razor blade or electric shaver?

[skyfire]

so ive been using a gilette mach3 razor blades for many years, and after recently hanging out with a couple of old friends, the subject came up about shaving, and they use electric shavers.

So, im just wondering what other CPFers prefer, and what they are using for shaving their face.

a good norelco cost about the same as a quality torch, ive been thinking of putting off my next torch for an electric shaver. LOL

[StarHalo]

In my experience, in order for the shaver to give a shave that's as close as it's going to get, it takes as long as shaving with a blade. I'd rather spend the time getting the closer shave with a blade.

[don.gwapo]

Me either. Never tried electric shaver before. Might want to try to compare which is better than the two.

[ASheep]

Razors for me. As soon as I can afford it, I'm going to buy a nice straight blade cutthroat razor. They are just so much better than the latest 10^6 blade count gilette mach 9000. They really prove you don't need more than 1 blade to do the job, if it's well maintained.

[tabaliah]

I use double-edge razors when I am shaving, straight razor when I have a beard.

.michael

[ama230]

try and look at the wahl lithium ion shaver as it has all the attachments and can be had at 30bucks. It charges in an a hour and it lasts for a month on a single charge for me. Best quality too and ultra light and lasts forever.

check it out... then the razor i use the norelco 4 blade with trimmer and its powered by an eneloop aaa for touch ups. All can be had for fourty bucks and will get the job done.

hope this helps,
eric

[jellydonut]

I use the same thing you use. I remember I used an electric shaver when I was in my early teens because I'd keep cutting myself even with the multi-bladed safety razor. As I got used to using it I transitioned completely to the razor.

Pretty sure I'd be up for the same bloody (literally) learning curve if I went to a straight razor as I have ten thumbs so I'm just gonna stick to this thing.

[choombak]

+1 for razor - the electric shaver, no matter how good it is can't get as smooth a shave as the razor can. Secondly, a razor can be used for sculpting and accurate trimming if you maintain a wacky beard, which the electric shaver cannot.

If you are totally clean shaved, then the electric shaver can be helpful, since you don't have to worry about anything - just let it roam around and get the job done. I maintain a moustache, and a pencil thin straight beard, so 100% electric shaver is out for me. I use a combo many times, but I haven't yet got as close a shave as my super-sharp razor can.

[jabe1]

Razor, and a shaving brush/soap combo.

[Ray_of_Light]

Blade. I tried all the best electric razors on the market but they can't match the result of a double /triple blade.

WHen I decided to go for a trimmed /sculptured beard more than fifteen years ago, I do use both... a Philips electric beard trimmer, and a triple blade Gillette throw-away razor.

Anthony

[lostinwv]

www.badgerandblade.com

[ZeissOEM2]

Forget the gillette Mach system.
low quality and too expensive.


Merkur Vision razor with Feather safety blades is the way to go

[KillingTime]

Blades give the closest shave, but I'm way too clumsy and rushed in the morning to do it correctly- hence I use electric. I would say electric comes 90 - 95% close. Much cheaper than blades too.

[jellydonut]

Forget the gillette Mach system.
low quality and too expensive.


Merkur Vision razor with Feather safety blades is the way to go

Is there a good web store for this stuff in Norway?

[Glasstream15]

When I was working I used Norelcos most of the time. Probably spent $1000 or more on them. Retired now and back to blades. Badger brush and soap and double edge safety razor. Also use Gillette Fusion razors at times and they are excellent but you just can't beat the feel of an old fashioned butterfly double edge "safety razor". They will nick you a bit more than the Fusion so make sure you don't have any bumps on your face. They'll shave them smooth.

My mug that I have had since 1975 has an appropriate saying on the side.

"When a man is tired of pleasure he is tired of life". So true.

[M@elstrom]

Q: razor blade or electric shaver?

Both, I like the way a blade (Gillette) sweeps the neck clear of whiskers but prefer to avoid "nicks" on the face so I use my trusty old electric razor (Braun) to finish off

[gcbryan]

I do the same and have for years. I use a Braun (I've had Norelco and prefer Braun) to get most of the work done and then finish things off with a razor.

No cuts and by the time you get to the razor part it goes quickly.

[wyager]

ELECTRIC! It was an amazing transition for me, I used to use razors but they were A:messy and annoying, with shaving cream B:time consuming C:sharp.
My cheap $30 electric with swiveling heads works great, gets it right down to the skin, and I can press it as hard as I want against my face with no cuts. I don't need to use shaving cream anymore, which is great. It's also much faster, having three spinning blades cut at once. Mine also has a built-in trimmer, for if you need to get rid of your beard or something

[fighter]

Obviously electric shaver.Thats very cool and easy to use to me.Actually i bad some bad experience with razor balde



Landscape & Outdoor Lights NJ

[mrartillery]

ELECTRIC! It was an amazing transition for me, I used to use razors but they were A:messy and annoying, with shaving cream B:time consuming C:sharp.
My cheap $30 electric with swiveling heads works great, gets it right down to the skin, and I can press it as hard as I want against my face with no cuts. I don't need to use shaving cream anymore, which is great. It's also much faster, having three spinning blades cut at once. Mine also has a built-in trimmer, for if you need to get rid of your beard or something

+1, I just could never learn to like a regular razor. Love my electric Norelco though, it shaves the closest of any electric Ive owned. Not to mention cleanup is a breeze, just push a button the top foil pops up and you wash it out with water, presto you're finished.

[Burgess]

Gillette Razors.


Been using a Gillette Mach 3 for the past 12 years now.


It's Excellent ! ! !



_

[DeadButAlive]

Blades all the way. I tried the electric shavers for a while (my dad used a Norelco for as long as I can remember) but it seemed to take forever to get a mediocre shave. No electric I tried, neither rotary nor reciprocating, would get into the jawline and neck hollows - they all left me with 5 o'clock shadow at 7:00 AM. I switched to blades and never looked back - first with the 2-blades and then the 3-blades, haven't needed anymore blades than that. I usually shave in the shower using just soap, but I'll use shaving cream if I showered the night before. Nothing matches the close shave I get from blades. I haven't tried the straight razor yet, but also being a knife knut I'm sure I'll get to that eventually.

[kaptain_zero]

Is there a good web store for this stuff in Norway?

The only Norsk site that comes to mind is:
http://www.mamut.net/ttt_fitjarsaapekokeri/

The English version is:
http://www.mamut.net/ttt_fitjarsaapekokeri/subdet48.htm


And I might add that those on this side of the pond who have tried Fitjars soaps/creams are very happy with them.

Two excellent shaving related forums:

www.shavemyface.com

www.straightrazorplace.com

I personally will leave B&B for the young'uns, not my cup of tea, but I'm an old fart with a good memory..........

My preference is for a well honed straight razor, a vintage Schick Injector (if you can find decent blades) or a good DE aka double edge bladed razor. The latter can still be had new, ditto for straight razors and there is a plethora of fine traditional shaving creams, soaps and badger hair brushes......

One of the original online retail sites that carries a lot of information on how to use this stuff is Classicshaving.com and you can go to the "How to and why" link. One of the main reasons so many of us moved on to cartridge razors and electrics was simply that our fathers never knew how to use the dang things, and could never teach us how to do it properly. Once mastered, a DE or straight is capable of giving you the most comfortable and close shave imaginable, but ONLY if you are willing to learn and are capable of using your hands for delicate work. It's not hard to learn for most people, but if you are of the 10 thumbs type or you just want to get the damn ordeal over with.... well, you'll probably be happier with something else and you don't care how much it costs.

I should point out that there are many fine retailers on the internet (who get my business over Classic Shaving due to my living in Canada) and the forums mentioned above will have links to those and there will be many ratings of such retailers in the forums, just like we do here when it comes to flashlights.

I can tell you all that there is nothing I look more forward to, than a great shave, but only after I learned how to do it properly.

Regards

Christian aka

Kaptain "48 vintage straight razors, 8 badger hair brushes, 6 DE razors and about 60 creams and soaps, never mind enough DE blades to last me the next 30 years....." Zero

[Flying Turtle]

Tried electrics years ago and never really liked them. Besides not giving a close shave they tended to cause me to get ingrown hairs. Now it's very minimalist, a shaving mirror in the shower and dollar store disposable razors.

Geoff

[arek98]

I used a razor for long time and I agree that it gives a closest shave but few years ago I switched to electric and I don’t look back. Close shave means more hairs can grow under skin, also how close you need to be shaved?
Remember that you can try electric shaver and if you don’t like it you can return it. I did that with Norelco (Philips). Skin needs to adjust. First 2 weeks or so it will be irritated but then it should be fine, if not then it is not for you. With Norelco (I think it maybe standard) you have 30 days for return to manufacturer and full refund. I ended with Panasonic. Seems like linear is better for me than rotary. Also it is waterproof and may be used dry or wet (with gel, under shower). Works well for me.
I think electric shavers that need some cleaning base (like some Brauns) are not even worth a try. Whole point of getting electric shaver is less hassle, not extra maintenance procedures.
Basically, you need to try one and see if it works for you. Remember you need at least few days before you can tell how it works. First few shaves will be a struggle for sure.

[Lynx_Arc]

I use generic 3 bladed razors from the stores, not the cheapest ones but the step up from the cheapest and they work for me almost as good as the way overpriced name brand razors for half the cost. I use an electric shaver to touch up what I missed. I find myself burning my face with an electric shaver, that is cutting too close and then my skins smarts. I hate shaving because I cannot even grow a mustache or beard worth looking at it just ends up being something I have to do or look scruffy instead.

[kaptain_zero]

I find myself burning my face with an electric shaver, that is cutting too close and then my skins smarts.

If you were to see what is actually happening when you shave with an electric razor, you would see that your beard is actually being crushed, rather than cut..... it's quite alarming. Unfortunately, I have lost my links to the macro photos of what happens, or I would have posted them here.

A properly sharpened single blade, used at the right angle against a beard, which has been properly softened ( a hot shower is a great prep as long as you move onto the shave before letting your beard dry out) and coated with a nice *wet* coat of shaving soap or cream, simply wipes your beard away. The multi bladed modern razors use "hysteresis" to shave closer.... it often results in ingrown hairs etc. A single blade lops the hair off at the surface, a second or third, well lubricated pass will finish the job without cutting the hair off way below the skin surface.

If you are still wondering.... check out the above mentioned forums..... but remember, wet shaving means WET, not dry foam out of a can on dry skin..... Many of those canned foam products contain desensitizing ingredients in an attempt to dull the pain from bad preparation....

Regards

Kaptain "Slippery when wet" Zero

[jtr1962]

I hate shaving because I cannot even grow a mustache or beard worth looking at it just ends up being something I have to do or look scruffy instead.

Same problem here, although truthfully a beard or mustache wouldn't suit me anyway even if I could grow one worth looking at. For all those reasons, I'm seriously considering permanent laser hair removal once I can afford it. The few thousand it costs will save me about 10-15 minutes a day. Culmulatively over my lifetime that's a bargain. It also removes one more mindless task from my daily routine.

Until I do the laser thing, it's an electric razor for me. I always ended up with bumps on my skin with a blade after shaving a few days in a row. Not a problem with an electric. I can shave 365 days a year with no problem. As for closeness, if the blades are in good shape it's nearly as close as a blade. As was said already, how close do you need to shave anyway? An hour or two later the closest blade shave will probably look like my normal electric shave. By the end of the day the difference won't be noticeable.

[Monocrom]

Every shaver I've ever tried did a good job of massaging my face . . . And that's really all they did.

[Tally-ho]

If you are still wondering.... check out the above mentioned forums..... but remember, wet shaving means WET, not dry foam out of a can on dry skin.

+1...wet shaving is the best.
Before using double-edge razors and straight razors, shaving was something i did without any pleasure. A duty (corvee ?).
Time is needed to learn how to use a straight razor but the result is uncomparable to an electric shaver. Double-edge is easy to use and if you make two passes the results will be greater than with any electric shaver.
Sometimes i shaved myself in the late evening and the next day morning i'm still better shaved than if i shaved with an electric shaver 5 minutes ago.