- Joined
- Wednesday August 24, 2011
- Location
- West Yorkshire
First of all my thanks to Antdad for suggesting a milder blade than the Feather...I didn't think It would work...It seemed most illogical to me, that a less sharp blade could give a smoother shave than the very sharpest....But I must admit I was wrong.
Right........So I braved the vicious beast thats the Muhle R41 again this morning...My third shave with it.........The first two shaves were disasters of the very coarse sandpaper variety....between which I needed three or four days for the glow to subside......This time I tried an Astra blade..a blade which doesn't work for me in my Merkur 38c or in the Futur......and I'd consigned to the spares box....
Anyway........I lathered up with my freshly grated Palmolive after my morning shower....and this time paid very particular attention to the blade angle........(which I would think is probably something similar to the angle used with a straight razor)..and I was very careful to use whisper light strokes...also going just one pass not several................By whisper light... I mean just that..concentrating on as light a stroke as its possible to do and still be touching your face......
After the WTG ..........MAGICALLY SMOOTH.... almost no stubble left...Now that never happens with my hard wire whiskers...................Ever..........not even with a Feather blade in the 38c Barber pole......
No burn ...No nicks...in fact I first thought I might have just shaved the soap off so smooth and quiet was that pass..
Next XTG....Getting excited.......but still paying attention, especially under my nose...I could hear the snicking of the whiskers being cut this time.....but still using whisper light strokes.
Final cut ATG.....still keeping my concentration going...as there is a tendency to press on a bit ...and thats fatal with this razor...(well not fatal but you get my drift)....(Think whisper light touch)..........Again I could hear the odd patches of whiskers that were missed before........so I rinsed off again and..........OH DEEP JOY....The finest ,smoothest, closest shave I have ever had....Baby's Bottom smooth and no trauma what so ever....well maybe a very light burn when I didn't get the angle just right on my chin and top lip...but cold water took that off straight away......
This was the excitement and joy of enlightenment feeling ...Such delight at the fact that I'd magically got THE perfect shave......That I'd got the hang of this razor... I Won't say mastered ..because its not a razor you master.........its about learning and respect for what it can do....get it wrong and Oh boy will you feel as though you've been rough sandpapered.......
But I can see me using the R41 exclusively now...I might even get another in case they ever go out of production.....and the added bonus ..I can use cheaper blades....I'll have to try all the blades I'd rejected now....maybe even Derby's will work in this.....
I would say to any of you trying this razor and having problems with it....treat it with Great Respect...treat it as though it were the sharpest cut throat and you were putting it to your face for the first time...(I don't say this to terrify you)....but to make you think ANGLE of BLADE and LIGHTNESS of PRESSURE.... After all....you wouldn't press on with a cut throat blade .......now would you?.....And this seems to be this razors secret......
Maybe I should try a straight now....got a birthday coming up.....MMMMMM
William
Right........So I braved the vicious beast thats the Muhle R41 again this morning...My third shave with it.........The first two shaves were disasters of the very coarse sandpaper variety....between which I needed three or four days for the glow to subside......This time I tried an Astra blade..a blade which doesn't work for me in my Merkur 38c or in the Futur......and I'd consigned to the spares box....
Anyway........I lathered up with my freshly grated Palmolive after my morning shower....and this time paid very particular attention to the blade angle........(which I would think is probably something similar to the angle used with a straight razor)..and I was very careful to use whisper light strokes...also going just one pass not several................By whisper light... I mean just that..concentrating on as light a stroke as its possible to do and still be touching your face......
After the WTG ..........MAGICALLY SMOOTH.... almost no stubble left...Now that never happens with my hard wire whiskers...................Ever..........not even with a Feather blade in the 38c Barber pole......
No burn ...No nicks...in fact I first thought I might have just shaved the soap off so smooth and quiet was that pass..
Next XTG....Getting excited.......but still paying attention, especially under my nose...I could hear the snicking of the whiskers being cut this time.....but still using whisper light strokes.
Final cut ATG.....still keeping my concentration going...as there is a tendency to press on a bit ...and thats fatal with this razor...(well not fatal but you get my drift)....(Think whisper light touch)..........Again I could hear the odd patches of whiskers that were missed before........so I rinsed off again and..........OH DEEP JOY....The finest ,smoothest, closest shave I have ever had....Baby's Bottom smooth and no trauma what so ever....well maybe a very light burn when I didn't get the angle just right on my chin and top lip...but cold water took that off straight away......
This was the excitement and joy of enlightenment feeling ...Such delight at the fact that I'd magically got THE perfect shave......That I'd got the hang of this razor... I Won't say mastered ..because its not a razor you master.........its about learning and respect for what it can do....get it wrong and Oh boy will you feel as though you've been rough sandpapered.......
But I can see me using the R41 exclusively now...I might even get another in case they ever go out of production.....and the added bonus ..I can use cheaper blades....I'll have to try all the blades I'd rejected now....maybe even Derby's will work in this.....
I would say to any of you trying this razor and having problems with it....treat it with Great Respect...treat it as though it were the sharpest cut throat and you were putting it to your face for the first time...(I don't say this to terrify you)....but to make you think ANGLE of BLADE and LIGHTNESS of PRESSURE.... After all....you wouldn't press on with a cut throat blade .......now would you?.....And this seems to be this razors secret......
Maybe I should try a straight now....got a birthday coming up.....MMMMMM
William