The 2013 R41 is a razor that has been according to MÜHLE has been refined in aggressiveness from it predecessor the 2011 R41. The 2011 R41 had the distinction of being one of the most, if not the most, aggressive Double Edge razors ever made. This elicited enthusiasm from those who wanted the most aggressive shave, but left a lot of individuals who could just not use the razor due to skin sensitivity out on this razor. In 2013 MÜHLE sought to refine the R41 to allow a greater number of people who could not or would not try this razor to give the new R41 a shot and to entice previous R41 users who had given up on the 2011 version to give the 2013 R41 a try.
I have had the opportunity to shave with the ATT system with H Plate which is very aggressive razor, the Barbasol Floating Head, a various collection of Open Comb types and even a few plastic razors that have been aggressive. Now I had decided against the 2011 R41 simply because since it was more aggressive than these razor and so having sensitive skin there was no need for me to even try it. When the news came out that MÜHLE had refined the R41 for 2013, I decided to give this razor an opportunity to see if I could use it, with was blades, and how often. I also decided on the Rose Gold version of the of the handle because I had heard some really nice comments on the looks of it. One thing concerned me was the connotation of Rose Gold. I have seen items called Rose Gold that looked reddish to the point of it almost looked like Copper more than Gold. The comments from other owners stated that it was not like that so that was what I decided on getting.
I did some research on Rose Gold and found the following discussion of alloy mixtures.
" Rose gold, red gold, and pink gold are made from a gold and copper alloy. Since copper has a bold pinkish-orange color, adding this alloy to gold gives the gold a beautiful pinkish gold color. 18K rose gold, 18K red gold, and 18K pink gold contain 75% gold. 14K rose gold, 14K red gold, and 14K pink gold contain 58% gold. The remaining percentage is made up of copper or copper and silver. The varying percentage of copper used determines the color of the gold. The more copper that is used, the stronger the rose color. Pink gold uses the least amount of copper, followed by rose gold, and red gold has the highest copper content.
There is no such thing as pure rose gold, since rose gold is an alloy of gold and copper." [1]
That last sentence is the key in so much as the fact that there are items called Rose Gold that may not be Rose Gold but Pink Gold or Red Gold instead. So I awaited my razor and when it arrived I was well pleased with the fit, finish and coloration. The 2013 R41 is a beautifully crafted razor in terms of how the parts fit together. There are no rough edges or areas that was short changed to reduce costs. Now to the best part, the definition of Rose Gold for MÜHLE is lighter on the copper than most Rose Gold I have seen in the past. It is a simply stunning combination. The plating is very good and I saw no plating issues on this unit. The handle at the end has the company name inscribed twice in a circle end to end. Here is the photo of the 2013 R41 with the Rose Gold handle.
With this review I decided not to go into great detail on dimensions, measurements and other technical details that have been well covered elsewhere. I wanted to discuss the shaving aspect. So with that to the shaves. I will take you through each day by blade verbally and show a photo of the other gear I used for each test.
The first shave with any new razor I am tentative until I have fully experienced the razor and know its behavior. I used the same two pass pattern that is discussed in the DE Blade Challenge to have a replicable shave pattern for each day. The most important issue with any razor but especially with more aggressive razor is to quickly find the correct angle to maximize the efficient of hair cutting, but minimizing or better yet eliminating weepers and any other skin disruptions. That angle for both the face and head shaves were quickly found on Day 1 and was maintained throughout the shaving test. Each test consisted on a face pass South to North, followed by a full head pass, followed by at least one more face pass South to North. This is similar to the testing done for the DE Blade Challenge II seen here.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/287286-DE-Blade-Challenge-II
For days 1 and 2, I chose my standard test blade which is Big Ben. Many of you are aware from my DE Blade Challenge, that the Big Ben did not score high on longevity with a Slim. The one thing that it did do was stay amazingly smooth throughout its life span. So with that smoothness, it became my go to testing blade for any new razor. That way I can test a razor with a great degree of confidence even if it is very aggressive. In fact with a very aggressive razor this blade become a very potent combination since it is consistent and smooth it provides balance to the gap or exposure.
Day 1
I achieved an easy two pass South to North DFS almost to the point of BBS. The razor was silent during the shaving process. With that a quick head pass provided an excellent shave for the day. The Big Ben proved to be an excellent match in terms of smoothness against the fine tuned gap / exposure that the R41 2013 provides. The shave lasted well over 9 hours and would have been better if had not been the first shave with this razor.
Day 2
The Big Ben was in its second and final day. I achieved an easy two pass South to North BBS. This shave was absolutely wonderful and smooth and silent. The head pass was also BBS without doing a lot of work. The MÜHLE is an extremely aggressive razor that brought out the most in the Big Ben. The shave lasted well over 11 hours and still looked very acceptable. The Big Ben more than likely would not have made it another day since it was beginning to face on the second face pass. Since the original protocol was not to failure test each blade, the Big Ben went into the blade bank.
The next blade I chose to use is a favorite among Traditional Shavers for its durability and sharpness and that is the Super Iridium.
It scored very well in earlier testing and is a good benchmark for performance as the middle ground blade.
Day 3
On day 3 a change was made on the blade. A NOS Super Iridium was used to see how a more aggressive blade with a solid reputation would work in the MÜHLE. Again, I achieved an easy two pass South to North BBS. A few small weepers began to set in but they were quickly sealed and a really fine shave was had. The shave lasted well into the evening hours with only a slight amount of growing stubble but no where near enough for a shave. Eleven hours and the shave still looked acceptable.
Day 4
Day 4 I noticed a slight change. I achieved an easy two pass South to North BBS. The shave was slightly rougher with more weepers being developed. The shave endurance was the same as the prior day in terms of how long it lasted. Super Iridium provided slightly closer shaves than the Big Ben but it was by a very small margin. There was no more time for this blade it was transferred into another DE razor for further use.
There was a two week gap in usage due to personal issues and associated travel, so a Slim with the Super Iridium removed from the MÜHLE 2013 R41 was used for one day and then Big Ben was used to allow for nice gentle shaves to prevent any skin issues or cuts from cropping up before the next testing round.
Days 5-6 (planned 7)
On day 5, 6, and a planned day 7, a more interesting test was devised. For me a blade that is highly touted but very controversial is the Feather blade.
For me this blade tends to last one to maybe two days in other razors before just giving up into an unsmooth, irregular shave on third day to where it is not useable. So I decided to use a Feather to see if it could be consistently sharp and smooth in the MÜHLE 2013 R41 for more than two days. That would allow me to see if the razor was indeed superior in blade to face efficiency.[/align]
Day 5
Day 5 provided the closest shave of the group. The razor provided an extremely close shave with but I had a large number of small weepers on the face and a few on the head. The shave was closer than the Iridium but not that much closer. I did have to use the Alum block which only occurs rarely anymore when I shave. I shaved around 9:00 A.M. (since it was Saturday) and the shave lasted well into the 10:00 P.M. time frame with very little stubble.
Day 6
Day 6 basically brought the test to a halt. I had mixed up my shaving cream and applied just as the day before and used the same preparation. The first pass was generating a few weepers as the testing on the prior day had. The head pass however turned problematical as the blade was beginning to deteriorate and several head weepers occurred. The second face pass allowed a BBS shave, but the weepers were even more apparent and the blade was becoming extremely harsh to the face. There is no doubt that the blade was deteriorating because my skin felt more of a burning action. Full out razor burn did not occur, but I had to really use the Alum block, styptic stick, Witch Hazel and a heavy dose of balm after shaving. This is in line with almost every razor I have used a Feather in for the second shave. The shave, however, was very close. I shaved around 8:30 A.M. and the shave lasted well into the 08:00 P.M. time frame with very little stubble. So with the Feather blade considered non-usable for day 7, the testing was considered complete.
Conclusion on the MÜHLE 2013 R41
Now to the conclusion of the matter on performance. The MÜHLE 2013 R41 does everything that it is claims to do. It is a very beautiful in terms of form and fit. Functionally it is a highly aggressive razor. I noted enough differences between all three blades to determine that it is a moderately blade sensitive razor. What I mean by blade sensitive can be placed in a question. Can the razor use different blades and make each blade function to the same smoothness, comfort and efficiency? Example does the Big Ben which is a less sharp but very smooth blade allow shaves that are as efficient as the Super Iridium or the Feather. In the 2013 R41 the answer is no. There were noticeable differences between the Big Ben, SI and Feather blades in terms of how much aggressiveness could be detected. In addition the razor is somewhat hard on blades and seems to reduce the overall lifespan when I compared the Big Ben and the Iridium to what I have experienced in prior testing. The Feather seems handle about the way it does in most other razors for me. Two shaves at best and toss it away. So like most other razors there is a clear level of sensitivity when it comes to blade use. If it were slightly or almost non blade sensitive, it would mean that almost any blade you would throw into the razor would perform at a high level, but the blades would also have an extended life by having the "perfect" approach angle. A highly sensitive razor would be one that only works well with one or maybe two blades and there are many razors that sadly fall into that category so I am not going to list them.
All that being said, this is an exceptional razor, especially for someone, with less sensitive skin that has a large amount of daily hair growth. For me and my skin, it definitely would not be a daily driver, or one that is used with extremely sharp blades such as the Feather. This brings one last point home. I tend not to test a large amount of razors due to skin sensitivity. I have razors that fit my needs in terms of providing a suitable and most times excellent BBS without being overly aggressive. Most of my current shaving testing issues come from testing an aggressive razor or a razor of ill fitting components. The next three razors I will discuss are not of ill fitting components by any stretch of the imagination. The 2013 R41 is tied in my opinion with two other razors for the most aggressive razors I have used. One is the ATT H1 plate, and the other is the Barbasol Floating Head razor. Each of these razors with the right blade can cut through even the thickest stubble. I really cannot see the need to have a more aggressive razor. Others may argue that point and that is fine. For most users that have less sensitive skin and thick beards, this may be the very razor to get the job done. However, if you are someone who has more sensitive skin and will take the time to perform an extra pass there are many excellent razors available to the user. This same Rose Gold handle is available with the R89 head as well. So those who do not want to have an aggressive razor can enjoy the same beautiful combination as the one I acquired.
For me, this is a special occasion razor for now. I may do a few more tests with some other blades in the future when I get the whim to try this beautiful razor once again. Oh, and one last parting view before I leave you.
Sources:
[1] http://www.jewelryinfoplace.com/gold.html
P.S. there will be another discussion of the 2013 R41 razor in comparison to another razor in the near future, but that is for a future thread.
I have had the opportunity to shave with the ATT system with H Plate which is very aggressive razor, the Barbasol Floating Head, a various collection of Open Comb types and even a few plastic razors that have been aggressive. Now I had decided against the 2011 R41 simply because since it was more aggressive than these razor and so having sensitive skin there was no need for me to even try it. When the news came out that MÜHLE had refined the R41 for 2013, I decided to give this razor an opportunity to see if I could use it, with was blades, and how often. I also decided on the Rose Gold version of the of the handle because I had heard some really nice comments on the looks of it. One thing concerned me was the connotation of Rose Gold. I have seen items called Rose Gold that looked reddish to the point of it almost looked like Copper more than Gold. The comments from other owners stated that it was not like that so that was what I decided on getting.
I did some research on Rose Gold and found the following discussion of alloy mixtures.
" Rose gold, red gold, and pink gold are made from a gold and copper alloy. Since copper has a bold pinkish-orange color, adding this alloy to gold gives the gold a beautiful pinkish gold color. 18K rose gold, 18K red gold, and 18K pink gold contain 75% gold. 14K rose gold, 14K red gold, and 14K pink gold contain 58% gold. The remaining percentage is made up of copper or copper and silver. The varying percentage of copper used determines the color of the gold. The more copper that is used, the stronger the rose color. Pink gold uses the least amount of copper, followed by rose gold, and red gold has the highest copper content.
There is no such thing as pure rose gold, since rose gold is an alloy of gold and copper." [1]
That last sentence is the key in so much as the fact that there are items called Rose Gold that may not be Rose Gold but Pink Gold or Red Gold instead. So I awaited my razor and when it arrived I was well pleased with the fit, finish and coloration. The 2013 R41 is a beautifully crafted razor in terms of how the parts fit together. There are no rough edges or areas that was short changed to reduce costs. Now to the best part, the definition of Rose Gold for MÜHLE is lighter on the copper than most Rose Gold I have seen in the past. It is a simply stunning combination. The plating is very good and I saw no plating issues on this unit. The handle at the end has the company name inscribed twice in a circle end to end. Here is the photo of the 2013 R41 with the Rose Gold handle.
With this review I decided not to go into great detail on dimensions, measurements and other technical details that have been well covered elsewhere. I wanted to discuss the shaving aspect. So with that to the shaves. I will take you through each day by blade verbally and show a photo of the other gear I used for each test.
The first shave with any new razor I am tentative until I have fully experienced the razor and know its behavior. I used the same two pass pattern that is discussed in the DE Blade Challenge to have a replicable shave pattern for each day. The most important issue with any razor but especially with more aggressive razor is to quickly find the correct angle to maximize the efficient of hair cutting, but minimizing or better yet eliminating weepers and any other skin disruptions. That angle for both the face and head shaves were quickly found on Day 1 and was maintained throughout the shaving test. Each test consisted on a face pass South to North, followed by a full head pass, followed by at least one more face pass South to North. This is similar to the testing done for the DE Blade Challenge II seen here.
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/287286-DE-Blade-Challenge-II
For days 1 and 2, I chose my standard test blade which is Big Ben. Many of you are aware from my DE Blade Challenge, that the Big Ben did not score high on longevity with a Slim. The one thing that it did do was stay amazingly smooth throughout its life span. So with that smoothness, it became my go to testing blade for any new razor. That way I can test a razor with a great degree of confidence even if it is very aggressive. In fact with a very aggressive razor this blade become a very potent combination since it is consistent and smooth it provides balance to the gap or exposure.
I achieved an easy two pass South to North DFS almost to the point of BBS. The razor was silent during the shaving process. With that a quick head pass provided an excellent shave for the day. The Big Ben proved to be an excellent match in terms of smoothness against the fine tuned gap / exposure that the R41 2013 provides. The shave lasted well over 9 hours and would have been better if had not been the first shave with this razor.
Day 2
The Big Ben was in its second and final day. I achieved an easy two pass South to North BBS. This shave was absolutely wonderful and smooth and silent. The head pass was also BBS without doing a lot of work. The MÜHLE is an extremely aggressive razor that brought out the most in the Big Ben. The shave lasted well over 11 hours and still looked very acceptable. The Big Ben more than likely would not have made it another day since it was beginning to face on the second face pass. Since the original protocol was not to failure test each blade, the Big Ben went into the blade bank.
The next blade I chose to use is a favorite among Traditional Shavers for its durability and sharpness and that is the Super Iridium.
It scored very well in earlier testing and is a good benchmark for performance as the middle ground blade.
Day 3
On day 3 a change was made on the blade. A NOS Super Iridium was used to see how a more aggressive blade with a solid reputation would work in the MÜHLE. Again, I achieved an easy two pass South to North BBS. A few small weepers began to set in but they were quickly sealed and a really fine shave was had. The shave lasted well into the evening hours with only a slight amount of growing stubble but no where near enough for a shave. Eleven hours and the shave still looked acceptable.
Day 4
Day 4 I noticed a slight change. I achieved an easy two pass South to North BBS. The shave was slightly rougher with more weepers being developed. The shave endurance was the same as the prior day in terms of how long it lasted. Super Iridium provided slightly closer shaves than the Big Ben but it was by a very small margin. There was no more time for this blade it was transferred into another DE razor for further use.
There was a two week gap in usage due to personal issues and associated travel, so a Slim with the Super Iridium removed from the MÜHLE 2013 R41 was used for one day and then Big Ben was used to allow for nice gentle shaves to prevent any skin issues or cuts from cropping up before the next testing round.
Days 5-6 (planned 7)
On day 5, 6, and a planned day 7, a more interesting test was devised. For me a blade that is highly touted but very controversial is the Feather blade.
For me this blade tends to last one to maybe two days in other razors before just giving up into an unsmooth, irregular shave on third day to where it is not useable. So I decided to use a Feather to see if it could be consistently sharp and smooth in the MÜHLE 2013 R41 for more than two days. That would allow me to see if the razor was indeed superior in blade to face efficiency.[/align]
Day 5
Day 5 provided the closest shave of the group. The razor provided an extremely close shave with but I had a large number of small weepers on the face and a few on the head. The shave was closer than the Iridium but not that much closer. I did have to use the Alum block which only occurs rarely anymore when I shave. I shaved around 9:00 A.M. (since it was Saturday) and the shave lasted well into the 10:00 P.M. time frame with very little stubble.
Day 6
Day 6 basically brought the test to a halt. I had mixed up my shaving cream and applied just as the day before and used the same preparation. The first pass was generating a few weepers as the testing on the prior day had. The head pass however turned problematical as the blade was beginning to deteriorate and several head weepers occurred. The second face pass allowed a BBS shave, but the weepers were even more apparent and the blade was becoming extremely harsh to the face. There is no doubt that the blade was deteriorating because my skin felt more of a burning action. Full out razor burn did not occur, but I had to really use the Alum block, styptic stick, Witch Hazel and a heavy dose of balm after shaving. This is in line with almost every razor I have used a Feather in for the second shave. The shave, however, was very close. I shaved around 8:30 A.M. and the shave lasted well into the 08:00 P.M. time frame with very little stubble. So with the Feather blade considered non-usable for day 7, the testing was considered complete.
Conclusion on the MÜHLE 2013 R41
Now to the conclusion of the matter on performance. The MÜHLE 2013 R41 does everything that it is claims to do. It is a very beautiful in terms of form and fit. Functionally it is a highly aggressive razor. I noted enough differences between all three blades to determine that it is a moderately blade sensitive razor. What I mean by blade sensitive can be placed in a question. Can the razor use different blades and make each blade function to the same smoothness, comfort and efficiency? Example does the Big Ben which is a less sharp but very smooth blade allow shaves that are as efficient as the Super Iridium or the Feather. In the 2013 R41 the answer is no. There were noticeable differences between the Big Ben, SI and Feather blades in terms of how much aggressiveness could be detected. In addition the razor is somewhat hard on blades and seems to reduce the overall lifespan when I compared the Big Ben and the Iridium to what I have experienced in prior testing. The Feather seems handle about the way it does in most other razors for me. Two shaves at best and toss it away. So like most other razors there is a clear level of sensitivity when it comes to blade use. If it were slightly or almost non blade sensitive, it would mean that almost any blade you would throw into the razor would perform at a high level, but the blades would also have an extended life by having the "perfect" approach angle. A highly sensitive razor would be one that only works well with one or maybe two blades and there are many razors that sadly fall into that category so I am not going to list them.
All that being said, this is an exceptional razor, especially for someone, with less sensitive skin that has a large amount of daily hair growth. For me and my skin, it definitely would not be a daily driver, or one that is used with extremely sharp blades such as the Feather. This brings one last point home. I tend not to test a large amount of razors due to skin sensitivity. I have razors that fit my needs in terms of providing a suitable and most times excellent BBS without being overly aggressive. Most of my current shaving testing issues come from testing an aggressive razor or a razor of ill fitting components. The next three razors I will discuss are not of ill fitting components by any stretch of the imagination. The 2013 R41 is tied in my opinion with two other razors for the most aggressive razors I have used. One is the ATT H1 plate, and the other is the Barbasol Floating Head razor. Each of these razors with the right blade can cut through even the thickest stubble. I really cannot see the need to have a more aggressive razor. Others may argue that point and that is fine. For most users that have less sensitive skin and thick beards, this may be the very razor to get the job done. However, if you are someone who has more sensitive skin and will take the time to perform an extra pass there are many excellent razors available to the user. This same Rose Gold handle is available with the R89 head as well. So those who do not want to have an aggressive razor can enjoy the same beautiful combination as the one I acquired.
For me, this is a special occasion razor for now. I may do a few more tests with some other blades in the future when I get the whim to try this beautiful razor once again. Oh, and one last parting view before I leave you.
Sources:
[1] http://www.jewelryinfoplace.com/gold.html
P.S. there will be another discussion of the 2013 R41 razor in comparison to another razor in the near future, but that is for a future thread.
