Edwin Jagger DE89 Barley texture - grippy?
- Thread starter Sobriquet
- Start date
I don't find any of them grippy and I've had them all (the 89). I put mine on Weber Bulldog handle. Then it turns into a great thing.
And not, the 89 is not grippy as Merkur HD.
And not, the 89 is not grippy as Merkur HD.
I have both a Futur and De89. The Futur is HEAVY.
I have not weighted and measured the DE89 but here is a chart I did a while ago for the 3 adjustable Merkur razors
If you want a heavy handle on a DE89 I would suggest you get an aftermarket handle from Weber, iKon or UFO.
When I use my DE89 I put a BRW handle on it which gives it LOTS of sticky and heft
I have not weighted and measured the DE89 but here is a chart I did a while ago for the 3 adjustable Merkur razors
If you want a heavy handle on a DE89 I would suggest you get an aftermarket handle from Weber, iKon or UFO.
When I use my DE89 I put a BRW handle on it which gives it LOTS of sticky and heft
If you put a heavier more grippy handle on the DE89 it really changes its personality. It becomes more efficient and makes a great razor even better. I did the same and am having trouble getting it back from someone I loaned it to...
I have several EJ DE89L (lined barrels) and have never had an issue with grip. I do have an issue with the standard and octagon barrels: the non-lined barrels, for me, offer poor purchase; and the octagon barrel, at least for me, because of the eight sides, twists when I move the razor off my face so I have to firmly grip it. Also, I use the lined barrels on several other DE heads: Gillette Tech, Cadet OC, and Merkur #41 OC.
I had a couple Merkur Futur razors: the operative word is 'had'. I found them too large and too aggressive for me. The gaps on the Futur are considerably wider than on the DE89 series and on Merkur's Progress, which for me is the preferable of the two adjustables. I prefer the DE89L over the Futur--my shaves are close and much more comfortable, at least for me. Also, the weight of the Futur is much like a small hammer--and the size of the head makes it difficult to shave close to my nostrils. And, in both the Futurs I tried, blade exposure was uneven. If you want an adjustable, I'd suggest, from experience, a Progress model 500. Just one DEguy's opinion.
I had a couple Merkur Futur razors: the operative word is 'had'. I found them too large and too aggressive for me. The gaps on the Futur are considerably wider than on the DE89 series and on Merkur's Progress, which for me is the preferable of the two adjustables. I prefer the DE89L over the Futur--my shaves are close and much more comfortable, at least for me. Also, the weight of the Futur is much like a small hammer--and the size of the head makes it difficult to shave close to my nostrils. And, in both the Futurs I tried, blade exposure was uneven. If you want an adjustable, I'd suggest, from experience, a Progress model 500. Just one DEguy's opinion.
Last edited:
I personally found the non-lined version more grippy than the lined one (de89L).
I find it grippy enough. The Weber is grippier but also heavier.
The EJ Barley handle works fine for me grip wise. Here are the weights of the EJ Barley from my original post.
Weight comparison from left: pre-2011 Mühle R89/R41 handle, EJDEA89L handle, DE89BA11 handle, DE89BA11 complete.
Weight comparison from left: pre-2011 Mühle R89/R41 handle, EJDEA89L handle, DE89BA11 handle, DE89BA11 complete.
Weber Bulldog Handle all the way, and you will never look back 
The barley handle is pretty slick, but not to the point I've had any real problems with it.
I really liked my DE89L but I did find the handle a bit slippery and light. For a while I used the handle from my Feather AS but didn't like the way it looked - matte finish SS handle vs. chromed head. I just bought a SABI T1 for the handle. The chromed handle is perfect for the DE89. Looks great and handles better (pardon the pun).
As you can see, there are mixed opinions on the issue of "grip."
I'm in the camp of "more is better". I've retired all stock EJ/Muhle handles in favor of Ikon and Weber and similar handles. If I had a barley handle, i would promptly swap the handle for one of the grippier ones.
I'm in the camp of "more is better". I've retired all stock EJ/Muhle handles in favor of Ikon and Weber and similar handles. If I had a barley handle, i would promptly swap the handle for one of the grippier ones.
In the other direction, my aluminum Gillette Tech ('73) handle fits the DE89, makes it more head heavy, if you like that balance. Also very grippy
I would agree with tfinch. The DE89 Barley is my go-to razor. It offers a great shave, and I've never dropped it or had a problem with it slipping on me. I would like it a bit more if the texture were a bit deeper, though.
I sold off all the ej de89 handles and bought a bulldog II ikon handle.
Great set up.
Great set up.
I've got the lined handle and it can get slippery when it's wet. (At least more slippery than I'm comfortable with.) To remedy that, I just started rinsing the razor off with a short burst of water from the faucet so there's not all that splashing around. Problem solved, no slippery grip issues. Keeping a towel on hand also works. The DE89 is a great looking razor, I wanted to keep it intact.
OK...what's different about a DE89 head and the Weber DLC?
Barley handle - LOOKS great, but catch myself wiping my hands between passes to ensure grip.
I never have to do this with the slim, FB or techs.
I never have to do this with the slim, FB or techs.
