Unless you started out wet shaving with a safety razor that came in a subscription box, chances are you started out with with either an Edwin Jagger DE (87 or 89) razor or a Merkur 34C. I personally chose to start with the Edwin Jagger DE87. This was the first safety razor I ever bought, and it has served me so well over the years. Sometimes I wait until the end of an article to give my opinion on a shaving product, but this time I decided the better review would be to discuss the reasons why this popular safety razor has performed so well.
Craftsmanship
Manufactured in England, these razors are constructed expertly. The pieces fit together so seamlessly without burrs or rough edges. While this may not seem like a big deal to many of us in the wet shaving community, there are quite a few inferior producers out there offering safety razors at attractively low prices. The quality you can get from Edwin Jagger for a very reasonable price is a better value than any of those low-cost producers. My DE razor blades always fit and I have never had an issue assembling my razor.
Three-Piece Design
Speaking of assembling, I am a big fan of Edwin Jagger’s three-piece design. This design allows for easy cleaning and safe insertion of my razor blades. By inserting the blade between the two head pieces, I can comfortably hold the blade in place while attaching the handle, instead of gingerly holding a sharp blade while trying to manipulate another razor’s mechanism.
Aggressiveness
There are definitely more aggressive razors out there, but that doesn’t make this a check against the Edwin Jagger DE87. For a new wet shaver, this razor is the perfect place to start. For the more experienced shaver, this is a great piece to add to your rotation for those days where your skin needs a little TLC. Let’s face it, sometimes we all go too aggressive in search of that BBS shave, and the DE87 will give a great shave the next day in spite of what you may have done the day before.
Company
I’m also a big fan of Edwin Jagger as a company. Any shaving company that can start up and survive for over twenty-five years in the land of the three Ts must be doing something right. Their shaving soaps and creams have limited ingredients lists with wonderful performance, and I have yet to experience a bad product.
As I said at the beginning of this article, we highly recommend the Edwin Jagger DE87 for both new shavers and veterans alike. With its value, craftsmanship and design, this is a safety razor that should be in your shaving cabinet. Have you tried the DE87 (or the 89)? What are your thoughts? We’d love to hear them!
Regards,