Mühle R41 Review – Man it gives a Close Shave
Mühle R41 Safety Razor
The Mühle R41 is a legend in the world of razors, renowned for its aggressiveness and ability to effortlessly shave through thick growth. It’s a modern-looking closed comb that’s popular and remains a tool that can stay in my rotation.
Pros
An attractive modern contemporary design
The design of this razor is close to a straight razor
A good choice of various handles
This razor loves coarse growth, and a few days of growth
Fewer strokes because of the blade head design
Attractive and practical handle grip
Good drainage slats
Cons
It is going to be too aggressive for some guys and requires some skill
The handle grip is fine, but does not provide the grip of knurled types
After reading up about the aggressiveness of the Mühle R41 safety razor, I was quite apprehensive about how it would perform on my face and whether I would lose any facial features I might rather keep.
It turns out I had nothing to fear, and it was one of those better-than-expected type of experiences.
As the title of this article states ‘Man it gives a close Shave’, it was super close, excellently close!
Anyway, it’s not just about me and my face; let’s delve into who the R41 might be best suited for and give you some facts, shaving experience, and opinions.
Video
The YouTube video I created for the R41 may provide some additional information, and/or the visuals might be helpful to you.
Description & Features
The German-made R41 is a three-piece open-comb type. It’s a classy-looking contemporary razor!
- Materials and Finish – Although I could not find the exact materials used on the company’s website, the handle is likely to be brass, with a die-cast razor head and galvanized surfaces, and finished in chrome.
- Open comb – An open comb razor head means the bottom section of the head is not straight or flat. The R41 features very large grooves that enable the blade to glide through a user’s facial hair more easily. Open combs love thick and tough growth to plow through.
- Three parts – When the handle is screwed off, the head comes apart in two pieces which gives you a three-piece setup. The Twist model (more about that shortly) is a two-piece razor.
- Blade replacement – As mentioned, the R41 is a three-piece razor, and the blade is placed on the three posts on the top section of the head. While a three-part razor is not as easy to change blades as a two-part or butterfly, it is much easier to clean.
- Handle – The handle is an engraved type that offers anti-slip. Three types of handles are available for the R41: standard length engraved, grande engraved (long), rose gold standard length engraved, and twist engraved (long, with a bottom cap that twists off).
- Blade gap – I am unsure of the actual blade gap, and with open combs, this is not a significant factor when evaluating its aggressiveness. The way the blade is seated in the razor head and the angle at which it protrudes make this blade aggressive (plus the open comb).
The Four Versions
The head of the different models remains the same. It’s just the handle length and design type that changes.
Standard
The standard traditional model has a shorter handle length of 94 mm, and it comes apart into 3 pieces when changing blades.
Dimensions: 41 mm (W) x 94 mm (L)
Weight: 64 g
Grande (long)
The R41 Grande is identical to the traditional standard model, with the sole difference being its length, which measures 107 mm, resulting in increased weight.
Dimensions: 41 mm (W) x 107 mm (L)
Weight: 90 g
Twist
The R41 Twist is the same length as the Grande (107 mm). The main difference is that the razor head is removed when the bottom cap is twisted off. It’s a two-piece razor rather than three.
Dimension: 41 mm (W) x 107 mm (L)
Weight: 90 g
There is also a rose gold model, ‘R41RG’, which is identical to the standard R41, featuring a rose gold-colored handle.
Which model from the R41 range should you choose? I have found the Grande size is much better when handling the razor, although I must admit that the fiddly bits near the nose and other parts have felt easier with standard-length safety razors in general.
I would primarily go with the Grande, though, over the standard size, for the ease and comfort of using a razor in my hand and for the ‘extra weight which helps the razor do the work’ while shaving from the extra weight!
It will depend on the size of your hand that you are most comfortable with when choosing one of these. If you have big hands, then the Grande is likely to be a better fit (saying that, though, this does not apply to everyone, as small stubby handles are fine for everyone, really).
The Twist model is a great feature for those who want blade replacement to be slightly easier.
Handle Grip
The engraved handle grip is not the best kind of grip, unlike knurled and others. However, for me, it is fine, although I know others may not prefer a less grippy texture.
Weight and Balance
The R41 is what you might consider a light-to-medium-weight safety razor (standard 64g – 2.25 oz). To me, it doesn’t feel too light, and I generally prefer heavier razors.
In terms of balance, it balances out very well, as it should. A user can allow the razor to lean easily against their face while shaving, but I find open combs like this are more about technique and accuracy rather than letting the weight of the razor do the work (think straight razors).
Look & Design
The look and design are a kind of masterpiece in my eyes. Its chrome-plated look and razor style is modern and posh without costing an arm and a leg.
MÜHLE has perfected the head; it’s so precise and keeps the blade perfectly aligned.
Ease of Use
While I find the R41 easy enough to use (although I am quite cautious), I can see others might struggle with the need to be cautious. It is not the same as shaving with the likes of a Mühle R89 or Merkur 34C, where a user has room to rush while shaving; however, those who take their time and apply caution will be rewarded with a close shave.
Shaving Experience
Before reviewing the R41 here, I used it for a few weeks shaving to see how it performed with a few days of growth and a couple of days –just to get the hang of it.
On the first occasion I used the R41, I was a little apprehensive. I knew it was among the top aggressive razors on the market.
I made sure I had 4 days of growth and gave it a shot. It was totally mean on the growth, but still very comfortable.
One stroke of this on certain areas (like the cheeks) removes everything and feels remarkable.
What I would advise is to make short strokes on the first pass. Just an inch or so will suffice, as this allows a user to become familiar with the razor, and it functions much better on the first pass when there is plenty of growth.
I did two passes on the first occasion and then continued that way without needing to have three. To be fair, the first pass removed so much, but since I have awkward areas and unusual hair growth patterns on my neck, I have to clean up a lot of the leftover bits.
Overall, it was loads better than I thought it would be. I had less to fear than I did.
The shave was so close, super close.
Value for Money
I would say this razor is worth every penny or cent ($44 standard, $56 Grande, $57 Twist).
Final Thoughts – Who Is It Best Suited For?
There’s no doubt that the Mühle R41 is a mean beard-cutting tool that cuts a very close shave. It’s the closest safety razor I use that I could compare with a straight-edge razor. That’s because the blade is so horizontal; it functions in the same way.
It requires some respect and cautiousness, and small strokes are best taken while getting familiar with using the R41. However, when given respect, it is a great tool that gives the best shave.
For individuals who shave every 3 days or more and experience tough hair growth, this razor may be a suitable option.
Beginners who are just starting with wet shaving using a safety razor would not really start with the R41. However, if the razor user finds using safety razors easy enough and needs a tool that can remove a decent amount of growth effortlessly, then they may consider it.
Men who develop lumps, bumps, and spots on their faces may struggle with the Mühle R41. It’s going to chop the buggers off – milder razors are the way to go for these Gents.
My Mühle R41 is a keeper. On a 3 or 5-day growth accumulation, it comes out to play!
