OK, I have a time saving tip. I used 1500 grit wet/dry sand paper (get it at any auto parts store). Get it wet, put it on the bathroom counter top, then do each blade for 10 seconds (counter clockwise). They work like NEW! It took me only 30 seconds to shave too!
James Stark Thanks, used 1500, a little wet with figure 8 pattern mentioned in another comment (goes both clockwise and counter clockwise) and I forgot what a close shave I could have! Works great even on RQ12 head (Norelco).
600 grit or finer Wet-or-Dry sandpaper also works well to sharpen the electric razor rotary blades. I have been doing it this way on my Norelco razors for a few decades. It is the same process that is done in the video here but the sandpaper is substituted for the metal polishing compound. About an hour ago I sharpened an old 'moth-balled' Norelco HP1131 and now it cuts as good as a new one. Thanks for sharing the video
I never would've guessed that's how to sharpen blades! This is one of the most useful videos for men on UA-cam and also is so well filmed, clear and easy to follow. Incredible and very many thanks.
Great video, I'm sure it works. There is a better way I just discovered this morning without knowing about this video. I sharpened my heads IN THE RAZOR. I used 1um (1 micron) diamond lapping compound, about 2 bucks on eBay. Remove the 3 heads and cutters and clean. With a toothpick, gently smear the tiniest dab of lapping paste inside the circular groove in which the cutters run. Reassemble, run the razor 2-3 minutes while moving the heads simulating a shave. Disassemble and rinse in hot water. Replace, and enjoy. The cutter blades now glisten like tiny jewels, and the inside of the perforated head track is shiny. Now both are sharp, not just the cutters. Takes about 5 minutes from start to finish. TIPS: Never use a synthetic brush, they dull the blades and head slots. Use real bristle (hair). Instead of brushing, you can rinse in hot running water. Make sure there is no lapping compound on the tiny shafts, and all the lapping compound is rinsed out. I do believe the shave is closer and more comfortable than a factory fresh head.
Something I never thought of. I have 3 Remingtons; now I will do the blades all at once. Have some 2000 grit wet 'n dry. Great tip. You deserve more subscribers!
Thank you Dr. Edinger! A new battery and a sharpening (with Brasso metal polish and the mirror as you prescribed) of the old Norelco 4601X was all that was needed to have this contraption running better than it has ever run! After some 35+? years of owning the Norelco, the battery wouldn't hold a charge past half a shave! After replacing, I charged the new battery once - over a week ago - and it's running like the finest race horse in its design every day with no further charging. The shaves are quicker and more efficient saving on battery usage. The clipper blades (for sideburns et. al.,) probably need some sharpening as well and I'll check on that issue, but all together, it's working very well. Savings - over $200. Skills: a small bit of soldering, drill-modifying access to 4 of the 6 screws holding it together, and feeling/hearing the smoothing progress as you push the circular blades, rolling the blades in polish on a mirror. At first you can feel a coarseness and, in no time, it turns smooth when you know the sharpening is taking place. THANKS for this invaluable information for us DIYSelfers!
Robert simply put you are a genius.I used Flitz polish on bottom of a glass ashtray.Revived my Phillips Norelco travel razor.It has 2 rotary heads and is battery powered. Thanks so much!
Wow! Firstly, Robert - thank you SO much for this video. Secondly, Simichrome costs around £17 in the UK, so I wasn't going to pay that, and combined with my impatience and enthusiasm, I just used toothpaste, and on a flat ceramic dinner plate (didn't have a spare mirror) - I did the circular action for around a minute for each blade, and then put them in my Phillips, and voila! Had a shave it definitely felt so much smoother than before.
Just sharpened the baldes on my 10 year old philishave using Silvo silver polish. The difference is amazing! Its like a new shaver. Thanks for the tip!
This is a good video, but I'd like to add a few tips. When you polish things in this fashion, instead of moving the item round and round in a circle, move it in a figure eight pattern. This will polish the item more evenly on all sides. Also, every few seconds, stop and turn the item ninety degrees so that the blades on one side don't get more ground down than the blades on the other side.
Thanks for the tip which I just performed now that I'm getting obsessive on all of it! lol I just tried shaving in a figure eight pattern. Same principal for the shave - seems to work really well. !
so i approached this video cautiously as usual, after so much misinformation one becomes suspect of anything these days. however, Robert, my face thanks you ! awesome trick and has saved me from buying (if i still can, its an old elec razor) blades for it. Thankyou for the great tutorial, much appreciated !.
@David Topchiev Yep the Norelco cutters are self sharpening as well , But only for the SH60 and above. The SH50 for 5000 series is not self-sharpening.
Thanks so much. My first Norelco PQ208/40 lasted about 3 years. But the one I bought to replace it, when the original started yanking hairs and hurting me, was starting to do the same thing after a year. And this little baby is only $15, so it feels excessively pointless to spend $20 buying a 3-pack of replacement heads - especially when the PQ208 only has 2 heads - while it also feels wasteful to replace it when it starts to hurt. Not only does this save me buying yet another PQ208, but I luckily kept the old one and put it in my purse for 'just in case' moments. Now I can sharpen the blades on both and with any luck the mechanics/electronics will hold up long enough that I won't have to buy another for years. I'm putting a tube of this stuff in my cart right now. It's going to save me a lot of money and consumerist-guilt. :)
Never knew this. I had no polish or mirror but I had a wet stone small bick with a super smooth side. What could be better than a shaping stone I thought. It worked great .
I remember my grandfather always sharpened his with toothpaste. I substituted your method of Simichrome Polishing Paste with Dupont automotive rubbing compound and it worked perfectly for shiny razor sharp blades. Thank You fine sir
Thanks for this, Robert. The fact that one can only replace the blades for these things by purchasing a whole new head instead of buying them loose is just crazy, given the price. I'm not the handiest individual in the world, but even I can manage this. Putting in an Amazon order for a tube of simichrome polish right now.
I agree this video is extremely helpful. It baffles me why we would even need to throw away a perfectly good razor when we can take a few minutes and just sharpen the blades. Thank you for the video.
Outstanding input plus other commenters joined in. If we all shared what we know life is extra good. My thanks to everyone and a special thanks to Robert for getting it all started.
@@roberta.edinger9405 You have demonstrated what a good neighbor, friend and business partner you would make. Best to you and rest in knowing how many people you helped
I don't often comment on video's, but I'm going to make an exception here. This tip should be in the newspapers. So glad I accidentally came upon this video. You've saved me £45. Bargain. My shaver is like new. For 5 minutes work. I take it you don't work for Philips. 😂
Great video. I used a piece of 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper with a few drops of mineral oil. Now I need to replace the battery in the old Remington. Thanks for posting this.
Thanks for the comment and the suggestions. However be careful using sandpaper too often because you could prematurely wear down the blades rendering them useless.
I decided that for $9 worth of polish, this was worth a try. It worked great!! The compound hardened up a bit before it could turn grey, but it worked. Just like polishing fiber-optic terminations by hand.
I was looking at a review of a shaver and this turned up in the recommended. Saved me a lot of money, gonna give it a try and hope that my 10 yr old shaver is going to make a comeback. Thanks alot! Greetings from Denmark
TRY THIS! Did a deep clean on my shaved head plus this polishing using NuFinish scratch remover and I could swear I have a brand new shaver. I’m glad I watched this before forking up the money for new blades.
WOW!!! Really works great! I was really amazed. Resharpened blades work just as good as new ones. Used just plain old Colgate toothpaste. Thanks for the amazing tip.
The Simonize polish used for polishing automobile paint and chrome will work. This polish will also polish precious metals. For sharpening a fine blade toothpaste should also work. Toothpaste is very fine abrasive to be able to clean plaque and polish the surface of teeth. I have polished fine scratches in glass using toothpaste with a high speed buffer.
I have owned a norelco shaver for the last 40 years now, and I remember one of the reasons that I DID purchase one was the comfort shave as I have very sensitive skin, but also because Norelco boasted how the blades were self sharpening. I notice that they did stop claiming that with the second one I bought. Good money in selling replacement blades! I did have to replace the blades on the second one I owned as the blades finally wore through the screes in places. The replacement blades did NOT cut as well as the ones that wore through the screens. The blades run on the screens the same way you are running them around on the mirror. THAT"S what keeps them sharp. My latest one is a SensoTouch3D 1280X. I have had it at least 15 years, and have not even THOUGHT about replacing the heads, or sharpening them, even though Norelco recommends every year now, as it is still shaving my face as well as when I bought it. I rinse the blades under VERY hot water at least once a week, and looking at the blades through a 10 power loop, the blades are still razor, no pun intended, SHARP. I have never even used the cleaning solution, or any lube on the blades. If you keep the blades clean and dry, when you shave AFTER you shower, the friction of the blade on the screens will keep them sharp. Very interesting video. Thank you for showing it! :)
They are self-sharpening in the old Norelco shavers. But to get to that step you have to take the razor head apart, clean everything with hot soapy water, put back together and let the razor run until you hear the blades start to chirp. At that point, they are sharp and ready to use. More is not better in this case...stop when you hear them chirp. It's also a good idea to keep the same blades in the recess they came from because machining of the blade holders is not that percise.
Thanks for this tip. I went one further, as I'm lazy, and instead of doing each one by hand I used the shaver to spin all three at once 😉 Two minutes later and all done. Thanks again 👍
+Robert A. Edinger Welcome remember, two mins includes cleaning them and reassembly so no longer than about 30 secs of actual polishing at the first "try". Don't want to overdo it first time.
Thanks so much Robert. The small instruction leaflet that came with the razor didn't even show how to remove the heads and I wasn't aware you could do it. However on watching your video I was amazed when I removed the cutting heads at how much rubbish was attached to them. Gave them a good wash and not having any rubbing compound to hand I used some toothpaste which seems to have done the trick.. I was just about to purchase a set of new heads so you have saved me £20 to £30 pounds. Thanks so much
1. Rotation must be counter-clockwise. 2. Atleast for Philips, please ensure that you put the sharpened blade in the same holder in which it was placed originally. since they are self-sharpening enclosures, blades gets paired with them Thats it, you are good to go :)
Excellent tip! Philips/Norelco triple-header razors are notorious for their planned obsolescence where the rotary blades are eventually no longer kept in stock even only after a few years despite the razor's motor still working. DON'T buy those low-priced "replacement" substitute blades sold on Amazon because you'll immediately feel and even hear those cheap blades spinning but giving you a harsh, poor shave. Another tip: don't use the razor's on-off switch! Leave the switch ON and simply pull out the power cord when you finish shaving. Why? I used a Philips HS950 for years until the sliding on-off switch finally stopped functioning. Philips no longer stocked a replacement switch! Even local fix-it shops couldn't repair or jerry-rig an alternate switch, forcing me to throw the razor away. Philips/Norelco COULD make standard blades to work in ALL of their razors, but WON'T because they want to MAKE MONEY. Isn't the company rich enough?
the fixit shop should have known: there was no need to throw away the razor when the switch went bad. just remove the bad switch and hot wire the razor so it runs when you plug it in.
I would almost throw my machine. Then I began to search if sharpening is possible and I found your video. Even only cleaning and using toothpaste worked well. Next time I will buy and use metal polisher. I am sure it will work better. Thank you soooo much.
When something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Shaving had become a real chore due to blunt blades on my Philips 7000 and I was about to spend nearly £50 on replacement cutters for it, but found your video first and decided to give it a go. In the garage I found an old tube of Solvol Autosol and a distressed mirror that I was supposed to have thrown out years ago but "might come in handy one day", so total outlay was nil. The 7000 cutters have a V shape with a double cutter so it will only have affected the primary blade, not the second one - but Wow! it actually seems to work! Smoothest shave I've had in several months. One other thing I would say is that the Solvol Autosol has a greasy base and it took a bit of careful rinsing out with shampoo and a shaver brush to remove it all afterwards, so perhaps another type of polish with a water-soluble base would be better. Many thanks for the video. Face sorted.
This is a good video. I use a different and easier but just as effective technique. You may not know but the blades touch the screens as you shave so the screens can act as your mirror/hard surface. After giving a very thorough cleaning, all I do is add some polish to the blade screen, put the razor back together, and run until the polish changes color. Then I give it a very, very thorough cleaning with 91% isopropyl alcohol then water. Good as new!
I tried the same technique, but in full disclosure, I used Mother's Aluminum polish because I did not have simichrome. Long story short, I made the blades cut worse than before. It may be because of the specific blade type. My shaver uses HQ8 blades, not the same flat planform as Mr. Edinger's blades. I ended up buying a new set and was amazed at what a difference new ones made. I shave every other day, so I will buy a new set every two years. My face thanks me.
I have a norelco sharpening kit. it has 3 special head replacement sharpening units. you reassemble the cleaned razor and run it about 30 seconds then dissassemble replacing the original head outside screen units. works great so there are other ways that work also.
Thank you Robert, I could just go and buy a new razor, or try to find blades, however, this was my Grandfathers razor. He used it once a week to smarten up to go into town for the food shopping. 40 years on, I still use it and do not want to part with it, as it is one of my fond connections to him (a great man) and inspiration to me. Much appreciation to you.
To my surprise this really worked. I used regular pepsodent toothpaste on a hand mirror rubbed each blade in a clockwise circle for about 3 minutes. Just saved myself 60/70 bucks for like fifteen minutes work. So thanks
Fantastic Tip Robert, thanks. My issue is that my Phillips 9000 doesn't fully charge anymore. Down to 37 minutes now. I guess I will replace it when I get no further battery life.
Worked great on my blades for my Norelco! I have the set that you need to spend $150 a set to replace since they stopped manufacturing them and went with a cheaper alternative that gets terrible reviews.
Good skills! Here in NZ the Remmingtons are about $120 new. The price of new blades is extortionist So after a couple of years, I prefer to buy new one. I will till they are on special at half price (one of our Bulk retailers) But I might try this!
Imagine, probably 100'000's of these perfectly good blades go into landfill every year. Thanks to vids like these...I've even started sharpening my disposable blades...and it works !
thank you for this video. i have exactly the same model and your video helped with making it work better. a smoother shave - everywere lol its not just for me who would have thought ? maybe philps should include this in the box
Very innovative. I am certainly going to try out this technique! The Simonize polish used for polishing automobile paint and chrome should work from what I can see. This polish will also polish precious metals. For sharpening a fine blade toothpaste should also work. Toothpaste is very fine abrasive to be able to clean plaque and polish the surface of teeth. I have polished fine scratches in glass using toothpaste with a high speed buffer.
I had never thought of sharpening the blades of my old Remington R836 which is still going strong. Think I will use kitchen cream cleaner as the cutting medium. I have some car paint cutting compound that I used during my apprenticeship days in the 1960s, but this will be too coarse. Still use this compound on and off over the years. It is still okay to use on car paint.
@@roberta.edinger9405 so would the bottom of a drinking glass or casserole dish etc work too? I am assuming the mirror would get all scratched up so not keen.
Will only work with older style blades. Most new shavers have a slightly round blade profile, so you can't hone it flat. You can buy a tool for the new shavers to sharpen them, see my video review here:@
Great info. - How many minutes do you sharpen for? Can it be harmful to do it too long? Some blades are old, I was hoping to sharpen them up. I use Permatex FINE Grade Engine Valve Grinding Polish. Simichrome not available in Europe, looks the same, a paste. Do you think this is OK? Blades not as sharp as I'd like after doing this.
Robert A. Edinger I found that the valve polish did not work as well as metal polish, it is quite rough. When I used it I found the blades were not sharp. I also find old shavers better as they have 2x the blades as the new, expensive Philip 's shavers
You could use a small ceramic tile or something if that nature. I have a machinist slab of granite that is about as close to perfectly flat as possible that I’m going to use.
Replacing your blades costs as much as replacing the whole shaver. Makes no sense! Glad I found this video. I would not have ever bought another one if these because of the cost of replacement blades.
Huh? On what planet? The replacement blades for my Norelco are about $35 on Amazon. New shaver is $80 and up. Not only that but the replacement is the entire top part of the head assembly; it's a quick swap and it's practically a new shaver. If your replacement blades cost as much as the whole shaver it's time to look into another brand.
Tried it on a norelco and an old remington I stopped using it was so dull, both work better than new now, didnt use a mirror or compound though, just polished the blades on some 2000 grit emery cloth,
I did mine (phillips norelco) with a wetstone and honing oil instead of mirror and polish, but I think it worked rather well. The Oil and stone will eventually blacken to mark your progress. Not sure how I feel about the comments regarding the correct placement of the blades, though. I'm not sure the self sharpening makes a difference
Before I started I got my 30 power Bausch & Lomb stereo microscope out and looked at the teeth on my Philishave cutter wheels, now three years old. I discovered that there are actually two layers of metal fused together, sort of similar to a masonry drill with a carbide tip. I assume the outer cutting layer is a very hard metal. Polishing on an unglazed ceramic surface or on glass with a metal polishing compound had no visible effects, the fine parallel scratchmarks remained. Sliding the cutter wheels over a new flat sheet of fine 600 sandpaper (wetted) gave me good results. One wheel at the time, using a finger, slight pressure, circular motion, fifty times. Shaver worked fine, like new again. I am not sure how many times I can repeat this process.....
Fifty times. But that wouldn't be turning the blade so that the cutting edge of each blade faced the grit, would it? If it's just a circular motion then you'd be sharpening some blades into the grit, other blades away from the grit and for the remainder, the grind would go across the cutting surface. I ask this because others have advised turning the blades anti-clockwise (into the grit for every blade).
Dear Robert. I tried your ingenious method on my Philips S7370 shaver with V-shaped cutting blades. I wasn´t sure if it will work on that SH70 head but took the plunge considering tossing the blades either way since the shaver was already pulling hairs pretty badly. I used 5€ tube of green chromium oxide paste (5-7 micron grit) for sharpening straight razors from local drug store. The paste itself is oil-based and pretty thick so I tinned it with few drops of cooking oil. Used your method and after lapping the heads by the chromium oxide paste I gave it a couple of rounds on a toothpaste. Rinsed and cleaned each blade thoroughly, let it dry and applied a drop of Braun foil maintenance oil on each blade. It worked like a charm. The shaver shaves like new, no pulling no tugging anymore. You just saved me 50€ for hard-to-find replacement head. Thank you for sharing this method with us.
I've had my Norelco for years and didn't have sense enough to take the blades out. When I did, I had about an 1/8th inch of hair wrapped around the blades. Had to laugh at myself: I've been shaving with a floor polisher! No wonder it didn't work so good. Thanks for this tip. What would we do without UA-cam?
I also tried but the blades are curved, so it did only sharpen a little bit on the middle, where they were touching the glass. HQ8 blades. Anyway, thanks a lot for the video. Always learning new things!
Do you clean the polish from the blades when finished polishing with anything special? I thought about trying a small amount of rubbing alcohol or something similar and just swirl the blades in it and see if that would dissolve the polish from them.
Awesome. Thank you. I have an old Norelco type 1121 that was my grandfather's. I stopped using it when I started to feel drag. I actually have semichrome polish. It's great stuff for taking off plating and honing metal at the finest level. Thank you
I am confident this process works as described but the question I am left with is how often can you do this before the blades are worn down too much and just need to be replaced? At some point they must be worn down but it is after 5, 10, 100 sharpenings? Another question is do you rotate the baldes with or against the cutting angle in the sharpening paste. It is hard to describe the direction I am talking about but the blades rotate in one direction to shave. Would you rotate them in the paste in this same direction or the opposite? I would think the opposite because if you were sharpening a knife that is the direction you would do it as well.
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OK, I have a time saving tip. I used 1500 grit wet/dry sand paper (get it at any auto parts store). Get it wet, put it on the bathroom counter top, then do each blade for 10 seconds (counter clockwise). They work like NEW! It took me only 30 seconds to shave too!
James Stark Thanks, used 1500, a little wet with figure 8 pattern mentioned in another comment (goes both clockwise and counter clockwise) and I forgot what a close shave I could have! Works great even on RQ12 head (Norelco).
Thanks for the info
I tried this. Easy and it works great. Thanks. I'm wondering how many times you can sharpen the blades.
By the way, you say counter clockwise and Robert Edinger goes clockwise. Who's right?
@@roberta.edinger9405 He says counter clockwise and you go clockwise. Which is it?
Nicely done. No fluff, no BS, no trying to be funny, but straight to the topic, and very helpful.
600 grit or finer Wet-or-Dry sandpaper also works well to sharpen the electric razor rotary blades. I have been doing it this way on my Norelco razors for a few decades. It is the same process that is done in the video here but the sandpaper is substituted for the metal polishing compound. About an hour ago I sharpened an old 'moth-balled' Norelco HP1131 and now it cuts as good as a new one. Thanks for sharing the video
cool, thank you so much for the information.
I never would've guessed that's how to sharpen blades! This is one of the most useful videos for men on UA-cam and also is so well filmed, clear and easy to follow. Incredible and very many thanks.
+Razem Thank you for the comment and thanks for watching.
Great video, I'm sure it works. There is a better way I just discovered this morning without knowing about this video. I sharpened my heads IN THE RAZOR. I used 1um (1 micron) diamond lapping compound, about 2 bucks on eBay. Remove the 3 heads and cutters and clean. With a toothpick, gently smear the tiniest dab of lapping paste inside the circular groove in which the cutters run. Reassemble, run the razor 2-3 minutes while moving the heads simulating a shave. Disassemble and rinse in hot water. Replace, and enjoy. The cutter blades now glisten like tiny jewels, and the inside of the perforated head track is shiny. Now both are sharp, not just the cutters. Takes about 5 minutes from start to finish. TIPS: Never use a synthetic brush, they dull the blades and head slots. Use real bristle (hair). Instead of brushing, you can rinse in hot running water. Make sure there is no lapping compound on the tiny shafts, and all the lapping compound is rinsed out. I do believe the shave is closer and more comfortable than a factory fresh head.
Thanks for the info
Something I never thought of. I have 3 Remingtons; now I will do the blades all at once. Have some 2000 grit wet 'n dry. Great tip. You deserve more subscribers!
Thanks!!!
Thank you Dr. Edinger! A new battery and a sharpening (with Brasso metal polish and the mirror as you prescribed) of the old Norelco 4601X was all that was needed to have this contraption running better than it has ever run! After some 35+? years of owning the Norelco, the battery wouldn't hold a charge past half a shave! After replacing, I charged the new battery once - over a week ago - and it's running like the finest race horse in its design every day with no further charging. The shaves are quicker and more efficient saving on battery usage. The clipper blades (for sideburns et. al.,) probably need some sharpening as well and I'll check on that issue, but all together, it's working very well. Savings - over $200. Skills: a small bit of soldering, drill-modifying access to 4 of the 6 screws holding it together, and feeling/hearing the smoothing progress as you push the circular blades, rolling the blades in polish on a mirror. At first you can feel a coarseness and, in no time, it turns smooth when you know the sharpening is taking place. THANKS for this invaluable information for us DIYSelfers!
Robert simply put you are a genius.I used Flitz polish on bottom of a glass ashtray.Revived my Phillips Norelco travel razor.It has 2 rotary heads and is battery powered. Thanks so much!
Thanks John. I'm glad it worked.
Never thought about using the Flitz and any glass surface should work fine etc.
+MyREDTAIL, not really, mirrors are more flat to eliminate distortion to the mirror image.
Wow! Firstly, Robert - thank you SO much for this video.
Secondly, Simichrome costs around £17 in the UK, so I wasn't going to pay that, and combined with my impatience and enthusiasm, I just used toothpaste, and on a flat ceramic dinner plate (didn't have a spare mirror) - I did the circular action for around a minute for each blade, and then put them in my Phillips, and voila! Had a shave it definitely felt so much smoother than before.
So cool! I am so glad the video helped, Thanks.
Just sharpened the baldes on my 10 year old philishave using Silvo silver polish. The difference is amazing! Its like a new shaver. Thanks for the tip!
Great! I'm glad it worked and thanks for the tip using Silvo silver polish.
This is a good video, but I'd like to add a few tips. When you polish things in this fashion, instead of moving the item round and round in a circle, move it in a figure eight pattern. This will polish the item more evenly on all sides. Also, every few seconds, stop and turn the item ninety degrees so that the blades on one side don't get more ground down than the blades on the other side.
Thanks for the tips!
Thanks for the tip which I just performed now that I'm getting obsessive on all of it! lol I just tried shaving in a figure eight pattern. Same principal for the shave - seems to work really well. !
so i approached this video cautiously as usual, after so much misinformation one becomes suspect of anything these days.
however, Robert, my face thanks you !
awesome trick and has saved me from buying (if i still can, its an old elec razor) blades for it.
Thankyou for the great tutorial, much appreciated !.
Thank you so very much! I'm glad I could help.
Worth a try.
Sorry, but I don't know about those models because I've never owned either of them.
Thanks for that information.
@David Topchiev Yep the Norelco cutters are self sharpening as well , But only for the SH60 and above. The SH50 for 5000 series is not self-sharpening.
Thanks so much. My first Norelco PQ208/40 lasted about 3 years. But the one I bought to replace it, when the original started yanking hairs and hurting me, was starting to do the same thing after a year. And this little baby is only $15, so it feels excessively pointless to spend $20 buying a 3-pack of replacement heads - especially when the PQ208 only has 2 heads - while it also feels wasteful to replace it when it starts to hurt.
Not only does this save me buying yet another PQ208, but I luckily kept the old one and put it in my purse for 'just in case' moments. Now I can sharpen the blades on both and with any luck the mechanics/electronics will hold up long enough that I won't have to buy another for years.
I'm putting a tube of this stuff in my cart right now. It's going to save me a lot of money and consumerist-guilt. :)
cool! I'm glad the video helped. I hate having my hairs yanked also.
Never knew this.
I had no polish or mirror but I had a wet stone small bick with a super smooth side.
What could be better than a shaping stone I thought. It worked great .
I remember my grandfather always sharpened his with toothpaste. I substituted your method of Simichrome Polishing Paste with Dupont automotive rubbing compound and it worked perfectly for shiny razor sharp blades. Thank You fine sir
Cool! Good to know.
Thanks for this, Robert. The fact that one can only replace the blades for these things by purchasing a whole new head instead of buying them loose is just crazy, given the price. I'm not the handiest individual in the world, but even I can manage this. Putting in an Amazon order for a tube of simichrome polish right now.
Thanks, I'm glad I could help.
I agree this video is extremely helpful. It baffles me why we would even need to throw away a perfectly good razor when we can take a few minutes and just sharpen the blades. Thank you for the video.
Amazon sells replacement blades. I've purchased several sets for my husband, but won't have to anymore after this video. Thank you.
Outstanding input plus other commenters joined in. If we all shared what we know life is extra good. My thanks to everyone and a special thanks to Robert for getting it all started.
Thank you Richard!
@@roberta.edinger9405 You have demonstrated what a good neighbor, friend and business partner you would make. Best to you and rest in knowing how many people you helped
I tried and it works. Got a significantly better shave after the polish. Thanks
I don't often comment on video's, but I'm going to make an exception here. This tip should be in the newspapers. So glad I accidentally came upon this video. You've saved me £45. Bargain. My shaver is like new. For 5 minutes work. I take it you don't work for Philips. 😂
Awesome, thanks! I'm glad the video helped.
Great video. I used a piece of 2000 grit wet/dry sandpaper with a few drops of mineral oil. Now I need to replace the battery in the old Remington. Thanks for posting this.
Thanks for the comment and the suggestions. However be careful using sandpaper too often because you could prematurely wear down the blades rendering them useless.
I decided that for $9 worth of polish, this was worth a try. It worked great!! The compound hardened up a bit before it could turn grey, but it worked. Just like polishing fiber-optic terminations by hand.
I'm glad it worked for you. Thanks for the comment.
It works like magic man! Thank you so much for sharing it. I was on the point of paying more by the blades than what I’ve paid for the whole shaver.
What an awesome tip! I wanted to try my old Philips razor and saw replacement heads are 30 bucks! Efff that.
Thanks
I was looking at a review of a shaver and this turned up in the recommended. Saved me a lot of money, gonna give it a try and hope that my 10 yr old shaver is going to make a comeback. Thanks alot!
Greetings from Denmark
Glad to help.
Wow, this works great! I used dupont rubbing compund I had on hand, about 30 seconds per blade.
TRY THIS! Did a deep clean on my shaved head plus this polishing using NuFinish scratch remover and I could swear I have a brand new shaver. I’m glad I watched this before forking up the money for new blades.
I'm so glad the video helped. Thanks.
WOW!!! Really works great! I was really amazed. Resharpened blades work just as good as new ones. Used just plain old Colgate toothpaste. Thanks for the amazing tip.
Awesome! I'm glad the video helped.
Thanks for the info. Is there any other substitute for that paste?
I think any polish will work. You will know if it is working if the polish starts turning dark just like in the video.
The Simonize polish used for polishing automobile paint and chrome will work. This polish will also polish precious metals.
For sharpening a fine blade toothpaste should also work. Toothpaste is very fine abrasive to be able to clean plaque and polish the surface of teeth. I have polished fine scratches in glass using toothpaste with a high speed buffer.
I have owned a norelco shaver for the last 40 years now, and I remember one of the reasons that I DID purchase one was the comfort shave as I have very sensitive skin, but also because Norelco boasted how the blades were self sharpening. I notice that they did stop claiming that with the second one I bought. Good money in selling replacement blades! I did have to replace the blades on the second one I owned as the blades finally wore through the screes in places. The replacement blades did NOT cut as well as the ones that wore through the screens.
The blades run on the screens the same way you are running them around on the mirror. THAT"S what keeps them sharp. My latest one is a SensoTouch3D 1280X. I have had it at least 15 years, and have not even THOUGHT about replacing the heads, or sharpening them, even though Norelco recommends every year now, as it is still shaving my face as well as when I bought it. I rinse the blades under VERY hot water at least once a week, and looking at the blades through a 10 power loop, the blades are still razor, no pun intended, SHARP. I have never even used the cleaning solution, or any lube on the blades. If you keep the blades clean and dry, when you shave AFTER you shower, the friction of the blade on the screens will keep them sharp.
Very interesting video. Thank you for showing it! :)
They are self-sharpening in the old Norelco shavers. But to get to that step you have to take the razor head apart, clean everything with hot soapy water, put back together and let the razor run until you hear the blades start to chirp. At that point, they are sharp and ready to use. More is not better in this case...stop when you hear them chirp. It's also a good idea to keep the same blades in the recess they came from because machining of the blade holders is not that percise.
Thank you very much!
Awesome. I used the bottom of a mason jar with some medium cut metal polish and it worked wonderfully. Thanks!
Good idea!
I tried this. It really works. Thank you.
cool! I'm glad the video was helpful.
Thanks for this tip.
I went one further, as I'm lazy, and instead of doing each one by hand I used the shaver to spin all three at once 😉
Two minutes later and all done.
Thanks again 👍
Great idea! I am going to try that. Thanks
+Robert A. Edinger
Welcome
remember, two mins includes cleaning them and reassembly so no longer than about 30 secs of actual polishing at the first "try". Don't want to overdo it first time.
Thanks so much Robert. The small instruction leaflet that came with the razor didn't even show how to remove the heads and I wasn't aware you could do it. However on watching your video I was amazed when I removed the cutting heads at how much rubbish was attached to them. Gave them a good wash and not having any rubbing compound to hand I used some toothpaste which seems to have done the trick.. I was just about to purchase a set of new heads so you have saved me £20 to £30 pounds. Thanks so much
thanks for the comment Mike. Others have had satisfactory results with toothpaste as well. Thanks for the info.
1. Rotation must be counter-clockwise.
2. Atleast for Philips, please ensure that you put the sharpened blade in the same holder in which it was placed originally. since they are self-sharpening enclosures, blades gets paired with them
Thats it, you are good to go :)
Thanks for the tips.
Sharpening destroys any pairing. Just start over.
They don't seem to self sharpen very well.
Do you sharpen only one side of a knife blade? The methods here leave a burr in the top side. It may revive a blade partially at best.
Why counter-clockwise?
@@popeyegordon
I gave my Phillips electric shaver a service myself for the first time the other day & it works. Blades are like new.
that's awesome! I'm glad it worked for you.
You are a true life and money saver! The method worked perfecly. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks! I'm glad it worked for you also.
Excellent tip! Philips/Norelco triple-header razors are notorious for their planned obsolescence where the rotary blades are eventually no longer kept in stock even only after a few years despite the razor's motor still working. DON'T buy those low-priced "replacement" substitute blades sold on Amazon because you'll immediately feel and even hear those cheap blades spinning but giving you a harsh, poor shave. Another tip: don't use the razor's on-off switch! Leave the switch ON and simply pull out the power cord when you finish shaving. Why? I used a Philips HS950 for years until the sliding on-off switch finally stopped functioning. Philips no longer stocked a replacement switch! Even local fix-it shops couldn't repair or jerry-rig an alternate switch, forcing me to throw the razor away. Philips/Norelco COULD make standard blades to work in ALL of their razors, but WON'T because they want to MAKE MONEY. Isn't the company rich enough?
the fixit shop should have known: there was no need to throw away the razor when the switch went bad.
just remove the bad switch and hot wire the razor so it runs when you plug it in.
you could simply had bypassed the switch to keep it always running, soldering a single wire between it
I would almost throw my machine. Then I began to search if sharpening is possible and I found your video. Even only cleaning and using toothpaste worked well. Next time I will buy and use metal polisher. I am sure it will work better. Thank you soooo much.
You are soooo welcome!
When something seems too good to be true, it usually is. Shaving had become a real chore due to blunt blades on my Philips 7000 and I was about to spend nearly £50 on replacement cutters for it, but found your video first and decided to give it a go. In the garage I found an old tube of Solvol Autosol and a distressed mirror that I was supposed to have thrown out years ago but "might come in handy one day", so total outlay was nil.
The 7000 cutters have a V shape with a double cutter so it will only have affected the primary blade, not the second one - but Wow! it actually seems to work! Smoothest shave I've had in several months.
One other thing I would say is that the Solvol Autosol has a greasy base and it took a bit of careful rinsing out with shampoo and a shaver brush to remove it all afterwards, so perhaps another type of polish with a water-soluble base would be better.
Many thanks for the video. Face sorted.
Glad it worked and thanks for the info
Tooth paste is saw in one video
This is a good video. I use a different and easier but just as effective technique. You may not know but the blades touch the screens as you shave so the screens can act as your mirror/hard surface. After giving a very thorough cleaning, all I do is add some polish to the blade screen, put the razor back together, and run until the polish changes color. Then I give it a very, very thorough cleaning with 91% isopropyl alcohol then water. Good as new!
I tried your method using some liquid metal polish and it worked great. I now have 3 "old" Norelco shavers that shave like new.
Thanks for the information.
I tried the same technique, but in full disclosure, I used Mother's Aluminum polish because I did not have simichrome. Long story short, I made the blades cut worse than before. It may be because of the specific blade type. My shaver uses HQ8 blades, not the same flat planform as Mr. Edinger's blades. I ended up buying a new set and was amazed at what a difference new ones made. I shave every other day, so I will buy a new set every two years. My face thanks me.
that's too bad it didn't work on your blades. Thanks for the information.
I have a norelco sharpening kit. it has 3 special head replacement sharpening units. you reassemble the cleaned razor and run it about 30 seconds then dissassemble replacing the original head outside screen units. works great so there are other ways that work also.
That sounds perfect, thanks for the info.
Even just using a nail file worked fine for me.
This hack worked for me using Autosol metal polish! Thank you 😊
What can I say ? you did the job perfectly. Thumps up.
Thank you!
Nice video robert,can I use the polisher for shoes too for sharpening the blazor's blades ?
I don't know about shoes. Unless it is a suit of armor because after all it is a metal polish lol.
Well done and thanks, Mate. Precise, factual, and easy to duplicate.
Great Job,worked a treat
Awesome, thanks!
I assume this scratches the mirror in the process.
Great video, fantastic background music!
Thank you Robert, I could just go and buy a new razor, or try to find blades, however, this was my Grandfathers razor. He used it once a week to smarten up to go into town for the food shopping. 40 years on, I still use it and do not want to part with it, as it is one of my fond connections to him (a great man) and inspiration to me. Much appreciation to you.
To my surprise this really worked. I used regular pepsodent toothpaste on a hand mirror rubbed each blade in a clockwise circle for about 3 minutes. Just saved myself 60/70 bucks for like fifteen minutes work. So thanks
Cool!!! I'm glad it worked for you.
Hi,many thanks for sharing your idea, I use Nigrin Metal polish and it did the job! Remington R-105.
Cool! I'm glad it worked for you.
Fantastic Tip Robert, thanks. My issue is that my Phillips 9000 doesn't fully charge anymore. Down to 37 minutes now. I guess I will replace it when I get no further battery life.
Thanks for the comment Wayne, I really appreciate it.
Simply replace the rechargeable battery, it can be done with the correct tools.
Worked great on my blades for my Norelco! I have the set that you need to spend $150 a set to replace since they stopped manufacturing them and went with a cheaper alternative that gets terrible reviews.
Cool! I'm glad I could help.
Great video. Now to get polish and try it. Thanks.
Thanks! I hope it works for you.
How do you put it back
I don't really understand the question. Put what back?
Good skills!
Here in NZ the Remmingtons are about $120 new.
The price of new blades is extortionist
So after a couple of years, I prefer to buy new one.
I will till they are on special at half price (one of our Bulk retailers)
But I might try this!
good luck
Imagine, probably 100'000's of these perfectly good blades go into landfill every year.
Thanks to vids like these...I've even started sharpening my disposable blades...and it works !
Cool! I'm glad it works for you.
thank you for this video. i have exactly the same model and your video helped with making it work better.
a smoother shave - everywere lol its not just for me
who would have thought ?
maybe philps should include this in the box
Thanks Ben! I'm glad the video helped.
Very innovative. I am certainly going to try out this technique!
The Simonize polish used for polishing automobile paint and chrome should
work from what I can see. This polish will also polish precious metals.
For sharpening a fine blade toothpaste should also work. Toothpaste is
very fine abrasive to be able to clean plaque and polish the surface of
teeth. I have polished fine scratches in glass using toothpaste with a
high speed buffer.
Did it work for you Jerry?
Yes that polish should work just fine.
Thanks a lot for the information! Great tip!
I had never thought of sharpening the blades of my old Remington R836 which is still going strong. Think I will use kitchen cream cleaner as the cutting medium. I have some car paint cutting compound that I used during my apprenticeship days in the 1960s, but this will be too coarse. Still use this compound on and off over the years. It is still okay to use on car paint.
Hi Robert... I assume instead of a mirror the glass from such as out of a small picture frame would do , hate to waste a mirror .
Yes it will.
@@roberta.edinger9405 so would the bottom of a drinking glass or casserole dish etc work too? I am assuming the mirror would get all scratched up so not keen.
still cheaper than buying new but if you can use a glass no point in buying a mirror for this purpose. :)
@@ranoutofeyeballs Yes, as long as it is perfectly flat.
@@roberta.edinger9405 thanks! I originally thought there was something about the mirror that affected it lol
You just saved me a money! Thanks a ton.
Glad to help.
Do you think that rotation direction is critical for polishing or have you ever polished in the other direction?
I have not noticed any difference in the direction.
will any type of metal polish work?
I would think just about any metal polish will work fine. You will know if it's working if the polish starts getting darker while polishing.
great thank you!
No problem. Thank you!
I have to try this. Thank you so much. Have a Happy New Year!
Thank you. I hope it works for you.
Hi, would a very soft sharpening stone do the trick?
It would have to be a very fine grit.
Just as I thought since it makes sense, but wanted a confirmation. Thanks! :)
Will only work with older style blades. Most new shavers have a slightly round blade profile, so you can't hone it flat. You can buy a tool for the new shavers to sharpen them, see my video review here:@
Thanks again.
Thank you in 2021 be safe and have a great Christmas
Great info. - How many minutes do you sharpen for? Can it be harmful to do it too long? Some blades are old, I was hoping to sharpen them up. I use Permatex FINE Grade Engine Valve Grinding Polish. Simichrome not available in Europe, looks the same, a paste. Do you think this is OK?
Blades not as sharp as I'd like after doing this.
I usually polish for about 1 minute after the compound turns grey. Others have commented on using "Valve Grinding Polish" with satisfactory results.
Robert A. Edinger
I found that the valve polish did not work as well as metal polish, it is quite rough. When I used it I found the blades were not sharp.
I also find old shavers better as they have 2x the blades as the new, expensive Philip 's shavers
Thanks for that information Tony.
Awesome video! this is sure to save a lot of money. Does this scratch or damage the mirror?
Thanks! Yes it will scratch the mirror over time.
Update! I have been using the same mirror for several years and there are still no scratches.
You could use a small ceramic tile or something if that nature. I have a machinist slab of granite that is about as close to perfectly flat as possible that I’m going to use.
Absolutely great video man!
Thank you so much, I really appreciate that.
Replacing your blades costs as much as replacing the whole shaver. Makes no sense! Glad I found this video. I would not have ever bought another one if these because of the cost of replacement blades.
Thanks, I'm glad I could help.
Huh? On what planet? The replacement blades for my Norelco are about $35 on Amazon. New shaver is $80 and up. Not only that but the replacement is the entire top part of the head assembly; it's a quick swap and it's practically a new shaver.
If your replacement blades cost as much as the whole shaver it's time to look into another brand.
Tried it on a norelco and an old remington I stopped using it was so dull, both work better than new now, didnt use a mirror or compound though, just polished the blades on some 2000 grit emery cloth,
Awesome! I'm glad the video helped.
I did mine (phillips norelco) with a wetstone and honing oil instead of mirror and polish, but I think it worked rather well. The Oil and stone will eventually blacken to mark your progress.
Not sure how I feel about the comments regarding the correct placement of the blades, though. I'm not sure the self sharpening makes a difference
Cool!
Can I use lemon juice instead of simichrome paste?
Can I use sharpening stone for just rubbing the heads a few times fir sharpening?
Interesting thought, Thanks.
Before I started I got my 30 power Bausch & Lomb stereo microscope out and looked at the teeth on my Philishave cutter wheels, now three years old. I discovered that there are actually two layers of metal fused together, sort of similar to a masonry drill with a carbide tip. I assume the outer cutting layer is a very hard metal. Polishing on an unglazed ceramic surface or on glass with a metal polishing compound had no visible effects, the fine parallel scratchmarks remained. Sliding the cutter wheels over a new flat sheet of fine 600 sandpaper (wetted) gave me good results. One wheel at the time, using a finger, slight pressure, circular motion, fifty times. Shaver worked fine, like new again. I am not sure how many times I can repeat this process.....
great comment!
Fifty times. But that wouldn't be turning the blade so that the cutting edge of each blade faced the grit, would it? If it's just a circular motion then you'd be sharpening some blades into the grit, other blades away from the grit and for the remainder, the grind would go across the cutting surface.
I ask this because others have advised turning the blades anti-clockwise (into the grit for every blade).
Thanks for the info.
Thank you for making this video🙏 Very helpful!
Excellent Video!
Thank you! I really appreciate that.
Your Welcom, Glad I found it!
Will not this method cause the razor to not cut as close as it did when it was new?
The the blades are pushed up against the screens to maintain tolerance.
Dear Robert. I tried your ingenious method on my Philips S7370 shaver with V-shaped cutting blades. I wasn´t sure if it will work on that SH70 head but took the plunge considering tossing the blades either way since the shaver was already pulling hairs pretty badly. I used 5€ tube of green chromium oxide paste (5-7 micron grit) for sharpening straight razors from local drug store. The paste itself is oil-based and pretty thick so I tinned it with few drops of cooking oil. Used your method and after lapping the heads by the chromium oxide paste I gave it a couple of rounds on a toothpaste. Rinsed and cleaned each blade thoroughly, let it dry and applied a drop of Braun foil maintenance oil on each blade. It worked like a charm. The shaver shaves like new, no pulling no tugging anymore. You just saved me 50€ for hard-to-find replacement head. Thank you for sharing this method with us.
I am so glad it worked for you. I didn't know if it would work on the V-shaped cutting blades. Thanks so much for that information.
Wow! That is so great! Thanks much for that info!
You are welcome
Is there a limit to how many times you can sharpen blades?
I'm sure there is a limit to how many times you can sharpen blades, but I don't know. I have been doing this for years on the same set.
I've had my Norelco for years and didn't have sense enough to take the blades out. When I did, I had about an 1/8th inch of hair wrapped around the blades. Had to laugh at myself: I've been shaving with a floor polisher! No wonder it didn't work so good. Thanks for this tip. What would we do without UA-cam?
Thanks for watching!
Any metal polish should work? I've tried it using a mirror and 3 and 1 oil and it did help sharpen a little but i gotta purchase some metal polish.
Yes, you need something with a little abrasive in it such as metal polish.
I also tried but the blades are curved, so it did only sharpen a little bit on the middle, where they were touching the glass. HQ8 blades. Anyway, thanks a lot for the video. Always learning new things!
Thanks.
Can I use any piece of glass like a picture frame?
Do you clean the polish from the blades when finished polishing with anything special? I thought about trying a small amount of rubbing alcohol or something similar and just swirl the blades in it and see if that would dissolve the polish from them.
I just use a paper towel, but I like the idea of using alcohol. I will try it. Thanks!
Are Philips Heads compatebal with Remington?
Que pasta usa, para comprar una parecida acá en Argentina?
What sharpener is the best? Where do I but this and how much?
there is a link in the description to where you can buy it but unfortunately the price fluctuates. Thanks for asking.
what simichrome polish is that?
Just regular simichrome polish. My tube looks different because it is very old.
ok
Why is the head replacement light still on then? Philips aquatec
They want your money.
It seems like you have to hold down the power button until the light goes out.
Awesome. Thank you. I have an old Norelco type 1121 that was my grandfather's. I stopped using it when I started to feel drag. I actually have semichrome polish. It's great stuff for taking off plating and honing metal at the finest level.
Thank you
Glad to help
I am confident this process works as described but the question I am left with is how often can you do this before the blades are worn down too much and just need to be replaced? At some point they must be worn down but it is after 5, 10, 100 sharpenings?
Another question is do you rotate the baldes with or against the cutting angle in the sharpening paste. It is hard to describe the direction I am talking about but the blades rotate in one direction to shave. Would you rotate them in the paste in this same direction or the opposite? I would think the opposite because if you were sharpening a knife that is the direction you would do it as well.
I have been doing this for years and it is still working fine. But I'm sure someday they will wear out.
Does this work for Phillips Norelco 7500 shaver?
It might, but I don't have one of those. Thanks for watching.
I wish I had known about this before. I bought a new one and it cost a ton :(.
Wonder how much that paste stuff costs. I live in the UK.... Any ideas?
Autosol Metal Polish may work.
Brasso would probably work
Yes, I believe Brasso will work also.
What? I asked how much it costs here in the UK.... In fact you can't buy it here
You can buy Brasso all over the UK e.g. Sainsburys. Use it instead of Autosol Metal Polish.