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Muhle R41 - First Drive

Ahhh I see. With my 39c Sledgehammer it holds the blade like a vice (perhaps due to the torqueing of the blade?) and I get no chatter from it. Instead I get a rather nice 'raspy' sound as the blade does its work.

Jason.
I just saw a review on the 39c, I think I’ll pick that up one of these days.

What’s “chatter,” exactly?
 
What’s “chatter,” exactly?
the blade flexes as you're taking passes. Blade chatter gives you a rough shave and if there is chatter and skin catching happening at the same time you're going to get cut. The R41 is a chattery razor and it will cut you if you make a mistake.
 
the blade flexes as you're taking passes. Blade chatter gives you a rough shave and if there is chatter and skin catching happening at the same time you're going to get cut. The R41 is a chattery razor and it will cut you if you make a mistake.
Is chatter, audible?
 
I purchased a Muhle R41 earlier this week and finally was able to give this bad boy a test drive.

It felt fantastic. I did pretty well. I got a weeper on my neck, I didn’t even feel it when I nicked myself, might have been an in grown hair or something. The whole shave was butter smooth.

I used some TOBS peppermint. The blade was a Wilkinson Sword

Anyone else enjoy using their Muhle R41?View attachment 1366356

I posted about my first shave with an R41 this past Tuesday. Your experience mirrors mine. I've used it for 4 shaves so far with only one weeper of no significance. If it's not my most efficient razor, it's very close to it.
Steve, I am just curious, what razor(s) do you consider more efficient than your R41?
 
Steve, I am just curious, what razor(s) do you consider more efficient than your R41?
The razors that are in the same league with regard to efficiency as the R41 are my Blackland Dart, Merkur Futur, GEM Micromatic Open Comb and a RazoRock Hawk with a Feather Pro Super blade. Since I find that on any given day my results with a razor may not be absolutely consistent, determining which is most efficient is probably more a matter of technique than geometry, i.e. given a razor's capability to produce a very close shave, how consistently can I employ it to do so. So far, the R41 seems to be winning the contest in that regard. Granted, I've only used it 5 times, but every shave has been BBS. With the Dart, in particular, since it is the razor I use most often, I would guess that I get a BBS shave about 80 - 90% of the time. The others on the list above I don't use often enough to be able to estimate how often they provide a BBS shave. Another variable that throws off these comparisons is that the R41's reputation preceded it, and I use if very carefully. That probably adds to its efficiency, since close attention produces better technique in my experience.
 
The razors that are in the same league with regard to efficiency as the R41 are my Blackland Dart, Merkur Futur, GEM Micromatic Open Comb and a RazoRock Hawk with a Feather Pro Super blade. Since I find that on any given day my results with a razor may not be absolutely consistent, determining which is most efficient is probably more a matter of technique than geometry, i.e. given a razor's capability to produce a very close shave, how consistently can I employ it to do so. So far, the R41 seems to be winning the contest in that regard. Granted, I've only used it 5 times, but every shave has been BBS. With the Dart, in particular, since it is the razor I use most often, I would guess that I get a BBS shave about 80 - 90% of the time. The others on the list above I don't use often enough to be able to estimate how often they provide a BBS shave. Another variable that throws off these comparisons is that the R41's reputation preceded it, and I use if very carefully. That probably adds to its efficiency, since close attention produces better technique in my experience.
Steve, what blades do you use with your R41?
 
Steve, what blades do you use with your R41?
I'm still on the first blade with it, a Personna Israeli Red. It's the DE blade that I use most often, so it's a logical choice for me with a new razor. In general I find that I get very similar results with Gillette Platinum blades, but I haven't tried one in the R41 yet.
 
For me, Personna Platinums aka Israeli Reds and Russian Gillette Perma-Sharps.
Also going by my journal the new Minora Stainless but this was just one test blade…
 
I'm still on the first blade with it, a Personna Israeli Red. It's the DE blade that I use most often, so it's a logical choice for me with a new razor. In general I find that I get very similar results with Gillette Platinum blades, but I haven't tried one in the R41 yet.
I’ve never tried a Personna blade. I’ve used Feathers before and liked them so I was thinking of picking those up again, but heck blades are so cheap I should just pick up a few brands and try more out.

I’ve been using Wilkinson Swords for so long. I just never run out of blades lol, not that I have a truck load of them or anything.
 
the blade flexes as you're taking passes. Blade chatter gives you a rough shave and if there is chatter and skin catching happening at the same time you're going to get cut. The R41 is a chattery razor and it will cut you if you make a mistake.
My R41 razors do not see much use either. I also like shaving every day. I think you get a deeper shave. For two days of stubble it is grate. The chatter is reduced on the GS model, because the blade is supported closer to the cutting edge. I have the twist and the new GS model. For me the difference is not that much, but i tend to ride the cap more with this razors. For those who enjoy a steeper angle, blade chatter might be an issue.
 
I can probably get away with daily use with an R41 but would have to limit my passes to 2 and definitely not ATG because i find blade chatter to be the absolute worst with that razor on ATG passes. I have no other razor that can shave as closely and do it as efficiently as the R41-but comes at a steep price ATG. I'll never sell mine for this reason.
 
I use Astra blue and green in the R41 and DSCosmetic ZO. I tried Feathers but they were less comfortable and did not give me as close of a shave.

For some reason, I don't get the blade chatter that some guys get. I don't know why but I'm glad I don't get it.
 
I use Astra blue and green in the R41 and DSCosmetic ZO. I tried Feathers but they were less comfortable and did not give me as close of a shave.

For some reason, I don't get the blade chatter that some guys get. I don't know why but I'm glad I don't get it.
Just a quick reminder, blade chatter is a result of the unsupported free edge of the blade catching slightly as it cuts the hair and deflecting freely. If you have sufficiently a light beard, it is conceivably possible that the blade is able to mow through without any resistance whatsoever. Also worth considering is the double edge sword of how close to the skin you cut. A hair will deflect less the closer to its base that it is cut.
 
Just a quick reminder, blade chatter is a result of the unsupported free edge of the blade catching slightly as it cuts the hair and deflecting freely. If you have sufficiently a light beard, it is conceivably possible that the blade is able to mow through without any resistance whatsoever. Also worth considering is the double edge sword of how close to the skin you cut. A hair will deflect less the closer to its base that it is cut.
That's interesting! I have a tough beard and I shave close to the skin. Maybe that's why I don't get blade chatter.
 
That's interesting! I have a tough beard and I shave close to the skin. Maybe that's why I don't get blade chatter.
Hanging hair test that some straight razor users do demonstrate this principal(deflection). If you happen to have a long enough beard hair around, you can pinch it between two fingers and push into it with a blade about 1/2" above your fingers. You can, carefully, try higher and lower to see this in action.
 
Hi Everyone! I’ve been wet shaving for close to a month now, and my first DE choice was Mühle R41 Grande (went for aggressiveness and extra weight on the handle right out of the gate). First shave – no cuts, one or two spots of razor burn, and an incredibly close and satisfying shave. My beard growth is not that fast, plus I’m using the Bluebeards Revenge shaving product range (which some claim contains this magic ingredient Decelerine that slows down hair growth), so I only have to shave every 3-4 days. The efficiency on the R41 Grande is second to none. I’m so satisfied I’ve switched over to wet shaving - the experience is very enjoyable and I keep looking forward to the next shave.
 
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