Just received the new 2011 Muhle R41 last week. I have had 2 shaves with this using a Personna Med blade. Does anyone else feel like this thing is slicing off parts of your face?? The shave was very close with minimal burn, but as I was shaving it really hurt. Any insight?
Muhle R41
- Thread starter jbake37
- Start date
I've found the R41 to be a relatively mild razor. The Personna Med is my favorite blade.
Are you using too much pressure? If so, try backing off and letting the razor do the work.
I shave right out of the shower to make sure my face is prepped. If you're not doing this, you might try it.
Is there enough water in your lather so it glides rather than hops and skips?
Does blade sit evenly on the razor (rather than crooked)?
If none of these are the case, you might try using another Personna Med blade just in case yours is a dud.
You've got great equipment and I think you're eventually figure it out.
Are you using too much pressure? If so, try backing off and letting the razor do the work.
I shave right out of the shower to make sure my face is prepped. If you're not doing this, you might try it.
Is there enough water in your lather so it glides rather than hops and skips?
Does blade sit evenly on the razor (rather than crooked)?
If none of these are the case, you might try using another Personna Med blade just in case yours is a dud.
You've got great equipment and I think you're eventually figure it out.
I've never heard of the R41 as "mild", but I would definitely ease off on the pressure, and maybe on angle a little bit, if it's too steep I can see it wanting to bite into your skin. You'll get used to the razor pretty fast, give it a week at least, I did and i'm quite happy with it. I used a superspeed with a perma-sharp yesterday. I got so used to the agressiveness of the R41, I thought I had forgot to put a blade in the SS
How aggressive compared to a fatboy's setting? I often use the 9 and let the razor do the work and experience a great shave with a Gillette 7:00 Sharpedge. I also like the IP's Blues in the fatboy but I get only 2-3 shaves with this blade.
The R41 can't even compare to a Fatboy on a 9. It's such a different animal and anything but mild! You must be very careful with each stroke of the R41 or it will bite you. I did find that usinga feather blade in it performed much better than any other blade I tried. But you can't use any pressure and the blade angle is critical.
- Thread starter
- #6
I have not tried the feather yet in the r41. I have used a feather in the slant that I used daily and that was great. It has to be my blade, angle of the razor, or just pressure. Thanks for the tips!
Angle and light touch are critical. I had to play quite a bit with the angle before i found it.
Indeed, let the razor do the work.
For me (YMMV) the R41 has put an end to the nicks and cuts.
Two passes and some touch ups and I am done.
In fact, I have more problems with my other types of razors now.
The blade in a R41 is tense and a bit more exposed.
So either with a steep or shallow angle - I 've noticed there's two modi operandi here - make sure to use appropriate pressure.
As little as possible.
That will give you a nice, direct and painfree shave.
For me (YMMV) the R41 has put an end to the nicks and cuts.
Two passes and some touch ups and I am done.
In fact, I have more problems with my other types of razors now.
The blade in a R41 is tense and a bit more exposed.
So either with a steep or shallow angle - I 've noticed there's two modi operandi here - make sure to use appropriate pressure.
As little as possible.
That will give you a nice, direct and painfree shave.
Probably the oddest thing about the R41 is how flat the blade sits in the razor. Besides that, it flexes significantly, which takes some getting used to. For me, short strokes and (paradoxically) a shallower blade angle work best. That, and being gentle -- it's kind of a chainsaw.
Been a wet DE shaver since starting in the '60s. Trying a new razor (a slant, for example) requires you to pay attention and let the razor tell you how it likes to be held. For me, the R41 likes to be held very loosely near the head, allowing it to find its best angle.
As for pressure, don't apply any at all. My R41 gives me its closest, gentlest shave when I feel as if I am not shaving at all, but merely wiping the lather from my face. With the R41, if it feels like I'm "shaving," I'm pressing too hard.
Until coming to B&B, I never knew matching blades to razors and faces was that big a deal. It is. After a lot of trials, I found that Astra Super Platinums work best for me. They are sharp enough to give me an effortless, close shave . . . but not so sharp as to lack all feedback. Plus each gives me at least four, and often more, great shaves.
Best of luck.
As for pressure, don't apply any at all. My R41 gives me its closest, gentlest shave when I feel as if I am not shaving at all, but merely wiping the lather from my face. With the R41, if it feels like I'm "shaving," I'm pressing too hard.
Until coming to B&B, I never knew matching blades to razors and faces was that big a deal. It is. After a lot of trials, I found that Astra Super Platinums work best for me. They are sharp enough to give me an effortless, close shave . . . but not so sharp as to lack all feedback. Plus each gives me at least four, and often more, great shaves.
Best of luck.
- Thread starter
- #11
So when we are talking about a shallower blade angle, Is that almost like a straight up and down hold on the razor? Kind of difficult to explain this one!
The blade angle is measured between the surface of the skin and the blade so a shallow blade angle would be one where the handle is perpendicular to the skin. The ShaveWiki page on blade angle explains this in more detail and has pictures.
I prefer mine with either Red Personnas or Voshkod blades. Give it time.
It took me a month of using the R41 every day before I felt like I knew how the razor would behave. Until then I was regularly getting a variety of weepers, irritation, nicks, and even full blown SLICES.
After getting used to the R41 a couple of times I went back and tried my 37c Slant and my Fatboy on "9" and was very frustrated with how much less those razors were cutting stubble. Those razors are often considered to be on more of the aggressive side of DE's and the R41 is significantly more efficient.
The blades I've had the greatest success with are the Feather, Iridium Super, & Perma-sharp Super. I also had decent shaves with the Personna Med Prep (I've traded for some more Meds to further evaluate them) and the Astra SP but the Astra does NOT have the sharpness of my top 3. With the Astra I have to re-shave and touch up A LOT more than the other blades.
After getting used to the R41 a couple of times I went back and tried my 37c Slant and my Fatboy on "9" and was very frustrated with how much less those razors were cutting stubble. Those razors are often considered to be on more of the aggressive side of DE's and the R41 is significantly more efficient.
The blades I've had the greatest success with are the Feather, Iridium Super, & Perma-sharp Super. I also had decent shaves with the Personna Med Prep (I've traded for some more Meds to further evaluate them) and the Astra SP but the Astra does NOT have the sharpness of my top 3. With the Astra I have to re-shave and touch up A LOT more than the other blades.
I had my first shave with the R41 today (with an Astra blade, speick cream & ASL)) and I absolutely loved it ! The sound is half the experience ...
With my previous razor (Merkur 23C) I wasn't able to get a BBS on my neck since shaving ATG (E-W, for me) led to a lot of razor burn and irritation and with the R41 I was able to get a near BBS with XTG, XTG and no razor burn. So it looks like my search is over, I found my razor and blade.
With my previous razor (Merkur 23C) I wasn't able to get a BBS on my neck since shaving ATG (E-W, for me) led to a lot of razor burn and irritation and with the R41 I was able to get a near BBS with XTG, XTG and no razor burn. So it looks like my search is over, I found my razor and blade.
Tried one, hated it, not for me I'm afraid.
Give me a straight any day....far milder!!!!
Give me a straight any day....far milder!!!!Tried one, hated it, not for me I'm afraid.
You have to give it time and go slow.
- Thread starter
- #19
Tried it, just now with a Feather blade and it felt much better. Love it!!!
Charles,
C'est toi?
C'est toi?
Similar threads
