Mühle is better known for shaving brushes and safety razors, but a few years back I bought some 5/8 Mühle branded straights in a razor shop in Vienna, Austria that were so cheap and so good that I had to go back the next day and buy the remaining three razors that they had. I doubt these (model M50) razors were made by Mühle, as they carried the “Made in Solingen” etching and Mühle is based elsewhere in Germany, but at the price equivalent of about $60 each (if memory serves me right) these nifty straights were too good to pass.
Mühle has been working on some straight designs, but AFAIK nothing came of it except one short-lived model that was too expensive to consider.
And now Mühle introduced the Enthusiast model, a disposable blade straight razor that has the heft and balance of a traditional 5/8 straight razor and resembles in some aspects the Feather AC SR and DX. The Enthusiast uses half safety razor blades and that obviously makes for a shorter effective blade length than a traditional straight, or even the Feather AC series. The razor is also expensive (MSRP €190 equivalent to $208) and in the price range of a Feather DX, but then again you can use easy to find safety razor blades in this razor.
I hadn’t bought anything Mühle for quite some time, but I have always associated the Mühle brand with solid quality.
The Enthusiast piqued my interest and I ordered one as soon as they became available.*
Attachment 348671
Image courtesy Mühle
It arrived quickly and I have used it now for almost two weeks and I admit that this little razor quickly grew on me.
It’s a well built razor with a well-thought out blade retention mechanism. The mechanism even features two small recesses, as Mühle paid attention to the fact that when you break a safety razor blade in half, the ends where the blade separated are not always perfectly flat. I don’t know whether they wanted to cater to DE shavers transitioning to an Enthusiast or as protection against US tort law :rolleyes: , but the razor even comes with a little manual that explains in detail how to use the razor. The manual does suggest a 30º blade angle, which I consider excessive and I believe two spine widths or something closer to 15º is what most of us use. We also may use different angles for WTG, XTG and ATG passes, which the manual also does not account for.
I have a very low opinion of shavette type designs, but this razor is far removed from your typical shavette and behaves more like a Feather AC DX or SR, reproducing the feel of a traditional straight quite well. This was also the reason that I did not post this thread in the Shavette subforum, I classify this razor as a disposable blade straight razor and it will likely appeal to proficient straight shavers who like the convenience of forgetting about honing and stropping for a while (e.g. when travelling). Anyone who is familiar with a Feather AC DX or SR should feel right at home with the Enthusiast.
Attachment 348674
Left Feather AC DX, centre Mühle Enthusiast, right 6/8 traditional straight
Unlike the Feather ACs, after inserting a new blade into the Enthusiast I did not notice the harsh feel on the first few shaves that the Feather ACs are known for. This razor is capable of astonishing close and comfortable shaves and half a Perma-Sharp or Mühle (one blade comes with the razor) DE blade seems to give me at least 3-4 excellent shaves, which is in line with the seven days that I usually get out of a (full) DE blade in my safety razors. These are the two blades that I have tried so far, later I plan to use Feather, Nacet, Rapira Lux, Astra SS, Personna, BiC and other blades in my inventory to see whether any particular blade should suit the razor better than others.
The part holding the half safety razor blade is made from stainless steel and the scales are made from aluminium, which gives the razor a nice balance.
The Enthusiast radiates quality and is at least as well built as the Feather AC series.
Attachment 348672
Top Feather AC DX with Professional blade, centre Mühle with half DE blade, bottom Feather AC DX with Super Pro blade
When I ordered the razor, I was not quite sure what to expect, as I am usually not a fan of DE half blade razors, but I liked this razor right from the start. Since, I have grown fonder of it every day and I honestly look forward to shaving with it in the morning, something that I do not remember from the early days of using my Feather AC razors.
It may have something to do that the first shaves with the Enthusiast have none of the harshness of the Japanese design.
Attachment 348673
Image courtesy Mühle
Some believe that disposable blade razors may make a good entry into straight shaving because a beginner will not have to worry about honing and stropping, where mistakes can easily ruin a shave and are two additional obstacles a beginner has to master. As far as shavettes go, they do not really replicate straight razors IMO, and the Feather AC series can be unforgiving. So does the Enthusiast, but I believe it is easier to come to grips with this razor than with the others.
If a beginner has someone who can strop and hone his razor(s), a straight razor will always be more forgiving though.
Here a link to the Mühle website:
https://www.muehle-shaving.com/en/Sh...es/ENTHUSIAST/
On this link to the same site there is also a video included.
https://www.muehle-shaving.com/en/bl...zor-enthusiast
I am truly glad that I bought this razor, despite my 70 or so straights.
Hopefully, you will find this information useful.
B.
* At this time (07/2023), the Enthusiast model does not yet seem to be available in the US market.
