All of my adult life, I have shaved. Even when I wear a beard, there is still some trim to do. Most of that time was in the shower, with a cart and bath bar soap. It’s fast and effective. But is it considered part of the hobby we call wet-shaving? I still use it when I need to do a quick get out of the door shave. Do you have a simulator way that might be considered turning the hobby off?
Do you turn the hobby off?
- Thread starter Alohawyatt
- Start date
I'm not any expert, but I think the term 'wet shaving' usually refers to using brush, shave soap and a older style non-cartridge type razor and blade.
Once in a while I'll have a lazy shave where I don't feel like whipping up a lather and I'll use Barbasol. It's been a while though. So yeah, I'll have shaves where I need to get it done and get out, but I try to avoid those situations.
Technically speaking, even using one of the waterproof electric shavers in the shower could be considered wet shaving. Most of the folks around here seem to consider wet shaving to refer to the traditional art of shaving using implements that our fathers and grandfathers might have used. However, if you want to consider shaving with a multi-blade, pivitoting-head cartridge razor and bar soap to be wet shaving, then who are we to tell you differently.
BTW, as someone who has evaluated the performance of over 90 different shaving soap and cream formulations, I can attest that some tallow-based bath soaps provide better shaves than some shaving soaps. If you like using bath soaps for shaving, one I suggest is Yardley of London Naturally Moisturizing bath bar with Cocoa Butter. It is cheap, yet provides great slickness and good post shave. The lather is not as thick and rich as a high quality shaving soap, but it will work quite well with a cartridge razor.
BTW, as someone who has evaluated the performance of over 90 different shaving soap and cream formulations, I can attest that some tallow-based bath soaps provide better shaves than some shaving soaps. If you like using bath soaps for shaving, one I suggest is Yardley of London Naturally Moisturizing bath bar with Cocoa Butter. It is cheap, yet provides great slickness and good post shave. The lather is not as thick and rich as a high quality shaving soap, but it will work quite well with a cartridge razor.
Fast shave for me:
Tech
And Barbasol
Tech
And Barbasol
If I'm in a rush I can get a close but uncomfortable shave under 2 minutes using a Mach3 and Edge gel.
Last edited:
AimlessWanderer
Remember to forget me!
I can shave as fast as I need with a DE. I can be done in under three minutes if needs must, and still have a better shave than a cartridge would give me.
All my DE shaves are similar. If rushed I’ll whip up some cream into a lather. I use a small assortment of mild razors. I don’t use carts or canned foam/cream anymore.
Hack, it takes me five minutes to get to the point where I’m ready to put blade to face. I don’t know how anyone could do it in two minutes.
The ease of brush and soap lathering has rendered canned soap a distant memory. Two minutes at most from the time I wet my brush until I am ready to cut. 30 seconds on the Puck and a minute at most building the lather on my face. Add another 30 seconds just for good measure. I haven't purchased foam in a can for about a decade.
- Thread starter
- #12
With all due respect. And I know this is a YMMV thing. But if it took me three minutes to shave in the shower, I would rather shave in front of the sink. And for me, that means that the hobby is back on. Nothing wrong with that. I do enjoy hobby shaving.
In the shower, I use a tallow glycerin bar soap. Sometimes I do use a brush but it is unessary. I take the lather built up for my body and the lightweight cart that lives there. There will most likely be two passes with maybe some touchups. DFS. If dropped, a light cart is less likely to cause damage over a heavier razor. Next, I rinse the razor off. Ok, if my growth is three days or more, the cart will clog up. By the way, that last part is what got me into DE. Everything after is all part of the shower. So the shave takes maybe one minute. I don’t really know I’ve not timed it.
In the shower, I use a tallow glycerin bar soap. Sometimes I do use a brush but it is unessary. I take the lather built up for my body and the lightweight cart that lives there. There will most likely be two passes with maybe some touchups. DFS. If dropped, a light cart is less likely to cause damage over a heavier razor. Next, I rinse the razor off. Ok, if my growth is three days or more, the cart will clog up. By the way, that last part is what got me into DE. Everything after is all part of the shower. So the shave takes maybe one minute. I don’t really know I’ve not timed it.
I don't know about "turning it off" but this is what happened to me.
2013-2015ish I was gung ho into the hobby. I amassed many soaps creams razors blades etc
But then life got a bit crazy with my tool and die apprenticeship and other stuff.
I settled into my familiar routine. Palmolive shave stick grated, merkur 34c/red tip superspeed/krona (sometime future when I got a beard and wanted it all off in one go) and gillette silver blue blades
Now all of a sudden a week or 2 ago I got bit by the bug again. Luckily I already have a ton of stuff so it was more going back into trying different blades/razors and soaps/creams I have stockpiled.
I did pick up some new derby extra as I just found out about the 2016 change. Also grabbed the premium and the USTA to try and some pinaud whisky woods AS on its way now.
Broke out my containers full of blades and have begun retesting them.
I also put up a post about giving blades to newbies as samplers to try and waiting on hearing how I'm supposed to do that/ where to properly post that.
I've been away from the forums for the better part of 5 years and now I'm back!!! Haha.
It's weird how it happened. Happened with fountain pens that way too, although like shaving, I always use them. Just cleaned my collection and put in storage and used 1 or 2 daily instead of having 12 inked and rotating all the time.
I don't know if that constitutes "turning off" but I definitely had a pause while still shaving regularly just with the same stuff.
2013-2015ish I was gung ho into the hobby. I amassed many soaps creams razors blades etc
But then life got a bit crazy with my tool and die apprenticeship and other stuff.
I settled into my familiar routine. Palmolive shave stick grated, merkur 34c/red tip superspeed/krona (sometime future when I got a beard and wanted it all off in one go) and gillette silver blue blades
Now all of a sudden a week or 2 ago I got bit by the bug again. Luckily I already have a ton of stuff so it was more going back into trying different blades/razors and soaps/creams I have stockpiled.
I did pick up some new derby extra as I just found out about the 2016 change. Also grabbed the premium and the USTA to try and some pinaud whisky woods AS on its way now.
Broke out my containers full of blades and have begun retesting them.
I also put up a post about giving blades to newbies as samplers to try and waiting on hearing how I'm supposed to do that/ where to properly post that.
I've been away from the forums for the better part of 5 years and now I'm back!!! Haha.
It's weird how it happened. Happened with fountain pens that way too, although like shaving, I always use them. Just cleaned my collection and put in storage and used 1 or 2 daily instead of having 12 inked and rotating all the time.
I don't know if that constitutes "turning off" but I definitely had a pause while still shaving regularly just with the same stuff.
Yes. I'm not planning on shaving in Movember.
I don’t ritually shave when I shave but I, personally, never liked the feeling or look of stubbly, growing in, facial hair. The five o clock shadow look, using an electric trinmer, though does suit some guys.
When I quick shave, I just shave faster and use a brushless cream. technique is like driving stickshift; over time, once you learn your face, you know where to downshift to slow down haha
Besides the niece and nephew either like the scruffy beard or the smooth skin. Not the sandpaper!
When I quick shave, I just shave faster and use a brushless cream. technique is like driving stickshift; over time, once you learn your face, you know where to downshift to slow down haha
Besides the niece and nephew either like the scruffy beard or the smooth skin. Not the sandpaper!
No, I'm retired, so my fast-cart-in-the-shower morning shaves are a thing of the past. Now DE shaving is a part of a nice, zen-like period in my day, usually at night.
Even with a fast shave, I am aware in a way I was not three years ago. So, no, not turned off.
Fast shave options:
Razor:
Whichever Schick injector is in the den. There will be one.
OR a little slower
A milder DE if one is loaded and in the den. Anything equivalent to my Karve OC-D or less is 'milder'.
Lube:
Barbasol brushless tube cream - always in the den
OR a little slower
Mollé brushless cream - probably in the den
OR another notch slower
a shave stick, finger lathered, choice of at least three sticks
Best case, 3 minutes from den arrival to departure
Worst case, 5 minutes
Any time I start contemplating choices, then gathering gear from the various depots, and finally arranging my tools... it is going to be 30 minutes minimum. If an SR is in the lineup, figure on 45 minimum, 60 likely. If there is a pandemic or giant cloud of wildfire smoke out there, add a couple hours for wasting time on B&B.
Fast shave options:
Razor:
Whichever Schick injector is in the den. There will be one.
OR a little slower
A milder DE if one is loaded and in the den. Anything equivalent to my Karve OC-D or less is 'milder'.
Lube:
Barbasol brushless tube cream - always in the den
OR a little slower
Mollé brushless cream - probably in the den
OR another notch slower
a shave stick, finger lathered, choice of at least three sticks
Best case, 3 minutes from den arrival to departure
Worst case, 5 minutes
Any time I start contemplating choices, then gathering gear from the various depots, and finally arranging my tools... it is going to be 30 minutes minimum. If an SR is in the lineup, figure on 45 minimum, 60 likely. If there is a pandemic or giant cloud of wildfire smoke out there, add a couple hours for wasting time on B&B.
I cannot ’turn’ this off and on! (Nor do I want to.)
Techniques learned shaving with a DEs or straights translate into better shaves when I have been forced to use a cart.
Techniques learned shaving with a DEs or straights translate into better shaves when I have been forced to use a cart.
Never, at least not yet. I started in 2009 and I show no signs of slowing down. It is something I truly enjoy, and I plan to continue and enjoy it as long as i can.
Bath soap and a cartridge might not fall into the definition of "traditional" wet shaving for some around these parts, but if you're using water, you're wet shaving as far as I'm concerned. I turned off the hobby part of shaving a long time ago. Shaving is a chore that needs to be done, I try to do it well, and I really love the feeling after a great shave, but that's about it. It doesn't really matter much how you get there.
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