Perfect shaving tips from Braun

[nikkuchan]

I just recalled something that I thought would be fun to share.

Before wet shaving, I had used a Braun 360 Complete shaver (at about $300). It was really nice; it shaved well, but it was costly to use. You have to buy new cleaning fluid, replace the blades and foils every few months, etc… It broke one day, and that was what brought me here.

Anyway, I recently recalled the instruction manual for the Braun shaver. Under a passage titled “tips for the perfect shave,” it says, and I quote:

“Shave before washing your face or taking a shower, as skin tends to swell after washing.”
“The drier the skin, the closer the shaving results will be.”

I know a electrics work differently, but I didn’t trust this even back then.

 

[cfriend]

I can attest to wet skin + electric = pain. Shaving after a shower was near impossible, had to wait at least an hour. Luckily I don't have such issues anymore.

 

[joelmole]

I used a wet/dry Panasonic electric, and had pretty good luck with it. I used it in the shower, or after the shower at the sink with some latherless cream. It was just too expensive to use, and not a whole lot of fun.

Wet/dry electric shavers kinda dispel the notion that you have to shave dry to get the best results. I think Braun included this little tidbit to dissuade people from looking at the competition.

I have seen a thread here where somebody contemplated the possibility that you could get better shaves by waiting long enough after the shower for your skin to cool down. I think the same reasoning was used as in Braun's advice.

 

[1OldGI]

For some strange reason, I have never been able to even get an OK shave from an electric...any electric. Not sure if it's some weird grain to my beard or what but I've tried them on many occassions, many different types and two things happen invariably: 1. The shave is spotty and the stubble and alternate lack thereof in certain places makes me look like I might have mange. 2. My face feels like it is on fire and by mid-day my entire neck is broken out with red bumps. It took me a while to figure it out, but I'll never again touch an electric razor. On the other hand I've known lots of guys that have used them for years, get good results and basically swear by them. I just don't get it.

 

[juleswinnfield]

You must be lucky, my skin gets super irritated and red when I used my Norelco. ...until one day my buddy introduced me to a DE & wetshaving + mantic59 and life was good, skin felt better, and I actually started enjoying shaving!

 

[RobT.O.]

I have a full beard, but my whiskers are fairly thin. For this reason I can't shave against the grain with a blade. I rely on one pass for an OK shave. Recently my Gillette adjustable on 7 has been OK, but I'll try a straight razor once it's back from honing.
On the other hand, my Braun 8000 series has always given me a perfect BBS shave, especially after a shower.

 

[salisburyyates]

My girlfriend's grandfather has used the same electric razor with the same blades for 20 years.

I guess they made them better back then

 

[grouse79]

A Braun was my first razor I got when I was 14. Two other electrics followed over the next 10 years, one with a pivoted head and then finally an expensive Philishave rotary thing. I used to have to drag the latter across my poor face countless times to get a reasonable amount of stubble off which resulted in a noticeably red face and usually some missed patches. I wish someone had shown me how to wet shave properly during that time because every time I put a blade directly to my face then, it would always result in blood.

I still have the rotary razor but that's due to my Scottish genes that won't let me throw out something that isn't broken and which cost something like £100 nearly ten years ago.

Electrics probably work well for guys with very light beards, but that sure isn't me.

 

[golfnut]

Funny that I see thsi thread today. I'm currently deployed and brought my trusty kit with me. There is a guy in bathroom every morning shaving with an electric while I go through my whole routine. It takes him just as long with the electric as it does for me to do 3 passes. This morning he finally asked me about wetshaving. "How do you not tear your face up with that old school razor?" The electric irritates his face but he uses it becuase cartridge razors mess his face up. he chose the lesser of two evils. We'll see if I can convert him.

 

[CrowdedHouse]

Ah yes...It was a Braun Synchron(?) Plus that lured me away from DE.I was quite happy with it at the time.
IIRC it was quite a cool razor in the late 70's/early 80's.
I recall there was a mail in coupon in the newspapers for a free Braun cigarette lighter(very good quality) when you sent your receipt for the razor - suppose that would be frowned upon now in these PC days

 

[MarvinDJ]

Funny that I see thsi thread today. I'm currently deployed and brought my trusty kit with me. There is a guy in bathroom every morning shaving with an electric while I go through my whole routine. It takes him just as long with the electric as it does for me to do 3 passes. This morning he finally asked me about wetshaving. "How do you not tear your face up with that old school razor?" The electric irritates his face but he uses it becuase cartridge razors mess his face up. he chose the lesser of two evils. We'll see if I can convert him.

Firstly show him this -

http://books.google.com/books?id=30...esult&ct=result&resnum=1#v=onepage&q=&f=false

Just that one photo mind as some of the others are a bit gross. As you can see, the hair has just been mangled with the electric razor, an bit like taking a weed whacker to it. This is undoubtedly a recipie for ingrown hairs and razor bumps.

a few lessons in DE shaving with proper prep and he'll be a convert in a couple of days. I've used an electric on a couple of occasions, been better to use a butter knife.