Thread: Impressions of the Muhle R41

Originally Posted by Obie

On the other hand, your review has brought the razor to my attention once again, making me think I should order my fourth and just keep it around for an occasional shave.

You never know Obie, fourth time could be a charm

Now there is word that Muhle without fanfare late last year introduced a milder R41 toothed comb. So if you just bought the one you reviewed it could be the newer model. I understand the top cap covers more of the blade thus making the razor less aggressive. It appears most dealers & vendors where not aware of this change.

That would be nice if they did. anyone have one from when they first came out and bought a more recent Grande?

Originally Posted by slantman

Now there is word that Muhle without fanfare late last year introduced a milder R41 toothed comb. So if you just bought the one you reviewed it could be the newer model. I understand the top cap covers more of the blade thus making the razor less aggressive. It appears most dealers & vendors where not aware of this change.

And here I assumed it was due to my superior shaving skills...

All joking aside, I did compare my R41 to several vendor pictures, looked the same to me. Whether or not those pictures were of the less aggressive model I'm not sure since this is the first I've heard of it. I was aware that Muhle made a closed comb version of the R41, which I imagine is less aggressive than its open comb brother.

Originally Posted by slantman

Now there is word that Muhle without fanfare late last year introduced a milder R41 toothed comb. So if you just bought the one you reviewed it could be the newer model. I understand the top cap covers more of the blade thus making the razor less aggressive. It appears most dealers & vendors where not aware of this change.

It looks like the new R41 has wider top cap than the EJ89, while the first version has a narrower cap. I got mine last month at connaught shaving and it is a bit wider than my EJ89. That would explain why I never found it to be the vampire everyone is warning about. Everything else looks identical, that would be the only difference between the 2011 and 2012? versions.

Originally Posted by Midoio

It looks like the new R41 has wider top cap than the EJ89, while the first version has a narrower cap. I got mine last month at connaught shaving and it is a bit wider than my EJ89. That would explain why I never found it to be the vampire everyone is warning about. Everything else looks identical, that would be the only difference between the 2011 and 2012? versions.

That is the way I heard it. Some of the guys who have both measured the top cap and claim the new R41 is slightly wider which will explain a less aggressive shave. Something like 18 mm vs 20 mm. But I would imagine the razor is still north of mild.

I'd been after my 13 year old son to shave off his pubescent facial hair for some time when one day I noticed it was gone. Asked him which of my dozens of DEs he'd used and he said the one he found on my sink that morning.
It was an R41 with a Feather installed! I could not believe it.His first shave ever, with a razor that is considered sometimes too much by even the most experienced of us, yet the were no cuts or weepers or any discomfort. This may give others some perspective and maybe confidence.
My own experience is similar to that of the OP and a couple others in this thread. I cannot distinguish between an R41 and a straight shave. I can almost rival it with a Futur on 6 or a slim or Fatboy on 9 or (less so) a slant, but the R41 remains the best of my lot. I use it for 95% of my nonstraight shaves.
Since he is now in command of my original R41, I recently one month ago purchased a Grande and one of the black handled (R101?) models. The top caps of all of these are identical in width, and they all give identical shaves.

The R41 is certainly a very aggressive razor, more aggressive than my Futur on 6, as others have said, and it gives me a great shave if I'm careful. It reminds me most of a single edge razor, especially the open comb micromatic (which also has a similar reputation).

I had one of the first 41... this was too aggressive for me . 2nd pass was bloody most times... so I laid it beside for some time. After discussion with Mr. Mueller I ordered a "new" head end of last year. The coverage of the blade by the new lid is a little bigger. Now it is a much better combination of aggressiveness/result/smoothness.
Regards
Hajo

I don't suppose anyone has pics of both to compare?