Which should I get R41 or DE89 Barley?

[hillbilly pick]

Hello fellas,

Some of you know that I am looking for my birth razor 1980 SS A1 Date. I also have gotten a friend of mine into wetshaving and have sold my EJ DE86BL, a good blade sample pack, and some COB Cream.

This Jagger was my first brand new razor and now need to replace it but am torn.

I like the Jagger DE86 for its mildness, is the DE89 Barley head the same?
I also have been wanting a R41 Grande, they fly off the board when sold on here. I'm just wandering $44 for the barley or $69 for the Muhle.

What do you all think?

Hill

 

[NYShaver]

The Jagger heads are identical, the handles are different.
The R41 is ​a very aggressive razor, so if you are comfortable with a Jagger, the R41 might be not be to your liking (but is easily re-sold). I really like the Barley with a sharp blade, such as a Feather or KAI. You might also consider the Merkur 34C, which I find to be slightly more aggressive than the Jagger (but nowhere near the R41).

 

[hillbilly pick]

Thanks for the response. Not because I think that the R41 is to aggresive, because I rotate every other day with STR8s, I am leaning toward the barley just to have a beautiful EJ back in my collection.

I do want to try a R41 and will probably get one, just not this year.

So all Jagger heads are the same? DE86 DE87 DE89 are all handle codes?

I'm planning on using Personna Meds, I loved them in the DE86.


Keep this thread going, I would still like to know everyone's decision making process.

Thanks

 

[NYShaver]

So all Jagger heads are the same? DE86 DE87 DE89 are all handle codes?

Yes.

But I am not sure about what you are having difficulty deciding. The Jagger and R41 are completely opposite razors. The Jagger is a relatively mild, solid bar razor and the R41 is just about the most aggressive, open comb razor in existence. That should be an easy decision. If you are trying to decide between the different Jaggers, that is a personal preference. I have owned the DE89L (lined handle), which provides a better grip than the standard DE89, and the DE89BA11 (Barley). I prefer the Barley.

 

[mgoldmann]

Ultimately it's your opinion and results that matter the most. That said, I received a DE89 as a birthday present earlier this month, and I love it. It's become a part of the regular rotation. (Although I seem to be getting the best results from Wilkinson Sword blades myself).

 

[Acmemfg]

R41 with the Weber Classic handle. Best razor/handle combination out there

 

[MajorMoran]

I have an EJ89bl and Weber DLC Bulldog. Both provide enjoyable shaves. I recently bought an R41 to see for myself what all the talk is about. After 4 shaves traded it for R89. The 89 is just more enjoyable than monkeying with the R41 IMO. By the way put a Bulldog handle on the 89 and see a nice improvement in how the razor feels.

 

[jmsodpc]

I love my de89 with bulldog handle.
My favorite de combo.

 

[Charlie NJ]

I have both, the best analogy I could give is the guy who starts whaight lifting and overdoes it and is so sore the next day he never goes back and the whaights become dust collectors. The 89 was my starter razor and is still in my rotation, the 41 is not in my rotation. Most guys need to work up to it. One thing I did do is put the 41 handle on the 89 and love it. But the 89 is a great shaver

 

[CB1]

I like them both for different times. The EJ is a great all around smooth comfortable razor that can be adjusted slightly with different blades. The r41 is a great weekend razor when I have some time to pamper myself!

 

[celestino]

i would go with the EJ89 and if you want a tad more aggression in the razor, just shim it! Good luck.

 

[Useless shaver]

Yes.

But I am not sure about what you are having difficulty deciding. The Jagger and R41 are completely opposite razors. The Jagger is a relatively mild, solid bar razor and the R41 is just about the most aggressive, open comb razor in existence. That should be an easy decision. If you are trying to decide between the different Jaggers, that is a personal preference. I have owned the DE89L (lined handle), which provides a better grip than the standard DE89, and the DE89BA11 (Barley). I prefer the Barley.

+1

 

[hillbilly pick]

Ordered the barley, astra SP's, Gillette Blues and Yellows, and a Palmolive Stick from Bullgoose!



I am also negotiating with a fellow that has quite possibly my birth razor still in the package unopened. How sweet would that be?

Thank you all for your input.

 

[taco8slo]

Ordered the barley, astra SP's, Gillette Blues and Yellows, and a Palmolive Stick from Bullgoose!



I am also negotiating with a fellow that has quite possibly my birth razor still in the package unopened. How sweet would that be?

Thank you all for your input.

Sounds awesome, since you ordered from Bullgoose I'm sure your stuff is already on the way! Hope the birth razor search works out, that would be great to find one unopened!

 

[SilkySmooth]

Even though you already made your purchase, I'm still gonna vote for the R41!

 

[JCturboT]

You can't go wrong with either razor-

The DE89 Barley was my first razor when I ventured into the wet shaving arena. I love the fit & finish and it really is a nice, smooth semi-mild razor. I ordered my R41 less than a month into wet shaving and it has been my go-to razor since. The EJ89 will get you BBS but it will take more passes to do it.

I make two passes with the R41 and some light touch up on my chin than I am out the door.

Jeff

 

[InHotWater]

I happen to like the Edwin Jagger DE89/Astra SP combo, its a winner!

 

[Oscroft]

I know you've already ordered, but here are my thoughts anyway...

I've got a couple of EJ razors (different colour handles so I can do blade tests), and they're excellent all-round razors. They're relatively mild, and they're terrific for a painless 3-pass shave. (But you already know that, having had a DE86).

I also have an R41, and I love that too - but it is super aggressive. I used it this week with an Astra SP to shave off a week's growth, and it removed almost all of it on the first pass! I don't have sensitive skin, but I can certainly feel when I've been shaved with the R41 - if I did have sensitive skin, I don't think I'd be able to use it.

I'm sure you'll love the EJ Barley and that's what I voted for, but I reckon you should try an R41 some time - if you don't like it, you'll easily be able to sell it here for not much loss.

 

[Monsieur Blaireau]

My first razor was a vintage open comb, so I figured closed comb razors would not be my thing, but I really like the shave I am getting from the E89 with a Lord Platinum blade. I haven't tried that blade in the R41 yet, but I have been finding the R41 so aggressive as to almost defeat the purpose of a "safety" razor. If I'm going to have to cope with that kind of learning curve, I'll just use my straight. Complicating things, I agree with Charlie NJ that the R41 - grande in my case - handle pairs really nicely with the EJ89 head. The handle I got on the EJ89 is the smooth one with the barley ball on the bottom. Some people seem to worry that that would be slippery, but I haven't found it to be so.

 

[hillbilly pick]

Well! I got my Barley, blades, Palmolive tallow stick, and a great smelling cream sample from Bullgoose today. That is a two and a half day turnaround! I had heard that they are quick but WOW>

Pics, soon!

I loaded it with an ASTRA SP, (why did I wait so long to try these?) face-lathered with the Palmolive, and after two passes on two days growth, I got a DFS almost BBS. I got a few nicks but nothing cold water couldn't fix. I then finished it off with Pinaud SR.

This was my first time with a stick and loved it. I also liked the weight of the DE89 Barley. It is amazing how much better this shave felt compared to the DE86. Don't get me wrong, the DE86 was great too, but this was effortless.