Canton man's repair shop keeps old electric shavers humming

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CANTON, Ohio (AP) -- Customers at one of the few remaining electric shaver repair shops in Ohio come for all kinds of reasons, usually dead batteries or dull blades.

No matter, owner Tom Fuchs usually has what they need. While business isn't as strong as it used to be, Fuchs said there's still a need to keep old shavers humming.

"A lot of guys are so used to their shavers ... it becomes one of their prized possessions," he said.

Fuchs, 51, keeps a wall of shaver pieces and parts on hand. Everything is there, from new motors and heads to replacement cords and chargers. Tuneups cost about $18.

The shop also has the feel of a museum. Fuchs has a display case of old shavers that date to 1937.

But if a shaver can't be fixed or if the repair is too expensive, Fuchs sells new models, too. A good shaver should last at least 10 years, Fuchs said.

Business has declined in recent decades because America has become a throwaway society, Fuchs said. When products such as shoes, shavers or televisions wear out or break, consumers today throw them out and buy new ones.

Fuchs manages to stay in business because the repair shop is part of Diversified Business Machines, a sales and service company that operates in the same building and provides most of the family income. Shaver sales and repair is a supplement.

Fuchs' father, Ernie, bought the building in the 1970s to house both businesses. Fuchs and his wife, Teresa, eventually took over.

One man came in recently with six Remington shavers, and none worked very well. He asked Fuchs to piece together one good shaver from the bunch. Using teeny-tiny screwdrivers, an Exacto knife and jewelers' tools, Fuchs made two good ones out of the batch for $70.

"And the guy was thrilled," he said.

One day last week, customer Denver Frey wandered in to pick up his 30-year-old Sunbeam shaver, which Fuchs had cleaned up.

Fuchs removed the shaver from a storage case and flipped a switch. The shaver buzzed and hummed smoothly and quietly.

"Lot faster now, isn't it?" Fuchs asked.

Frey nodded.

"I flushed all the carbon out ... oiled the bushings, put on the screen."

Shavers come in two basic styles -- oscillating or rotating. Oscillating shavers have a single large screen over the blade and provide a closer shave but are more difficult to maneuver than rotating shavers, which typically have three protective "heads" containing blades.

Fuchs said he's probably seen every shaver on the market but admits to being stumped a few times on how to fix something.

"If we can't fix it, we won't charge," he said.