R41 2013

I bought just the Muhle R41 head and put it on a Razorock bulldog handle. Though it could be used as such, it is not the ideal razor for me to use daily due to the level of concentration required during the shave.

In the hand, the R41 on the RR bulldog handle feels comfortable. This razor requires good technique and attention to angle and pressure. Pay attention and you will be rewarded with an amazingly close feeling shave. Any lapses in technique will be punished by weepers almost immediately, or you will see them very soon after applying alcohol based aftershave.

I have any number of DE razors I can use to get perfect shaves with, but those are my work-day razors and honestly they can get somewhat boring by week's end. So on days off, out comes what I think of as my "challenge razors", and within this group resides the R41. These are razors that require me to think, pay attention and are fun to conquer.

With the R41 I feel the blade throughout the shave, particularly at steep angles. Maintain sufficient pressure to keep the razor in contact with the skin and be ultra careful about exceeding that pressure. ATG passes should be limited and I also avoid long, sweeping strokes, preferring instead to use much shorter, deliberate approaches.

The R41 is not for everyone and should not be considered by those without a good working knowledge of the fundamentals of DE shaving. But if you're like me and like the occasional challenge, the R41 fits like a glove.

Note: In the "Grip" rating category of this razor, I am not rating the stock Muhle handle, since I purchased only the head and used a RR bulldog handle instead.

I had heard a lot about this razor, particularly how aggressive the older model is. I don't like paying a lot for a razor I'm not sure of, so searched around and found one for a bargain. Like some OC razors, I found it to be a rough, scratchy feel while shaving. It mowed down the whiskers admirably, but I felt a little used by the end of the shave. I don't get that feel from Gillette NEW OC razors, or the Sheraton or Pearl TTO-OC, so not all OC razors feel this way to me. The R41 did (and I guess there's a debate about whether or not this is an open comb). I've generally reserved it for those days when I've got a few days growth and I need a quick BBS shave.

There are mild shavers. There are aggressive razors. There are straight razors. There are Samurai swords.

And then there's the Muhle R41.

I have the newer (post-2013) version, which is supposed to be less aggressive than the older one. If so, I wonder how the older users survived the experience.

Now I'm no wimp or newbie here. I've got a Merkur slant in my rotation; I'm fond of the Gem Micromatic; I use a Futur regularly -- you know, the one that exposes the entire blade, corner to corner. New long comb, New short comb, Phoenix open head, even a pair of straight razors -- I've shaved on the wild side and lived to tell the tale.

The R41 puts them all in the shade as far as terror goes. It is a razor that will challenge you every inch of the way. Buff at your own risk, fella.

It's hard to know how to rate this razor on any scale. Is a "10" for aggressiveness good, or bad? I rated it a "1", mainly because its aggressiveness is like a loosed pit bull with an attitude. It'll come right for your throat. I believe in kindness to animals, but the R41 ought to be chained up and starved into submission.

It's not that it's a bad razor or badly made. Somebody had a vision here. It has an interesting look. The quality is quite passable, the price very fair, it balances well in the hand, it's easy to control, it's a standard 3 piece as far as changing blades goes.

I think there are two issues going on here. One, it seems very difficult to find an appropriate angle for the blade. The head curve is steep, and too high of an angle and the blade misses your face altogether. Too low, and it's just being pulled edgewise across your face. Just right is hard to achieve -- and when you do, you realize the second problem: at the optimal shave angle, the blade is sticking out of the head, not encased in it or shielded by it. Really, the result is like using a blade on a stick.

Having said all those nasty things about the R41, I have to admit I still use mine. It's a challenge. I've rarely escaped an R41 shave totally unbloodied. But it makes shaving interesting, and when you get it just right -- just. right. -- you can get a really close shave out of it. Just make sure that your really close isn't below skin level. And novice shavers, please, please, PLEASE steer clear of this one.

To sum up: I can't in good conscience recommend this razor. And I recommend that every experienced wet shaver try it.