Methods
Fabric shaver vs sweater comb vs razor: which de-pilling method to use
Three tools, three different ideas about how to take a knot off a knit. We own all of them. This is the honest comparison we give friends.
The razor: fast, blind, flat only
A disposable razor is the quickest thing in the house and the least forgiving. It cuts whatever stands up, pill or loop, and it has no sense of height except your wrist. Fine for a firm flat knit, a pair of leggings or a cotton sweatshirt in an emergency. Wrong for cashmere, for loose weaves, for anything with a seam in the way. It also leaves the clippings on the table.
The comb and the stone: gentle, slow, fuzzy
A sweater comb or pumice stone scrapes pills off rather than cutting them. Nothing gets nicked, which makes them the traditional choice for fine knits. The cost is time and finish: a cardigan takes a long while, and the scraping raises a halo of loose fiber that shows on dark colors. Good for one precious sweater, tiring for a wardrobe.
The electric shaver: guarded, collected, repeatable
A fabric shaver spins a blade behind a perforated guard. Pills poke through the holes and are cut; the flat fabric cannot reach the blade. The height is set by the guard and, on our compact, by a cover you raise or lower, so the tenth sweater gets the same treatment as the first. Clippings go into a container instead of onto the floor. It is the only method that works on a sofa in a reasonable time.
Matching the method to the fabric
Cashmere and fine merino: the comb, or the compact shaver with the cover raised. Wool sweaters and cardigans: the compact. Fleece, hoodies, leggings: the compact, or a razor if you are careful and the fabric is flat. Blankets, coats, bedding: the large-head shaver; hand tools give up at this size. Sofas and cushions: the large head, after a vacuum. Embroidery, sequins, pulled threads: none of the above; snip single pills with scissors.
What we keep in the drawer
A compact shaver for the closet, a large head by the sofa, and a comb for the one cashmere sweater we would not trust to anything with a motor. The razor stayed in the bathroom. If you buy one tool, buy for the largest thing that pills in your home; the small jobs will be fine.
