Loosening the Handle to Shave in Contours (from Muhle)

[DonLafontaine]

The Muhle website reads as follows:

"For practised shavers: by slightly loosening the handle (approx. 1⁄2 a revolution) the angle of the blade is increased. This enables you to shave very cleanly in contours. Always tighten the handle before continuing with the rest of the shave."

Does anyone actually do this? I've been reading this board for some time and never noticed this advice.

 

[mblakele]

I understand Gillette had something similar in the instructions for their early models. No, I haven't tried it.

 

[Go West Young Man]

Dangerous territory there.

 

[DonLafontaine]

Well Chris, I agree. This does look to be dangerous territory. But after experiencing the fit and finish of their products and looking at the quality of their website, it would seem that there might be something to the recommended technique. That said, I just shaved a couple of minutes ago and didn't dare try it.

 

[TLetums]

Isn't that how Adjustables work? By doing that you change the angle of the blade.

 

[D.Irving79]

ive been doing this lately with my 1917 old type. makes for an excellent shave if you know what youre doing. also works with 3 piece gillettes though that can be a little dicey-er.

 

[Ceri]

I've tried it with my R41 - blood everywhere. Once you've loosened the head it's very hard to prevent it opening even more as you shave.

 

[Speedwell68]

I've tried it with my R41 - blood everywhere. Once you've loosened the head it's very hard to prevent it opening even more as you shave.

The first thing I thought when I read the OP was how do you keep the head from undoing more?

 

[global_dev]

The Muhle website reads as follows:

"For practised shavers: by slightly loosening the handle (approx. 1⁄2 a revolution) the angle of the blade is increased. This enables you to shave very cleanly in contours. Always tighten the handle before continuing with the rest of the shave."

Thats a bit contradictory IMO, where do the contours of my face end that I should be tightening up before I continue?

 

[Shaman]

Just my two cents but if it were my face and I felt like I needed to adjust the blade angle I would either use an adjustable DE razor or better yet a straight razor (the ultimate adjustable razor). No way I would loosen the blade and hope it stayed that way.

 

[ateace]

I've tried it with my R41

You didn't think the R41 head was aggressive enough??

 

[Ceri]

You didn't think the R41 head was aggressive enough??

High cheekbones above hollows in my cheeks - I'm rugged but gaunt

 

[WinstonSmith]

High cheekbones above hollows in my cheeks - I'm rugged but gaunt

Same here. I blow my cheeks up like Dizzy Gillespie to get the hollows.

 

[bran]

It is one thing to change the angle of the blade...but wouldn't this loosen the blade and allow some pretty unpredictable movement?

 

[Go West Young Man]

That works as long as you loosen just enough to open up the head but not enough to let the blade start moving around. Getting that right is where the problem lies.