Not Sold On This

[RaiserLiebe]

If you're looking for a mild razor just go to Ebay and get a vintage Gillette Super Speed for $15. Use any blade other than Feather if you are new and cutting up your face. Reduce pressure.

+1.
I couldn't tame the R41 even with more experience than you have. Peeled several layers of skin, every shave a blood bath.Why go though having a sore face every day?
After 4 years, milder/kinder razors are my lane (Superspeed 40's, Fatboy at 6, Flare, Tech, Rockwell at 3). I don't have to obsess too much about technique, the shaves are very good to excellent, no blood and face feels superb after the shave.
Get a Superspeed as a learner for 15 bucks or so.
Mike

 

[Mitretnuh]

Not a good start, eh?

Here's my suggestions:

You should get a different razor. Weishi 9603 or whatever (sold in as the Van Der Hagen and lots of other names as well), a Merkur 34c as mentioned, or even better a vintage Gillette Tech or any of the SuperSpeed "butterfly" razors made by Gillette from the 40's to the late 80's. All of these are "milder" and will be easier to learn on.

Get some "duller" blades -- Dorco ST 301's are nice, you may like Derby's (I find them rather too dull, though), Astra SPs -- sharp, but fairly smooth and fine in the above razors, Droco Primes, etc. NOT Feathers -- keep those put away for a

Make sure you have good lather -- you have a perfectly good soap, but you need to make lather that makes your face slippery -- it's the slippery soap that keeps the blade from scraping. Several ways to lather it up, but the one that works for me is to take a damp brush to the soap until the tips are stuck together about 1/4" up, then apply to ........

Persevere -- once you figure out how to avoid lighting your face up you will find that DE razors give you a MUCH better shave, and very comfortable too. My last three have been nearly perfect -- no nicks, no weepers, no razor burn, no irritation, but I shaved at 7 am this morning and can only feel stubble on my chin in a few spots at 9:19 pm. And that was with a Dorco ST 301 on it's eighth shave in a SuperSpeed.

Peter

+3

You should send him a gift. PSFRED just took the time to give you the research you should have started with.

Add badger and blade to any Google search about shaving, and you will get better hits.

My suggestion is put a little KY in your lather to help with slick til you perfect your form.

Using an R41 for a 1st razor is like my little leaguer trying to hit with Albert Pujols bat.

 

[ItsTaz]

OK, man, we definitely don't do the "RTFM Noob" attitude around here, but you really need to do some basic research. DE is a finicky tool, and like all tools your skill in wielding it is more important than how much you paid for it.

Please read the stickies, watch Mantic59 on YouTube, learn the fundamentals first. If you just hack at your face Willy Nilly you'll only keep hurting yourself.

+10. A scalpel in the hand of a person doesn't make them a surgeon, training does. Homework will fix the problems faced by the OP.

 

[DougK]

OP, you've gotten a lot of great advice on here so I won't repeat what's been said. The only thing I disagree with is avoiding Feather blades. My DE shaving improved enormously when I switched to Feathers; that said, I was also using them in mild razors like the Gillette Tech and Gillette G1000, so take that into consideration.

 

[Rehabilitated Shaver]

Just stick with it, it'll come. I have had a rough transition from cartridges to a straight razor(shavette actually, but close enough).

After 6 shaves with the shavette I am still not getting really close shaves(except the first two and boy did I ever pay for that closeness with some unreal razor burn and a multitude of nicks and cuts), but on this last shave I did manage to get through the whole thing without having to finish with a cartridge and without my face feeling like I shaved with a cheese grater.....I'm calling that a win.

It's not great(yet), but it is progress and after my early experiences I can tell you I value a comfortable shave much more than a close shave while I'm still learning, that mindset along with slowly getting the technique down have significantly increased the enjoyment of wet shaving for me. Learn to love the process, go slow, and lower your expectations of the shave until you really get it figured out, this 6th shave was the first one I actually got some satisfaction and enjoyment out of and it's left me wanting to keep getting better at it.

 

[Grassy]

New De/wet shaver. Results are horrible. Ready to go back to cartridges after dropping lots of coin.

Spent a lot of money to do this right:

Razor: Muhle R41
Blades: Feather Stainless
Brush: Muhle Rosegold Silvertip Badger
Cream: Proraso Green
Aftershave: Proraso Green
Clayware Scuttle

I just don't get it. I'm ready to go back to cartridges. Shave is terrible, face is on fire when I'm done and shave sucks. I've bought what I thought was the best stuff to make the transition. What have I done wrong? Help me keep on track here.

Lots of good advise here from members more knowledgeable and experienced than me. But, as a relative newcomer to B&B I'm feeling your pain.

I started with a de a couple of years ago with a very cheap mild razor, more luck than judgment, and found I got a good shave without much trouble. Then I found B&B and upgraded to a Merkur Progress and some Feather blades and began to get cuts and weepers even though this was much better equipment and I was working on my technique. And that is so frustrating!

My advice is change your razor, it is said to be one of the most aggressive razors (perhaps you meant to get the Muhle R89, said to be a mild good beginner razor) and change your blades, they are some of the sharpest. I'm sure you could trade them on this site or just keep them for another time.

I have now started using a mild vintage Gillette, though there are many options new and old available suggested, and changed to Astra blades, again lots of options suggested. I am now getting great shaves and no pain.

Who needs painful, stressful shaves? De shaves can and should be a bit of luxury pampering at a reasonable price and you can achieve this too with a couple of changes. Good luck

 

[ScruffyRubicon]

Just a thought here, I recently discovered my burn was anytime I used a platinum blade. Possible a coating or something. Try a few ther blade types..

 

[Yminoh]

OP, if you want to PM me your address I will send you a No Date Code Super Speed, some blades (Astra, Personna, Voshkod, etc), and a couple of soaps including, Razorock and Haslinger Schafmilch, for you to try.

When I started, I used Proraso Green and my face was on fire. I found eventually that I was allergic to soaps and creams w/ eucalyptus. My first razor was a 34C and it was/is a great razor.

 

[drwevil]

Maybe try Voskhod blades they are really smooth and I personally prefer them too the Astra's.
As the R41 is such an aggressive razor and the Merkur 34c you can pick up off eBay for $50 AU your R41 you could either sell here on B&B or keep it for later.

But do try those Voskhod blades ...

 

[Mitretnuh]

OP, if you want to PM me your address I will send you a No Date Code Super Speed, some blades (Astra, Personna, Voshkod, etc), and a couple of soaps including, Razorock and Haslinger Schafmilch, for you to try.

When I started, I used Proraso Green and my face was on fire. I found eventually that I was allergic to soaps and creams w/ eucalyptus. My first razor was a 34C and it was/is a great razor.

And that is why this is the only shave site I belong to.

Kudos yminoh

 

[drwevil]

OP, if you want to PM me your address I will send you a No Date Code Super Speed, some blades (Astra, Personna, Voshkod, etc), and a couple of soaps including, Razorock and Haslinger Schafmilch, for you to try.

When I started, I used Proraso Green and my face was on fire. I found eventually that I was allergic to soaps and creams w/ eucalyptus. My first razor was a 34C and it was/is a great razor.

That is awesome. It shows what a great community. We are so blessed in having in B&B. Also I haven't seen any posts along the lines of would you just Google it... or did you use search.

Folks are always willing to help and will always point you to the info your after or just answer your questions.

 

[sandstone]

Maybe I'm pressing too hard; been using a Gillette cartridge for years. I'll try to lighten up. Thanks!

It took me quite a while, a few months actually, to shake off the old habits of cart shaving. With practice and patience you will get there. Also fwiw, even after my technique was pretty solid I was never able to get along with the R41.

 

[mmsantos]

After looking for what you bought to start in wet shave in my opinion you should keep the razor and the blades in a drawer for now, you buy what you should buy when you had more experience and not by who is starting in wet shave I am referring to Muhle R41 and the Feather blades they are considered in the most aggressive lot of the market which is not the most advisable for you at this moment because you are starting in wet shave at this moment and the most suitable for Those who want to start are mild razors like a Muhle R89 or Edwin Jagger R89 with other blades as for example the Derby, Astras Sp, LORD, etc. being mild blades are better for those who are starting in wet shave making a good set with the R89 for begginers.

 

[Joe blow]

Two Biggies, ditch the R41, I own one and they are tricky to use, real tricky and number two ditch those Feathers, they are also a real pain in the butt, the problem with the R41 is that if you don't get the angle EXACTLY right you will either cut yourself or really abrade your skin, ask any Dermatologist, blades are not magic, any shaving period is somewhat traumatic for skin. Feathers as sharp as they are, are not smooth or kind to the skin. The odd time I can pull off a perfect shaving using a R41/Feather combo but to use that combo the same week just results in badly irritated skin and cuts. I find BigBens are ok in the R41 because they are not insanely sharp. What you have done wrong is both R41 and Feathers are NOT for beginners. I can understand your situation 100%. This is only my humble opinion, there are people who will say Feathers are the greatest invention next to the wheel, but this has been my experience with them.

 

[muhleskinner]

Thanks, folks. Unfortunately, I'm getting so many opinions I really don't know what to change to make things better. I think my problem is really more my technique than what razor or blades I'm using. I appreciate all the input!

 

[Lightcs1776]

Thanks, folks. Unfortunately, I'm getting so many opinions I really don't know what to change to make things better. I think my problem is really more my technique than what razor or blades I'm using. I appreciate all the input!

I know you have been getting a lot of advice. Only you can decide the next step. However, you may want to seriously consider Yminoh's offer (hopefully I have his username correct). Folks really do want you to be successful. Either way, good luck with your future endeavors, both with shaving and life in general.

 

[Mitretnuh]

Well, yminoh had me ready to up it, and offer you a 3 or 4 razor trial for a month or so. I have never tried the 41, and we could have both tried something new.
Good luck,

 

[muhleskinner]

Thanks Mitretnuh and and yminoh for your generous offers, but I don't think the problem is the hardware. I think I just need to concentrate on technique. I appreciate it tho!

 

[FriedEagle]

With the grain and across the grain

 

[FriedEagle]

Thanks Mitretnuh and and yminoh for your generous offers, but I don't think the problem is the hardware. I think I just need to concentrate on technique. I appreciate it tho!

I had the same problem when I started. My equipment was too hard to handle for my level of experience. It's a few years later and I have graduated to a Maggard V3 head with a Maggard MR5 handle and feather blades. I still nick myself every once in awhile; but, that is because of loss of concentration. It's like anything in life. When you learn to fly start out with a small Cessna and maybe one day you can fly a Boeing jet.