Scuffing up a Muhle/EJ Handle

[inspiringK]

Okay, here is my problem.
I really like having some good grip on whatever razor I use. This typically means that any three piece razor I have gets paired up with either a Fathandled Tech handle or some sort of custom handle by Bob or Weber etc. The catch is that those handles are not designed to fit a Muhle/EJ head. Yes, you can often screw a custom/Gillette handle together with an English head, but I don't like the feel of straining the thread inside the handle.

So, I am left with the stock Muhle/EJ handles which are nice, provide good balance, are a good length, but are slippery.

I like a straight up and down handle, so I don't consider the conical shapes to be a solution.

The Grande Handle, which is a little fatter and longer may be the best option



But, since the standard version of that handle still feels slippery to me,

I doubt the Grande would be much better.


My question is: Since I have one of these, what would happen if I took some rough sandpaper to this version of the handle?

Or is there a better way to rough it up?

 

[wimbouman]

My guess is you would ruin it!

 

[Invicta]

Wrap an elastic band or two in open turns down the handle. I think you will find this an adequate solution. I tend to use plaiting bands. Also, you will find if you rub your fingers on an alum block it will give a better purchase on the handle. You could buy a custom handle as another option.
I have not had a serious problem with the EJ89. I just make sure my fingers are dry when I handle it.

 

[Arcadies]

You could sacrifice one of those fat pens and reuse the grip like shown here. They come in many colors but black would probably be the best looking, and you'll not destroy the handle in case you might want to trade or sell it in the future.

 

[mdarnton]

I wrapped a green kitchen pad (Scotchbrite) around the handle of mine and gave it a couple of spins, holding lightly. It turned it into a pleasant matte finish without any apparent scratches, and this was enough to make it easy to hold. Be sure not to do the metal at either end of the plastic grip!

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I have the exact same handle as in the last picture except mine is ivory colored. I used some 400 grit sandpaper to rough it up. All it did was take the shine off of it. It now has a matte finish. All mine needed was a quick 15 second scuffing.

Thanx!!!
Charlie

 

[inspiringK]

You could sacrifice one of those fat pens and reuse the grip like shown here. They come in many colors but black would probably be the best looking, and you'll not destroy the handle in case you might want to trade or sell it in the future.

Ah, of course! I'll have a look around to see if I have one at hand.

I wrapped a green kitchen pad (Scotchbrite) around the handle of mine and gave it a couple of spins, holding lightly. It turned it into a pleasant matte finish without any apparent scratches, and this was enough to make it easy to hold. Be sure not to do the metal at either end of the plastic grip!

I have the exact same handle as in the last picture except mine is ivory colored. I used some 400 grit sandpaper to rough it up. All it did was take the shine off of it. It now has a matte finish. All mine needed was a quick 15 second scuffing.

Great, I figured I wouldn't be the only one who would think of doing this. Sounds like the matte finish is a good option.

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Great, I figured I wouldn't be the only one who would think of doing this. Sounds like the matte finish is a good option.

Honestly, all the above options were offered to me when I posted the same problem a couple of years ago. Wrapping rubber bands around the handle defeated the purpose of having the nice pretty handle to look at. Someone even suggested holding it differently. I tired that & it felt unnatural. Plus my hand cramped fairly quickly.

 

[targa88]

This might be a solution = sleeve

Reference

 

[mikelz777]

The handle of my DE89 would get slippery when I would slosh it around in the sink of water to rinse the head off. To solve that problem, I just changed my approach and rinsed the head off with a short burst of water from the faucet. The handle stays dry and easy to grip. Another solution that would avoid having to damage the finish would be to use alum on the fingers handling the razor.

 

[Rockminer]

I've heard running your fingers over an alum block will help a lot.

 

[Viseguy]

I use the Weber Bulldog or Classic handle on my R41. Works just fine.

 

[inspiringK]

I use the Weber Bulldog or Classic handle on my R41. Works just fine.

I agree the Weber works well, and is a great handle. But, the thread isn't perfect, so I don't like the feel when screwing the two together.

Honestly, all the above options were offered to me when I posted the same problem a couple of years ago. Wrapping rubber bands around the handle defeated the purpose of having the nice pretty handle to look at. Someone even suggested holding it differently. I tired that & it felt unnatural. Plus my hand cramped fairly quickly.

I think we followed a similar progression. Over the weekend I also tried the pen grip and found that, while it's a good idea, I don't like the look of it or the feel.

In the end I decided to scuff the handle up a bit. I'm not really concerned about resale value, it would be nice to have something that doesn't depreciate much in value, but it is even better to have something usable in this case. If this were an ABC set or double ring it would be different, but Muhle handles are still plentiful in the wild.

This is what the silky smooth handle looked like before I marred it.


And this is a picture after the carnage.

Spoiler

Initially I was going to use a smoother sandpaper, but in the end I went with a rough 120grain and am glad I did. Shaved with the razor this morning and really enjoyed it. The handles from Muhle are pretty nice when you can grip them. They are longer than other handles, but don't get as heavy as custom handles tend to get. The result is a comfortable grip, and unlike a heavier solid metal handle, you get it all without losing feel.

 

[inspiringK]

In fact, I liked the result so much, that I decided to try the same treatment for this Barley Chrome handle, which looks grippy but really is also very smooth in actuality.

Before


And, this is after taking off a lot of chrome shavings.

Spoiler

It's pretty tough to see the difference between the before and after shots. There is a slight brass tone to the handle now (are these brass under the chrome, I thought it was all zamack?). But, the grip on the handle is noticeably better. With this handle, I might have to worry about oxidation now that I have taken away much of the chrome, but I am willing to go with that gamble.

Overall, I am happy and impressed with how nicely these handles perform when the grip is improved

 

[Bruce Wayne]

I'm glad it turned out good for you. All the options that were given to me when i had the problem either didn't solve the problem to my satisfaction or caused new problems. Wrapping rubber bands around the handle defeated the purpose of having such a nice handle. Holding it differently felt unnatural at best & caused my hand to cramp. Replacing the handle with one from a different razor defeats the purpose of purchasing a razor & handle together. I like the look of how the handle came out.

Thanx!!!
Charlie