Mühle R89 model history

[vates]

While there's plenty info on Gillette, GEM, ASR, Schick, ER and other razors' history of development, I struggle to find anything about the ubiquitous R89
(the design which is also licensed to-/copied by other manufactures and used on dozens of other razors).

Who designed this unique razor? When? What was their inspiration?
Heck, what no.89 actually means?
Is there any info out there?

And yes, I've scrolled through 24 pages of search results:
It appears that ~twelve years ago it was a rather different animal, based on the perceived aggressiveness level mentioned in those rare reviews. There was an R89 OC model which was probably later named R41. Or rather there were 2 same models, R89 and R41 (one was chrome, the other - nickel). The information is vague.
A few apocrypha state that pre-Nov.'08 R89s were actually manufactured by Fatip.
(and that is probably true)
But that's about it.

P.S.: the current thread is not about R89 vs EJ DE89 comparison. This topic is well-covered throughout B&B.

 

[BigJ]

Following this thread with great interest! (Wish I could add something to the history.)

 

[Suntzu]

In 2008 I bought a Muhle R89 open comb, which is actually a Fatip nickel open comb, later branded the Piccolo. It can be very aggressive depending on the angle held.

 

[Invicta]

Who designed this unique razor? When? What was their inspiration?

It seems it was a joint collabration between Neil Jagger and Andreas Muller around 2008; see here: Muhle R89 and EJDe89 same head? - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/muhle-r89-and-ejde89-same-head.347854/

 

[DarkSpy]

I've heard that Muhle changed the thread of their top caps to brass. Does anyone know anything about this?

 

[BigJ]

It seems it was a joint collabration between Neil Jagger and Andreas Muller around 2008; see here: Muhle R89 and EJDe89 same head? - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/muhle-r89-and-ejde89-same-head.347854/

Great interview!! Well worth reading for any R89 or EJ fan!!

 

[santamariasteve]

I'd like to know what 41 and 89 actually mean, or signify? I don't think those numbers were pulled out of a hat at random.

The R presumably stands for Razor.

 

[vates]

It seems it was a joint collabration between Neil Jagger and Andreas Muller around 2008; see here: Muhle R89 and EJDe89 same head? - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/muhle-r89-and-ejde89-same-head.347854/

Thanks!
Below's the story form that thread. It appears that R89 was co-designed by Neil and Andreas.
What was their inspiration? One of the Parker heads?

Below is part of an interview from April 2012 where he is specifically asked about this. Obie: The story going around is that the German Muhle makes the Edwin Jagger razor shave head. Is this correct or is it just fallacy? Neil: Actually we hear this a lot. This is not correct at all. It was Andreas Muller - new to the Muhle Company at the time - and myself who teamed up to search for potential contract manufacturers before we started to design a two-part head that suited both companies' needs. It was a very exciting time as we exchanged numerous sketches and CAD drawings with alteration after alteration. Ultimately my determination to keep improving the underside of the DE base plate - clean and uncluttered - allowed us to agree on a new design that was really quite different from anything else we had seen already on the market. Once we had approved the drawings we both committed to prototyping costs and shared the complicated tooling costs, which were at that time considerable. Obie: This then, once and for all, erases the currently held belief that Muhle designs and produces the Edwin Jagger shave head. Neil: Having actively been involved in the design, trialing, and final prototyping, just like Andreas, I view the DE head as part Edwin Jagger design. We do not rely on Muhle for supplies to fulfill our growing sales. Our components come directly from our tools and we determine availability, our own production runs, and Edwin Jagger quality control. Obie: And the Merkur shave head of the early Edwin Jagger days? Neil: Merkur has never been involved in any part of the Edwin Jagger DE razor head design process or requirements. Originally we simply bought what Merkur had to offer, a sort of off-the-shelf agreement. Now Edwin Jagger has designed its own DE two-part head systems and owns its own tools, producing exclusively manufactured components to our exacting specifications. Edwin Jagger no longer uses any other DE head.

I'd like to know what 41 and 89 actually mean, or signify? I don't think those numbers were pulled out of a hat at random.

This number system traces back earlier than the current R89 design.
R41 and R89 were previously the names of the rebranded Fatip razors (one for nickel, the other for chrome finish).

The question is: what do these numbers actually mean...

 

[TADIII]

I have a Muhle R89 from 2009 that is a Fatip Grande (same handle, and same thread idiosyncrasies). I remember thinking that the R41 was the mild open comb (Old Type) sourced from Merkur, although I have no documentation or annotation to verify that. (And I never knew what the numbers meant!?)

Tom