MY 1st Shave With A 2013 Muhle R41

[Ronnie Aloha]

You need to try a more shallow angle. Put the cap on your face, then lower the handle until the blade is just on your skin. 30 degrees is too steep for this razor, in my opinion.

+1

The first time I placed it on my cheek I thought, "This is not going to work!" Then I remembered all the tips on using it and I placed the handle parallel to my face and very slow lowered it will making a pass until it barely started to cut and kept that angle throughout the shave. Worked out great for me.

 

[Jeff_H]

Lots more very good suggestions guys, thank you. I know you guys are onto something with the shallower angle, as I will detail below. Good advice. Darkbulb, I think I will do a mini shaving blog here until I get this thing down, because I'm not giving up.

2nd shave today. I was running late and I thought to myself, "self, this isn't the day to try the R41 again. You are already late, you have to work late today and you don't want a torn up face in your meeting today." So, what did myself do? Ended up in the shower with the R41, but at least I brought my Merkur 25c as backup. I loaded the R41 with a brand spanking new Gillette Silver Blue, on of my top 2 favorite blades.

Followed my normal shower shave prep. Wash hair, stand and let very warm water was over my face for a few minutes, then wash face with Neutrogena Face Scrub. Lathered up today with Cyril R Salter Almond and face lathered. Managed to work up a really nice lather in short order. I took a really, really shallow angle with the razor today. My first pass actually didn't cut any hair, so I changed the angle just a bit and found the spot where it just starts cutting. I could tell right away something was different. Each pass was smooth, no tugging and I felt that gliding feeling that I normally feel with a good razor and blade. I finished my first pass face, neck and above lip with only one weeper, and I think that was from the prior bloodbath with the R41.

My 2nd pass felt equally much smoother, until I got around my mouth/upper lip area. I needed to get in the corner of my mouth going S to N. So, I sat the razor down on my skin and let my concentration lapse. I thought "dummy, this isn't a good idea". Somewhere between setting the razor down and thinking my thought, I moved the razor ever so slightly and ended up with a nice slice the exact length of the entire blade....one straight line. Luckily it was really really shallow and finished bleeding by the time I was out of the shower. I got a couple more weepers going S to N above my lip, but nothing major and it may have still been damage from before.

After my 2nd pass was done, I had those few weepers and some weepers along one jawline that really got torn up last time, so I decided not to do my 3rd pass with the R41....plus I really needed to hurry and hurry and R41 do not belong in the same sentence...at least not for me at this time. So, I finished up with my 25c, but my cleanup didn't take nearly as long today as it usually does, so that was a positive thing.

So, all in all a nearly 100% turnaround from last time. I still have some learning to do and skill to improve, but I am so encouraged after today. Apparently my face likes the GSB with the R41 and not the Voshkod. I will get my technique down with the GSB and maybe down the road I can try a Voshkod again, but right now it ain't broke so I ain't gonna fix it. I think the Cyril Salter shave cream really made a difference too. I shouldn't have tried the R41 for the first time AND tried Cella for the first time....at the same time. You'd think I'd know better by now.

More to come, but your suggestions helped and I've made progress, so this is all positive. I will post again tomorrow if I am brave enough to try it again. I haven't decided. It will probably be a game time decision. If you've made it this far, thank you for reading.

 

[jamesspo]

Just one point of clarity on this... I'm sure you meant the handle perpendicular to your face (parallel to the floor).

+1

The first time I placed it on my cheek I thought, "This is not going to work!" Then I remembered all the tips on using it and I placed the handle parallel to my face and very slow lowered it will making a pass until it barely started to cut and kept that angle throughout the shave. Worked out great for me.

 

[jamesspo]

Excellent! Shallow blade angle is the way to go with a razor like the R41. You basically need to treat it like a straight with a disposable blade.

Lots more very good suggestions guys, thank you. I know you guys are onto something with the shallower angle, as I will detail below. Good advice. Darkbulb, I think I will do a mini shaving blog here until I get this thing down, because I'm not giving up.

2nd shave today. I was running late and I thought to myself, "self, this isn't the day to try the R41 again. You are already late, you have to work late today and you don't want a torn up face in your meeting today." So, what did myself do? Ended up in the shower with the R41, but at least I brought my Merkur 25c as backup. I loaded the R41 with a brand spanking new Gillette Silver Blue, on of my top 2 favorite blades.

Followed my normal shower shave prep. Wash hair, stand and let very warm water was over my face for a few minutes, then wash face with Neutrogena Face Scrub. Lathered up today with Cyril R Salter Almond and face lathered. Managed to work up a really nice lather in short order. I took a really, really shallow angle with the razor today. My first pass actually didn't cut any hair, so I changed the angle just a bit and found the spot where it just starts cutting. I could tell right away something was different. Each pass was smooth, no tugging and I felt that gliding feeling that I normally feel with a good razor and blade. I finished my first pass face, neck and above lip with only one weeper, and I think that was from the prior bloodbath with the R41.

My 2nd pass felt equally much smoother, until I got around my mouth/upper lip area. I needed to get in the corner of my mouth going S to N. So, I sat the razor down on my skin and let my concentration lapse. I thought "dummy, this isn't a good idea". Somewhere between setting the razor down and thinking my thought, I moved the razor ever so slightly and ended up with a nice slice the exact length of the entire blade....one straight line. Luckily it was really really shallow and finished bleeding by the time I was out of the shower. I got a couple more weepers going S to N above my lip, but nothing major and it may have still been damage from before.

After my 2nd pass was done, I had those few weepers and some weepers along one jawline that really got torn up last time, so I decided not to do my 3rd pass with the R41....plus I really needed to hurry and hurry and R41 do not belong in the same sentence...at least not for me at this time. So, I finished up with my 25c, but my cleanup didn't take nearly as long today as it usually does, so that was a positive thing.

So, all in all a nearly 100% turnaround from last time. I still have some learning to do and skill to improve, but I am so encouraged after today. Apparently my face likes the GSB with the R41 and not the Voshkod. I will get my technique down with the GSB and maybe down the road I can try a Voshkod again, but right now it ain't broke so I ain't gonna fix it. I think the Cyril Salter shave cream really made a difference too. I shouldn't have tried the R41 for the first time AND tried Cella for the first time....at the same time. You'd think I'd know better by now.

More to come, but your suggestions helped and I've made progress, so this is all positive. I will post again tomorrow if I am brave enough to try it again. I haven't decided. It will probably be a game time decision. If you've made it this far, thank you for reading.

 

[Kev Kev]

Excellent! Shallow blade angle is the way to go with a razor like the R41. You basically need to treat it like a straight with a disposable blade.

Good advice! I've found the shallower the angle, the better 'feel' and control I have using the R41.
BBS shave this early morn with it! Slow and steady does the trick!