between electric shaving and multiblade manual razors, which one would give a much closer shave????? lets compare a five blade razor to a foil or rotary shaver, which one will win as far as closeness goes????? is parity equal here or not? can someone give me their opinion on this one. thanks.
foil shavers vs blades
- Thread starter donald bathe
- Start date
A good modern foil shaver (I have Braun 7 series) is capable of providing a very close shave, with smooth skin and no stumps / rough areas anywhere. It does take longer to get a perfectly smooth shave, but 10 minutes after the shave I can’t feel any difference between it and my 5-blade cartridge. Smooth as smooth gets.
But... there’s always a but. It doesn’t really cut as close as a bladed razor which lifts the hair before cutting like with multiblade cartridges. Not sure how DE razors do it but they also seem to be cutting just under the skin. An electric razor cuts just above the skin, so the stubble appears sooner.
In my personal experience, using a cartridge, it takes around 10 hours for the first faint stubble to reappear all over my face. With a good DE shave, about 12-14 hours (I am still learning). With the foil shaver it’s about 5 hours.
My beard is all gray now, that first stubble is practically invisible, so I can still get away with using an electric razor - it takes hours more before I look unshaven. But if I still had black facial hair like I used to in my 20s, with my pale face I’d have a heavy five o’clock shadow before the workday ended. And this Braun is way better than the electric razors that I tried 20 years ago.
So... if you have light blonde or gray hair or darker / ruddy skin, a good foil shaver would work just fine - you’d still know that the stubble is there, but most people wouldn’t. Otherwise, I’d get a blade.
But... there’s always a but. It doesn’t really cut as close as a bladed razor which lifts the hair before cutting like with multiblade cartridges. Not sure how DE razors do it but they also seem to be cutting just under the skin. An electric razor cuts just above the skin, so the stubble appears sooner.
In my personal experience, using a cartridge, it takes around 10 hours for the first faint stubble to reappear all over my face. With a good DE shave, about 12-14 hours (I am still learning). With the foil shaver it’s about 5 hours.
My beard is all gray now, that first stubble is practically invisible, so I can still get away with using an electric razor - it takes hours more before I look unshaven. But if I still had black facial hair like I used to in my 20s, with my pale face I’d have a heavy five o’clock shadow before the workday ended. And this Braun is way better than the electric razors that I tried 20 years ago.
So... if you have light blonde or gray hair or darker / ruddy skin, a good foil shaver would work just fine - you’d still know that the stubble is there, but most people wouldn’t. Otherwise, I’d get a blade.
I think it would be a safe bet to say that a 5 blade razor could get a closer shave easier than the others, and the rotary the least close shave (I had 3 rotaries, never with acceptable results).
Yeah, I find rotaries kind of useless too. Except for a quick and dirty shave - they do seem to work faster than foils, but never as close.
Heck, this is akin to asking if it is better to be beheaded or shot by a firing squad.
Door number three, please.
LOL
Door number three, please.
LOL
I’ve been getting a very close irritation free shave with cartridges for many years.
Everyone’s skin is different.
I find them to be pretty comparable. Im currently using a Braun Series 3 and am getting just as close of shaves as I ever did with any DE or cart.
IMO, the key to an electric is to shave wet and to shave ATG. If you dont shave ATG, you wont get close shaves. IMO, people who claim that electrics are useless simply dont know how to use them properly. I was once in that camp, I tried electrics when I was younger and couldnt get a close shave but I wasnt using them properly.
IMO, the key to an electric is to shave wet and to shave ATG. If you dont shave ATG, you wont get close shaves. IMO, people who claim that electrics are useless simply dont know how to use them properly. I was once in that camp, I tried electrics when I was younger and couldnt get a close shave but I wasnt using them properly.
By ATG, do you mean moving the razor ATG or the blades under the foil ATG/WTG?
I have been forced to leave my beloved injector, and have been look for the right shave instrument for a few weeks now. I used 1, 3, and 5 blade systems. I have also used a 4 blade foil razor - wet.
The foil is less irritable and very close shave. Not as close as injector but as close as the 5 blade system with a whole lot less irritation.
The foil is less irritable and very close shave. Not as close as injector but as close as the 5 blade system with a whole lot less irritation.
Wiser words have never been spoken
Yes, shave in slow motions, ATG, and wet. Or, for me, Lectric Shave pre-shave works very well, too.
I don't claim that electric razors are useless, but I do find that the smooth initial shave takes longer and is gone much sooner. The longer time is OK, I actually enjoy the facial massage
.You will want to hang out in the Modern Shaving Systems forum.
Not really, as I have nothing to ask or contribute when it comes to shaving with cartridges. I know which ones work for me, and the technique is not all that important as they are very forgiving. I just want to enjoy the process of shaving again, thus me trying DE's.
Moving the razor ATG, so that more of the hairs enter the foil. If you dont move ATG, not as many of the hairs are going to enter the foil.
I havent yet tried Lectric Shave but Id imagine it works much the same as wet shaving.Wiser words have never been spoken
Yes, shave in slow motions, ATG, and wet. Or, for me, Lectric Shave pre-shave works very well, too.
I don't claim that electric razors are useless, but I do find that the smooth initial shave takes longer and is gone much sooner. The longer time is OK, I actually enjoy the facial massage
Why? Just go and find out? Report back.
This mornings I used a Skinguard razor. I good a very smooth close shave with a few touch up spots. It is now 7pm for twelve hour after my morning shave still have a DFS. I you save that the Skinguard gives a much closer shave than an electric.
Now I need to find a place to get cost effective cartridges. The Walmart prices are just ridiculous.
Now I need to find a place to get cost effective cartridges. The Walmart prices are just ridiculous.
I don’t understand what you mean by ATG? Regardless, I get extremely close shaves with my Braun 7893s or my Panasonic ES8103 shavers without using anything including water. I shave first thing in the morning before showering or washing my face. I do have to go over each area several times with moderate pressure moving the shaver in different directions against the grain to get a really close shave. Also I have to stretch the skin with my other hand to get the hairs behind my jaw hinge and under my chin and neck. I first go over my entire face shaving up and down and then repeat the process going left and right. The shaver gets all the hair without any irritation.
If I’m going out for the evening then by shaving dry it’s a very quick clean up shave even while wearing my clean shirt. You are probably correct that most people think that only going over your face once in one direction will give a razor blade shave which doesn’t work with an electric shaver.
The practical difference can be slim, but a blade - any blade - will technically shave closer than any electric, foil or rotary. There is always a thickness of metal film between the blade and the skin with any electric, thicker with a rotary, thinner with a foil. In a bladed razor, the blade contacts the skin directly. Even the "lift & cut" system of some Norelcos may or may not "lift and cut" an individual whisker, and are perhaps somewhat qimmicky - the idea of actually pulling up a hair without cutting it, then clipping it below skin level with a following blade traveling thousands of feet per second an instant later may be more of a concept than an actual thing.
All that said, to the touch an electric shave may very likely feel every bit as close as a blade immediately following a shave. A few hours down the road, you will likely see - and feel - a difference between a blade shave and an electric, with the blade shave almost universally lasting longer with regard to touch and a four, five or six-o'clock shadow. All very much dependent on technique, equipment, skin, beard and possibly phase of the moon.
All that said, to the touch an electric shave may very likely feel every bit as close as a blade immediately following a shave. A few hours down the road, you will likely see - and feel - a difference between a blade shave and an electric, with the blade shave almost universally lasting longer with regard to touch and a four, five or six-o'clock shadow. All very much dependent on technique, equipment, skin, beard and possibly phase of the moon.
You are absolutely 100% correct. However, I’m Willing to trade the exrea time it takes, the extra trouble required and especially the nicks which is part of blade shaving for the convenience and safety of the electric. If I am going out after work it’s quick and easy to shave again and not even get my clean shirt wet.The practical difference can be slim, but a blade - any blade - will technically shave closer than any electric, foil or rotary. There is always a thickness of metal film between the blade and the skin with any electric, thicker with a rotary, thinner with a foil. In a bladed razor, the blade contacts the skin directly. Even the "lift & cut" system of some Norelcos may or may not "lift and cut" an individual whisker, and are perhaps somewhat qimmicky - the idea of actually pulling up a hair without cutting it, then clipping it below skin level with a following blade traveling thousands of feet per second an instant later may be more of a concept than an actual thing.
All that said, to the touch an electric shave may very likely feel every bit as close as a blade immediately following a shave. A few hours down the road, you will likely see - and feel - a difference between a blade shave and an electric, with the blade shave almost universally lasting longer with regard to touch and a four, five or six-o'clock shadow. All very much dependent on technique, equipment, skin, beard and possibly phase of the moon.
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