Looking for a fast rotary shaver

[ferums]

For almost five years I used the Philips S3510/06 shaver, never had any problems, but over the years the battery didn't last much anymore, so I decided to buy a new Philips S5583/10 shaver. But I'm quite disappointed because this shaver is much slower than the S3510/06 and my face doesn't really like it.

I have decided to find a different shaver, but as manufacturers doesn't always indicate shaver max speed, it's difficult to choose. Maybe someone can recommend a fast one? I prefer rotary shavers because I don't shave every day.

[Bombastinator]

10 hours ago, ferums said:

For almost five years I used the Philips S3510/06 shaver, never had any problems, but over the years the battery didn't last much anymore, so I decided to buy a new Philips S5583/10 shaver. But I'm quite disappointed because this shaver is much slower than the S3510/06 and my face doesn't really like it.

I have decided to find a different shaver, but as manufacturers doesn't always indicate shaver max speed, it's difficult to choose. Maybe someone can recommend a fast one? I prefer rotary shavers because I don't shave every day.

As a person ages beard hair gets thicker and more brittle.  They start to resemble gnarled old trees at high magnification.  A low power shaver will snap off or worse shatter the hairs not cut them.  It can cause big problems.  You need something so sharp and so fast moving that it cuts it anyway.   My solution was to get a corded shaver.  110ac is mor powah.  I’ve had a hard time finding a decent one lately, though they are findable as pro electric trimmers.  You may have to go to a blade.

[Sarra]

https://tenor.com/view/tim-taylor-tool-tools-handy-handyman-gif-8448221

On 10/15/2022 at 4:48 PM, Bombastinator said:

I’ve had a hard time finding a decent one lately, though they are findable as pro electric trimmers.

Time goes marching on. D: I'd vote blade, as well, but that's just me.

[Bombastinator]

1 hour ago, Sarra said:

https://tenor.com/view/tim-taylor-tool-tools-handy-handyman-gif-8448221

Time goes marching on. D: I'd vote blade, as well, but that's just me.

Things are supposed to get better not worse though as time marches.

[Bombastinator]

Thought:  does the new one have the same battery connector as the old one?  You might be able to just swap batteries.  The problem could actually BE the battery though.  New chemistry different voltage.  If you know the voltage of the old battery you might be able to do a corded conversion with one of those universal DC adaptors.  Lot of work though.

[ToboRobot]

I used to be a big fan of double edge safety razors (old fashioned style) because I found electric ones cut very poorly.

But then I stopped shaving and look like a mountain man.  I kind of miss the ritual of a nice shave.

[Bombastinator]

2 minutes ago, ToboRobot said:

I used to be a big fan of double edge safety razors (old fashioned style) because I found electric ones cut very poorly.

But then I stopped shaving and look like a mountain man.  I kind of miss the ritual of a nice shave.

They’re apparently still being done.  Saw an ad for one recently.  Some space industry manufacturer got sick of it and started making razor bodies.   I’ve always found those 5 blade things a bit like using a cheese grater.  Made me go electric.

Edited October 18, 2022 by Bombastinator

[ToboRobot]

12 minutes ago, Bombastinator said:

They’re apparently still being done.  Saw an ad for one recently.  Some space industry manufacturer got sick of it and started making razor bodies.   I’ve always found those 5 blade things a bit like using a cheese grater.  Made me go electric.

Not 5 blade disposables, but a single razor blade.

[Bombastinator]

50 minutes ago, ToboRobot said:

Not 5 blade disposables, but a single razor blade.

Yep.  The one I talked about. That space company makes one now. Perhaps that should have been a new paragraph.

Edited October 18, 2022 by Bombastinator

[Bitter]

How hard would it be to stuff some fresh batteries in the old model you like so much?

[Bombastinator]

18 minutes ago, Bitter said:

How hard would it be to stuff some fresh batteries in the old model you like so much?

Depends heavily on what kind of batteries they are and if they are even still made.  Different battery chemistries have different charge and maintainance behaviors and those are hard-wired into the shaver so it basically has to have an OEM battery of the same type and wattage. It might still be the same though in which case he’s already got one in his new shaver.

 

[Bitter]

1 hour ago, Bombastinator said:

Depends heavily on what kind of batteries they are and if they are even still made.  Different battery chemistries have different charge and maintainance behaviors and those are hard-wired into the shaver so it basically has to have an OEM battery of the same type and wattage. It might still be the same though in which case he’s already got one in his new shaver.

 

Looks like a normal 14500 lithium cell, if this is the same family or model of shaver. Should be pretty trivial to replace with some soldering and you can even get a higher capacity cell if desired. https://onlybatteries.com/aa-3-7-volt-lithium-ion-14500-battery-with-tabs-750-mah/ Can probably do better than that but first hit on Google.

 

[Bombastinator]

Just now, Bitter said:

Looks like a normal 14500 lithium cell, if this is the same family or model of shaver. Should be pretty trivial to replace with some soldering and you can even get a higher capacity cell if desired. https://onlybatteries.com/aa-3-7-volt-lithium-ion-14500-battery-with-tabs-750-mah/ Can probably do better than that but first hit on Google.

 

Lithium can mean a whole bunch of different chemistries though LiPo is far and away the most common in electronics, especially small electronics. There are also nvme, lifePOD and a bunch of others.  LiPO can be molded into any shape and is relatively cheap.  It’s also very energy dense.  It’s got issues though.  For one it’s a lot less stable.  You won’t find them in cars.  A LiPo battery will eventually explode, (maybe in 100 years, but it will do it) and it has external electronic moderation.  A lot of em will have a tiny little pcb attached to them.  That is the external moderation.  If you rip it off or it loses power eventually boom. (Hence the why they always eventually blow up) frequently that is done in the device though, and is specific to the battery buy model.  They’re often 3.7v (so 4.2-2.5)nominal, but not necessarily. All “bag” batteries are LiPO.  In replacing one there will be writing on the outside stating model, etc..  to replace it you want that exact one, or something known safe.  If replacing one with a wall based power source you need to match the delivery voltage DC 

[YellowJersey]

I'm loathing the day I have to buy a new electric razor. I've been using a cheap Panasonic for the last 13 years. I'd love it if manufacturers including a pass-through so that you could just run the razor off wall-power instead of having to charge the battery, which inevitably degrades.

[Bombastinator]

I looked very hard for a shaver that did not have a battery for this reason.  There was only one I could find.  It was actually their cheapest model and isn’t what I’d call very powerful.  It was difficult to get too.  Only one store in my city had one so I traveled to it and bought it.  It’s not powerful enough to take off more than a day’s beard, but I’ve also got a corded trimmed I can use first and I can get it down to a point that the thing works well enough.

[Bitter]

8 hours ago, Bombastinator said:

Lithium can mean a whole bunch of different chemistries though LiPo is far and away the most common in electronics, especially small electronics. There are also nvme, lifePOD and a bunch of others.  LiPO can be molded into any shape and is relatively cheap.  It’s also very energy dense.  It’s got issues though.  For one it’s a lot less stable.  You won’t find them in cars.  A LiPo battery will eventually explode, (maybe in 100 years, but it will do it) and it has external electronic moderation.  A lot of em will have a tiny little pcb attached to them.  That is the external moderation.  If you rip it off or it loses power eventually boom. (Hence the why they always eventually blow up) frequently that is done in the device though, and is specific to the battery buy model.  They’re often 3.7v (so 4.2-2.5)nominal, but not necessarily. All “bag” batteries are LiPO.  In replacing one there will be writing on the outside stating model, etc..  to replace it you want that exact one, or something known safe.  If replacing one with a wall based power source you need to match the delivery voltage DC 

Literally the video shows the cell with some part numbers on it, it is a 14500 and the rest of the numbers should reverse to reveal the exact model. No voodoo here, no bespoke design, they took an off the shelf 14500 cell with tabs and soldered it to the PCV. If OP has a decent iron this is probably a $10 fix at most. Heck, they could probably hack this thing to run an external power pack with 18650 cells or a plug in wall power adapter.

[Bombastinator]

Just now, Bitter said:

Literally the video shows the cell with some part numbers on it, it is a 14500 and the rest of the numbers should reverse to reveal the exact model. No voodoo here, no bespoke design, they took an off the shelf 14500 cell with tabs and soldered it to the PCV. If OP has a decent iron this is probably a $10 fix at most. Heck, they could probably hack this thing to run an external power pack with 18650 cells or a plug in wall power adapter.

As in barrel shaped 14mmx500mm? The problem is recharging.  There are still a bunch of chemistries and they recharge in different ways.

[Bitter]

4 hours ago, Bombastinator said:

As in barrel shaped 14mmx500mm? The problem is recharging.  There are still a bunch of chemistries and they recharge in different ways.

Yes, most 14500 lithium cells are close enough to share chargers safely. Given it's age and it's a cheap appliance it's pretty likely it's nothing exotic or special, just chuck any tabbed 14500 with the same volts as the one that's in there.

 

Here's a screen shot of the video since I guess no one bothered to look at it.

 

[Bombastinator]

40 minutes ago, Bitter said:

Yes, most 14500 lithium cells are close enough to share chargers safely. Given it's age and it's a cheap appliance it's pretty likely it's nothing exotic or special, just chuck any tabbed 14500 with the same volts as the one that's in there.

 

Here's a screen shot of the video since I guess no one bothered to look at it.

 

That is probably not LiPO. I think that’s Japanese. Could be a whole bunch of things NiMH has that ring near the top but others might too lithplus sounds like a brand.  There’s some googling possibly… * goes off to google li-ion20, lithplus, and 9EO*

 

[Bombastinator]

Well that was easy.  Lithplus is a Chinese company http://www.lithplus.com/products.aspx?pid=7

 

they make several 41.3x500mm cells. Li-ion is LIB chemistry, which I have heard of.  It’s older than NiMh which isn’t exactly young.  Looking for confirmation on the website but not finding it.  It’s possible any 14500 LIB battery would work. Not sure how many mAH that thing holds but it may not matter a lot. It’ll just need to charge more or less often.  The reduced power makes a bit of sense maybe.  The nominal on those are 3.6 not 3.7, which is far more common.

Edited October 18, 2022 by Bombastinator

[Bitter]

The battery literally says Li-ion on it

[Bombastinator]

44 minutes ago, Bitter said:

The battery literally says Li-ion on it

Yeah.  It’s a vagary in the naming conventions. Li is lithium so Li-ion can be lithium ion which is everything or it can be LIB which is specific.  That’s why the maker mattered.  Makers generally only do one chemistry.