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
Jamesspo, you've seem to have actually gone beyond the tangent point I was looking at with the R41 where the blade edge tends to dig in, and found a completely different approach to using this razor. Your technique sounds interesting and worth a try. Do you even feel the bar/comb on your face? I agree that it does provide a shave that is near straight in quality; even after just an XTG 2nd pass, I can't feel any stubble. The one thing that has never yet been mentioned is the close tolerance the R41 razor has for a blade. Regardless of brand, the blade fits snugly into the cap posts and at least in my R41s (x2) the blade exposure is equal and reproducible.
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.
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.
Now I am worrying about my first shave with the R41 when she arrives next week.