Karve vs. Muhle R41 (post 2013) vs...

[Earcutter]

My Muhle R41 is the one. It’s my grail razor. I like an efficient “razor!” Give me a razor that cuts so close that I can shave every other day, and it’s my Huckleberry. Heck, I liked it so well I bought two! It’s rare that I don’t get a BBS shave when I’m wielding the 41. Better still, the shaves are generally speaking, always smooth.

Ok, so I like the thing. So that should be that right? Well no. I’m still human! I’ve been reading all of the threads about how efficient the Karve is, and though I kept asking how it compared to the R41, no one responded! Heck, I wasn’t the only one asking, @Somnos was too. Even @.soap. wanted to know!

So by a crazy twist of fate, Somnos & I both decided that we’d have to bite the bullet, order our very own Karve’s and find out for ourselves. In the name of science of course!

Of course .soaps. couldn’t be left out... so he’s going to do his thing as well! When his finally arrives that is lol!! Basically, this thread will be the three of us reviewing our Karve’s and comparing it to other razors. Particularly the 41 in my case.

But everyone is welcome to contribute of course, just so long as it’s contributing to the cause.

Stand by!

 

[.soap.]

Sounds like a good time! I've got an OC/D and SB/D plate coming in. I'll compare and contrast against my Tradere OC & SB (the glassy smooth SB is a favorite) and my personal top vintage options, an old type and a red tip.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

 

[Graydog]

Never tried a R41 but have the Karve C and D sb and the C-oc plates
and can tell you the C open comb is a little more aggressive ,not more efficient
just more aggressive than both the C and D sb.

 

[Earcutter]

So in order to see what all the excitement was about, I ordered a 3” handle with a closed comb E plate. The AA plate is their least aggressive with a blade gap of 0.47mm, the F is their most with a gap of 1.23mm. So E is pretty aggressive with a gap of 1.10, but it is still only their second most aggressive.

The thing is beautiful.

So if I like aggressive razors so well, why did I get the E plate and not the F? Well because I’m also super impatient, and even though I understand Karve’s slow shipping is a thing of the past, I got mine from West Coast Shaving (WCS) witch took out the shipping from Canada altogether! But I did order extra plates from Karve because WCS was sold out.

Enough about that, this is about comparing the Muhle to the Karve.

As much as I’ve looked, I can’t find out what the 41’s gap is. Of course that makes sense. I doubt the good folks at Muhle care. I can just hear them now, “It shaves yeah?” “It’s close yeah?” “Its good yeah?” Yes Muhle, it’s good. But here’s how my 41 looks compared to the Karve.

The rose gold is obviously the R41 with the brass being the Karve.

The Karve LOOKS way more aggressive!

But will it be as efficient? More importantly, will it be as smooth?

I can’t even begin to answer that until my “maiden” shave with the Karve most likely tomorrow. But I tell you, I got high hopes. REALLY HIGH HOPES. I mean, look at that thing!

But if it was all about looks, my other R41 on the left here would hands down win for sure.

Man I love my 41’s. This thing has big shoes to fill. We’ll begin to see soon enough.

 

[Earcutter]

Sounds like a good time! I've got an OC/D and SB/D plate coming in. I'll compare and contrast against my Tradere OC & SB (the glassy smooth SB is a favorite) and my personal top vintage options, an old type and a red tip.

Sent from my Pixel 3 XL using Tapatalk

I look forward to it!

 

[BigJ]

So in order to see what all the excitement was about, I ordered a 3” handle with a closed comb E plate. The AA plate is their least aggressive with a blade gap of 0.47mm, the F is their most with a gap of 1.23mm. So E is pretty aggressive with a gap of 1.10, but it is still only their second most aggressive.

The thing is beautiful.

So if I like aggressive razors so well, why did I get the E plate and not the F? Well because I’m also super impatient, and even though I understand Karve’s slow shipping is a thing of the past, I got mine from West Coast Shaving (WCS) witch took out the shipping from Canada altogether! But I did order extra plates from Karve because WCS was sold out.

Enough about that, this is about comparing the Muhle to the Karve.

As much as I’ve looked, I can’t find out what the 41’s gap is. Of course that makes sense. I doubt the good folks at Muhle care. I can just hear them now, “It shaves yeah?” “It’s close yeah?” “Its good yeah?” Yes Muhle, it’s good. But here’s how my 41 looks compared to the Karve.

The rose gold is obviously the R41 with the brass being the Karve.

View attachment 977231

The Karve LOOKS way more aggressive!

View attachment 977232

But will it be as efficient? More importantly, will it be as smooth?

I can’t even begin to answer that until my “maiden” shave with the Karve most likely tomorrow. But I tell you, I got high hopes. REALLY HIGH HOPES. I mean, look at that thing!

But if it was all about looks, my other R41 on the left here would hands down win for sure.

View attachment 977234

Man I love my 41’s. This thing has big shoes to fill. We’ll begin to see soon enough.

Great line up!! Look forward to the reports!!

 

[naughtilus]

If I'm not mistaken:
Efficiency is dependent on blade exposure.
Smoothness is dependent on blade support/clamping.

Looking forward to everyone's reports!

 

[Fozzie Bear]

I like an efficient razor as well, haven’t tried the R41 but I have a couple of Muhle Rocca’s Which I love and are my go to razors. I also bought the Karve SB with plates D @ E. Beautiful razor but I just couldn’t seem to get on with it. The Karve SB E plate is not as efficient as the Rocca so it certainly won’t be compared to the R41.

The Karve has since being sold...maybe I should look at the OC!

 

[les24preludes]

I was all ready to order the Karve OC with E+F plates when a deal on a Timeless Bronze OC .78 came up. I'm over the moon with the Bronze, which I use on a titanium handle (stock handle far too heavy for me). With Yellow blades it's smooth and very efficient. It's taken over from my R41 as my go-to DE. These are two really, really good razors - on the right handles! I'm a total titanium convert when it comes to handles - nothing else really competes.

 

[Earcutter]

UPDATE # 1

I hesitate posting about my first shave because I don't want people to think the first shave is worth much, because it isn't. I still haven't found that magic angle, and I haven't figured out what blade it loves on the most, but I do want to post up my thoughts if only so I remember the ride.

I put a Personna Red in my Karve today being it's the blade that just works in my 41. I used the exact same pre-shave, soap and aftershave regimen I did a couple of days ago with my 41. Right away I noticed:

• way more blade on the face
• way more comfortable

I expected a stupid close shave being I was feeling so much blade, but after feeling the old face after the first run, I was a little surprised to feel as much stubble as I did. Second pass same thing - after the third, i did some touching up.

Like I said, first shave. As much as the Karve balances like a champ, it seemingly wasn't as efficient. An hour later I feel my face and yes, yes it is just as efficient. Wow that was close. I'm not sure why I didn't think it was right after the shave. That's an odd one.

Because the shave was so darn smooth, I expected no sting when I ran the Alum over my face but ... there was sting. Again - Odd! Very odd. Or is it? I mean I have no idea what blade this thing really loves yet. So far it did a really fine job with the Personna. Only marginally less close than the 41 and just a bit less comfortable than my grail razor.

This is a beautiful razor that gave me an outstanding first shave with it! Wow. I can't wait to try some other blades, but I got to give the Personna a day two shave. In the mean time, I'm just marveling at what to think lol.

Very interesting. Indeed.

 

[les24preludes]

Good review. Sounds promising for efficient razor fans. Blade feel - that's good!

Try a 7 o'clock Yellow. That's edged out my Nacets and Astra SPs.

 

[Earcutter]

Good review. Sounds promising for efficient razor fans. Blade feel - that's good!

Try a 7 o'clock Yellow. That's edged out my Nacets and Astra SPs.

Gosh I'm glad that it reads as promising because it really is. I'm pretty excited - but I'll tell it like it is if its not a 41 killer lol. I mean I love my 41.

I'll definitely give those blades a shot. Thanks for the heads up.

 

[muzichead]

@Earcutter
Do you normally shave daily or every other day?

 

[Earcutter]

@Earcutter
Do you normally shave daily or every other day?

Great question - thanks. Generally speaking every other day. With an "efficient" razor.

 

[muzichead]

Great question - thanks. Generally speaking every other day. With an "efficient" razor.

I thought that might be your answer to the question and makes sense using an R41 regularly. From what I've read from most Karve users is most are used as daily shavers and therefor falls into a completely different category from the R41 so you might take that into account and use it daily for a week or so...

 

[les24preludes]

Great question - thanks. Generally speaking every other day. With an "efficient" razor.

Good question indeed. I'm going over to once every 2 days now with efficient razors.

 

[Earcutter]

I thought that might be your answer to the question and makes sense using an R41 regularly. From what I've read from most Karve users is most are used as daily shavers and therefor falls into a completely different category from the R41 so you might take that into account and use it daily for a week or so...

I have the C plate coming in as well (in transit) - I completely expect that that plate might make daily shaving a possibility. I can tell you definitively that using the E plate, I would not be able to. Nope, no way. Too close.

 

[Iloverootbeer]

Absolutely stunning razor. The handle is beautiful.

 

[cyberdog]

Doesn't matter what razor I use, I'll have at least a little growth by the next morning. Best I can do is still feel smooth around 7:00pm, much after that and there will be spots where whiskers can be felt. Now by morning, the amount present varies by what razor was used, and at what setting for the adjustables.

Generally, my Timeless gets the absolute closest, but it's also more likely to leave a tiny weeper on occasion, or as I'd say a speeding ticket! - Mine is a 95 OC in SS, so if I run it like say my Rockwell, or Gillette Adjustables, it might give a love kiss. (Or if it's time for a new blade).

Of course my Rockwell, Karve (D), and Gillette Adjustables can yield nearly the same closeness, but with a bit more forgiving nature, with the proper blade.

 

[les24preludes]

Generally, my Timeless gets the absolute closest, but it's also more likely to leave a tiny weeper on occasion, or as I'd say a speeding ticket!

Speeding ticket is a very neat idea!