FaTip vs 2013 Muhle R41

[mjclark]

I now have both these razors and was very interested to compare them.
Aesthetically they are both beautiful razors, and I was surprised at just how large and chunky the Muhle is.
Clearly the Muhle is much better packaged, produced and plated and is a very well made precision object whereas the FaTip has all sorts of QC issues, as well as an unsuitable stock handle which needs to be replaced with a longer heavier one unlock its full potential.

But how do they shave?
Neither razor seems particularly fussy about choice of blade - the R41 gave BBS with a Derby (!) while the FaTip has been great with a Treet Black Beauty.
I haven't tried the 2011 R41, but the 2013 is fairly easy about blade angle as is the FaTip.
But as for aggression, the R41 is shocking! There's no sense of resistance so it's like shaving with a laser For me this makes the shave thrilling, as well as being super efficient and leaving zero irritation but requiring full concentration.
The FaTip is also very powerful but it never feels like it's going to test you - again a very efficient shave with no irritation but much more relaxed.
I love both these razors and both now have a good place in my rotation.
For me, 2013 R41 vs FaTip is thrill vs pleasure and they're both great!
I'm very interested to hear from others who have both razors how they find they match up.

 

[shoulderpet]

But as for aggression, the R41 is shocking! There's no sense of resistance so it's like shaving with a laser For me this makes the shave thrilling, as well as being super efficient and leaving zero irritation but requiring full concentration.

Thrilling, in a taking your life in your own hands kind of way? lol
Seriously though I would be interested in hearing others opinions also and would be interested to find out what it is that makes these razors aggressive, blade gap? blade exposure?.
You say that the R41 is better produced and plated , however the Fatip will last you longer as the Fatip is plated brass vs the plated zamak of the R41

 

[Sceptic Pencil]

In my experience the 2013 R41 gives a slightly closer shave than the FaTip, but there is little in it. I have yet to nick myself with either razor, but of the two, to me at least, the R41 seems less likely to want to "bite". The big difference between the two razors is the shave itself, with the FaTip cutting hairs & the R41 trying to pull them out. For me the end result with the R41 does not justify the means. It seems that with the R41, for every shaver that experiences the laser cutting effect, there is another shaver like me, for whom shaving with the R41 is like shaving with a rusty potato peeler.

 

[engblom]

I have to disagree. R41 is picky with blade. If the blade is not sharp enough, it will pull out the whiskers rather than cut them.

With Derby blades I got a big part of the whiskers pulled out rather than cut. With Feather or any other sharp blade you get an improvement.

 

[mjclark]

In my experience the 2013 R41 gives a slightly closer shave than the FaTip, but there is little in it. I have yet to nick myself with either razor, but of the two, to me at least, the R41 seems less likely to want to "bite". The big difference between the two razors is the shave itself, with the FaTip cutting hairs & the R41 trying to pull them out. For me the end result with the R41 does not justify the means. It seems that with the R41, for every shaver that experiences the laser cutting effect, there is another shaver like me, for whom shaving with the R41 is like shaving with a rusty potato peeler.

I have to disagree. R41 is picky with blade. If the blade is not sharp enough, it will pull out the whiskers rather than cut them.

With Derby blades I got a big part of the whiskers pulled out rather than cut. With Feather or any other sharp blade you get an improvement.

Wow-this is so YMMV, and remember we're talking about the 2013 R41 (not the 2011).
The FaTip has much greater blade exposure, but the R41 has bigger blade gap.
For me, that Derby blade was almost as smooth as the FaTip in the R41! The big difference was that the R41 is totally unforgiving and requires complete mindfulness.
Surely there are some fans of the 2013 R41 here too

 

[aimsport]

The FaTip allows me a fantastic shave, but also mysterious weepers now and then. It sometime leaves me with a puzzled "Hey, that shave seemed to go great, what's with that weeper?" More so than other razors I own.

If I get my basics right and do my part, and R41 2013 and 2011 consistently deliver weeperless extremely close shaves time and time again. If I have a rush meeting to shave for I reach for my R41 2011. If I have a lazy weekend ahead of my, I sometimes take my FaTip for a spin.

 

[mjclark]

Ok - second shave with the 2013 R41 with the same Derby blade, and I'm really starting to see what it can do!
The Derby is definitely tiring slightly already, but three shaves from a blade is the norm for me anyway.
I'm trying a different direction for the passes on my neck to clear up a small patch of persistent irritation, and I was getting ready for work so just one WTG pass and a jawline touch up for DFS. Wow, that's a powerful shaver! Contrary to what I'd imagined when reading the reviews, the R41 is ideal for a quick shave.
I'm beginning to realise that the shaves from the FaTip and the R41 are actually very similar but the razors feel very different in action.
The FaTip is so smooth that it can make you careless whereas the R41 has so much bite it can make you tense.
Sumptious vs Edgy maybe? I need both

 

[Franzoni]

Hey
The Fatip you are talking about, is it the Fatip grande. By the way The new Muhle R41 sucks in my opinion. Try and shave from lip to nose against the grain. It leaves the skin jumping because of the blade flex. I gave it away. Fatip might be good?

 

[StubbleTrouble]

I will definitely be trying an R41 before long and can't wait!

 

[engblom]

Hey
The Fatip you are talking about, is it the Fatip grande. By the way The new Muhle R41 sucks in my opinion. Try and shave from lip to nose against the grain. It leaves the skin jumping because of the blade flex. I gave it away. Fatip might be good?

I had R41 2013 and I never had the need to shave ATG under the nose. Semi-ATG, (from ear towards the nose) on the upper lip gave me a more smooth lip than what I could get by going ATG with any other razor.

 

[mjclark]

Hey
The Fatip you are talking about, is it the Fatip grande. By the way The new Muhle R41 sucks in my opinion. Try and shave from lip to nose against the grain. It leaves the skin jumping because of the blade flex. I gave it away. Fatip might be good?

I believe the Grande and Piccolo heads are identical - mine is from a Piccolo and now paired with a chunky Pilot bulldog handle.
I heard that blade flex was an issue with the 2011 R41, but I'm not having that problem with the 2013.
In fact, its blade exposure is much less than that of the FaTip, and I'm finding the correct angle comes quite naturally

 

[KCee]

I find I prefer shaving with the Fatip (with a Sabi handle). It's aggressive, but I feel like it's very easy to find the right angle and I seem to have so much more control with this razor. It took me a few shaves to get used to it, but despite it being fairly aggressive I think it's one of the easier razors for me to use. And I think I paid about $20 for the Fatip and much less to get the Sabi handle.

The R41 is prettier with better chrome plating and I have the rose gold handle which is gorgeous although not so great for balance, but it seems much less user friendly. I just don't seem to have the control with this head even with different handles. I seem to be getting a great shave and then realize I've got a few weepers. Very minor and they're gone with a wipe of witch hazel, but I feel like my technique is now good enough that this shouldn't happen. It also seems to prefer Feather blades. With Astras, GSBs, Wilkies or other blades I like I seem to get some pulling. I have some Polsilver SI's on the way that I'd like to try with the R41 as that's been a better blade for me in most razors.

 

[Franzoni]

When shaving with the R41 i always felt some soreness especially around the mouth. I guess the R41 is not a good razor if you have sensitive skin. The blade cuts too deep into the skin in some way. I hope the FaTip is better. I guess the Fatip is pretty agressive also. I have seen a couple of guys shaving with it on youtube. Both guys did 3 passes.One guy cut himself pretty badly, and the other was fine. Sensitive skin

 

[StubbleTrouble]

Today I bought a 2011 Mühle R41 and hope to be shaving with it soon! I will also get the 2013 one way or another

 

[Sceptic Pencil]

When shaving with the R41 i always felt some soreness especially around the mouth. I guess the R41 is not a good razor if you have sensitive skin. The blade cuts too deep into the skin in some way.

The main reason why I keep returning to my 2013 R41 is that it shaves my problem top lip better than any other razor I have yet used. The R41 takes off so much stubble with the first WTG pass, there is hardly anything to remove on the follow up passes.The head design also allows me to shave WTG under my nostrils, whereas the stubble there is dealt with by more uncomfortable XTG & ATG passes with my other razors.

With most other razors, I have to do quite a lot of touching up to get anywhere near BBS on my top lip. Bizarrely, I would say that my 1956 brass Ball End Tech, is second best at removing stubble from my top lip, but quite a lot of buffing is required. Luckily, with such a mild razor, I don't get any irritation.

 

[StubbleTrouble]

Bizarrely, I would say that my 1956 brass Ball End Tech, is second best at removing stubble from my top lip, but quite a lot of buffing is required. Luckily, with such a mild razor, I don't get any irritation.

Are you the fella in the race car then?

 

[Sceptic Pencil]

Are you the fella in the race car then?

No, but growing a mustache could be another way to tackle my troublesome top lip! Though I think I would look more Joe Stalin than Graham Hill!!

 

[StubbleTrouble]

No, but growing a mustache could be another way to tackle my troublesome top lip! Though I think I would look more Joe Stalin than Graham Hill!!

Stalin probably used an aggressive razor too!

 

[DrAwkward]

Stalin probably used an aggressive razor too!

No doubt, but only on other people!

 

[StubbleTrouble]

In my experience the 2013 R41 gives a slightly closer shave than the FaTip, but there is little in it. I have yet to nick myself with either razor, but of the two, to me at least, the R41 seems less likely to want to "bite".

This (and the other posts) is interesting to read. Yes, I agree that the Fatip definitely has a propensity to bite if you don't mind it, but from my experience it will 'growl' first if you're taking it handy. It seems I get at least one 'growl' on average per shave, but that's nothing to complain about when I walk away with zero irritation or burn. I'll be shaving with a 2011 R41 very soon (unless I got shafted in the BST)! Anticipation abound!