Old Edwin Jagger D89

pjgh said:
Does someone know for certain?
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Well no, they're not old enough for anyone to have looked or cared, they are still "modern", "current production" stuff. Most of their sales are from their cheap price, and they shave well enough for @ten years. If they dissolve and go down the drain you can replace them with pocket change.
 
So, bottom line is archetypal head design, fit for purpose for beginner and seasoned shaver alike ... slippery handle options and minor improvements in the Muhle model with brass screws. Expect a decade of good service.

I don't see a need to get one, having got two Muhle R89s already. I would take a stainless steel model, though despite already having a Rocca (or two, no ... three ... er, no ... four).

Very interesting learning of the history behind this razor.
 
Muhle top caps with brass centre posts have the number "4" for the R89 and the number "5" for the R41 stamped on the underside. Muhle top caps without a brass centre post have no marking on the underside of the top cap. There has been some posts on other forums suggesting that the female thread on the handles was also changed to brass but I have not seen it confirmed.
 
In the UK, getting the head for £13.50 and the top cap for £7.50 (both plus postage) isn't too bad to breathe new life into the razor if necessary.
I do not particularly like the Edwin Jagger, Muhle, Merkur and similar designs as they're not as comfortable for me ATG as models with better blade support and clamping closer to the cutting edge, but at least they're difficult to do much damage to the skin with.
Having said that, the RazoRock MJ-90A I have has been just a slightly more aggressive shave, and if I were in the US/Canada, I'd probably get that instead of a zamak EJ model.
 
slapo said:
In the UK, getting the head for £13.50 and the top cap for £7.50 (both plus postage) isn't too bad to breathe new life into the razor if necessary.
I do not particularly like the Edwin Jagger, Muhle, Merkur and similar designs as they're not as comfortable for me ATG as models with better blade support and clamping closer to the cutting edge, but at least they're difficult to do much damage to the skin with.
Having said that, the RazoRock MJ-90A I have has been just a slightly more aggressive shave, and if I were in the US/Canada, I'd probably get that instead of a zamak EJ model.
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Even though I remain fond of the R89, I agree that the design — based on the Merkur 34c head is not a top performer ATG. That said, it is easy to use, shaves through a wide range of angles, has an intuitive shaving angle, at about 30 degrees and looks good. Sadly, both the Muhle and EJ are also poor value for money. I say this even though it remains in my rotation — just — and was previously a firm favourite. For an inexpensive razor that shaves great, the everyman Gillette Tech and £5 Yaqi Mellon are much better performers, especially ATG although initially, not as intuitive to use. The Tech and Merkur style heads that Lord still sell for less than £10 also shave as well as the R89/EJ89 if not better, although some will no doubt find — the just good enough look, feel and finish, does not engender pride of ownership.
 
What a can of worms! My takeaway:
EJ's current marketing might possibly amount to a fraudulent misrepresentation if the DE89 razor isn't machined from solid brass. A zamak head might only last c. 10 years. The RazoRock MJ-90A sought to make the EJ head 'way better'. A Gillette Tech or Lord gives the DE89 a run for its money. I have numerous Techs and 2 Lords so, when my EJ self-destructs, I guess I'm covered for a similar shave ... :cool:
 
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Missoni said:
Even though I remain fond of the R89, I agree that the design — based on the Merkur 34c head is not a top performer ATG. That said, it is easy to use, shaves through a wide range of angles, has an intuitive shaving angle, at about 30 degrees and looks good. Sadly, both the Muhle and EJ are also poor value for money. I say this even though it remains in my rotation — just — and was previously a firm favourite. For an inexpensive razor that shaves great, the everyman Gillette Tech and £5 Yaqi Mellon are much better performers, especially ATG although initially, not as intuitive to use. The Tech and Merkur style heads that Lord still sell for less than £10 also shave as well as the R89/EJ89 if not better, although some will no doubt find — the just good enough look, feel and finish, does not engender pride of ownership.
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The Lord Tech clone that comes with a plastic open comb plate is, IMO, better made than their Merkur clone (the thread on which erroded even with the stock handle after a few uses).
I'm not sure the top cap on that particular model is actually zamak - considering how relatively thin it is, it's pretty sturdy and the thread has endured a lot more usage than the Merkur clone's and seems to be no worse for the wear.
 
Geofnay said:
Does the DE89 have a zamak head - I'm confused, here, as EJ's website declares that the razor is "machined from solid brass, triple-plated and hand-polished ..." My own is c. 10 years old, has the grooved (lined) handle and has a decent weight to it.
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That refers to the handle. The same page goes on to say:

The two-part die-cast razor head has been expertly engineered to deliver a shave that is gentle on the skin but still very close and smooth
 
slapo said:
The Lord Tech clone that comes with a plastic open comb plate is, IMO, better made than their Merkur clone (the thread on which erroded even with the stock handle after a few uses).
I'm not sure the top cap on that particular model is actually zamak - considering how relatively thin it is, it's pretty sturdy and the thread has endured a lot more usage than the Merkur clone's and seems to be no worse for the wear.
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I did manage to contact one of the Directors at Lord a good while back. I wanted to make sure I had an original Lord razor and not a fake and I was also chasing some of their NOS carbon blades. Counterintuitively for a £5 razor there are fakes that are almost indistinguishable from the original. He did refer to the razor as Lord's 'Premium' product. Having seen the quality of Tutankamuns razor at an exhibition, I was inclined to point out Egyptian razor manufacturing standards during the Pharaohs time appeared higher, but thought better of it :cool: .

The plastic guard is a good switch-out for the shower. I do prefer the Lord Merkur style head to their Tech style head but both razors are good shavers. The original Tech shaves better than Lord's copy but Lord's Merkur style head shaves better than the 34c, but the 34c does feel better in the hand.

Unbelievably, when Merkur retooled for the 34c a while back, they switched out the top cap brass centre post to Zamak — surely a lesson in how to piss away a companies goodwill built up over decades. I think they also did the same for the Progress but not certain. Merkur Germany did provide me a replacement top cap for my 34c without charge so at least their customer service has not gone the same way as their razor quality.
 
artisanshaving.org

Edwin Jagger DE89 Review: Is It REALLY Still Worth Buying in 2024?

The following Edwin Jagger DE89 review discusses the good and the bad. Is this safety razor still worth buying? Or would you rather go for a newer model?
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Edwin Jagger had to sacrifice some materials a bit to lower the price of the DE89 to the $20 to $50 range. The company used Zamak (a zinc alloy) for the cap and comb. Knowing this helps prevent “receiving a lemon” and returning the razor if you see flaws when you first receive yours. Zamak also notoriously corrodes easily, so proper care before, during, and after wet shaving is essential to prolong the life of your DE89.

Generally Zamak is a pretty good material used by many top safety rzaor brands including Merkur. A stainless steel safety razor like the Feather AS-D2 will cost more than $100. One of the biggest criticisms of the AS-D2 is that its marine-grade stainless steel is overkill.
 
artisanshaving.org

Merkur 34c Vs Edwin Jagger de89: Full HONEST Review [2024 ]

When it comes to the battle of the Merkur 34c vs Edwin Jagger de89 it is sure to be a long one. Both safety razors are very popular choices, especially for beginners.
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Both razors are made from Zamak – known as “pot metal” – which is a kind of alloy based on zinc and alloying elements of aluminium, magnesium, and copper. This tends to be used for most safety razors under $100 because it can be die-cast easily. Stainless steel razors like the Feather AS-D2 (review) tend to be much more expensive.

The standards of Zamak vary considerably and it is noticeable that the de89 has much more of a reputation for breakages. That could be due partly to the fact it is heavier than the 34c and so suffers more damage when dropped. However, Merkur has a reputation for excellent materials and so is likely to use a higher standard of Zamak.
 

Recently I dropped yet another Edwin Jagger DE89, only to watch in horror as the zamak (the devils metal) stud sheared away leaving my razor useless in two pieces.​


As I beheld this all too predictable horror, I wondered to myself, 'does anyone make a clone of this delightful razor in an actual metal? Machined from steel perhaps? Because I would buy such a razor. I would buy the hell out of such a razor'.
Anyone?
 
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