MÜHLERocca Stainless Steel Black Safety Razor

I had my doubts about buying this razor because of the large gap between the bottom bar and the blade, However, after my first use of the Rocca, I must admit it gave the gentlest, closest shave I've ever experienced in just one pass. In terms of aggressiveness, it seems to fall in between the Muhle R89 and the open comb R49, so I wouldn't call it a razor for beginners to wet shaving nor those transitioning from multiblade cartridge razors. I began my safety razor journey with the Muhle closed comb R89, learning how let the weight of the razor do the work instead of applying pressure as one must do with cartridge disposables. I'd also recommend the Merkur 23C for beginners with it's light touch and non-slip gnurled handle. However...The Rocca offers me the advantage of stainless steel, and in a saline environment like Hawaii where I live, the salt air is going to chew chrome to pieces no matter how well it's cared for. The only thing that lasts in Hawaii is vinyl, glass, and stainless steel.The blades I use are nothing fancy, just the Gillette/Wilkinson "Saloon" pack blades which come down to about 9 cents apiece when purchased in the 100 pack on Amazon. I would avoid using the Muhle blade that comes with the razor. Muhle makes great razors, but they still don't have the magic for making great blades.The Rocca itself is a well built, wonderfully machined razor. The grip is very secure, even with wet hands, and the balance is impeccable. It cleans up easily just by loosening the top and allowing room for water to flush out the blades and the razor head. I keep a jar of isopropyl alcohol on my bathroom sink to dip my razors into after use. It aids in rapid drying and kills any residual bacteria that might grow on the blade while at rest (and shaving with a sterile blade can't be all bad.) The Rocca is a comparatively expensive razor, but like cars, you get what you pay for. A cheap razor will invariably give you a painful shave. An expensive one will more than likely make your shave a lot more trouble free.

I started with a cheaper DE razor Wilkinson Sword, which was a good way to evaluate if DE shaving was for me.I decided to upgrade and my first shave with the Muhle was excellent, no nicks or burns.I do have more sensitive skin and not very thick stubble and I think this razor design was made for me.I’ve used the king C Gillette blade for this initial shave, which was perfect. In the Wilkinson DE razor, I actually preferred the India manufactured Wilkinson Sword blades to the more expensive German manufactured ones.

I have the R89 and Feather AS-D2, but felt the feather is too mild. Got this one in the birch handle first, but find the balance very off. This razor has a thicker head and longer handle than the Feather AS-D2 but if you choose the birch handle it's going to end up lighter than the AS-D2. Returned the birch handle and got myself the metal handle version and the balance is perfect again, also heavier than the AS-D2. This razor is SMOOTH, not a bit of tugging, and the best feature is when you do ATG it gives a lot of auditory feedback. So don't forget to turn off your water faucet and enjoy the sound. The grip texture is unique and very grippy, machined perfectly too, that's a real plus, contrasts nicely with the sand blasted finish of the head. Lather still washes off nicely, you just have to run the water from the side of the blade.

This is a very smooth and efficient razor! You don’t feel the blade much. So much so, that I find it a boring automatic daily razor. It will cut you though if you’re not careful. I was astonished by the quality of this razor. It just screams high end. It’s comfortable, high quality, and has good grip.For me, I found this almost as smooth as a RR GC84-p, but way more efficient. It’s a significant step down in aggressiveness and efficiency from an R41.All-in-all, a great razor but not for me. I want something more efficient with more blade feel.

This is my third DE razor--I started with a Merkur 23C (too mild), then tried a Rockwell 6C (I liked it but wanted stainless steel) and finally purchased the Muhle Rocca after debating between this and the Rockwell 6S.I'm glad I went with the Rocca! It is a beautiful razor with the perfect amount of grip in the handle and just the right amount of aggressiveness for me. I can shave fast with it, but still get some feedback from the blade which has helped me work on my technique and efficiency. If I shave daily, I can get a damn fine shave with one pass, or two passes if there is a few days worth of growth.As far as blades go, I've used Astra SP's, Gillette Silver Blue's, and Gillette Nacet's all with good results. I also have no problem shaving across the grain or against the grain with any of the previously mentioned blades.Some people have commented/expected the weight of the razor to be greater given that it's made from stainless steel, but I find it to be very well balanced and the perfect weight. Muhle also makes great accessories to go along with it. I definitely recommend this razor!

With my smooth skin, this razor is excellent? I truly enjoy shaving with it.

Amazing razor but the head showed up with a major scratch in it. For what I paid I expected a razor without blemishes. I really wanted to give this 5 stars because the razor works great but I expected German quality which would be without the giants scratch across the head plate.

Very smooth and efficient. Great balance and great grip on the handle. Fast becoming my favorite go to razor. The only thing that could be improved would be the addition of lather channels which would improve rinsing. Buy it you wont regret it.