Which one is closest to a Merkur Futur set on 1.5 or 2? I know this should be a stupid question, but I've heard the R41 is mild for an open comb.
Decisions, decisions... Muhle R41 Grande or R89 Grande
- Thread starter theJJ
- Start date
Ha! That's not what I've heard. I don't have an R41 (yet), but it has been described by many here at B&B as the most aggressive DE razor in the history of mankind (well, that's actually my description). ;-)
Honestly the hype around the R41 is overrated. It's an extremely effective whisker cutting machine, but it's not a chainsaw. If you read through B&B, some people make the act of shaving out to seem like brain surgery. No offense to anyone in particular, but let's be real...it's shaving. I have the R41 Grande and love it. I wish I had ordered it as my first DE. I'd have 1 razor. The feedback you get from it let's you know immediately that you are shaving properly and nothing sounds like it, except a straight. It's the way to go. All that being said, respect it and make sure you have a true understanding of what "no pressure" means.
Now, to address your question: The 2010 R41 is a mild open comb. It has the same head as the Classic "1904"...this design is very different from the 2011 Muhle R41. That's on the total opposite side of the spectrum and is no mild at all.
+1 BigBull
The 2011 R41 is a great razor. I love mine - gives me the best shave out of all of my DEs. And if I get too quick with it, it will give me a little love bite as well.
I've never used a Futur, so I'm not sure how it would compare to the settings on that adjustable.
If you have anything close to a tough/thick beard, you will love the 2011 R41.
If you can easily get close shaves from EJs, Techs, Blue-Tips, the Merkur Open Combs, then perhaps the milder 2010 version is the way to go.
The 2011 R41 is a great razor. I love mine - gives me the best shave out of all of my DEs. And if I get too quick with it, it will give me a little love bite as well.
I've never used a Futur, so I'm not sure how it would compare to the settings on that adjustable.
If you have anything close to a tough/thick beard, you will love the 2011 R41.
If you can easily get close shaves from EJs, Techs, Blue-Tips, the Merkur Open Combs, then perhaps the milder 2010 version is the way to go.
I have thick fast growing stubble. More than 12 hours after the shave, I only have 5 O'Clock Shadow in my pen, and am still pretty smooth. The razor today was the Muhle R41 Open Comb. You do have to remember "NO PRESSURE" and can't even think about stretching a blade past its prime, though.
The Jagger DE89, a beautiful razor, is very mild compared to the Futur and the Muhle.
The Jagger DE89, a beautiful razor, is very mild compared to the Futur and the Muhle.
- Thread starter
- #7
So are open combs like a Merkur Futur set on 6? (Virtually no safety bar, for all intents and purposes.)
I also came across the Merkur slant bar. Where does that fit in?
I also came across the Merkur slant bar. Where does that fit in?
IMHO-the R89 would be closer to the Futur at 1.5.
I had a Future and the 89 is more like a Future at 1.5. The 41 is like a Futur without the cap on it. The larger gap approach to creating more aggressiveness doesn't create the same type of aggressiveness as the R41. It is more aggressive than a Future dialed up to 9, but not nearly as difficult to shave with. The blade is at a different angle and out over the teeth of the comb, not just further away from the bar. It is a really great design which allows you to "shave with a straight" while actually using and having the maneuverability of a DE.
