Looking to buy another razor. I currently have the Muhle R41 and R89. Been looking at either the cc Edwin Jager D89L or the open comb Fatip Grande but not sure what the difference is between this and the Fatip Piccolo. Want something that's gonna be a similar weight to my R41. Which one would you recommended? Can only afford to buy one right now.
The only difference between the Grande and the Piccolo is the handle. It is going to be a step milder than your R41, and I find them to be a very comfortable shaver. I absolutely love mine. Please understand that there has been some controversy about quality control with them. Here is how I see it, and hopefully someone else will chime in. (Especially Old Type Users ) I get the impression that there were at some point, a bunch of these razors that cap posts were so out of whack, that it was literally not possible to align the blade properly. At the same time, the razor is built to somewhat sloppy tolerances, and it is necessary to adjust the alignment as you torque down the handle. I have purchased three of them over a period of several years, and they have all had the exact same characteristic. It is not difficult, but be aware, that it is a step you will likely have to take. **Sidebar*** Now here is where I was hoping an Old Type user could help out with an opinion on this point: I was following a thread on another forum, where a couple of people who were sticking up for the Fatip, basically said that it was inherent in the Old Type, large post design that tolerances were designed to be looser, otherwise you would never get the blades set and tightened etc., and that it was a crappy system, so that was why Gillette completely changed the design with the New. So at first, my BS meter is going off, but at the same time it seems kinda plausible. Any thoughts from someone with some first hand experience? I think somewhere in the mix there have developed two groups of Fatip critics: one who finds the tolerances it is built to, utterly unacceptable, and the group who screws the cap down, sees the blade needs to be adjusted, remembers reading about quality control issues, and says the razor is crap. In my book they are both correct, but I still stick up for and highly recommend this razor for several reasons: - It is an all brass razor, with a beautiful classic look that can be purchased for thirty dollars. - The shave it produces is extremely comfortable. Many people speak of how aggressive it is and that it will easily bite; I find it to be one of those very efficient but very mild razors. I wonder if some of the easily bit aren't checking their alignment first. - To me anyway, the three seconds it takes me to make sure the blade is straight as I tighten the handle is nothing in the scheme of things when considering we constantly read about people shimming blades, pulling the spines off of SE blades, experimenting with swapping baseplates, 3D printing special caps....... Whatever it takes to get a good shave. If you go walk into it with a realistic expectation of what you are buying, I think it is a totally underrated gem. I think this is great for hobbyists, maybe a ball of suck for newbies. To me, no sense buying another 89 head since it is going to be the same thing, give the Fatip a try. It will be something very different from what you have, be a great shaver, and cost less. This was probably a lot more answer than you asked, but thanks for helping me work through a bout of insomnia.
I have been using the Fatip Grande as my daily driver now for the past 6 weeks and couldn't agree more. I like it so much that I bought a second one ya know "just in case".
So is the Muhle R89 and the Edwin Jager D89 the same head? If so, there is no point in me getting the same again.
Thanks. So all I need to know now is which handle/weight on the Fatip is gonna feel closest to my Muhle. Would that be the Grande?
I think you will have to do some research about the handles, apparently not all of the aftermarket ones fit. Now that being said if you do prefer heftier razor maybe you should consider the piccolo, yes the handle is thinner than the grande but it's a full brass handle while the grande is thicker but hollow. The piccolo should put +5 grams over the grande and it's cheaper
I have a Grande. The handle is much shorter and lighter than your Muhle and the threads are different, so no swapping. Maybe another choice altogether might serve you best?
