Feather AS-D01 or Edwin Jagger DE89BA11bl?

[aeonius]

Hello Gents,

I'm out to (temporarily) still my RAD. I'm looking to buy either the Feather All-Stainless or the EJ DE89 Barley. I should say that price is not an issue in this case (been saving for two years). I should also say that I have a very thick beard combined with rather sensitive skin on my neck (like most people, I guess). I would like to ask a few questions about these two razors. The obvious one is: Which one you would prefer of the two given that you've tried them both (the deserted island scenario). I'm also wondering which of the two is the fastest, again given that you've tried them both (i.e. which razor is most forgiving if I'm in a hurry). Someone here likened the Feather AS to a multi-blade cartridge razor saying it was "safe and care free". Others have said that the Feather should only be used by seasoned shavers as it can damage your face if not held at the right angle (which accordning to these persons is more steep than on other razors; 30 degrees instead of 45 degrees, I read somewhere). Which statement is more correct?

If it helps, I now own a Gillette Slim Adjustable (from 1966, I think), a Merkur Futur, a Merkur HD, a Merku Futur and a Gillette SuperSpeed (1952). If you could please say how the Feather AS and EJ DE89 compare to either of these razors in terms of aggressiveness and/or smoothness, it would be greatly appreciated.

I know I said that price is not an issue but buying them both to find out which one is better suited for me would take another two years of convincing SHMBO. At least I would like to know which one I should buy first so to speak, even if I do end up buying them both eventually.

Thanks in advance.
/A

[AFG]

I have two razors with EJ heads and they are very good. A bit milder than a Merkur and they give close but comfortable shaves. I recently acquired a Feather, don't treat it any differently than any other razor I own and it's giving me very good shaves as well. Others will tell you that you need to adjust the angle and give the Feather some time so that you learn how to use it. Some give up on it as they think it is too mild. My sense is that the Feather will be more forgiving and give you the results you want but you may have to watch the angle etc until you learn how to use if for optimum results. The Feather to me is a more comfortable razor than the Ej. If you rush your shave the Feather may not give you as good of a result in closeness as an EJ but will probably be more forgiving. I really like the Feather, kind of bought it on a whim when I saw it for sale on another forum but it likely is going to work out just fine for me. I have a reasonably heavy beard and need to shave everyday. A guy with a really heavy, wiry beard may not fare as well as I have been doing with the Feather.

[vocalistbob]

As long as you want to treat yourself to something special, why not go for the gold-plated version of the Jagger. And if you have enough put aside for a Feather, consider Jagger's Barley Chatsworth and Lined Bulbous. These are two gorgeous razors.

[vegasvics]

I have the Feather AS and 2 DE89's. I find the Feather too mild - maddenly so. Coincidentally, I started this morning with the Feather (Feather blade) and switched to the Jagger (Super Iridium) after 2 passes. the DE89 mowed through my beard for a total BBS

[bluesbishop]

I think the DE89 with the right blade combo is hard to beat!

[gus1942]

I'm not going to repeat all my negative posts on the Feather AS but I have an EJ 89 with a Bull Mastiff XXl deluxe handle that is really nice. I love Slims, Super adjustables, and Merkur 23c.

[aeonius]

I have two razors with EJ heads and they are very good. A bit milder than a Merkur and they give close but comfortable shaves. I recently acquired a Feather, don't treat it any differently than any other razor I own and it's giving me very good shaves as well. Others will tell you that you need to adjust the angle and give the Feather some time so that you learn how to use it. Some give up on it as they think it is too mild. My sense is that the Feather will be more forgiving and give you the results you want but you may have to watch the angle etc until you learn how to use if for optimum results. The Feather to me is a more comfortable razor than the Ej. If you rush your shave the Feather may not give you as good of a result in closeness as an EJ but will probably be more forgiving. I really like the Feather, kind of bought it on a whim when I saw it for sale on another forum but it likely is going to work out just fine for me. I have a reasonably heavy beard and need to shave everyday. A guy with a really heavy, wiry beard may not fare as well as I have been doing with the Feather.

Well you have a point there regarding the heavyness of the beard. I don't know how heavy my beard is on any particualr scale. I belong to the group of men that never manage to get rid of their beard shadow. That said, I've seen people with a worse beard shadow than mine. I could definitely shave every day, but my skin (or is it my inferior technique?) only allows me to shave twice a week, at most. I was kind of hoping that the Feather would be mild enough to allow me to do that and still end up looking presentable if not BBS. BBS I would leave for weekends.

[brucered]

hands down, if $ is not an issue....Feather AS-D1

once you get the angle right (it does take some time), it can deliver an outstanding, irritation free, no thinking BBS shave and is built like a tank.

everyone should at least try one at one point or another, so if you have the chance now, go for it. the EJ is only $35 and can be purchased later on or is an easy hint for bday gift etc, as it won't break the bank.

[aeonius]

As long as you want to treat yourself to something special, why not go for the gold-plated version of the Jagger. And if you have enough put aside for a Feather, consider Jagger's Barley Chatsworth and Lined Bulbous. These are two gorgeous razors.

Well, I have to admit that the Barley Chatsworth and Lined Bulbous look amazing. For some reason though, I prefer the "neo-classical" look of the DE89 Barley (as opposed to the 1700-looks of the other two). Furthermore, I am affraid that the extra weight of the other two might result in a completely different shave experience. But I could be wrong; maybe the added weight provides for a better shave? I've read the DE89 being compared to a Slim set on 5. I think my preferences lie more toward mild razors, given my not so irritation-free results thus far. But maybe I am one of those who can never get a completely irritation free shave, which is resulting in me only being able to shave twice a week?

[aeonius]

I have the Feather AS and 2 DE89's. I find the Feather too mild - maddenly so. Coincidentally, I started this morning with the Feather (Feather blade) and switched to the Jagger (Super Iridium) after 2 passes. the DE89 mowed through my beard for a total BBS

How mild are we talking about? Could you compare it to the Slim or the Merkur Futur somehow?

[AABCDS]

I think both razors are mild. If money is no object, why not get both to try out to see which one you like best? You can get some pretty good deals on the BST for used Edwin Jagger/Muhle razors. If you don't like either one, you can sell it on the BST for recoup most of your money back.

I tried a EJ/Muhle head several times and didn't like it very much. It was so mild, it reminded me of shaving with cartridge razors. I can see why it's a good beginner razor though.

[TallyShave]

Buy a Weber (when they are available again) and enjoy the best of both razors (at 1/3 the Feather price).

[mctmatt]

Aeonius the big issue that you seem to be dealing with is skin irritation after your shave. I think the D89 could help as it is a very forgiving razor, but really that is just a small part of the issue when you are talking skin irritation from shaving. For everyday shaves you might just need to do a two pass shave and cut out any against the grain shave. A good aftershave balm, cream, or RazoRock Aftershave Wax could make a huge difference as it did for me as well as a good shave soap or cream. For me it comes down to my face being properly moisturized with a good aftershave balm, or cream that also sooths and replenishes. I sometimes will use it twice a day depending on the wind and temp and how my skin feels. I don't think by buying either of the razors you mentioned will solve the skin irritation issues that you are having.

[vocalistbob]

Standard-length handles (3-1/4" - 3-3/4") feel more maneuverable to me so I probably get a slightly quicker shave with them. But I have large hands, so the long-handled razors - the Chatsworth and the Bulbous - just feel more naturally-fitted to my hand size. I also like the extra weight. The shaving experience is, I think, more luxurious with the bigger razors.

Personally, if I am going to shell out over $100 for a razor, I want to feel like I am spoiling myself with something really special. The Feather has always struck me as looking like a handsome, well-made appliance, but not something truly special. All of the contradictory Feather reviews have done nothing to convince me that the shaving experience is special either. The Jaggers are sexy and elegant. Every Jagger I own (I have 4 right now, one more on the way) gives me a great shave and is impeccably constructed and finished.

[bluesbishop]

How mild are we talking about? Could you compare it to the Slim or the Merkur Futur somehow?

YMMV, but I own both a slim and a fat boy and find the EJ89 to be in the 4-5 range....no very agressive, but with the right blade one of the smoothest and closest shaves of any of my razors. I have the lined long handle and love it...perfect weight and balance

[AFG]

I think both razors are mild. If money is no object, why not get both to try out to see which one you like best? You can get some pretty good deals on the BST for used Edwin Jagger/Muhle razors. If you don't like either one, you can sell it on the BST for recoup most of your money back.

I tried a EJ/Muhle head several times and didn't like it very much. It was so mild, it reminded me of shaving with cartridge razors. I can see why it's a good beginner razor though.

This is worth considering. If you 're okay with buying a used razor you can easily pick up a nice used EJ on the sale forum. Feathers turn up too and you can always put out a WTB to see what turns up. Try them both out. If you buy used you can easily get most or all of your money back when you resell.

[Great White Shavealo]

I absolutely love my DE89. It is my daily shaver. I have a Merkur three piece very close to it (basically the same head), which I also like. I have a couple Gillette TTOs and a Gillette open comb, but I always go back to my DE89. I would buy it just to have one and if you really don't like it, you can always resell it. But, I think you will want to hang onto it once you use it a few times.

[vegasvics]

How mild are we talking about? Could you compare it to the Slim or the Merkur Futur somehow?

I find it's milder than the Futur -- which I use set to 3. To be completely fair, I have rarely used the Feather and must add that the comments about getting the angle right are correct and need to be taken into account. In it's favor, I have found it to be the only razor in my arsenal that allows me to use a Feather blade without drawing blood. YMMV

[Tim_McD]

I own the Feather AS, the EJ DE89 Barley Chrome and a I2 Slim. I have retired the Slim (birth quarter/year, so it stays forever) and exclusively shave with the Feather and the EJ. I do a month's rotation with each and I have to say combined they are the cure to my RAD.

Desert island scenario...damn tough choice, but for pure shaving experience I would chose the Barley Chrome. That is a gun-to-the-head choice, as they are different animals and awesome in their own way.

The Feather has the weight, grip and effortless glide across your face in its favor. The longer grippy handle is fantastic and the criticism about different shave angle is overblown in my opinion. It is a quiet shave, it is true that I didnt get the snick-snick sound of whiskers being mowed down like I did with my Progress - but the perfect blade tension and alignment of the Feather is what convinced me to chuck the Merkur.

I picked up the Barley Chrome as an add-in to a B/S/T trade for some DR Harris Arlington and TOBS almond creams. The reason that I would give it the slightest of edges over my Feather is how it handles the tough area under my chin. That one little difference - where I dont have to J-hook or blade-buff to get a BBS shave - is the sum total difference. It is just a wee variance in the shave head or something that makes it better for me. The handle is subtlety textured, so I do wipe my hands a bit more to improve grip - but it is a fantastic razor.

Your dont have a wrong decision here, they are nice razors

[bkfist]

I've used both, I also have a fatboy, slim adjustable, New Deluxe open comb, Old Type open comb, tech, super speed, red tip, and have had a Futur and 38G.

The ONLY DE razor that has seen ANY use, at ALL in the past 5 or 6 months is my Feather. If you don't have the blade angle right, it can nick, just like a tech or a super speed can nick you... It's very forgiving, but not magical in that it won't bite if you hold the wrong angle and try to apply pressure to compensate for the poor angle.

When you DO find the right angle (much lower angle than what you THINK it should be - a LOT of the top cap on the face, with the safety bar hardly making any contact at ALL) it's as close shaving as an open comb Gillette, incredibly smooth, and GREAT on blade life. Get the angle wrong and you will be calling it "too mild", and a Feather blade will last you 3 shaves max... Get it right and a Feather blade will take you out to 7 shaves and beyond, comfortably and closely.

As far a smoothness, it's an incredibly smooth razor, with the blade held tightly. Unlike most other razor designs there is simply no way for the blade to not be perfectly aligned, and the weight and balance of the razor is (for me) perfectly suited for my hard/tough grey hairs. You definitely want to pair this razor up with some sharp blades for a BBS shave, although it will give a comfortable SAS shave with almost any blade I've thrown at it. The only two blades I've tried that I stopped and threw the blade away after 2 strokes were Derby & Super Max - every other blade has been smoooooth, although the duller ones (Astra, Gillette goals and a couple other middle of the road blades) haven't been BBS close.

(I said the only DE, I also use straights about 50% of the time, and recently, since I got my Feather RG straight, it's pretty much been in constant use the last 2-3 weeks, only mixing it up to go to a regular straight a few days.)