Sharpening rotary shaver cutters

At that price it may be cheaper to buy a new shaver!

Ah should we call you spotty then? I mean, surely iit needs to have possible bacteria etc removed. I do note really think they wear that much. Most of the issue is the build up of really persistent gunge on the cutter slots, I find. Brian

Philips seem to be long lasting Remmington fall to bits and the batteries die. Brian

In message <tbgkqt$3r2kg$ snipped-for-privacy@dont-email.me, Brian Gaff snipped-for-privacy@gmail.com writes

Not for a long while!

So a very modestly priced ultrasonic bath?

What do the cutting heads look like?

It is years since I looked inside a rotary shaver*, as I recall, the cutting heads were like little sharp hammers with a chisel head around the circumference.

You could try a gentle touch up with a fine diamond file, trying to preserve the cutting angle. Just a stroke or three.

• I prefer a traditional shave.

I used to have a Braun. It wasn’t a rotary, it was a freebie from somewhere but the only electric razor I even half liked. It was battery powered. I used it when travelling- especially on long flights etc.

I'd say much of the improvement is from cleaning - especially as many shavers are self-sharpening.

On one episode, someone brought in a device with a rotating cleaning drum for cleaning wet-shaving blades, constructed from a battery drill. It was demonstrated by cleaning a crew member's razor and showed a large improvement (I have since taken to pushing my wet-shaving blades backwards, multiple times, over a towel, on a flat surface and it does seem to make a big difference).

As it happened, they thought that his device worked well, could be made and sold at an affordable price, but that he could not patent it, as the razor companies already held patents on blade cleaners!

I do also use a shaver some of the time, but that is usable wet or dry, even in the shower, and so can be washed easily.

Mine gets cleaned every week and lubricated every month.

I sharpen every three months, and the blades outlasted the battery.

Two razors ago, I bought a set of Vollco razor sharpeners. Still using them. There is a noticeable difference, over and above what I get for weekly cleaning.

Hmm. Clearly my level of personal appearance is below standard. Mind, pottering about the farm, who is going to notice!

I last changed my cutter heads in June 2019!

OK. I'll have a look.

A thorough clean this morning involved firing up the workshop air compressor!

I have tried several forms of shaving:

- a couple of rotary shavers: one was Philips and the other may have been Braun - easy but not quite as close a shave

- wet shaving with disposable heads and shaving cream - tedious and too prone to leave cuts and/or rash, but it shaves close

- the easiest solution: I've now grown a beard, which I trim with hair clippers (the sort used for cutting head hair) and then finish off with the Philips rotary

The hair clippers came with a battery-powered beard trimmer (mini clippers with a height-adjustable guide). These worked brilliantly for a year or so until the motor and oscillating trimmer began to seize up, so needed to be oiled liberally every time I used them, and then run for ages before they ran fast enough and freely enough to keep running, and not "stall" while cutting which usually leaves hairs trapped in the cutter and involves pulling those hairs out by the roots to remove the clippers (f-ing painful). Even running the clippers directly from the 9V PSU, with no rechargeable battery, the clippers will no longer run without stalling. I can't see anything else that needs cleaning or oiling to make them run better, so they are no longer usable.

Isn't this what a toothbrush is for (not your toothbrush).

Also good for cleaning up and under the toilet rim :)

I was once on a stag do where someone had brought a camera. I suspect he was not at all happy when he had the film developed and saw his toothbrush being used to clean the toilet!

The Braun I had, in fact it is probably still in a drawer somewhere, was one of a the foil ones, with a set of blades arranged like a loaf of sliced bread.

I use a fairly traditional wet razor, twin bladed, the usual soap / foam. It is the only way, other than a ‘cut throat’ *, to get a decent shave.

• years ago, I had a real traditional cut throat razor shave, hot towels, the works. Very relaxing. I can see why women go to spars etc.

You can buy ‘giant’ electric tooth brushes for cleaning things. Senior Management bought one. Imagine a toothbrush for someone 12 ft tall.

I have a flat plate coated with diamond dust. Or rather three of them of different grades. Run the cutter over the fine one a few times. Then polish using Solvol Autosol on a bit of plate glass. Been using this method for years on the same heads. Helps if you have a microscope etc to examine the cutting edge. For the first time you do it.