CzechCzar
Use the Fat, Luke!
I will say this at the outset - what a strange journey it has been…
I first joined B&B way back in 2009. Suffice it to say that there was less stuff to buy then, and most of it was of a lower quality.
I wetshaved with DE razors for about 15 years, and my complaint was always that in order to get a smooth, BBS shave, I had to go over the same area again and again from different angles. This resulted in irritation and redness. My beard grows thick in all directions, so to get to BBS I have to shave in multiple passes from different directions, causing red skin, irritation, and pain. After experimentation, I found that more efficient DE razors give me a better shave with less irritation, because I have to make fewer passes.
I gradually switched from an aftershave splash, to a balm, which helped. I also learned the difference between aggressive and efficient. Eventually, I could get a reliable BBS shave, with the caveat that I had to take a break every few days, to let my skin rest. DE shaving just has never been a daily enterprise for me.
Thanks to an unexpected medical issue, I recently found myself on blood thinners, and unable to use a safety razor. I had to see what electric razors had to offer. At the outset I was not that hopeful. I last used an electric razor shortly before I got into wet shaving around 15 years ago, and my experience then was that it just could not hope to compete with a safety razor. Not close, uncomfortable, unrewarding. That being said, doctor’s orders are doctor’s orders, so I started reading everything possible to figure out the best electric option for me. And I am glad I did, because the technology that goes into electric razors has improved by leaps and bounds.
When I was forced to develop my skill using electric razors, I found that there is a learning period, just like with safety razors, where your shave is improving marginally each day as you learn new things and add them to your toolbox. By A-B testing my approach, I was able to get a quicker, closer, less irritated shave, using an electric, than I could with even the most efficient safety razor. Heresy, I know, but heresy that gets me a better shave.
All told it took about a couple months to get used to the quirks of electric shaving. I spent a long time on shavercheck.com learning technique, and how not to break the bank. (That is a great resource that you absolutely should take advantage of.) The costs of starting are practically de minimis - I only bought lubricating oil, cleaning solution, and Lectric Shave to go with the razor.
I initially bought a Braun Series Series 9 Sport. My results weren’t that great. I couldn’t get very close shaves, and it just wasn’t at all enjoyable. I tried it for a week or so, but in the end concluded that the Braun Series 9 wasn’t able to shave close enough for my pirate beard. I am used to getting BBS shaves with a safety razor, and that sets a high bar. So I returned the Braun, and got a Panasonic Arc 5 instead. I liked it better from the start. It was a cheaper option, and it shaved closer. This said, it was still a learning curve. Electric shaving, like safety razor shaving, takes some tricks and some time to get used to.
The Arc 5 is capable of either dry shaving or wet shaving. The dry shaving with Lectric Shave is quicker, and faster, but less enjoyable and a bit less close. While it would be good for rushed mornings, for me wetshaving is more enjoyable.
Electric wetshaving is closer than dryshaving. In order to wetshave with an electric razor, the technique is different from with a safety razor. With a safety razor, you go for a fluffy, shiny lather with a brush, in order to get slickness and protection. With an electric, the protection doesn’t matter because you can’t cut yourself. I just spread the Speick shaving cream over my face and add a bit water so it's more runny. Shave away, going against the grain. I have tried using a brush but found it counterproductive.
I have a bunch of Speick sticks, so next I thought I should try them with an electric razor. While a normal lather with the shave stick and a brush did not work, I found that if I rub the stick over my skin for about 15 seconds, rub my face with a wet hand to assure the soap is evenly distributed, and shave, the shave is even closer than using Speick cream, and my skin feels healthier. The stick will last a long time as well.
Finally, I have found that by combining dry shaving/cream, dry shaving/stick, cream/stick, or all three, I actually cut my time down significantly, while increasing the closeness of the shave. Rather than constantly run my hand over my face while I am shaving to see if I have missed anything, I aim for getting 80% of everything in the first dry pass with Lectric Shave. This takes about a minute and a half. Then I switch to the combo shave stick / cream, and clean up what was missed with the Lectric Shave. All told, I am done in about 5 minutes.
As for cleaning the electric razor up afterwards, there are two options. The included cleaning stand and solution are obviously great. I used them at first, and found that when I wet shave, I have to run the razor upside down for a bit, to get the excess water out, before running the cleaning and drying cycle. Otherwise, the leftover water that is stuck in the razor can accumulate in the reservoir, and eventually leak into the cleaning station, causing the solution to dilute and flood the cleaning station. It takes all of 10 seconds to get the excess water out of the razor before starting the cleaning cycle. Or, you can just take it apart and let it dry.
A cheaper option is soap and water, followed by a lubricant. The Arc 5 has a neato ultrasonic cleaning mode where the razor vibrates at a different frequency to clean itself. Get the razor wet, add soap to the outside, and start the 20-second ultrasonic cleaning mode. Then, take the outer foil off, and rinse it with water. Then, switch the body of the shaver on briefly and rinse it with water as well. Finally, just put it on a towel to dry.
Once it is dry, I apply a 5-in-1 spray and then run it for a few seconds to ensure even application. Every couple of days I will apply an oil instead to really lubricate it. It sounds complicated but it really isn’t. It takes a total of a minute or two to do the entire process. If you are trying to save money this is a great option that honestly works just as well. After I run out of the cleaning solution packets, this is probably what I will do long term.
To the moderators: I debated between putting this in General Shaving Discussion versus Modern Shaving Systems. I eventually chose the latter, because this is related to my journey, rather than solely electric razors. If you think it should go into Modern Shaving Systems, please feel free to move it!
I first joined B&B way back in 2009. Suffice it to say that there was less stuff to buy then, and most of it was of a lower quality.
I wetshaved with DE razors for about 15 years, and my complaint was always that in order to get a smooth, BBS shave, I had to go over the same area again and again from different angles. This resulted in irritation and redness. My beard grows thick in all directions, so to get to BBS I have to shave in multiple passes from different directions, causing red skin, irritation, and pain. After experimentation, I found that more efficient DE razors give me a better shave with less irritation, because I have to make fewer passes.
I gradually switched from an aftershave splash, to a balm, which helped. I also learned the difference between aggressive and efficient. Eventually, I could get a reliable BBS shave, with the caveat that I had to take a break every few days, to let my skin rest. DE shaving just has never been a daily enterprise for me.
Thanks to an unexpected medical issue, I recently found myself on blood thinners, and unable to use a safety razor. I had to see what electric razors had to offer. At the outset I was not that hopeful. I last used an electric razor shortly before I got into wet shaving around 15 years ago, and my experience then was that it just could not hope to compete with a safety razor. Not close, uncomfortable, unrewarding. That being said, doctor’s orders are doctor’s orders, so I started reading everything possible to figure out the best electric option for me. And I am glad I did, because the technology that goes into electric razors has improved by leaps and bounds.
When I was forced to develop my skill using electric razors, I found that there is a learning period, just like with safety razors, where your shave is improving marginally each day as you learn new things and add them to your toolbox. By A-B testing my approach, I was able to get a quicker, closer, less irritated shave, using an electric, than I could with even the most efficient safety razor. Heresy, I know, but heresy that gets me a better shave.
All told it took about a couple months to get used to the quirks of electric shaving. I spent a long time on shavercheck.com learning technique, and how not to break the bank. (That is a great resource that you absolutely should take advantage of.) The costs of starting are practically de minimis - I only bought lubricating oil, cleaning solution, and Lectric Shave to go with the razor.
I initially bought a Braun Series Series 9 Sport. My results weren’t that great. I couldn’t get very close shaves, and it just wasn’t at all enjoyable. I tried it for a week or so, but in the end concluded that the Braun Series 9 wasn’t able to shave close enough for my pirate beard. I am used to getting BBS shaves with a safety razor, and that sets a high bar. So I returned the Braun, and got a Panasonic Arc 5 instead. I liked it better from the start. It was a cheaper option, and it shaved closer. This said, it was still a learning curve. Electric shaving, like safety razor shaving, takes some tricks and some time to get used to.
The Arc 5 is capable of either dry shaving or wet shaving. The dry shaving with Lectric Shave is quicker, and faster, but less enjoyable and a bit less close. While it would be good for rushed mornings, for me wetshaving is more enjoyable.
Electric wetshaving is closer than dryshaving. In order to wetshave with an electric razor, the technique is different from with a safety razor. With a safety razor, you go for a fluffy, shiny lather with a brush, in order to get slickness and protection. With an electric, the protection doesn’t matter because you can’t cut yourself. I just spread the Speick shaving cream over my face and add a bit water so it's more runny. Shave away, going against the grain. I have tried using a brush but found it counterproductive.
I have a bunch of Speick sticks, so next I thought I should try them with an electric razor. While a normal lather with the shave stick and a brush did not work, I found that if I rub the stick over my skin for about 15 seconds, rub my face with a wet hand to assure the soap is evenly distributed, and shave, the shave is even closer than using Speick cream, and my skin feels healthier. The stick will last a long time as well.
Finally, I have found that by combining dry shaving/cream, dry shaving/stick, cream/stick, or all three, I actually cut my time down significantly, while increasing the closeness of the shave. Rather than constantly run my hand over my face while I am shaving to see if I have missed anything, I aim for getting 80% of everything in the first dry pass with Lectric Shave. This takes about a minute and a half. Then I switch to the combo shave stick / cream, and clean up what was missed with the Lectric Shave. All told, I am done in about 5 minutes.
As for cleaning the electric razor up afterwards, there are two options. The included cleaning stand and solution are obviously great. I used them at first, and found that when I wet shave, I have to run the razor upside down for a bit, to get the excess water out, before running the cleaning and drying cycle. Otherwise, the leftover water that is stuck in the razor can accumulate in the reservoir, and eventually leak into the cleaning station, causing the solution to dilute and flood the cleaning station. It takes all of 10 seconds to get the excess water out of the razor before starting the cleaning cycle. Or, you can just take it apart and let it dry.
A cheaper option is soap and water, followed by a lubricant. The Arc 5 has a neato ultrasonic cleaning mode where the razor vibrates at a different frequency to clean itself. Get the razor wet, add soap to the outside, and start the 20-second ultrasonic cleaning mode. Then, take the outer foil off, and rinse it with water. Then, switch the body of the shaver on briefly and rinse it with water as well. Finally, just put it on a towel to dry.
Once it is dry, I apply a 5-in-1 spray and then run it for a few seconds to ensure even application. Every couple of days I will apply an oil instead to really lubricate it. It sounds complicated but it really isn’t. It takes a total of a minute or two to do the entire process. If you are trying to save money this is a great option that honestly works just as well. After I run out of the cleaning solution packets, this is probably what I will do long term.
To the moderators: I debated between putting this in General Shaving Discussion versus Modern Shaving Systems. I eventually chose the latter, because this is related to my journey, rather than solely electric razors. If you think it should go into Modern Shaving Systems, please feel free to move it!
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