Michael_W
Well-Known Member
I got this a couple of weeks ago, but wanted to use up the first blade in my Caveem razor that I reviewed for the company on my YouTube channel, so I decided to try it out today. WOW. I last shaved on Saturday about 7-ish in the morning, and it was after 1:00 PM when I did today. The soap, aftershave splash, and post-shave balm were all Stirling Scots Pine. The pre-shave was the Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements Cube 2.0. The blade was what came with the razor.
First Impressions: The handle is matte black, but the knurling is so flat as to be practically smooth. I like a razor handle that has a lot of grip, and the Razorock G.O.a.T. and P.A.A. Ascension Twist Adjustable are my top go-to safeties when I want something that won't slip out of my fingers. I'm not a fan of smooth-handled razors. Still, the matte finish offered a surprising amount of security in my hand. The contrast between the black handle and shiny virgin chrome is visually appealing. The blade gap is comparable to that of the Merkur 34.
The Shave: The Muhle blade glided effortlessly over my skin. I've used good razor and blade combinations before, but this was next-level for me. Granted, I've used this soap before, with various blade and razor combinations, but this was hands down the smoothest in my nearly eight years of using safeties. I did a three-pass shave with, across, and against the grain, with some minor touch-ups below my mouth and on the bottom left of my neck. No nicks at all, even in my usual problem areas!
Post-Shave: I used T.N. Dickinson's witch hazel and Stirling alum block to start my post-shave routine. I used the Scots Pine glacial menthol splash, followed by the companion balm to restore moisture to my face. I got no irritation at all during the process. Often I do get at least some, and it's rare that I get none at all. Impressive!
Final Thoughts: I began my safety razor journey with the Van Der Hagen rebranded Weishi 9306 before getting my first Merkur, a 34, both in 2017. I've gotten myself a small but decent collection of new and vintage razors since then, from many different companies. They all have their quirks, and different blades will work better in some than in others. The Caveem and now the Muhle are the first to ever give me no-nick-no-irritation shaves on a consistent basis. The Muhle especially felt as though I was shaving without a blade, it went so smoothly and effortlessly over my skin. I'm not easily impressed, but the Muhle R89—my first from that line—has certainly done that and then some!
First Impressions: The handle is matte black, but the knurling is so flat as to be practically smooth. I like a razor handle that has a lot of grip, and the Razorock G.O.a.T. and P.A.A. Ascension Twist Adjustable are my top go-to safeties when I want something that won't slip out of my fingers. I'm not a fan of smooth-handled razors. Still, the matte finish offered a surprising amount of security in my hand. The contrast between the black handle and shiny virgin chrome is visually appealing. The blade gap is comparable to that of the Merkur 34.
The Shave: The Muhle blade glided effortlessly over my skin. I've used good razor and blade combinations before, but this was next-level for me. Granted, I've used this soap before, with various blade and razor combinations, but this was hands down the smoothest in my nearly eight years of using safeties. I did a three-pass shave with, across, and against the grain, with some minor touch-ups below my mouth and on the bottom left of my neck. No nicks at all, even in my usual problem areas!
Post-Shave: I used T.N. Dickinson's witch hazel and Stirling alum block to start my post-shave routine. I used the Scots Pine glacial menthol splash, followed by the companion balm to restore moisture to my face. I got no irritation at all during the process. Often I do get at least some, and it's rare that I get none at all. Impressive!
Final Thoughts: I began my safety razor journey with the Van Der Hagen rebranded Weishi 9306 before getting my first Merkur, a 34, both in 2017. I've gotten myself a small but decent collection of new and vintage razors since then, from many different companies. They all have their quirks, and different blades will work better in some than in others. The Caveem and now the Muhle are the first to ever give me no-nick-no-irritation shaves on a consistent basis. The Muhle especially felt as though I was shaving without a blade, it went so smoothly and effortlessly over my skin. I'm not easily impressed, but the Muhle R89—my first from that line—has certainly done that and then some!
