Muhle R89 , is this a good choice?

[papi]

I mostly have open combs except for tto razors. the only other I have, would be a gillette tech that does not have an open comb. I could use some information on the R89, It looks like a really well made razor , I would like to know if it is all around a good choice. I was going to buy an ikon or a merkur, but the muhle caught my eye. thanks much appreciated.

[N_Architect]

Yes, it is. It is even better made than the Merkurs and is also very good in assisting with small shaving 'details' (i.e. under nose). The grip could be better (in its feel) otherwise cosmetically it is a very beautiful razor).

Worth giving it a try, definitely.

[oversaturn]

I have a R89, and it is fantastic.

You can equally go for the Edwin Jagger DE89L, which is a "clone" of the Mühle R89.
EJ DE89L and Mühle R89 share the same head, the only difference between the two is the slightly different handle.
The difference between those two is merely aesthetic.

[Shaving.ie]

It will be hard to find anything negative about the R89's and DE89L's. The DE89L is slightly heavier but as Oversaturn says they are essentially the same.

[lamina]

R89 is always a good choice!!

[JPDyson]

I have a R89, and it is fantastic.

You can equally go for the Edwin Jagger DE89L, which is a "clone" of the Mühle R89.
EJ DE89L and Mühle R89 share the same head, the only difference between the two is the slightly different handle.
The difference between those two is merely aesthetic.

I wouldn't call it a clone; same exact head made by Mühle for both their own R89 and the Edwin Jagger 89/89L. Only difference is the handle. The Mühle is knurled, and the EJ's have a smooth chrome (89) and a chrome handle with lengthwise lines (89L) for enhanced grip. The EJ is usually a good $10 cheaper than the Mühle.

[johnmrson]

It's an excellent choice.

[michiganlover]

The Muhle R89, and EJ DE89L are simply put the best razors on the market today. If I had to have just one DE razor, this would likely be it. Most products, you hear a mix of positives and negatives, the Muhle head is nearly universally praised.

[JPDyson]

The Muhle R89, and EJ DE89L are simply put the best razors on the market today. If I had to have just one DE razor, this would likely be it. Most products, you hear a mix of positives and negatives, the Muhle head is nearly universally praised.

I see your *89* and raise you a PILS. I've owned both, and the PILS (for me) is a vastly superior razor in every measure except for price.

I for one found the 89 unimpressive.

[michiganlover]

I see your *89* and raise you a PILS. I've owned both, and the PILS (for me) is a vastly superior razor in every measure except for price.

I would raise you a Feather All Stainless, but I am not into playing high stakes Poker.





P.S. I have never tried the Feather All Stainless, but it is quite praised as well, and quite expensive.

[TiberiuR]

I started with a HD, but I would have prefered to start with the R89!

Since I got the R89, the HD is gathering dust! I will give it a try later probably, but I love the R89!!

Great for beginners! I used it to get my technique right!

[oversaturn]

I wouldn't call it a clone; same exact head made by Mühle for both their own R89 and the Edwin Jagger 89/89L. Only difference is the handle. The Mühle is knurled, and the EJ's have a smooth chrome (89) and a chrome handle with lengthwise lines (89L) for enhanced grip. The EJ is usually a good $10 cheaper than the Mühle.

EJ DE89L and Mühle R89 share the same head, they are "clones" only with a a different handle. The same happens with other EJ and Mühle razors.

Edwin Jagger DE86 has an ebony black resin handle.
Edwin Jagger DE87 has an ivory white resin handle
Edwin Jagger DE89 has a chrome plated slick handle.
Edwin Jagger DE89L has a chrome plated handle with extruded lines.

Mühle R89 has a nice chrome handle with an extremely fine engraved finish.
Mühle R106 features a polished black handle.

All of these razors share the same head, the only thing that is different is the handle. They are "clones" with different handles.

Maybe Mühle R89 has a better grip, because of the texture of the handle... And I think that it is better looking too! But YMMV :) I have one of those... and love it!

Nowadays, EJ's are a little bit less expensive.

[Laz]

It is a great razor. I picked one up a few weeks ago and it will stay in the rotation.

[RF1963]

I have the Muhle R106 which is "identical in all other respects to the R89, (except) the R106 boasts a rich black polyester resin handle" (quotation from vendor site) and I'm very pleased with it

[JPDyson]

EJ DE89L and Mühle R89 share the same head, they are "clones" only with a a different handle. The same happens with other EJ and Mühle razors.

"Clone" has some untoward connotations, that's all - tends to imply "copy" when that's not at all the case. It's most accurate to say "identical" or "same". But we're not arguing semantics; I just want it to be clear it's not a copy, but the very same head made by the very same people.

[luvmysuper]

"Clone" has some untoward connotations, that's all - tends to imply "copy" when that's not at all the case. It's most accurate to say "identical" or "same". But we're not arguing semantics; I just want it to be clear it's not a copy, but the very same head made by the very same people.

+2
Thanks for that clarification.

ASR razor blades sold under the Walgreens and the CVS brand name are not clones, they are the same identical items made by the same identical company sold under different store brand names.

[TheFlyingFrenchman]

Just wanted to throw in since I didn't see it. With recent price raises the price difference seems to be more significant now. The Edwin Jagger versions selling in the lower 40's and the Muhle versions selling in the mid to upper 60's. a little more than 10 dollars.

[JPDyson]

Just wanted to throw in since I didn't see it. With recent price raises the price difference seems to be more significant now. The Edwin Jagger versions selling in the lower 40's and the Muhle versions selling in the mid to upper 60's. a little more than 10 dollars.

I don't believe I'm supposed to mention vendors, but the best prices I can find on the Edwin Jagger vs Mühle variants are $28 and $45, respectively. $17 is a pretty big difference, but I do believe the Mühle handle is vastly superior. YMMV.

[Duggo]

I started with a HD, but I would have prefered to start with the R89!

Since I got the R89, the HD is gathering dust! I will give it a try later probably, but I love the R89!!

Great for beginners! I used it to get my technique right!

Could you give more info on the differences between the two razors?

[TiberiuR]

Could you give more info on the differences between the two razors?

The HD is more aggressive, so you need to pay more attention to the blade angle. I remember I had the worst razor burn when I put a Astra blade in the HD. Gave me some horrible burn.
I then put that Astra blade in the Feather Popular, a much milder razor, and I got a way better shave.
Later, I tried a Astra blade in the R89 and I got zero irritations! Much better!

I do admit that I had improved my technique over time. I should revisit the HD to get a fair judgement.
I would not recommend it for beginners. Not that I'm an expert now. But I have much better technique thanks to the Muhle R89.

Furthermore, the HD felt a bit weird for me. Somehow unbalanced. It didn't feel right for me.

I do like the loading system of the HD. I will try it again to see if I can get a closer shave.

But overall, the R89 and it's cousins are my recommendation for anyone who wants to give DE shaving a try. They will love it and won't be put off from the very start.

A quick comparison between the R89 and the HD
The R89 advantages over the HD Merkur:
-more visually appealing
-milder so that you won't risk razor burn as you might if you start with an aggressive razor
-very well balanced (IMO)

The HD has a better loading system and a better grip than the R89

This sums up the differences between the two razors.