Muhle razor question

[billyjeff2]

I love everything about my Muhle R41 open comb except the handle, which is a bit small for my taste. Aside from buying an EJ Jaggar with their handles, anyone know if there is someone out there who makes customized handles for this particular razor?
Thanks

 

[cooncatbob]

I do, but I'd need to confirm the thread size.

 

[mbrossar]

Are you talking about the old R41 or the 2009 R41? I have no experience with the old R41 and to be honest, I never tried to put the new R41 on a custom handle, but I have put the new R89 on a new handle. There's been much discussion about this on this forum. I believe the final consensus is that the new R89s have a metric thread. I don't know if the same holds true for the new and/or old R41s. If it does, you should still be able to go custom as the metric thread (at least on the R89) is incredibly close to the standard 10-32 thread on most custom handles. Hitting the head with a 10-32 dye will not only open you up to the field of custom handles, it will not prevent you from going back to the stock handle if you ever decide to. I did this with my Müle R89 closed comb (which I believe had a metric thread), and it worked fine. But test it first. Your R41 might already have a 10-32 thread.

+1 on Bob's handles. He does great work, but you may want to do a little homework on handle weight. Mühle’s stock handles (at least the new ones) are incredibly light. Getting a custom handle will not only impact the diameter of the handle, you will more than likely get a heavier handle too. This will impact how the razor feels in your hand and, IMO, may change the aggressiveness of the head (depending upon how much the balance shifts). It's not better or worse, it's just different. It all depends upon what you want.

If you like open combs and are considering a custom handle, I strongly recommend looking at a re-plated NEW to go along with it. A re-plated NEW on Bob's Bull Mastiff handle is a beautiful thing. If you have the new Mühle R41, I think you will find this combination slightly more aggressive but still a wonderful razor. If you prefer a milder shave and are interested in a re-plated NEW, I would recommend the short comb. I have a re-plated short comb NEW. I find it milder than the long comb NEWs, and I prefer it. If, on the other hand, you have an old R41, you would probably find the NEW milder. I understand that many have combined a re-plated old style with Bob's Bull Mastiff. I understand that many find the old style more aggressive than the NEW.

On the other hand, you can stick with your R41 head. The possibilities are endless. There are many custom handles out there to choose from, but I would highly recommend checking out Bob’s work.

I hope this helps.

 

[billyjeff2]

Thanks for the info. Email sent to Bob.
I know modifying the handle will change some of its characteristics, but I find the stock handle a bit too small and hard to securely grasp. Considering the aggressiveness of this particular razor (which I very much like) a secure grasp is important.