I think I'd like to have a new razor. I have an old Norelco that is a 1980 model but is getting to be again to use. My old wrinkled face can't take the abuse it once could. Any one have an opinion on the electric shavers or a reccomendiation you'd pass on?
I guess the choice is between a Norelco, one of those slanted head jobs or a Braun, No. 3 or a No 5, if can catch one on sale.
I have considered giving up shaving and did grow a sizable beard but the beard annoyed me and it itched. It has become a habit to question will I live long enough to get my money's worth out of whatever I'm considering buying. Actually it doesn't make any difference. If it's something useful son or daughter might find it useful. Suppose it's force of habit.
I haven't used an electric razor in a long time. The last time I used one, they weren't shaving closely enough. Then I went through a string of different razors, including the ones with multiple edges and such, including a variety of shaving creams. However, for the past ten years or so, I have been using a simple safety razor and shaving dry. Using shaving cream simply lets the blade slide over the beard without cutting it.
@Bill Boggs Agreed, a beard is aggravating. So is shaving to avoid it. I've been trying a hair destruction device on my lips, where the sharp stubble is especially aggravating.
Once the beard gets long enough, it's no longer itchy. It can still be annoying, though. Less annoying than having to shave, however. But long hair can be annoying too.
I Have been using both a blade and an electric razor. Sometime my face feels like I think a football might feel, if it could feel, after beeing kicked around all through a game; beat up on. I have one of those blade razors but have been using one of Gillete's latest. My razor of choice for over fifty years was the Shiek Injector razor. Mine broke about about six years ago. I couldn't find another except on ebay and I rthought it wa s too pricey. An electric shaver has always worked for a short while. I've never grown a beard a beard long enough to be comfortable with it for long. Another problem which might seem minor on the surface but is actually an ongoing hassle is the oxygen tubing I wear 24/7. Whatever I use to shave I need to trim the hair on the upper lip so that the tubing that goes into the nose is not constantly rubbing my mustache. Irritation. I suppose another choice is to grin nd bear it.
Even though the country has gotten more casual we still have to shave every now and then. Shaving has gotten harder as I have aged. My wrinkles are more pronounced. I've lost weight and that makes my wrinkles worse and now I have a turkey gaggle. I use Gillette blades and switch back and forth with an old Norelco electric shaver I bought at a garage sale in the mid eighties. Was wondering what the men and women on the forum use to shave.
I do the same as you, Bill. I use a razor most of the time, but occasionally I return to the electric. I don't shave every day anymore, however, as on most days, I stay home and no one but my wife sees me.
In my life, I have gone as long as eight years without shaving. When clean shaven, I have used electric razors, and I have tried all of the fancy disposable razors, the ones with the advertisements. However, over the past few years, I have simply been using the old-fashioned safety razors, although I can't imagine why they are called that since I think more people have committed suicide with the blades from these things than anything else on the shelf. The only thing that might be less safe would be the even older-fashioned straight razors, but I have never tried one of those. I have also found that things go a lot smoother without shaving cream or shaving soap. I shave dry, although a washing with soap and water is required afterward. Electric razors don't shave close enough. Then again, I haven't tried one since the 1980s.
Like most of you I've been back and forth with razors and shavers. My wife has always used my electric razor. The other day she ask me why I was keeping my old Norelco. She said it just don't shave any more. So Friday morning I went to Target and bought a Braun no.3 electric shaver. I brought it home, looked it over and my wife tried it out. She didn't like it. Inever used it butI didn't like it because it didn't have a trimmer. This morning I took it back. I looked at shavers for some good while and finally bought another Norelco, a numbr 7560. I charged it up but neither of us has used it. I'll try it out one of these mornings when I'm feeling good. I may still have to use a blade on my neck.
I have never used a blade, due to the after-effect of tender skin from the 2nd. degree burns I received even before hair began growing! Old family Doctor told me my beard might come in "spotty" when it did, due to the burns. It did not. I started shaving originally with a Norelco rotary, just like my Dad used. Years earlier, he used only a straight-edged razor, stropping it every time on a wide leather belt hung on the bathroom door. That belt was claimed to be useful in quieting disturbed kids! Never was used as such, though. As the Norelco design was "improved" (worsened, IMO) over the years, I of course acquired new ones. Latest tried is a cordless, which has amazing battery longevity (and needs it!), shaves much less close than my older corded-type with "floating head", which I had to immobilize with epoxy cement, after the little pivoting pieces fell out. None beat the old fixed-head type, which I had to refurbish at least twice over the past umpteen years by replacing the motor's brushes. Those I had to make myself, from tiny pieces of carbon. While we lived up in the woods for a year, no electricity, water, or phone, I had little choice but to not shave at all. First time ever in my life, at age 39, I grew a beard! At first, it was awfully annoying, itchy, aggravating. Fortunately, such irritation is made worse by hot temperastures, which we had little of at elevation 6700 feet. Moving back to Phoenix, I shaved off the beard, after which I experienced real severe skin irritation for several weeks. Since then, no more beards! Frank
@Frank Sanoica I share your opinion that over the years improvements have not made a better shaver but a more costly one that doesn't shave as well. My eighties Norelco with new heads would probably work as well or better than this hundred dollar job I bought today.