concern. It really helps when you test out numerous blades and don't want to get them mixed up or toss them after only 1-2 uses.

 

[ivan_101]

That's a bummer to hear since I don't have any of those issues with my current 89 heads but if the shave is worth while I can accept having to do that. What makes this more bothersome for me is the fact I remove my blade after each use and rinse and dry it for the next time. I have had a lot of people tell me the blade lasts longer this way but I haven't tested it out to know firsthand. It's just a practice I started in the beginning and haven't felt the need to change it.

Edited to add - Another neat tip I picked up is I got a strip of magnetic tape I put on my wall and labeled numbers next to them from 1-5 so I can put my used blades on the magnets after I dry them and know how many shaves are on them. I believe a roll of this magnetic tape is only a few dollars and can be made to look fairly organized if looks are of concern. It really helps when you test out numerous blades and don't want to get them mixed up or toss them after only 1-2 uses.

Only open the razor when I change the blade. Rinse under hot water and a few very strong shakes is what I do.

 

[WVShaver]

Only open the razor when I change the blade. Rinse under hot water and a few very strong shakes is what I do.

I imagine after I get done testing out blades/razors I may end up doing this myself if I stick with the same razor/blade every shave. But often times I am trying out a different blade or different razor so I really like being able to have them a little organized plus it isn't much work involved with drying them off real quick just with a quick patting.

Ivan, I just read another one of your posts regarding the Rocca V4. How do you feel about it when compared with the 89 series and Yaqi? I am not against saving up some extra money and testing out more expensive razors if it's worth trying out. Especially since I can always resale the ones I don't love.

I had my eye on the Rocca for awhile then got sidetracked on the 3one6 after my uncles DE89. I have read many people say the Rocca is more aggressive so figured the 3one6 would be best but at the same time I am now reading more reviews saying the opposite. I prefer less blade feel but with a efficient razor. I love the looks of the black handled R96 but imagine the R95 with birch would feel great in the hands when wet. So do you feel the Rocca is similar to the 89 feeling with must a bit more aggression or completely different altogether?

 

[ivan_101]

I imagine after I get done testing out blades/razors I may end up doing this myself if I stick with the same razor/blade every shave. But often times I am trying out a different blade or different razor so I really like being able to have them a little organized plus it isn't much work involved with drying them off real quick just with a quick patting.

Ivan, I just read another one of your posts regarding the Rocca V4. How do you feel about it when compared with the 89 series and Yaqi? I am not against saving up some extra money and testing out more expensive razors if it's worth trying out. Especially since I can always resale the ones I don't love.

I had my eye on the Rocca for awhile then got sidetracked on the 3one6 after my uncles DE89. I have read many people say the Rocca is more aggressive so figured the 3one6 would be best but at the same time I am now reading more reviews saying the opposite. I prefer less blade feel but with a efficient razor. I love the looks of the black handled R96 but imagine the R95 with birch would feel great in the hands when wet. So do you feel the Rocca is similar to the 89 feeling with must a bit more aggression or completely different altogether?

My Rocca is v4. They have reduced the aggression compared to the first versions. You feel the blade as more aggressive on your skin compared to DE89. But I would say closeness of shave is only slightly more than a DE89. The Yaqi gives me a significantly closer shave than Rocca v4. Currently waiting to receive a 3ONE6.

 

[flash75]

By the way the Yaqi Adjustable the final cut is one of the 89 head clones and the only one that is IMHO great.
Dialed down to 1 its between the R89 and the yaqi 89 clone concerning aggressiveness.
I really like that razor

 

[cf1]

You are correct, my R89 has a 8 in the head. I was thinking of the R41 head I got with it when I purchased the R89. I can't remember if the R41 head I have says 4 or 5 on it since I have it loaned out at the moment. It was likely made in the last 1-2 years so I expect it's whatever material the most recent ones are made from. It was the worst razor I have tried so far, way too much blade feel for me. I must say, I love very little to no blade feel but with a razor that still cuts very close.

For me my uncles DE89 and my random 89 style head does this perfectly for me. Very little, if any blade feel and a very nice smooth shave. The Rockwell 6c plate 4 is very close to this, and the Black Beauty on setting 5 is not bad either but is slightly more likely to give me some irritation.

My .02 - Look into a Karve Overlander. Smooth but efficient.

 

[WVShaver]

Thanks for all of the recommendations guys, in the coming months I look forward to trying these razors out as the funds permit.

To Ivan, or any other member. Did you ever test out the Maggard razor 89 style heads and if so how did they compare? They look very similar to the Yaqi offerings and have some nice handles as well.