How does the R41 compare to the Fatboy on a setting of say 7 or a Gillette Red tip? Currently the Red Tip has been my go to razor with the yellow feather, Red Personna, and the Voskhod blades. I currently use the Fatboy, the Slim adjustable and the Red tip in rotation. I have been considering a Future but these Muhle R41 have me curious. Any thoughts?
For me the R41 is a different beast. I can't use it daily with my sensitive baby skin, but it knocks down 2-3 days growth with ease. I can use a red tip daily, but I find the red tip a very gentle razor and to me it's the best of the superspeed's. The R41 is worth trying but I do believe the Futur is a better choice for daily use. Of coarse YMMV.
Now your just going to scare me away! If you would compare the fatboy against the R41, what would the setting be?
Seriously, the FB doesn't have a setting equal to the R41. The R41 is a very aggressive razor, much more than an FB on 9 and way much more than a red tip. Not trying to scare you away. Just giving you the honest fact. It's not a razor for everybody. Even Muhle said that when they released it.
I have shaved with the Fat Boy, Slim, Progress, and Futur, all of them slammed wide open. Adjusting the blade gap does produce a more aggressive shave, but the 2011 Muhle R-41 is indeed in a class of its own. The R-41, with the blade exposure, head geometry and with the way the head clamps the blade to the base produces a very different shave experience than the adjustable's. The R-41 shaves more like a.... I dunno, maybe a straight? Or a Rolls? MMOC? Well maybe not the MMOC; I never could get a good shave out of one like others do. Whatever the case is, the R-41 has me throwing rocks at all my other razors. I force myself to use them so that I don't have to feel like the others are going to waste, but with every non-R41 shave, I find myself kicking me for not grabbing the R-41. If you buy one and decide you don't like it after the first few shaves, I will buy it from you so I have a back up. I would lend you mine, but I can't wait long enough between shaves to get it back. Seriously, I was jonesing hardcore when I had sent it to Battle.Munky / Bob for a week or so.
All of this talk about R41 is intriguing. Is this the razor of all razors? Is it THE most aggresive razor made today?
It may be the most aggressive razor made today. I find it a scraper not a slicer. It's totally different than anything I've ever used. I don't know if it's more aggresive than a Barbasol or Vision/futur wide open but it's different.
The Barbasol Floating Head I have gives a similar shave that I get from the R-41. I think one of the differences is that the blade is not as exposed with the Barbasol. The Barbasol has a much beefier build though and it is a two-piece razor. The R-41 still has the Barbasol beat in my book though.
When I think aggressive, I think of the razors that take a layer of skin off with each use. I have razors that I can only use once a week, or my face gets raw. This razor isn't like that, but the blade does drag on your face like with no other razor I have used, and it does shave incredibly close.
The R41 is from another PLANET regarding aggressiveness. I have a Fatboy and have had a Slim for some time. At their most aggressive... well let’s just say it is as if they are a pellet gun and the Muhle is a Gatling gun. Oh... My... Goodness - unreal. This will sound like a contradiction but my face has never been so smooth nor has the skin looked so irritated. Went at it six times over the course of ten days and finally decided that for my skin the razor isn’t a good fit. Just sold it today. So guys, I was thinking of buying a straight razor and giving it a whirl - any thoughts?
In all fairness to the OP, perhaps start a thread in the straight forum to get tips on that. Back to the OP, considering the slim on 9 with a feather seemed like a mild shave to me, I may just have to try the R41. Hrmm, this years Christmas list is not going to be hard to fill up!
I just got into straight shaving about two weeks ago and I say go for it. It's a fantastic challenge. I'm about ten shaves in and I haven't achieved total BBS, which is totally ok with me, but the last two shaves have been great and without any cuts. It takes a lot of focus and you have a excellent sense of accompishment when you finish. Plus it's a great way to feel really manly.
Let’s not hijack the thread and to be clear I was entirely goofing (above) with my reference to a straight edge. There have been several comments about the R41 being as close to a straight shave as you can get. The last thing I need is something even more challenging than what I couldn’t get the hang of - ha, ha! To be fair, I have read too many accounts of guys trying the R41 and loving it and raving about it. If I am candid, it is my skin not the razor that was the issue. The R41 is a beautiful razor and works for many of the guys, just not my skin.
I don't have a FB but I do have a Slim and all I can say is that when I use my R-41 I get a far closer and nicer result than with the Slim opened to 9. I cut myself all to hell with the slim open to 9 if I'm not tiptoeing and it is brutal on my 'stash. The R41 so far is much friendlier than the Slim wide open but it is totally different in the way it shaves. Different, absolutely! More aggressive, not sure since it is SO different. I wish I could be more specific but the R41 is just so different from any other razor I have used that it is hard to make an even comparison. The easiest thing is to say it is more aggressive, but I think it is more than just aggression. Not sure if that will help.
the red tip has been my go to for a few months. it took me many many razor and blade combos to reach the conclusion that i loved the shave using the razor and mostly with a gillette yellow, polsilver or voshkod. with that said i haven't used my red tip since receiving my "41". i don't know if i could use it every day but when i do it's a very nice shave. muhle says it's for a heavy beard which is why i wait to mow me down. i'm sue if you try it you'll have others to buy it if it doesn't feel just right
When I first tried a slant I thought it was aggressive. Now, after trying a R 41, I consider the slant very mild. I finally managed 3 shaves without ripping my face up, by applying much less pressure than with any other razor and going extremely slow. I can feel it the blade is trying to "bite"me and quickly back off. That said, if I use proper technique and go slow, it gives a good smooth two pass shave with absolutly no irritation. Be careless and it will eat you alive!
Whoa!! I'm I hearing right? Looks like the Stingster is settleing down...Has the R41 made an honest shaver out of you? This is a recommendation of historic proportions...
You did a great review of this razor...It looks like the way it presents the blade to your face, kinda makes it a different type of razor... Almost like trying to compare DE's and SE's...They are different, and although the R41 does use a DE blade, the similarity ends there....The angle and technique are so different its really almost new genre of razor...I think Bob sums it up rather nicely when he says, "The easiest thing is to say it is more aggressive, but I think it is more than just aggression."