Thanks to Phil at Bullgoose Shaving, I now have in my possession a Muhle R41 Grande. (I ordered it Saturday morning; Phil shipped it out Saturday afternoon; and it arrived today, Monday! How is that for service? Phil, you are the man!)
As some of you may know from my posts, I really like my Feather AS-D1 and have been using it almost daily for many months. I especially appreciate how mild it is. I can whip it around with abandon and still not cut myself. However, I have taken to using shims with it to try to get a closer shave. So far, out of all the razors I have ever used, my closet shaves have been with my Braun electric. DE razors and carts have given me very good shaves, but I would like to see if I can get as close a shave with a DE as I can with the Braun (without shredding my skin, of course!). NOTE: I have a full beard, so I only shave my neck and cheeks (at least daily; sometimes twice a day just for the fun of it).
Having shaved this morning, I will need to wait until tomorrow morning to try out the R41. In the meantime, I would note that the R41 with the Grande handle feels and looks pretty substantial, and its handle is surprisingly a bit longer that the Feather's already good-sized handle. However, for what it is worth, there is a vast difference in the heft and apparent quality of the two units. The Feather is noticeably heavier, and it just drips quality in its construction. The R41 appears to be a nicely made, cast, pot-metal blade-holder (nothing wrong with that).
Tomorrow, I'll report back on my first shave with the R41. I plan to use I Coloniali Rhubard shave cream (lots of oil, apparently) and a new Polsilver Super Iridium blade. (Phil sent me a bunch of blades, too--gratis!)
Has anyone else compared these two? (I know at least one of you has!)
As some of you may know from my posts, I really like my Feather AS-D1 and have been using it almost daily for many months. I especially appreciate how mild it is. I can whip it around with abandon and still not cut myself. However, I have taken to using shims with it to try to get a closer shave. So far, out of all the razors I have ever used, my closet shaves have been with my Braun electric. DE razors and carts have given me very good shaves, but I would like to see if I can get as close a shave with a DE as I can with the Braun (without shredding my skin, of course!). NOTE: I have a full beard, so I only shave my neck and cheeks (at least daily; sometimes twice a day just for the fun of it).
Having shaved this morning, I will need to wait until tomorrow morning to try out the R41. In the meantime, I would note that the R41 with the Grande handle feels and looks pretty substantial, and its handle is surprisingly a bit longer that the Feather's already good-sized handle. However, for what it is worth, there is a vast difference in the heft and apparent quality of the two units. The Feather is noticeably heavier, and it just drips quality in its construction. The R41 appears to be a nicely made, cast, pot-metal blade-holder (nothing wrong with that).
Tomorrow, I'll report back on my first shave with the R41. I plan to use I Coloniali Rhubard shave cream (lots of oil, apparently) and a new Polsilver Super Iridium blade. (Phil sent me a bunch of blades, too--gratis!)
Has anyone else compared these two? (I know at least one of you has!)
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