What's new

If you have used ANY version of the R41, this poll is for you.

Which version(s) of the R41 have you used?

  • 2011 only, and I still use it

  • 2013 only, and I still use it

  • 2011 only, and I don't use it anymore

  • 2013 only, and I don't use it anymore

  • 2011 and 2013, and still use ONLY 2011

  • 2011 and 2013, and still use ONLY 2013

  • 2011 and 2013, and still use both

  • 2011 and 2013, and don't use either anymore


Results are only viewable after voting.
In order to give some more meaningful background to the very interesting R41 threads going on right now, I thought it would be interesting to see what the user pools of the various R41 versions looks like. This should help to give a context for the information showing up in the other threads. So, have at the poll.
(note: I've left out the 2010 version because it's a different razor entirely and including it would make the poll overly complicated.)

- Badger Bill

EDIT: Thanks to aimsport for pointing out his issue of still using both but using the 2011 99% of the time. I thought about including options like this in the poll but thought it would just make everything too complicated. If you have a similar situation, please do what aimsport has done: chose that you still use both, but indicate which version you use the vast majority of the time. Since the poll is public, it will be easy to sort out who's response goes with each vote. I think that these will be some of the most interesting/informative votes anyway, so this works out because it will be good to hear their reasoning explained in the comments. Thanks!
 
Last edited:
I've got a nice pictorial of the 2011 and 2013 next to each other. I've been dying to put it up, but I've been out of town all week, and I put in 80 hours since Sunday. It's going to be up within the next couple days. Should be very informative.
 
Forced to choose "use both" but 99% it's the 2011. I bring the 2013 into my rotation like many of my other razors... for variety.
 
hmm this is very interesting so far. Let's get some more votes in! I'm curious to see if this 2011 only trend continues.

- Badger Bill
 
I've only used 2011. I got REALLY close shaves with it, but it was not comfortable to use. It found a home via BST.
 
2011 only..... It is so comfortable and shaves so close without skin irritation (once you have learned the angle and steadied your hand), why would a 2013 be necessary. It would be like modifying a bullet to a smaller caliber so that it would take two or maybe three shots instead of one. :confused1
 
2011 BRW custom (and 2010 but not in your pole).

AND... I still use it occasionally (too many razors..... not enough whiskers to cut)

proxy.php
 
I have had both but don't have either anymore, I really enjoyed the shaves (though I never did ATG with either, WTG and XTG was plenty enough). I have a couple other razors that shave similar and are made out of brass (wish these companies would make their modern razors out of brass or stainless steel, glad some are now) so I let the r41's go.

Nice picture Turtle, Bob's handles make any razor head look great.
 
2011 BRW custom (and 2010 but not in your pole).

AND... I still use it occasionally (too many razors..... not enough whiskers to cut)

proxy.php


Oh MAN!!!!!! HUGE razor envy over this one. That handle is stunning. Wish I had the chance to get one of his pieces. Maybe I'll come across one for sale one day. I'm sure you must love it.

- Badger Bill
 
The R41 2013 gave me amazingly ridiculous shaves, but it messed with my zen-thing, so I'm still looking for the perfect super-aggressive razor ...
 
2011 only here. Just used it today and had a irritation free BBS shave. I don't use it all the time but it does see it's fair share of use.
 
I have had both but don't have either anymore, I really enjoyed the shaves (though I never did ATG with either, WTG and XTG was plenty enough). I have a couple other razors that shave similar and are made out of brass (wish these companies would make their modern razors out of brass or stainless steel, glad some are now) so I let the r41's go.

Which solid brass razors give you similar results?
 
Which solid brass razors give you similar results?

Here are 3 razors that come to mind, if I didn't already have these razors then I would have kept an r41 for sure but these razors were built to last.

This 2-piece Swing razor is very nice:

$2-piece Swing.jpg

The Red Ring Eclipse opened up gives an aggressive shave too, I like it because it can be super mild or really aggressive:

$IMG_4036.jpg

This last one is a Single Edge razor from C.V. Heljestrand, it gives me the closest shave out of anything I have:

$5.jpg
 
These results are very interesting so far.

While initially (based on other threads and polls) it seems as though the 2011 R41 is preferred over the 2013, it in fact seems as though the two razors score about equally. As of the morning of 12/21/13, the 2011 has a ~44% dropout rate for users whereas the 2013 has a ~43% dropout rate (essentially the same). It seems as though VERY few people have tried both the 2011 and 2013 (too few to yield particularly meaningful results), but of those who have and continue to use one of the razors significantly more than the other, 1 person has gone with the 2011 and 2 have gone with the 2013. To me, this strongly suggests that the difference between the 2011 and 2013 razors is more of the YMMV situation than previously thought. It also seems as though the reason threads and polls often give an advantage to the 2011 over the 2013 is not because it is better, but simply because more people have tried the 2011 than the 2013. It would be very informative to get more votes from other users, particularly those who have used both the 2011 and 2013 models.

- Badger Bill
 
Last edited:
I used the 2011 that was in a pass-around box two years ago. Found it was far too aggressive for me. Even though we were allowed to keep it for a week, I got a shave and a half from it and sent it on.

I realize that the R41 is much loved by many members, but it was not right for me. Not a big fan of OC razors in general, but this particular model really took the cake.
 
Nah, tried the 2013 version. No cuts or nicks and defo no weepers. I just didnt enjoy the shave experience. BST now gone.
 
I have the 2011 with modified handle
I still use it with a little caution
Maybe i will buy the 2013, i don't know yet.
 
Top Bottom