I was wondering this week if any of you guys worry about the history of wetshaving? Obviously as many on this site are aware the pastime is seeing an incredible resurgence in popularity, press, and attention. How do you think it will respond? Will it either be positive, with more amazing companies springing up with great products and also forcing disposable giants like Gillette to go back to their roots and maybe make something along the lines of a reintroduced DE? Or, due to the demand, will companies that have been flying under the popular radar for decades and centuries like Trumpers, Harris, TOBS, etc. to start skimping on quality? These companies have sttod the test of time, quietly making their quality soaps, but will you start seeing Trumper's add in magazines? Just wanted to here everyone thoughts. Is it good to alert the masses, or do you want to keep wetshaving your best kept secret?
worried about the future of Wetshave?
- Thread starter superpacker
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i think as many people as possible should know about it. spread the word- tell your friends. convert as many as possible.
It can only help if traditional wetshaving gains in popularity, but, like all relatively esoteric endeavors, it will ultimately appeal primarily to only a small percentage of the population. Sadly, I believe that most people are more interested in convenience than they are in quality.
On the other hand, I don't fear for the future of wetshaving, because I also believe that we are a reasonably strong minority -- Perfectionist shaving isn't going away any time soon.
Enjoy!
On the other hand, I don't fear for the future of wetshaving, because I also believe that we are a reasonably strong minority -- Perfectionist shaving isn't going away any time soon.
Enjoy!
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Well put.
As far as I know, a lot of the world doesn't have access to endless aisles of cartridge razors and canned goo. What we do here might be properly termed luxury wetshaving--taking a necessity and making it into a pleasureable experience and a sink for disposable income. Wetshaving in and of itself is not going anywhere. Luxury wetshaving will probably remain a niche. What I predict is a surge of common denominator wetshavers, who will be supplied by major manufacturers with average, overpriced equipment in a marketing attempt to create an artificial class of 'sophisticated shaver' whom are willing to pay a substantial markup for a product that isn't all that superior (and won't produce great shaves b/c as we all know, it's prep and deliberately making time in your day that contribute the most to a decent shave). The designer jeans of wetshaving, call it (see: $100 for a Mach 3 handle). Pay a lot, don't bother to prep, get mediocre shaves, and still feel superior to the folks who shave with disposables.
I agree, some people actually like canned goo or lawnmowers for the face. It`s beyond me.
This is why you need to feed the RAD, SCAD, SSAD, RBAD, etc. 
The only thing thicking is the blades for me. At the moment they are fairly easy to get. After Gillette's blow of removing the Swedes, they can do anything. I have a few blades that I need to try but I am almost set.
Having said that, someone else said on this forum that third world country will never be able to buy the outragous Mach3 cartridges (too expensive). Gillette won't lower the price of those blades (that wouldn't make any sense). So, as long as the country can't afford the Mach3, we are safe...
The only thing thicking is the blades for me. At the moment they are fairly easy to get. After Gillette's blow of removing the Swedes, they can do anything. I have a few blades that I need to try but I am almost set.
Having said that, someone else said on this forum that third world country will never be able to buy the outragous Mach3 cartridges (too expensive). Gillette won't lower the price of those blades (that wouldn't make any sense). So, as long as the country can't afford the Mach3, we are safe...
Or they simply don't know any better. I shaved with a Trac ii and a can of Edge for 35 or more years (the last 12 of them I had a full beard, but still had to shave around the edges to give it some form). I never liked the idea of the swiveling head, but the fixed head trac ii never bothered me. I thought I was doing great, and I had no idea that weshaving, as I now know it, even existed. When my gold plated Polo Trac ii handle broke late last year, I replaced it with a very nice M3 handle, but I still didn't like those swiveling heads. When I started poking around for a replacement for my Trac ii, I stumbled upon this "sport" of wetshaving, got myself a Barberpole and a badger brush, and here I am.
But, if my housekeeper hadn't dropped my Trac ii, forcing me out of my comfort zone, I never would have known what I was missing, and I'd still be buying a new can of Edge every few months, with an occasional bottle of Gillette AS gel and maybe some Mennen Skin Bracer.
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The only concern I have is blades.
As carts move into the lower economic parts of the world (companies reducing profit margin for market gain, and salaries increasing), I'm concerned that Gillette and ASR will close or convert their remaining blade factories to making carts (as they have already started to do).
That leaves Derby and Lord and Dorco and the Chinese factories, if even those remain (Lord and Dorco already make multi-blade atrocities).
Soap/cream, fragrance, razor, and brush makers seem to be willing to fill the niche markets. Blades, however, are a commodity, and that's how they view their world. If a factory is far more profitable making carts than DE blades, then that's what they shall make.
P.S. I'm grateful for the number of small business and hobby soap makers who are willing to try their hands at shaving soaps, even though soaps don't work for me with a darn.
As carts move into the lower economic parts of the world (companies reducing profit margin for market gain, and salaries increasing), I'm concerned that Gillette and ASR will close or convert their remaining blade factories to making carts (as they have already started to do).
That leaves Derby and Lord and Dorco and the Chinese factories, if even those remain (Lord and Dorco already make multi-blade atrocities).
Soap/cream, fragrance, razor, and brush makers seem to be willing to fill the niche markets. Blades, however, are a commodity, and that's how they view their world. If a factory is far more profitable making carts than DE blades, then that's what they shall make.
P.S. I'm grateful for the number of small business and hobby soap makers who are willing to try their hands at shaving soaps, even though soaps don't work for me with a darn.
This is a niche industry and will probably remain that way. I don't think we will ever number in the millions so large corporations won't see it as a threat and respond accordingly.
Me too - it's why I'm trying to estimate how many more blades I need to buy to be set for life (with some slack in case of 'catastophe', like my son - now 6 -half-inching them when he starts shaving
). I think I have around 18-20 years supply on hand now, but I don't plan on dropping off the perch for another 40+ years, so I need more blades 
- but it's not critical at the moment since they're still readily available 
I hope so, because if it becomes too popular, government will find a way to tax each shave. Or at least attach a fee and/or require us to get a barber's license and take classes in order to shave ourselves.
Commander Quan
Commander Yellow Pantyhose
The higher the cost of cartridges goes up the more it will push people to find other alternatives. There are tons of people here that introduce themselves and say that they found B&B because they were looking for an alternative to the high priced blades they had been using. It's elementary school economics the higher the price the lower the demand. I was one of those people. I'm not really interested in the rad, sad, scad, I just wanted to be able to shave without breaking the bank, the fact that it's the same quality if not better than the shaves I was getting before I switched is just a bonus.
I, too, fear that DE blade manufacturing may be phased out in order to push shavers to more expensive cartridges. As far as blades go, we are only benefiting from the many shavers in less developed regions of the world who still rely on DE for the most economical shaves. I don't think our small "gourmet shaving" community could sustain even one DE manufacturer.
500 Israil personnas should keep me stocked for the next 5 years.
One can always make their own melt and pour shave soap though there will be a cottage inustry by someone available
Brushes 3 nic badgers should last 15+ years
Aftershave will never go out of style
One can always make their own melt and pour shave soap though there will be a cottage inustry by someone available
Brushes 3 nic badgers should last 15+ years
Aftershave will never go out of style
+1. I have enough razors to presumably last me the rest of my life. I guess I had better buy enough Red IP's to do the same.
Me too - it's why I'm trying to estimate how many more blades I need to buy to be set for life (with some slack in case of 'catastophe', like my son - now 6 -half-inching them when he starts shaving
So let's do the maths.
Your son is 6, he will probably start shaving in 10 years and steal your blades. Blades will probably still be available in 10 years but let's say they won't for this exercise.
You currently use a blade for probably 3-4 shaves, that leaves us with around 100 blades/year. So it means you will need 1000 blades for the next 10 years. Then, your son will need some, so your supply will have to double. We are now up to 200 blades/year. You will shave for, mmm, let's say 40 more years after that? that would be 8000 blades, plus you son will need some more... What if he has kids? Mmm... A straight would be better
What scares me is is groups like Art of Shaving that will promoting expensive brushes, accessories, creams, and Mach 3 shavers.
I don't know how many shave sets I have seen for $100+ selling a boar brush, stand, cartridge type razor, and some shave cream.
I don't know how many shave sets I have seen for $100+ selling a boar brush, stand, cartridge type razor, and some shave cream.
Regarding the third-world markets for cartridge blades, I may have mentioned that Gillette in Mexico address this issue by selling the cartridges individually or in packs of 2. In the years I lived there, I do not recall seeing DE blades in the WalMarts and supermarkets we shopped in (which is not to say, naturally, that they were not avaialable).
Though I normally come down on the side of the pessimists in this discussion, I do think that, because of the networked economy and ease of shipping, that the DE shavers can prop up a DE blade manufacturer. It might not be making ten-cent IPs, but think 50-cent Feathers. People were willing to pay up to a dollar a blade for the old "Swedish" Gillettes. And it's not like Gillette melted down that equipment: they sold it or re-purposed it. OK, so now someone else has the equipment to make the "Swedish" Gillettes.
Heck, I bought some injector and SE blades intended for biology labs. (Ted Pella, that is). There is a market to manufacture DE blades.
DE shaving will be around for a while; we shouldn't have any illusions of taking even 5% of the market from Gillette/Schick/ASR, but we don't need 5% to make it worth someone's trouble to manufacture good quality blades.
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