Dave's Shave Of The Day # 6

... with the Muhle R41

The Pre-shave: Proraso Refreshing

The Razor: Muhle R41

The Blade: Astra Superior Platinum

The Soap: Hawkins & Brimble Elemi and Ginseng

The Brush: The Guv'nor Pure Badger

The Balm: Nivea Sensitive

The Shave:

It's been a while since I've used the Muhle R41 and once I'd started shaving I remembered why. It's weird, but for a razor that's got an Arthurian reputation that suggests shaving with it is like wielding Excalibur, I often feel vaguely disappointed with it. Yes, it's aggressive and all that but I find I get a far more satisfactory and comfortable shave from, say, the RazoRock SLOC or the Fatip Grande. Maybe that's just me. I don't know.

So – a satisfactory shave, but it took me three passes to get BBS results and to be honest I could have got the same from either of the aforementioned razors or, indeed, from something like the RazoRock Hawk SE, which gives the very close shave that the Muhle R41's reputation suggests you'll get for far less effort. Maybe I was doing something wrong. Oh – hang on. I've just realised. I forgot to put a blade in it.*

It'll be a while before I take the Muhle R41 out again. Which isn't to say it's not a good razor – it is. Just not for me.** * I didn't forget. I just said that for comic effect. Come on, everyone – keep up.

** This is not unfamiliar territory. Friends of mine have gone on for years and years about how great The Blues Brothers is. I have, to this day, never seen it. And likewise, David Bowie's musical output. I can honestly say I've never heard a Bowie track that's made me want to find out more and buy anything of his, while virtually everyone else I've ever met seems to be a fan of at least something he's done. So there we go – the Muhle R41 is, for me, like David Bowie's entire back catalogue: everyone else seems to like it except me.

#SOTD #wetshaving #oldschoolshaving #safetyrazor #muhleR41