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Are electrics really that bad?

Does the Oneblade work sort of like the old slotted shavers?

I might work better wet than my Philips. That gets a funk inside the hair catcher compartment, even though I wash it out meticulously. Cleaning it out is too much of a pain.

Even with my Braun series 9 wet shaving with lather was a stupid useless chore and only cause drag. With the oneblade it's a totally different story... Cuts right through lather and hair like butter. You don't even have to rinse it.
 
Even with my Braun series 9 wet shaving with lather was a stupid useless chore and only cause drag. With the oneblade it's a totally different story... Cuts right through lather and hair like butter. You don't even have to rinse it.

I might have to try one out.

I have sensitive skin and certain parts of my face are slightly pock-marked or puffy and it's difficult to get a close shave there with a traditional blade razor without incurring irritation. I had acne clear into my thirties and I also had IPL and laser hair removal years ago, it only worked temporarily and I eventually decided I was OK with shaving. The IPL was something I would definitely not recommend and probably accounts for some of the puffiness around my pores, as I had a nasty case of dermatitis. Incidentally, the IPL also caused some of the hairs to grow back thicker.

I probably need to get some heavy-duty exfoliation from an aesthetician, but that is a pain in itself, and it will make your skin alot more sensitive for a while.
 
I might have to try one out.

I have sensitive skin and certain parts of my face are slightly pock-marked or puffy and it's difficult to get a close shave there with a traditional blade razor without incurring irritation. I had acne clear into my thirties and I also had IPL and laser hair removal years ago, it only worked temporarily and I eventually decided I was OK with shaving. The IPL was something I would definitely not recommend and probably accounts for some of the puffiness around my pores, as I had a nasty case of dermatitis. Incidentally, the IPL also caused some of the hairs to grow back thicker.

I probably need to get some heavy-duty exfoliation from an aesthetician, but that is a pain in itself, and it will make your skin alot more sensitive for a while.

I say try it, the base model can be had for around $20-$25 online with "holiday sales" and even if you end up not using it daily it's great for quick shaves, 'recovery' shaves, travel, and cleaning up around ears/neck/etc between hair cuts.

I have had terrible ingrown hairs my whole life, cystic level. Several years with Traditional shaving using DE and SE barely improved the issue and sometimes made it worse. The new Gillette Skinguard didn't work for me, crappy shave + ingrowns lol. Even Electric foil shavers would give me problems that were fine in the beginning but got worse and worse the longer I used them. I already had a Braun series 9 in addition to most of their other models and even just bought another series 9 to test for awhile simply because it was 50% off online for cyber Monday. Through it all absolutely not one single device I've tried (and ive literally spent thousands in the last 6-7 years) has allowed me to get this close of a shave on a regular basis without ingrowns. Alot of people around here dismiss it because they can't get a bbs with it, well that's exactly the point and it's darn near close to bbs anyway. Visually, you would think I'm bbs for easily 6+ hours and you won't feel stubble wtg or xtg for 4+ hours. I have very dense growth with very thick but flat lying hairs and many of the dreaded double hairs. From a bbs shave I could have a passable 'office beard' in a week, if that gives you any idea of the terrain this is fighting through. I'm about to get ready for work, if I remember I'll post a before and after pic of my cheek or neck or something.

And no, im not a shill for Philips. Wish i was, I wouldn't have to spend $14 every two months on a new blade haha.
 
I say try it, the base model can be had for around $20-$25 online with "holiday sales" and even if you end up not using it daily it's great for quick shaves, 'recovery' shaves, travel, and cleaning up around ears/neck/etc between hair cuts.

I have had terrible ingrown hairs my whole life, cystic level. Several years with Traditional shaving using DE and SE barely improved the issue and sometimes made it worse. The new Gillette Skinguard didn't work for me, crappy shave + ingrowns lol. Even Electric foil shavers would give me problems that were fine in the beginning but got worse and worse the longer I used them. I already had a Braun series 9 in addition to most of their other models and even just bought another series 9 to test for awhile simply because it was 50% off online for cyber Monday. Through it all absolutely not one single device I've tried (and ive literally spent thousands in the last 6-7 years) has allowed me to get this close of a shave on a regular basis without ingrowns. Alot of people around here dismiss it because they can't get a bbs with it, well that's exactly the point and it's darn near close to bbs anyway. Visually, you would think I'm bbs for easily 6+ hours and you won't feel stubble wtg or xtg for 4+ hours. I have very dense growth with very thick but flat lying hairs and many of the dreaded double hairs. From a bbs shave I could have a passable 'office beard' in a week, if that gives you any idea of the terrain this is fighting through. I'm about to get ready for work, if I remember I'll post a before and after pic of my cheek or neck or something.

And no, im not a shill for Philips. Wish i was, I wouldn't have to spend $14 every two months on a new blade haha.

Do the blades wear out that quickly?
 
Do the blades wear out that quickly?

According to Philips you should average 34 shaves per blade. No, this isn't on their website or in writing anymore so save yourself some time. They USED to advertise this number when they first released the device but, as we all know, YMMV caused people to cry out about this so they got rid of the number of shaves amd simply now say "up to three months of shaves per blade!*" With the * in the fine print reading something along the lines of (average of 1-2 shaves per week).

I, on the other hand, typically shave every other day and can get around two months out of a blade (so one month average if I shaved daily). I find lather prolongs blade life vs dry shaving, other have found the opposite. Don't let that $14 put you off, you can get them down to $11 a piece if you buy a 3pk or down to $9 a piece if you buy the 3pk on a discounted subscription service.

Cheaper then cartridges for me but yes, more expensive then "traditional shaving". But with my history of ingrowns I have no problem paying this.
 
According to Philips you should average 34 shaves per blade. No, this isn't on their website or in writing anymore so save yourself some time. They USED to advertise this number when they first released the device but, as we all know, YMMV caused people to cry out about this so they got rid of the number of shaves amd simply now say "up to three months of shaves per blade!*" With the * in the fine print reading something along the lines of (average of 1-2 shaves per week).

I, on the other hand, typically shave every other day and can get around two months out of a blade (so one month average if I shaved daily). I find lather prolongs blade life vs dry shaving, other have found the opposite. Don't let that $14 put you off, you can get them down to $11 a piece if you buy a 3pk or down to $9 a piece if you buy the 3pk on a discounted subscription service.

Cheaper then cartridges for me but yes, more expensive then "traditional shaving". But with my history of ingrowns I have no problem paying this.

I've seen a clone of the Oneblade at a Big Lots already for twenty bucks. No mention of replacement blades. I think its called the Microtouch Solo.
 
I've seen a clone of the Oneblade at a Big Lots already for twenty bucks. No mention of replacement blades. I think its called the Microtouch Solo.

It's battery is much weaker then the Philips oneblade and it cuts 0.1 or 0.2mm further away. Doesn't sound like much but it looks and feels like much, I assure you. There are good comparison videos on YouTube so I won't go into that.

Aa promised, here is a before and after using the Philips oneblade. About 48 hours growth, face lather with omega synth and Gillette Indian cream, plain witch hazel after shave and a spritz of old spice cologne since it's a work day:

IMG_20191204_094244513.jpg

IMG_20191204_102100194.jpg
 
It would take four days for my hair to reach that length.

I can see why you would gravitate towards electric shavers. An electric shaver has alot more cutting force, and you definitely have a heavy beard.
 
+1 Every once in a blue moon I notice the thought of an electric, but then an electric costs $$$, and would obsolete the store of blades & gear & software & technique I've hoarded up. And, quite likely as I have tried the things a couple times over the last half century or so of shaving, they wouldna work for a tinkers damn on my heavy bearded mug. And I've grown pretty fond of the BBSish shaves I get wet shaving.

And as some have already pointed out, there's a certain satisfaction you get from using a brush to create a lather which facilitates a sharp blade ..
In some ways, an electric is actually the cheapest shave you can get because you dont all the gear. You dont even really need shaving cream either.
When I gave the electric a shot, it was under the notion of savings because all I really would have needed was the razor and a can of shave gel. No brushes, soaps, stockpile of blades, etc.
It was fine at first but once the new wore off, it because something that I just did because I felt like I had to, instead of something I enjoyed and looked forward to.
 
According to Philips you should average 34 shaves per blade. No, this isn't on their website or in writing anymore so save yourself some time. They USED to advertise this number when they first released the device but, as we all know, YMMV caused people to cry out about this so they got rid of the number of shaves amd simply now say "up to three months of shaves per blade!*" With the * in the fine print reading something along the lines of (average of 1-2 shaves per week).

I, on the other hand, typically shave every other day and can get around two months out of a blade (so one month average if I shaved daily). I find lather prolongs blade life vs dry shaving, other have found the opposite. Don't let that $14 put you off, you can get them down to $11 a piece if you buy a 3pk or down to $9 a piece if you buy the 3pk on a discounted subscription service.

Cheaper then cartridges for me but yes, more expensive then "traditional shaving". But with my history of ingrowns I have no problem paying this.
I tried the One Blade and found it worked well for what it was but didnt give very close shaves and the blades wore out quickly.
For you though, it may be just what the doctor ordered. If you suffer from bad ingrowns, having a razor that doesnt shave super close is probably what you need.
Before I got into traditional wet shaving, I shaved my neckline with just a pair of clippers and the One Blade feels very similar to that.
 

garyg

B&B membership has its percs
In some ways, an electric is actually the cheapest shave you can get because you dont all the gear. You dont even really need shaving cream either.
When I gave the electric a shot, it was under the notion of savings because all I really would have needed was the razor and a can of shave gel. No brushes, soaps, stockpile of blades, etc.
It was fine at first but once the new wore off, it because something that I just did because I felt like I had to, instead of something I enjoyed and looked forward to.

That's why I'm unlikely to invest again in an electric, as even if you didn't have to replace the cutting heads the big cost is upfront. I did look at the One Blade, but saw $24 cost for two blades that would last me a month based on the product spec quoted at Amazon .. "The replaceable OneBlades last up to 4 months (for best shaving experience. Based on 2 full shaves per week. Actual results may vary.) " Given that their claims are likely a bit of an overstatement, I'll pass
 
That's why I'm unlikely to invest again in an electric, as even if you didn't have to replace the cutting heads the big cost is upfront. I did look at the One Blade, but saw $24 cost for two blades that would last me a month based on the product spec quoted at Amazon .. "The replaceable OneBlades last up to 4 months (for best shaving experience. Based on 2 full shaves per week. Actual results may vary.) " Given that their claims are likely a bit of an overstatement, I'll pass

There are perfectly decent electric shavers for under 50 dollars. Outside that price range, you are mostly paying for speed, convenience, or luxury lifestyle features.

The Braun M60, which sells for $15 on Amazon, actually outperforms some of their more expensive models in terms of how close it will shave.

In some ways, an electric is actually the cheapest shave you can get because you dont all the gear. You dont even really need shaving cream either.
When I gave the electric a shot, it was under the notion of savings because all I really would have needed was the razor and a can of shave gel. No brushes, soaps, stockpile of blades, etc.
It was fine at first but once the new wore off, it because something that I just did because I felt like I had to, instead of something I enjoyed and looked forward to.

But in my experience going from shaving "because you have to" to shaving "as a hobby" is a slippery slope towards acquisition disorders. And in the long term it's more fulfilling to do things because they are worth doing rather than because they are merely pleasurable. But ultimately that's a personal judgment.

If people are disengaged from their daily activities, rather than find yet another product to buy, often times that's simply a call to re-evaluate ones priorities in life and even to question the utility of the values they take for granted. It's alot healthier than falling into the consumerist trap of fetishizing consumption. It isn't a substitute for real personal development or spirituality.
 
But in my experience going from shaving "because you have to" to shaving "as a hobby" is a slippery slope towards acquisition disorders. And in the long term it's more fulfilling to do things because they are worth doing rather than because they are merely pleasurable. But ultimately that's a personal judgment.

If people are disengaged from their daily activities, rather than find yet another product to buy, often times that's simply a call to re-evaluate ones priorities in life and even to question the utility of the values they take for granted. It's alot healthier than falling into the consumerist trap of fetishizing consumption. It isn't a substitute for real personal development or spirituality.
It certainly can be. Theres a difference between wet shaving because you enjoy it and having 10 or more razors and brushes, 1000 blades and enough soap and aftershave to last the next 30 years though.



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That's why I'm unlikely to invest again in an electric, as even if you didn't have to replace the cutting heads the big cost is upfront. I did look at the One Blade, but saw $24 cost for two blades that would last me a month based on the product spec quoted at Amazon .. "The replaceable OneBlades last up to 4 months (for best shaving experience. Based on 2 full shaves per week. Actual results may vary.) " Given that their claims are likely a bit of an overstatement, I'll pass
True. Theres more initial cost but after that they're pretty inexpensive. I think my Braun Series 3 was $60 and my Panasonic Arc 3 was around $100. Replace the blades and foil every couple of years and that's about it.
Having said that, you can certainly go down the rabbit home with electrics too and get a razor that is $300+.
I personally wouldn't go One Blade because the blades don't last that long. I was using mine once a week to maintain a stubble beard and would get about 10 trims out of a head before it would start to get tuggy and not cut so well anymore. You could buy a clipper for about the same amount of money that would perform just as well and last much longer.
For that, I'd seriously look at the Brio Axis.

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True. Theres more initial cost but after that they're pretty inexpensive. I think my Braun Series 3 was $60 and my Panasonic Arc 3 was around $100. Replace the blades and foil every couple of years and that's about it.
Having said that, you can certainly go down the rabbit home with electrics too and get a razor that is $300+.
I personally wouldn't go One Blade because the blades don't last that long. I was using mine once a week to maintain a stubble beard and would get about 10 trims out of a head before it would start to get tuggy and not cut so well anymore. You could buy a clipper for about the same amount of money that would perform just as well and last much longer.
For that, I'd seriously look at the Brio Axis.

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It's funny, when I first got the oneblade I didn't like It. I actually started a whole thread where I where I went into detail about it's up's and down's and why it ultimately wasn't for me. I then realized (for me atleast) using it as a trimmer was useless so I tossed the combs/guards and dry shaving was uncomfortable, left significant stubble behind, and resulted in garbage blade life. When I bought my oneblade it came with two blades (I bought the face + body model due to the stronger motor and better battery, dont 'manscape' so I just popped the 'body guard' off and boom, free extra blade) so when it came time to change the blade I decided to exclusively use it as a wet shaving device with brush lather and if i still wasn't happy by the time that blade was done I'll just toss the whole thing. I was really impressed with my initial trials: the overall shave was much more comfortable and much closer and my blade life almost doubled. I don't remember if it was here or a different thread (I've talked about this alot lately) but I commented on averaging two months shaving every other day... In all honesty that is slowly becoming a three month average when shaving every other day which culminates in about 45 shaves. While I don't do this yet, for conversation sake let's do some math:

Blades can be as low as $9 a piece with a 3pk and the discount from their subscription service, 1 blade every 3 months equals about $36 a year.

My preferred Astra sp blades average around $10 for 100 and I could only get 1-2 shaves per blade so I would (wether i used them all or not) always average x3 100pk purchases a year or an average of $30 a year.

I'm still using a brush and cream, still uskng water, still using aftershave, and still had an initial purchase of a 'handle', just like traditional de shaving. So we can put initial expense to the side as we are equal here.

So at this point the literal only difference comes down to 2 things:

1. $6 extra dollars a year. Six whopping bucks... The cost of 1 mochafrappahyperdriverainbow latte with whipped cream and sprinkles at Starbucks. Yup, huge expense here lol.

2. No morr ingrowns! Thats worth way more then $6 a year to me
 
36 dollars a year is really not expensive since I couldn't ever seem to get the mythical one month out of a cartridge that Gillette started advertising a few years ago. A cartridge lasted me, at best, about a week then it was done. I've hypermiled a Sensor to about 3 weeks but by that time period it was generally unpleasant to use.

You generally pay around that much for most foil shaver's electric shavers cutters and foils.
 
36 dollars a year is really not expensive since I couldn't ever seem to get the mythical one month out of a cartridge that Gillette started advertising a few years ago. A cartridge lasted me, at best, about a week then it was done. I've hypermiled a Sensor to about 3 weeks but by that time period it was generally unpleasant to use.

You generally pay around that much for most foil shaver's electric shavers cutters and foils.

Same for me with cartridges. And it seems like you are starting to get the pattern here: regardless of what you shave with the 'big' companies have a general annual average profit per consumer that plays into their budgeting and profit forecasting. The more you break down the cost to use ratio (from actual user reviews, not the advertised 'life' of the disposable aspect of the product) the more you realize this average annual cost per user is in a relative ball park to a user of a competing product.

This also isn't taking into account the whole umbrella concept, for example: P&G owns both Gillette and Braun, arguably two of the largest names in modern american shaving in the mass market. Wether a consumer chooses product line A or product line B, they already know about how much money said consumer is 'worth' to them on an annual basis. Braun series 3 is to the sensor disposable as the Braun series 9 is to the proglide fusion, essentially.
 
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