BEFORE THE R41
Once upon a time, I had to get up early for work every day, with long commutes. So an electric shaver was the solution. Total time shaving: two minutes. I’d have a routine 4:00 shadow, but the convenience was worth it. When I upgraded to cartridges, the shave took only three or so minutes, but the quality of my shave improved a bit. (And I ended up spending $200+/year on cartridges.)
Now, I have a more relaxed schedule, and shave every other day. I use an Edwin Jagger DE89.
On Day One, my beard looks tidy, even at the end of the day. On Day Two, about mid-afternoon, my beard feels like sandpaper; by evening, I can light a match on the stubble. If only my shave would last a little longer….
Then, I recalled that barber shaves always seem to last a lot longer than typical cartridge or double edge razor shaves. Was there a way to use a DE razor, and get the longevity of a barber shave? Yes, I thought; that’s very possible.
Excited by its promise, I cashed in some Amazon credit and ordered a Muhle R41. For many, the shave is as close as a double edge razor gets. For others, the R41 is the next step before graduating to a straight blade. I just wanted a better DE shave.
I did some research on the Badger & Blade discussion group, and compiled my own instruction manual for the R41.
– Use sharp blades, and be prepared to replace them more frequently than before.
– Shave as lightly as possible, allowing the blade to do all the work. Pay attention to technique.
– While shaving, use short – but not slow - strokes.
– Concentrate on your shave; the R41 isn’t the kind of razor that rewards a lax attitude.
– Buy a mop. You’ll need it, for the blood.
The “what not to do” advice was also helpful.
– Don’t use a R41 with an old or inferior blade.
– Don’t pull the razor, because it’ll probably rip your face off.
My Jagger DE89 didn’t even have a flyer. When the R41 arrived in the mail, I flipped through the 22-page printed booklet. Six of the pics warn you about blood.
THE R41: THE FIRST SHAVE
I did my usual prep: three minutes soaking my beard in hot water, eight drops of grape seed oil as a moisturizer, and a healthy lather each pass. I noticed something immediately on shaving: the R41’s “feel” was close to a straight razor in many ways. Apparently, I didn’t have full mastery of “the fundamentals,” because I was close to spouting geysers of blood on my upper lip. The most important thing I learned was to shave systematically. The only part of the shave that wasn’t satisfactory was the throat area; there was still some unresolved stubble, but nothing disheartening.
I noticed the same thing that other R41 users have: after shaving, I’d start rubbing my face, pleased with the clean shave. The shave itself went a little faster than usual. This razor is definitely efficient.
The experience was not unlike riding a bicycle without training wheels. It’s easy to use a safety razor like the DE89 and lazily fall into bad habits. With the R41, the training wheels are off. It’s up to the razor, a sharp blade, and you.
THE R41: WAITING FOR STUBBLE
My main goal was a shave that would last two days. But I also like the idea of making a blade last as long as possible. My R41 experience made me realize that you can’t have both.
With the DE89, I can push a Gillette Silver Blue blade as long as eight days; as the blade gets older and duller, you’re going to end up with more and earlier stubble. With the R41, you won’t get stubble as quickly, because your blades always have to be ultra sharp. You have to toss the spent blades more quickly with the R41.
There’s no foolproof method for measuring when stubble appears. On the Badger & Blade website, I found a workable trick for determining the smoothness of your skin. Take an index card, and rub it across the chin area of your face. If you hear an abrasive noise, your beard has started growing in.
I compiled the results. The differences were significant.
With the DE89, the stubble appeared after 6.5 hours; with the R41, it appeared after 10.5 hours. I repeated the experiment, with similar results. At the end of the day, both beards looked fine, but the R41 does won bragging rights, at least on this test.
R41 CONCLUSIONS
As some have realized, there are some differences between variants of the R41. The 2009 version is said to be relatively tame, the 2011 quite aggressive, and the 2013 somewhere in between. I can’t compare the versions, but at least one website claims that a shave from the 2013 doesn’t last as long as the 2011. It would be nice to know how significant the differences are, especially relative to your specific shaving needs.
Both the DE89 and R41 gave me very nice shaves, but your preference will be personal It may come down to whether you prefer a comb or safety razor. If I’m shaving every day, the DE89 will be easier on my skin; if I’m shaving every other day, it’s a toss-up. If I’m trying to stretch my blade, the DE89 gives me seven or eight serviceable shaves. If I’m going on the town, the R41 gets the nod.
It’s nice to have both options.
Once upon a time, I had to get up early for work every day, with long commutes. So an electric shaver was the solution. Total time shaving: two minutes. I’d have a routine 4:00 shadow, but the convenience was worth it. When I upgraded to cartridges, the shave took only three or so minutes, but the quality of my shave improved a bit. (And I ended up spending $200+/year on cartridges.)
Now, I have a more relaxed schedule, and shave every other day. I use an Edwin Jagger DE89.
On Day One, my beard looks tidy, even at the end of the day. On Day Two, about mid-afternoon, my beard feels like sandpaper; by evening, I can light a match on the stubble. If only my shave would last a little longer….
Then, I recalled that barber shaves always seem to last a lot longer than typical cartridge or double edge razor shaves. Was there a way to use a DE razor, and get the longevity of a barber shave? Yes, I thought; that’s very possible.
Excited by its promise, I cashed in some Amazon credit and ordered a Muhle R41. For many, the shave is as close as a double edge razor gets. For others, the R41 is the next step before graduating to a straight blade. I just wanted a better DE shave.
I did some research on the Badger & Blade discussion group, and compiled my own instruction manual for the R41.
– Use sharp blades, and be prepared to replace them more frequently than before.
– Shave as lightly as possible, allowing the blade to do all the work. Pay attention to technique.
– While shaving, use short – but not slow - strokes.
– Concentrate on your shave; the R41 isn’t the kind of razor that rewards a lax attitude.
– Buy a mop. You’ll need it, for the blood.
The “what not to do” advice was also helpful.
– Don’t use a R41 with an old or inferior blade.
– Don’t pull the razor, because it’ll probably rip your face off.
My Jagger DE89 didn’t even have a flyer. When the R41 arrived in the mail, I flipped through the 22-page printed booklet. Six of the pics warn you about blood.
THE R41: THE FIRST SHAVE
I did my usual prep: three minutes soaking my beard in hot water, eight drops of grape seed oil as a moisturizer, and a healthy lather each pass. I noticed something immediately on shaving: the R41’s “feel” was close to a straight razor in many ways. Apparently, I didn’t have full mastery of “the fundamentals,” because I was close to spouting geysers of blood on my upper lip. The most important thing I learned was to shave systematically. The only part of the shave that wasn’t satisfactory was the throat area; there was still some unresolved stubble, but nothing disheartening.
I noticed the same thing that other R41 users have: after shaving, I’d start rubbing my face, pleased with the clean shave. The shave itself went a little faster than usual. This razor is definitely efficient.
The experience was not unlike riding a bicycle without training wheels. It’s easy to use a safety razor like the DE89 and lazily fall into bad habits. With the R41, the training wheels are off. It’s up to the razor, a sharp blade, and you.
THE R41: WAITING FOR STUBBLE
My main goal was a shave that would last two days. But I also like the idea of making a blade last as long as possible. My R41 experience made me realize that you can’t have both.
With the DE89, I can push a Gillette Silver Blue blade as long as eight days; as the blade gets older and duller, you’re going to end up with more and earlier stubble. With the R41, you won’t get stubble as quickly, because your blades always have to be ultra sharp. You have to toss the spent blades more quickly with the R41.
There’s no foolproof method for measuring when stubble appears. On the Badger & Blade website, I found a workable trick for determining the smoothness of your skin. Take an index card, and rub it across the chin area of your face. If you hear an abrasive noise, your beard has started growing in.
I compiled the results. The differences were significant.
With the DE89, the stubble appeared after 6.5 hours; with the R41, it appeared after 10.5 hours. I repeated the experiment, with similar results. At the end of the day, both beards looked fine, but the R41 does won bragging rights, at least on this test.
R41 CONCLUSIONS
As some have realized, there are some differences between variants of the R41. The 2009 version is said to be relatively tame, the 2011 quite aggressive, and the 2013 somewhere in between. I can’t compare the versions, but at least one website claims that a shave from the 2013 doesn’t last as long as the 2011. It would be nice to know how significant the differences are, especially relative to your specific shaving needs.
Both the DE89 and R41 gave me very nice shaves, but your preference will be personal It may come down to whether you prefer a comb or safety razor. If I’m shaving every day, the DE89 will be easier on my skin; if I’m shaving every other day, it’s a toss-up. If I’m trying to stretch my blade, the DE89 gives me seven or eight serviceable shaves. If I’m going on the town, the R41 gets the nod.
It’s nice to have both options.
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