Mühle R89 Black

Absolutely brilliant double edged razor. If you were wondering whether to change from cartridge razors to a double edged, then this is the one for you. Perfect for both beginners and experts, this gives a close comfortable shave. The razor is very well manufactured, with a good finish and well balanced. It is perfect in terms of closeness - not too aggressive and yet close enough, and importantly very comfortable. I've tried a few double edged razors, but this is my go-to razor most days. Some aggressive ones are fine with a few days growth, but this is perfect for daily use. There are many benefits of double edged razors over cartridges. They are much cheaper in the long run. They are also better for the skin as the way cartridge razors work is that they grab the hair with one blade which lifts it, and then the next blade cuts it below the surface of the skin - this means the hair has to push up through the skin when growing, which gives rise to irritation and/or spots. Double edged razors cut the top off, and leaves the skin in much better shape. Also, typically you do a maximum of 3 passes, as opposed to a cartridge with 5 blades which is effectively doing 5 passes, if not more. I mean seriously - 5 blades! Why stop there; why not 6 or 7 or more? Getting silly, and double edged razors were good enough for your ancestors, and importantly they work very well. Yes, there is a learning curve, but get on YouTube and watch a couple of the popular videos, and you will be shaving like a pro in a week. It also becomes a pleasurable experience and a great zen way to start the day. Go the whole experience and get yourself a shaving brush and some decent shaving soap. The aficionados will talk about badger or boar brushes, but it doesn't matter too much and I use a synthetic brush, which is easier to take of and lasts practically forever (make sure to rinse properly as leaving soap on it shortens the life). Shaving soaps - go for a soft cream with a nice fragrance (pick a popular one on Amazon), and you can't go too wrong. Again, much better for your skin than the aerosols/cans. Round it off with an alum block. Then you're all set and it will all last you a long time for a small upfront investment. And importantly, you will enjoy the shaving experience and your skin will thank you for it.

Just used this beauty for the first time having been using a vintage Gillette Tech Fat Handle, which, itself, was a treat to use. By comparison it's a beast. Substantially longer and heavier and with a fatter handle. The knurling on the handle is fine but not as deep and grippy as the Gillette but doesn't present a problem at all. Obviously it's beautifully finished and engineered. As a relative newbie in double edge shaving I can't say as I notice a vast difference between the two but, for sure, I got a soft and sharp shave and will treasure this thing. Muhle make the heads for Edwin Jagger apparently so bear that in mind when deciding between Jagger, Merkur and Muhle. Lots on info. on the shaving forums....search and see. EDIT. A couple of days on and I'm getting more accustomed to shaving with the Muhle. Additionally I'm learning how to use it without drawing blood...take it really gently and no excessive pressure, get the preparation right (ie. hot water, pre-shave oil, face wash, decent shaving cream or soap). It's giving a cracking shave every time. Currently using a 'Gillette Rubie' blade, now on it's third day. To date I've used an 'Astra' blade and a 'Wilkinson Sword'...both were fine and the 'Rubie' is as good if not even better. In addition to the ones mentioned I've bought 'Polsilver Super Iridiums', 'Gillette Yellow 7 o,clock's and 'Personna Double Edge Stainless Comfort Coated'. Haven't gone for the 'Feather's...don't want to risk spoiling the exercise by going for the sharpest and most expensive of them all and getting disappointed. Hope to get a week out of a blade...seem to be on course for achieving that. Further EDIT. 21st Jan 15. Have now also purchased a Muhle R41 head to use with the existing handle which accompanied original item. For sure the R41 is very noticeably more aggressive. Far more blade exposed and far easier to draw blood. By comparison the R89 is a kitten. To be honest it probably wasn't a necessary purchaser - having read so much about them I just had to buy one to get it out of my system. UPDATE RE THE HANDLE. I found the standard handle to be a bit more slippery than I was hoping for when wet/soapy. The answer for me was to buy some textured heat shrink tubing from 'Hilltop Products'in Warrington. You need the "20mm Textured" (I used the black) and it comes in metre or half metre lengths. It slides over the handle (cut it oversized and trim afterwards) and just heat it up with a heat gun. I used some clear mastic on the handle before sliding the tubing on in order to get it to grip permanently and to seal it against any possible water ingress over time. It works perfectly - much grippier and the extra width is a bonus too. Further update 25th Jan 15. Have now taken delivery of a Braveheart Open Comb razor (head only for £15 plus P and P) from a specialist shaving supplier online. In truth the Braveheart might well be even better than the R89 and the R41...insofar as it's part-way between the two. Definitely not as tricky to use (aggressive?) as the R41 - but definitely closer than the R89. Definitely not as well made as the Muhles though...not as well engineered or plated. The Braveheart used in conjunction with the Grande handle (the long one), which I've modded with the heat shrink, is probably the best combination I've come up with for my own purposes. Hopefully anyone reading this might be able to draw their own conclusions with just a little more info. to go on. Have only used it with the Gillette 7 o/clock Yellow to date...but, as I say, it all worked beautifully well.

Decided to try a double edged razor after long-term use of Wilkinson Sword Hydro 5 (which I’ve used for ages and am super impressed with). Tried DE partly because I’ve seen so many positive reviews I thought I was missing out, and partly because the razors look really cool! Approached this with some trepidation, and expected at least a couple of nicks and cuts. I was genuinely stunned that I didn’t get any - just a very smooth shave. First try wasn’t as close as the Hydro 5, but very close to it. As technique and confidence are improving, it’s getting better and better. Razor itself is incredibly well made and high quality. Points to note: Do watch a video on how to use them properly. Technique is a bit different - shorter strokes, less pressure - letting the weight of the razor do the work. I used Astra blades which seem terrific. Expect the process to take a bit longer than a cartridge - but more involving and enjoyable. I’ll keep using the Hydro 5 occasionally, especially when in a hurry, but this is really great, and very cheap for an incredibly high quality razor. Highly recommended.

I've used a Merkur 34C for 10+ years and an open comb 1930's Gillette which I picked up last year and enjoy very much. The Muhle R41 has a heavy head, which carries a lot of heat so when the hot water hits it it gets hot and stays hot, which is very nice (don't get it too hot). Additionally, the shave delivered is excellent. The ease is outstanding. More aggressive than the Merkur, and less than the Gillette. It pairs excellently with the Derby blades. The Muhle blade it comes with is very average, similar to Shark or Gillette or Astra or any decent quality blade. I took one shave with it and will probably swap it out for a Derby or Feather (which I have not loaded in this razor yet). I have a pretty average beard, so maybe someone with lighter or heavier beard would like the blade more in this razor--I don't care for it. The handle is very smooth, but not slippery. It's also a little thicker so it's easy to grip. The build feels excellent. Ease of Use: 9 Closeness of Shave: 9 Quality: TBD (seems very good but it takes several years to evaluate the corrosion resistance of the finish, etc) Weight: Heavier, so very little pressure should be applied Comfort: 10 Head stays hot, smooth traverse on skin, thoroughly enjoyed Comparing to the Merkur which is recommended as beginner friendly, I think this is easier to use. It's heavier, so you need to be careful with that, but it's very forgiving. Where it's NOT beginner friendly is that with multiple passes it's not the greatest, but it's pretty thorough on the first one. If you have good technique this is your friend for a fast, extremely close shave. If your technique is not very good, you might hate this razor since it's pretty harsh to be doing multiple passes. If you can get it mostly in one with an occasional touch-up, it's wonderful.

Very happy with the razor's performance on my sensitive skin! I used Muhle blade included in the package. No razor burns/bumps at all! It glides smoothly over the face. Highly prefer this over Bombay Shaving Company razor.

Çok kaliteli bir ürün.Bıçak açısı o kadar iyi ayarlanmış ki,yüzünüze hasar verme ihtimali yok gibi birşey.Ben Permasharp razor kullanıyorum.Bu makinayla uyumlu.Mühle çok kullanışlı bir ürün geliştirmiş.Tebrik ediyorum.

Un plaisir de se raser. Rapide et efficace.

Det här är en riktigt bra säkerhetshyvel för att lära sig att raka sig på det här sättet, och blir sen ett säkert alternativ att falla tillbaka på när man har bråttom. Förutom den här säkerhetshyveln är det bra om man investerar i en rakborste, rakblad, raktvål/kräm (behöver bättre glid än raklöddret på burk), alun-sten och aftershave balm. Kolla gärna på youtube. Det finns billiga alternativ. Kvalitén är väldigt bra, ingen rost eller dylikt även fast jag låter bladet sitta i tills det är slött, då rengör jag hyveln och byter blad. Jag har använt min R89 flitigt i ett och ett halvt år nu. Den går dock inte alls bra att raka huvudet med, om någon undrar. Bladet är för skyddat för att den ska fungera på huvudet, där kan jag rekommendera t.ex. Mühle Companion istället. Högsta betyg på den här hyveln, jag kan verkligen rekommendera den. Jag gillar grejer som håller.