I've been wetshaving since the early eighties. I had always used the same open comb Hoffritz razor I inherited from my grandfather, and a badger brush I bought in college. Recently, I tried a straight razor for the first, and then second times. Searching for how to get the straight sharpened was how I stumbled upon the online wetshaving underground, and I consider myself fully committed.
Partly due to the AD brought on by joining this forum, and partly because the chrome is starting to come off the head of the Hoffritz, I started looking for a new DE to replace it. I was torn between the EJ 89 11 and the Muhle R41 grande. I knew from what I'd read about them that ultimately I wanted to try both, but the question was, which first.
As anyone reading probably knows, the R41 gets a rep as very aggressive, while some find the EJ89 a tad mild. Coming from an open comb, I figured I could jump off the deeper end and start with the R41.
It arrived Thursday. It's lovely. The plating seems especially good. I like its heft, too, and the fat feeling of the long handle, which contributes to an overall sense of balance.
I've also been experimenting with new blades and soaps. I bought about six different brands, again based on what I'd read, on a recent trip into New York, where I was able to tear myself out of Pasteur's Pharmacy after a comparatively short eternity browsing. I had been using Wilkinson Swords and VDH soap, simply because that's what I could find locally. So far I'd only got as far as the Derbys in my DIY sample pack, but they were a definite step up from the Wilkinsons. Smoother, a bit sharper, and easily a better shave.
I popped the Derby that came with the R41 into the head and had to take a breath. Now I understood what people meant by aggressive: the R41 presents a lot more blade than does my Hoffritz. It looked like it did not belong in the wrong hands. Maybe mild would have been the better end of the pool to jump into.
Steeling my reserve, I reminded myself of my recent SE experience; how well that had gone. I lathered up and set to work.
From the first stroke, I knew that I had been missing something all these years. The feedback was immediate; this baby sang. My whiskers seemed just to melt away in the path of the avenger. One pass, baby's ***.
Then it cut me. Just a little weeper on my left cheek. I figured I must've let excitement and nerves get the better of me, and shaved on. The area below the corners of my mouth, just above the chin was a revelation. Normally it's three passes to get the shadow down. The Muhle just laughed at it.
It may have laughed a little too hard. I got another weeper above my adam's apple, and a couple toward the top of my moustache, one on each side. Cold water stopped these, but I felt I'd been bested by the brute in my hand.
I'll try again, but as a first impression this razor has left me with a mixture of awe, fear and admiration.
Partly due to the AD brought on by joining this forum, and partly because the chrome is starting to come off the head of the Hoffritz, I started looking for a new DE to replace it. I was torn between the EJ 89 11 and the Muhle R41 grande. I knew from what I'd read about them that ultimately I wanted to try both, but the question was, which first.
As anyone reading probably knows, the R41 gets a rep as very aggressive, while some find the EJ89 a tad mild. Coming from an open comb, I figured I could jump off the deeper end and start with the R41.
It arrived Thursday. It's lovely. The plating seems especially good. I like its heft, too, and the fat feeling of the long handle, which contributes to an overall sense of balance.
I've also been experimenting with new blades and soaps. I bought about six different brands, again based on what I'd read, on a recent trip into New York, where I was able to tear myself out of Pasteur's Pharmacy after a comparatively short eternity browsing. I had been using Wilkinson Swords and VDH soap, simply because that's what I could find locally. So far I'd only got as far as the Derbys in my DIY sample pack, but they were a definite step up from the Wilkinsons. Smoother, a bit sharper, and easily a better shave.
I popped the Derby that came with the R41 into the head and had to take a breath. Now I understood what people meant by aggressive: the R41 presents a lot more blade than does my Hoffritz. It looked like it did not belong in the wrong hands. Maybe mild would have been the better end of the pool to jump into.
Steeling my reserve, I reminded myself of my recent SE experience; how well that had gone. I lathered up and set to work.
From the first stroke, I knew that I had been missing something all these years. The feedback was immediate; this baby sang. My whiskers seemed just to melt away in the path of the avenger. One pass, baby's ***.
Then it cut me. Just a little weeper on my left cheek. I figured I must've let excitement and nerves get the better of me, and shaved on. The area below the corners of my mouth, just above the chin was a revelation. Normally it's three passes to get the shadow down. The Muhle just laughed at it.
It may have laughed a little too hard. I got another weeper above my adam's apple, and a couple toward the top of my moustache, one on each side. Cold water stopped these, but I felt I'd been bested by the brute in my hand.
I'll try again, but as a first impression this razor has left me with a mixture of awe, fear and admiration.
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