wow, great video.. an honest review.. i just can't believe that many people say super close shave, which it does give you, AND say comfortable... but YMMV
Printable View
wow, great video.. an honest review.. i just can't believe that many people say super close shave, which it does give you, AND say comfortable... but YMMV
Sheesh. I am feeling good about selecting a 39c vs this. Mind you I moving up from an HD/ EJ89.
Great Video, and you know you've seen too many old, bad, SF films when you can pick out the scene from Robot Monster...
Another great video Mantic! Thanks for taking one for the team.
Although, if you can't pull it off, what chance do I have!??
:)
This closes this issue for good for me: if Mantic59 can't do no one can. I REPEAT, NO ONE CAN!
Oh lordy, he still makes the best shaving videos on the planet. The old movie inserts are hilarious! The guy is brilliant at this stuff!
I get a perfectly comfortable, DFS-bordering-on-BBS every day with my EJ 89 head on a BRW handle. I have no curiosity about this thing whatsoever. I'm having enough trouble tinkering with a straight, why do I need a scary DE? :lol:
Isn't the Futur more aggressive?
everyone keeps saying "closest thing to shaving with a straight"...why not just shave with a straight?
this razor more than anything else has been the thing that has baffled me about trends in the wet-shaving world. it's a constant revolving door of these things on the b/s/t...is it more new guys thinking they need a more aggressive razor when really they just need to work on technique? is it the need for the next big thing? there is nothing wrong with those things, per se...but man, i don't think i bled that much since my first week of wetshaving...not even with straights.
I definitely don't feel any of the guard at all. Any angle where you feel the guard with this razor you're using quite a steep blade angle (greater than 40 degrees I'd say). For me, it all feels like scraping at any steeper angles. I use this razor the same way I do most open combs, starting with the cap squarely on my face, then lower the razor down until it just starts to cut hair (and then of course adjusting down slightly as you reduce hair to get closer). I have to say, I really don't have any issues with irritation or nicks. I'll get an occasional weeper from clipping some little imperfection, but I get that from any razor on occasion. Using a shallow angle like this, you can really modulate the blade pressure against your face. With care, it cuts hair very close, but with very light contact to the skin itself. I'm certainly not alone in my approach with this razor though, so no credit can go to me for coming up with this. Like I mentioned, I use the cap then down approach with nearly every razor. I'm pretty sure this is mentioned in the wiki somewhere as a standard technique, actually.
Ah, yes...here it is:
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Blade_Angle
Note the section on finding the right angle. Cap on face, then down until you feel cutting is the recommended approach. They also mention guard on face, then up, which works pretty well for mild razors, as you end up in at roughly the same angle (because of the inherently narrower range of possible effective shave angles with a mild razor). With something like the R41 though, you end up with a very steep blade angle doing that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by YuriZhivago
Before I watched the video, I kinda wanted one... Now not really at all... (I still think its a very good looking razor. Just wouldn't shave with it...)
Mantic likes us all so much he bleed for us.
I love the R41 and get a great BBS with two passes. I have never felt the need for a third pass and having seen the video it has confirmed why I felt I might have been pushing my luck to try!!
After watching this video I'm still up in the air about trying this razor. While manic is a pro at shaving I don't think he is a pro at this razor and anyone can have a bad day with any razor. Plenty of people still shave with this razor daily without cuts and just because a pro got cut using it doesn't mean everyone will, it simply shows practice makes perfect and not everyone can pick up what's known as the most aggressive razor and get a perfect shave with it every time. Give mantic a month with this razor and he'll make everyone wish they had one I'm sure.
I love my R41 and have been using it regularly for five months.
While I respect Mantic59 and appreciate all that he's done to educate others on double-edge shaving, he is just a man like the rest of us. This means he isn't going to instantly master using a new razor upon first use, nor would I expect him to. Don't let his video put you off from trying an R41. If you have patience and are willing to take your time to learn the nuances of using an R41, you will be rewarded with a top-notch shave.
If we're going to reference shaving videos for the R41, Geofatboy didn't have any issues using the R41 - and he had a lot more growth to remove. :wink2:
Warning not for the faint of heart, poor mark never had a chance..........http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...=L0zM520-WUw#!
Well it was shared..
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...9-Tame-the-R41
I have owned/used/sold the new R41. That being said I have to wonder why this razor has such a group of dedicated followers that feel compelled to come up with various techniques to avoid butchering yourself. There are so many razors out there that can give a great shave without the need for "technique" change or waiting for your face to "adjust". Personally I prefer to use razors that provide a challenge at times or razors that I can use with very little effort or danger of slashing myself.
Because there is no technique change, at least for me. I used the very common "technique" of putting the cap on your face, lower the razor down until it starts cutting hairs. It's the same technique I use with virtually every razor. I've never had even the slightest feeling like I was going to get chopped up using the R41. Yes, I can get great shaves with lots of razors, but I do so with less passes using the R41. This happened on shave number one. There was certainly no need to wait for my face to "adjust". How one's face could adjust to a razor, I have no idea.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pgg365247
IMO, Mantic59 makes the best shaving videos out there, he is always clear and articulate, light hearted, and puts that little bit of extra production into his videos to make them enjoyable.Quote:
Originally Posted by CWX
Thanks for sharing this, as I had not seen it yet.
Now I am worrying about my first shave with the R41 when she arrives next week.
I've had similar results. Depending on the day, I leave that last ATG out.
Love the video
+1. Hats off to Mantic for introducing so many to Traditional wet shaving.Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel Plainview
Don't be. Yes it has a lot of blade exposure, but that's nothing to be afraid of. Like any razor, one needs to experiment (and Mantic's no different in that regard), and find the angle that works best for you , be it shallow, steep, or somewhere in between. With the R41, you've got more angle choices than virtually any other razor (outside of straights). It's a flexible shaving tool. It's a lot like a manual transmission in a car. It's not as easy to start out with as an automatic, but it gives you more control over the vehicle.Quote:
Originally Posted by Daniel Plainview
This is where I've been heading with my technique lately. A four-pass shave with ATG is virtually guaranteed to give me irritation regardless of what products I use. Lately, I've been doing a 2-pass shave (WTG, XTG) with minor touch-ups. It's faster, and it gives a very presentable shave with no irritation.Quote:
Originally Posted by MajorBurnz
Was thinking about buying it after trying my HD. No way now.
I'm sorry you took such offense to my observation. My comment was not directed at you personally. In multiple R41 threads lots of people have commented on this razor and the techniques, tactics and procedures etc. used to get a bloodless shave using the R41 hence, my earlier comment. I realize in this specific thread you have been one of the primary defenders of this razor so again, sorry my comment got under your skin.Quote:
Originally Posted by jamesspo
I think the only person who has tamed the Muhle R41 and maybe any razor out there is none other than geofatboy!!! He has probably uploaded a 100 videos and I doubt he has ever nicked or cut himself!! What do you guys think about Geo?
+1Quote:
Originally Posted by jamesspo
I've used it for 5 shaves so far, and it seems to deliver longer lasting results in less time than most any other razor out there. I may have to do a shave off between the R41, the Barber Pole Slant, the GEM Open Comb MicroMatic, and the Futur.
Some of us are past the clubbing stage, but still have meetings and social functions after work for which we don't have the time to shave again.
Oh no...no offense taken at all. That's just the way I answer questions, I guess...in sort of a direct manner. I should have oriented my reply to a broader audience and it wouldn't have come across like that. Sorry about that.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Pgg365247
I watched the Mantic video last night and used the R41 for the first time this morning. I am glad that I watched the video; it reminded me to be extra conscientious about prep and technique. As a result, I was rewarded with perhaps my best and closest shave ever. It is really all about the right angle with the R41. I kept the handle near parallel to the surface I was shaving at all times.
i think he may need more time or, in my opinion, a different razor!
it is like a adjustment to the razor or agessive level of the razor. your skin can be used to a certain mlid or other level of agressivness and by give it time to adjust the face will get less nicks/cuts.Quote:
Originally Posted by jamesspo
i think that you gave proper advise but may have left out more technical points..but over all correct advise, the r41 needs adjustment time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Pgg365247
Even though mantic says it's a steep angle, he's not keeping the comb against the skin. You can tell by watching the video. Notice the lack of comb marks in the lather. If you're going to go steep, keep the guard against your skin. I really think the razor is pretty safe while using this method.Quote:
Hmm, there's another recommendation for steep angle.... I don't get that.
James and I have discussed this before. I'm not saying steep is better than shallow, or even that the R41 is a good razor. I like it, but I have only tried 3 DEs total. I'm just saying that keeping the guard against the skin really tames the beast.
Also, I should add that I don't shave ATG with the R41. I don't really feel the need to. I should probably try it for completeness sake.
when my R41 gets here from connaught, I'm definitely going to use my shave secret oil when I use it...
Yes, indeed. The "mid" sort of angles with the R41 are going to be pretty unforgiving, to be sure. They can be used, but they are steep, and would have no guard to provide any guidance. Even though I use the shallow end of the range, I do use the cap as a registration point to keep the angle constant.
Quote:
Originally Posted by pdillon
I think he just erred by trying to make that third pass. He was sitting pretty with DFS after two passes, but he decided to go for the BBS and paid the price. Who among us hasn't been there.
It wasn't his R41 video, and I don't remember which one, but yes, he has at least one video where he gets cut.Quote:
Originally Posted by shave_like_jagger
He has also mentioned that he gets the occasional nick, weeper, etc. I always laugh at the folks who claim to have been wet shaving for 5, 10, 15 years and say they have never had a nick. It is absurd to think that is true.Quote:
Originally Posted by GianquiMan
Hopefully this video will dispel some of the claims of daily use without a hint of irritation, nicks, etc. I like the razor, but don't use it daily. I use it more like my slant when I have gone a few days without shaving to mow down some growth. I struggle to think of a reason to make it a daily shaver.
There isn't one piece of shaving gear that usually doesn't take a couple of shaves and some experimentation to get dialed in. With a brush and soap/cream, it's how much water to use, how long to load, and then learning how the lather releases and if/how often you need to reload. Every combo of brush and soap or cream is different. With a razor, it's angle and, of course, which blade works best for you in that particular model. And all of these things are different for each of us, hence the wide variety of products available and the constant "YMMV" disclaimer.
With a razor this aggressive, of course one should expect a bit of a learning curve. To see someone cut himself on a third pass the first time he uses it, and then declare you won't use that razor because of it, is (no offense) kind of silly.
I got one of these and, knowing how aggressive it is, treated it with an abundance of respect. I certainly didn't shave as quickly as Mantic did...I took my time and was extremely careful, and I was rewarded with a very close shave.
Also, everybody's technique and expertise grows and changes over time. If you don't like something now, try it again in a few months or in a year, and you may very well have different results.
But, of course, YMMV :001_tt2:
I have been wetshaving for a little under a year. I always found the talk of nicks and cuts to be a little confusing. I'd never nicked or cut myself, until this morning! I poked myself right under the nostril with, yes, my R41.Quote:
Originally Posted by TallyShave
Quote:
Originally Posted by Debrushman
Ah..... no...
After reading about he way you shave with the R41, I think I will try that method, as that is pretty much the way I shave with my current razors...cap to face, find the sweet spot of proper blade angle and just go for it.Quote:
Originally Posted by jamesspo
Nice ananolgy BTW.