Jagger 89 Barley vs Gillette Tech vs Gillette Aristocrat ?

Which 89 did you buy!
The new 2011 with the octangular handle?? Or ???

This one:

Edwin Jagger Classic Safety Razor, Barley Handle | Fendrihan Shaving Store

The "barley" pattern is like a light knurling, or gunstock checkering. It reduces the "bling", but improves the grip with wet, soapy hands.

I suspect that it's impossible to have both (a) good chrome plate, and (b) sharp-edged, deep knurling. Under magnification, you can see that the "barley" pattern was designed to avoid sharp edges. Maybe somebody who understands plating can explain it.

Charles

Jagger by far the best of the 3...

I can make no comparison because my one and only DE is the Jagger.My wife bought it for me for christmas. I must say that it has given me a very quick and comfortable BBS shave. I have only used it twice because its really hard to pick up when I have a bunch of straights ready to rock. I use the feather blades with it FYI.

After reading this thread (thanks all) and checking prices, I got a EJ barley yesterday and tried it today. Its feel (heft, balance and longer handle) is superb. I used a Gillette Yellow 7 o'clock and it was a very good shave. It just seemed to glide.

As for the EJ barley vs. the Aristocrat? Close--I still love my Aristocrat which shaves IMHO as well, but the barley is without doubt a keeper for those times when I don't have time to luxuriate with a straight shave.

BTW: I got mine at Merz in the Palmer House in Chicago; they had them at a price comparable to others and are available on-line. Interestingly, I was told that they had sold four (!) of the EJ barley over the weekend and Monday. It must be a hit/popular DE. Merz was one of the sponsors, if those in the area recall, of the Chicago Great Shave get together fest last November at the Palmer House.

I also have two vintage Gillettes ('64 SS and '50 Aristocrat) and an EJ (lined). The EJ is my favorite of the three and I use it all but two days a week (when I like to shave old school). I haven't tried a Merkur but the EJ satisfies my modern safety razor jones and could easily be my only razor.

I seem to remember from somewhere that EJ started with the Merkur head though they improved on the finish of it. Does anyone know if this is true (still)?

Will N.

Will, to my knowledge, Edwin Jagger now uses the Muhle shave head.