R41 Grande + Mike's Natural = WOW

[tjp68]

I got home tonight to find a package from West Coast Shaving containing my new R41 Grande. Naturally I had to try it out, but figured I'd probably cut my face off based on my relative inexperience and it's reputation. I had received my very first order from Mike's Natural Soaps yesterday.

Here's my setup for the evening.

• Muhle R41 Grande
• Gillette Silver Blue
• Mike's Natural Barber Shop stick
• Parker Pure Badger
• Skin Bracer Cooling Blue

My usual primary is the EJ De89lbl, which I've been very happy with. I usually do a three pass shave with a lot of touch up around a couple of patches on my jawline, and burning and irritation is not uncommon.

I lathered up with way too much Mike's - this stuff by itself is a game changer and definitely worthy of the hype - and did a two pass shave (WTG and ATG) with just a tiny bit of touch up and only one small weeper on my chin. Best shave ever and almost no burn or irritation after. I'm sold. I have my new primary setup.

Of course ymmv, but IMO, Mike's Natural Soap is as good as advertised here. You owe it to yourself to at least try it. And the R41 isn't nearly as scary as it's made out to be. Use a smooth, sharp blade and good technique learned here and you will love the results.

TL;DR - West Coast Shaving, Mike's Natural Soaps and the Muhle R41 Grande are all fantastic.

 

[BlackBear]

Superb combo IMO, Mikes soaps are the bomb! The R41 certainly one of the closer shavers out there. Not sure which model you have but they have tamed them down this year, the 2011 R41 has a reputation that precedes it as being a beast, I can attest to it's aggressiveness, probably the closest you will get to a straight razor shave experience.

 

[dreaded_rust]

very nice. I am very excited to get back to the states next month because I have an R41 waiting for my at my new residence. the anticipation is killin me

 

[Emanon]

I am waiting for Mikes soap at the moment and I just posted in the safety razor section that I am looking at the R41 as my next razor (not the Grande).

 

[cfender]

"Not sure which model you have but they have tamed them down this year"

Is this true? The current R41 is more tame than the 2011 version?

 

[eth]

Apparently, yes. R41 2011 and R41 2013 pictures.

I wasn't aware there was a new R41 model released this year.

 

[BlackBear]

Yes it's true, this quote

It is true. The R41 was modified (or tamed) silently by Mühle in July or August last year.

We have the pre-2011 R41, using an open comb made by Merkur, that head is pretty much like a Gillette Old Type. That's not the topic here.

In June 2011 Mühle released the R41 we are talking about. That one used a cap 18.8 mm wide. Last summer they silently tamed the beast a bit, Mühle's current production caps are 20.2 mm wide. Well, 1.4 mm wider cap does not sound to be important, but the wider cap does not allow the blade to flatter that much. Resulting in direct shaves, but much smoother than the first release.

To find out which one you have is to measure the width of the cap. In case you don't have a caliper at hand but an 89-series DE, you can compare it with that head: Is your R41's head smaller than that of the R89 you have the untamed beast. Is the R41's cap wider you have the new girlie version.

from this thread http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/336113-R41-new-version helps tell the story, although I bought my R41 late December or January this year and it was the older more aggressive model, just depends on the vendor and what they have left in stock.

Sorry if I misinformed you about a new model this year, it's taken on the name of '2013 R41' even though it changed July/Aug last year, as I think it was early this year that information started to become more widespread.