Can you at least tell me which is the best way to open a tuck of blades....Let’s just agree to disagree…
No matter what you think, a) I won’t shave with my straights in a shower, and b) I refuse to not call shaving with a straight razor “wet shaving”.
B.
What is your definition of Wet Shaving?
- Thread starter DesertIguana
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A pleasant an enjoyable experience every morning.
The term wetshaving is a fairly modern invention.
All shaving really used to be "wet shaving". The advent of electric razors necessitated the coining of the phrase.
It's been further subdivided into "Traditional Wet Shaving" and "Modern Wet Shaving"
Traditional being where a brush and a soap or cream are used with a straight, DE or SE razor.
Modern being where a cart type razor is used with either a canned or tube foam or gel.
Both modern and traditional focus on the need to prepare the face with water prior to shaving.
Though it is certainly possible to wet shave with a straight, DE or SE and canned or tube foam or gel, and to shave with a cart type razor using a brush and a soap or cream.
When you get down to the nitty gritty - wet shaving is using water in the process as opposed to a dry condition where one is using an electric razor.
There are some more modern electrics which allow for shaving with a wet face, or even the use of a soap or cream, but I don't know if those users consider that "wet shaving" or not.
All shaving really used to be "wet shaving". The advent of electric razors necessitated the coining of the phrase.
It's been further subdivided into "Traditional Wet Shaving" and "Modern Wet Shaving"
Traditional being where a brush and a soap or cream are used with a straight, DE or SE razor.
Modern being where a cart type razor is used with either a canned or tube foam or gel.
Both modern and traditional focus on the need to prepare the face with water prior to shaving.
Though it is certainly possible to wet shave with a straight, DE or SE and canned or tube foam or gel, and to shave with a cart type razor using a brush and a soap or cream.
When you get down to the nitty gritty - wet shaving is using water in the process as opposed to a dry condition where one is using an electric razor.
There are some more modern electrics which allow for shaving with a wet face, or even the use of a soap or cream, but I don't know if those users consider that "wet shaving" or not.
A close buddy of mine has always done a lot of his shaving with electrics. A lot of his shaving and some of his complaining. But he is generally happy with his routine.
Many decades ago, I was inspired by his example to demo both rotary and foil electrics. I never got a shave that was close, or comfortable. So I never bought one.
Not to mention the need for an outlet or some sort of battery. I was never going to shave in my car commuting to work...
Have electrics improved greatly since the 1980s? Isn't the Shovelhead the antithesis of an electric razor?
Just out of curiosity, I shaved a few times wet with a Braun 7 and Braun 9 a few months ago.
I face-lathered the usual way with brush and shaving soap or cream.
It quickly became obvious that the optimum amount of lather required was just a thin coat.
The wet shave with an electric razor also required some cleaning effort afterwards, which was not difficult with the cleaning station provided, and some lubrication after every wet shave.
They were reasonably comfortable shaves, but did of course not solve the inherent problem of electric shavers: as there is a thin metal foil between the cutting blades and the skin, the shave can never be as close as a shave where the razor blade glides directly over the skin.
Electric razors have become much better than what I experienced when I was given an electric shaver in the 70s, technically it may even be called wet-shaving when done with lather and water, but it is clearly not what I call traditional wet shaving and even at its best does not hold a candle to a shave with safety or straight razor.
B.
+1! Sometimes the FAQ actually answer FAQ!!
Anything that requires the use of water basically. You are absolutely correct. I believe that the term "traditional shaving" would be more accurate. There are electric shavers where water/soap can be used but I wouldn't put that in the "traditional" category.
Ron R
I survived a lathey foreman
To myself traditional wet shaving means Keep It Simple Shaving = Water, brush, Razor (Straight, SE, DE) , blade + aftershave lotions.
What about soap or cream? Or do you shave like the caveman did and just use water? I wonder if they used any kind of animal fat or plant oil for lubrication?
I can't remember; is water supposed to be used with canned goo like Gillette? It's been so long since I used that stuff that I don't remember whether I wet my face first or not.
Ron R
I survived a lathey foreman
I use to start with a wet face and wet hands then applied my edge gel to face and always worked well for myself. It seemed to make it a little slicker and not many issues with the Gillette cartridge razors I used at all. I preferred gel to foam, my skin felt better and work most of the time for great results I recall. To much water the gel slips out of the hand when applying into the sink also so there is a fine line, a few tries is all that is needed I recall.
Ron R
I survived a lathey foreman
Looks like I forgot the soap or cream, a few fellows do shave with just water no doubt!
That's the way I look at it too.
I refer to using safety razors instead of cartridge style as traditional shaving.
OK, Phil I got your point. But...
Sometimes I get very early in the morning and shave with a brush, cream from a tube and Sensor Excel / Mach3. Which category does that fall under? Traditional or Modern Wet shaving?
I think that’s where it gets a little blurry. A few days ago I used a Trac II from 1980, vintage Personna Twin II blades, vintage Williams soap from the Glen Rock, NJ plant and one of my Ever-Ready brushes that I restored several years ago. Somehow this seems more “traditional” than some of the setups using all modern produced items.
I think the distinction between traditional and modern is the use of a modern razor rather than the use of traditional soap/brush.
But that's just my opinion, so take it with a grain!
But that's just my opinion, so take it with a grain!
What if you don't have a shower in your house? can you never have a wet shave?
As far as I'm concerned if you use water with your shave you're wet shaving. That's pretty much a given, it speaks for itself.
Even when I was cartridge shaving I used the canned goo with water so I've been wetshaving all my adult life. 35 years or so.
I haven't shaved in the shower since I was seven years old. If you're not fully submerged, you're not wet shaving. Shower shaving is at least closer than the other nonsense in this thread, but it's still just damp shaving as far as I'm concerned.
I find the term quite humorous, actually. I know very few that dry shave...it hurts! (Electric shavers, aside)
