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What's your favorite DE HANDLE?

There's a lot of threads that talk about blades and razor heads, but the other end of the razor seems to not get a lot of attention. Actually, the handle makes just as big a difference in ergonomics, comfort and closeness of shave.

Putting a good razor head and a top-notch blade on a bad handle is likely to result in a less-than-satisfying shave.

So chime in here, and tell us what your favorite/least-fav handles are.
 
I like long, heavy handles, like the BarberPole and Futur. I'm a big believer in letting the weight of the razor do the work, and these behemoths always seem to give me a better shave than something shorter and lighter like the HD, especially when I have 3 or more days of stubble to harvest.

With the Progress, I've got one of the enhance knobs from Ikon. The Progress is a heavy razor to begin with, but balanced wrong with the plastic knob. The iKon knob gives it more weight, and much better balance. (Sometime soon, I'm getting the XL-extension from mer, to make it even longer and heavier.)

I like the HD for daily maintenance, or when I need a nice, gentle shave. I don't like to use any handle smaller than that, though.

I just got one of cooncatbob's Bull Mastiff handles, and its a monster. I paired it with a Tech head and Derby blade for my last two shaves, and I've gotten easy BBS both times, with no weepers.

With any handle, no matter what size, I like to use The Balance Point Method to hold it. The Bull Mastiff was a bit different, though, and I had to experiment for a while (without a blade,) to find the best way to hold it. Since its so massive, it needs all four fingers and my thumb to hold it right and drive it around my face.
 
For now the Barberpole handle is my favorite. I keep dreaming about a Barberpole handle w/ a SuperSpeed head.


marty
 
I think the Common Bar Handle from my New is probably my favorite, but for some reason, I love shaving with my tiny Gillette Travel Tech, too. Guess I'm just weird! All I own are vintage Gillette razors,and no custom/aftermarket handles.
 
This is why my Bull Mastiff line of handle are modular.
Not only is the knob removable, but the handle is available in different lengths.
The handles and knobs are also available in Anodized Aluminum which weighs 1/3 the weight of the Nickel plated Brass.
I like to use a nickle knob on my Aluminum Ultra Lite handle, this counter balance the weight of a NEW head perfectly.
 
Man, is this ever bizarre! I was thinking about posting the exact same thing earlier, except my question was going to be about favorite handle knurling.

I have to say that the lined EJ Chatsworth I just received is my favorite handle (the head's not too shabby either). It just has a flat-out sexy curvaceous shape that fits my hand as perfect as any razor I have ever used, and I love the weight and balance. As for the lines cut into the handle, not only do they look extremely classy, but they provide the tackiest feeling wet grip I have ever experienced. That combination of weight, shape, and tacky wet grip make this beauty feel like a natural extension of my hand -- now that's a good razor! :001_wub:
 
For now the Barberpole handle is my favorite. I keep dreaming about a Barberpole handle w/ a SuperSpeed head.


marty

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Well, I have to say that no matter what shape or length handle I use, the heavy setups feel the best. If I use one razor exclusively for a period of time, all others feel a little foreign at first, but I can adapt quickly. My Chatsworth barley is just about perfect for heft, grippyness, balance, and size. It looks classy too. I also love shaving with my Brit. Gillette Aristocrats, especially the #15 and #16. They have great heft, with thick grippy handles, and just exude elegance. The shave is damn near perfect too. My old brassy #15 seems to get used the most, as I like the open comb feel, and I don't have to worry about dropping it or fussy wipe downs after use. Long handle vs. short doesn't seem to be too big a deal to me, as I have developed a cradling style grip for the shorties. I have big mitts!
Russ
 
i have a few :001_wub:

double ring
1910s aristocrat (the bell knob makes the handle)
the early dotted telescopic handles for LCs


not a fan of the fatboy/40s aristocrat/diplomat/president handles.
 
Good question. I recently matched up my fat handle Tech handle with my short comb New head. I have never liked the look of the New handle (go figure....) and have always thought highly of the Tech handle. So....

Isn't it frightening what excites us sometimes?
 
I was going to say Bob's bull mastiff, but got distracted by the adjustable version he just posted.

Bob, how much does one of those run?
 
I'm now impressed with the Merkur Vision after a progression of that marque beginning with the HD and Progress. True, it took some time getting used to it, but coupled with the inimitable Feather blade, it's the Klatuu of DEs in my book!
 
I was going to say Bob's bull mastiff, but got distracted by the adjustable version he just posted.

Bob, how much does one of those run?

That's not a adjustable, it's a English Slim Twist head, which is basically the same profile and shave as a Super Speed head.
It's hard finding these in nice enough condition to reuse.
Send a PM if interested, I don't discuss business on the opened forum.
 
i gotta show some respect for the gillette aristocrat/president.

in my opinion, not only is it one of the prettiest handles that gillette ever made, but the balance and heft are wonderful and the grip is outstanding, the best of any of my razors.
 
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