I started down this road toward a better quality shave last fall. As can be suspected, I have had many trials and tribulations but have overcome them all with patience and tenacity. More so the patience. I have on several occasions veered off track with a touch of RAD and dabbled in the world of DE razors. I have had fantastic shaves and road rash. I have made the mistake of dwelling on the perfect BBS shave when I really needed to just focus on getting through a one pass shave. I have put down my straight razors for months at a time because I just couldn't hone them to my liking and could not accept the defeat of another doing it for me. But I am still here.
About a month ago I purchased a Muhle R41 head and a big fat Maggard MR8 handle and proceeded to enjoy the best shaves imaginable. After two weeks I was getting incredible BBS, nick free shaves that just could not be any better. But something is now missing. I'm bored with the ease and simplicity.
So last night I picked up my Friodur and had my first straight razor shave in almost a month. It was a real eye opener! Probably the best straight shave I have had. WHY? I have pondered this and believe I have come to the conclusion that the R41 made me better with a straight razor. I find this interesting. After much consideration I have come to believe that the pure aggression of the R41 DE has forced me to improve my technique by just focusing on the shave itself. Remove the stropping, honing and time limitations that sometimes hamper us in our daily lives and just take the time to feel the razor remove the hair and improve with every shave.
This might sound strange to many of you but it is something I feel I must share. I believe it is the simplicity that allowed me to focus on what needed to be improved.