Sorry to resurrect this thread but it didn't really seem right to start another thread to discuss the R41 - hence I'm going to 'squat' my thoughts here.
I'd kind of forgotten that I'd bought the R41 head a few weeks back - having a shedload of new artisan soaps to play with will do that - but anyway finally gave the R41 a first use yesterday. The kit was:
R41 w/ Weber Bulldog handle
Polsilver Brown (2)
Mikes Natural Orange/Cedar/Pepper
Vielong Peleon
Bodged the lather by adding water too quickly - but anyway.
This was the first time I'd actually put the R41 head on a handle with a blade in it and my first thoughts were,"Wow, great looking head" like it really looks chunky and performance oriented. That said I also could immediately see why it was reknowned for being a tricky one to use as the blade is just right out there! No need to go searching for the blade edge, it WILL find you!
So first stroke and immediately I was surprised by how audible the razor is - a LOT of aural feedback - which is a nice thing. I could tell straight away that I was getting a VERY close shave, the Polsilvers are up there with very sharp blades and I don't know whether they were a good/bad choice but thats what i had onhand....but the first WTG pass was already CLEARLY as close as a 2/3 pass shave - almost BBS stuff.
I know it was a first use - and so perhaps it will decrease but my feeling was that this is a razor that you have to ALWAYS concentrate on whilst you're using. I don't know about others but I've gotten to a point where I'm normally very confident with my technique so during a shave I can think about other things and let my technique drift and not have the shave suffer for this - as other razors are generally very forgiving - but the R41 had my FULL ATTENTION for the entire shave.
So I was very conscious of the head/blade angle, not applying any pressure where making a stroke and instead allowing the head/handle's weight to pull the razor down on each stroke. It was surprisingly easy to get into the regular tricky spots on my face e.g jaw under ears.
I had to play it really careful on my chin as the lather was very poor - and basically just finished with the single WTG shave. I did start one ATG stroke under my chin but my skin immediately said,"DO NOT DO THAT!" And so I didn't plus I really had nothing to shave so it was silly to try - the first pass had obliterated it all.
However.....what an amazing single pass shave. I swear it was alsmost as good as anything else I'd ever had, in terms of closeness. I was kind of chuffed that I'd not so much as a single nick or mark either - so thats nice to know that one's technique is pretty good.
Zero irritation. My only tiny issue was I'd left a few little stray hairs in areas where perhaps I was overly cautious about the R41 e.g corners of my mouth. Cleaned those up with my wife's SS.
So I really have to say WOW - what a wonderful razor this is. I always used to trumpet the Merkur SLant as the single pass champ but this absolutely beats this by a country mile. That said I found the Slant an puppy dog to use compared to this, so they're not exactly apples with apples.
I'm very glad I got the R41 as it's the first razor Ive used in a LONG time that is REALLY different in terms of its user feel and results - others tend to be much of a muchness, sure some are better etc but something that is MASSIVELY different is very hard to find - but I'm confident that the R41 is exactly that - so well worth a try and something I thin will be a keeper in my razor rotation.