There are so many wet shaving videos on YouTube. Here's how I feel. Some videos stand out for one reason or another. And others do not. Here is how I feel about a few of them. Most hype -- Mark Szorady. Most boring -- sgrdddy_shaves. Most loveable and unpretentious -- Wet Shaving With Angelo. Then there are those videos where the video poster ends almost every sentence with a question mark intonation. Shave 326 and The Wet Shave Experience come to mind. There are more. I am of an older generation where a question mark intonation came at the end of a sentence that actually posed a question. Today, it has become a widespread linguistic trait to have a question mark at the end of every sentence. My ears find this rather odd -- that the intonation of a statement and a question sound the same. Everything sounds like a question. A sign of the changing times. How do you feel about the various wet shaving channels?
YouTube wet shaving channels
- Thread starter Ken88
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EclipseRedRing
I smell like a Christmas pudding
I watched a couple years ago and soon realised they were nothing but shills trying to monetize themselves and push their latest cheaply made Chinese garbage from the good folks at XYZ, along with a crappy brush with their name on it. The days of YT shave channels are over, I am surprised anybody watches them, certainly anyone that has the great resourse of Badger and Blade at their fingertips.
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- #3
I agree. Monetizing has become a motivating feature for many of these channels. Conflict of interest predominates. And, in many cases, there is no conflict of interest at all. The predominant interest is in creating affiliate income.
I have looked at many of them over the past few months. My opinion? Every single one of them sucks. Really sucks. I have enjoyed the non-shaving videos for Razor Emporium where the guy does Gillette history of razor stuff. I never paid any attention to that stuff before but now I find it interesting. I prefer Seinfeld blooper reels...
Rhody
I'm a Lumberjack.
I watched several from the doctor years back to understand technique but quickly realized most other yt stars were reviewing products they got for free and of course absolutely loved. I suppose some are entertaining but it’s not for me.
I love watching someone with a mustache and goatee shave and tell you how great a razor is or isn't.... Sometimes, I wonder if they even have a blade in the razor and don't shave off camera first.. clear up the nicks, scrapes and weepers... take the blade out, wait for their faces to stop bleeding, then shave for the "audience".
You don't need skill or personality to make a YouTube Channel. All you need is a camera.
What used to be a decent resource for "how to" resolution of common home, automobile and other issues has become a wasteland of boneheads envisioning themselves as influencers and video stars.
Trying to find useful information has become more difficult with every passing year.
If I only had a dime for every time some schmo on YouTube encourages me to "go ahead and click that subscribe button", I'd be a rich man.
What used to be a decent resource for "how to" resolution of common home, automobile and other issues has become a wasteland of boneheads envisioning themselves as influencers and video stars.
Trying to find useful information has become more difficult with every passing year.
If I only had a dime for every time some schmo on YouTube encourages me to "go ahead and click that subscribe button", I'd be a rich man.
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- #9
And then there are the videos where they feature up front a special razor and you're waiting for comments and evaluation -- and then they proceed to talk about nothing else than the scents of the shave soap and the splash while mentioning nothing at all about the quality of the shave or the razor that they advertise that they are supposedly featuring.
Maybe I'm a bit less cynical than average. I think the person new to this type of shaving might not have someone to show them the basics. Some of the older video channels were more "how to" oriented than product oriented. But after you have learned the basic skills, I'm not sure if there's much further benefit to these videos.
Most of what a person has to say in a ten minute video could be summarized in two or three well-written paragraphs. Not to mention, watching someone else shave is really, really boring.
Most of what a person has to say in a ten minute video could be summarized in two or three well-written paragraphs. Not to mention, watching someone else shave is really, really boring.
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- #11
If I had a dollar for every time Mark Szorady uses the word smooth I'd be a millionaire. His work epitomizes affiliate-driven wet shaving videos. All of the hype and acting. Give us break, Mark.Maybe I'm a bit less cynical than average. I think the person new to this type of shaving might not have someone to show them the basics. Some of the older video channels were more "how to" oriented than product oriented. But after you have learned the basic skills, I'm not sure if there's much further benefit to these videos.
Most of what a person has to say in a ten minute video could be summarized in two or three well-written paragraphs. Not to mention, watching someone else shave is really, really boring.
I watched maybe one or two, they are all too boring...the topic is dragged out, so I lost interest pretty fast. And as some said, they probably get some free stuff and they praise it over the moon.
Same with other youtube vids produced by Bob or Joe in their home...They are all too long. I watched a few re-loading videos and what could be done and shown in 3 minutes is dragged into 20+ minute video. Not worth my time.
Same with other youtube vids produced by Bob or Joe in their home...They are all too long. I watched a few re-loading videos and what could be done and shown in 3 minutes is dragged into 20+ minute video. Not worth my time.
I have to say, I find kevyshaves to be a likeable fellow but I have to fast forward to the end almost always. kensurfs and sinatralennon, to think of two that come across as hucksters are unwatchable.
When I'm considering an item to purchase, I do YT searches. Sometimes you get lucky, often you don't. I find geofatboy, while not particularly entertaining IMO does give some helpful reviews even though he's got a store he sells from. Good guy to teach newbies some proper technique as is/was Mantic59.
When I'm considering an item to purchase, I do YT searches. Sometimes you get lucky, often you don't. I find geofatboy, while not particularly entertaining IMO does give some helpful reviews even though he's got a store he sells from. Good guy to teach newbies some proper technique as is/was Mantic59.
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- #14
Since I'm only interested in razors, I really don't care if an Youtuber is trying to impress me with anything else and I'm mostly watching videos about vintage razors to get some inside information and learn something I haven't heard of before. I also watch reviews about modern razor from time to time, but mostly on models that I'm already interested in and I just want to hear what they think, but their opinion alone wouldn't be enough to make me buy something.
There're indeed a lot of shills out there, who mostly use Chinese razors while others praise ''artisan'' cosmetics like soaps and aftershaves and are trying to push them, but you have to remember that the people are coming to their channels, not the other way around and what better way to promote something and earn some money in the process.
Others have the so called ''shaving superiority complex'', which makes them believe that their way of shaving is on a whole new level that most people will never be able to achieve, but such individuals can be found in other places too.
The most important thing to understand is that they are human beings like us and we all have our dreams, goals, opinions, preferences, biases and what not. I don't think that that we're not very different from most Youtubers, it's just that we don't show it that much.
There're indeed a lot of shills out there, who mostly use Chinese razors while others praise ''artisan'' cosmetics like soaps and aftershaves and are trying to push them, but you have to remember that the people are coming to their channels, not the other way around and what better way to promote something and earn some money in the process.
Others have the so called ''shaving superiority complex'', which makes them believe that their way of shaving is on a whole new level that most people will never be able to achieve, but such individuals can be found in other places too.
The most important thing to understand is that they are human beings like us and we all have our dreams, goals, opinions, preferences, biases and what not. I don't think that that we're not very different from most Youtubers, it's just that we don't show it that much.
the funny part is the scent reviews. I can name 1 or 2 of the top notes if I'm lucky. Anyway, I bought an artisan splash based on some reviews here and there plus the manufacturers notes, and of course some youtube "reviews". It is a roll of the dice anyway with scents. My wife's review of the "superb complex scent": you smell like an aroma candle. she is not wrong, but a pleasant one, I may add 
Haircut Harry is a good watch. Less about a man shaving but more about travelling to different barber shops.
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- #18
Your point is well taken. What I am observing and commenting on are the relative merits of these videos -- the things that make them worth watching for me. I find some are worth spending the time on, while most are not. It is just that there is so much drivel and commercialism in so many of them that it is a waste of time watching most of them all the way through. Fast-forward, or click and move on.
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- #19
Let's have some fun. Here are my Magnificent 11 YouTube Shavers under 11 categories, with my personal choices. What are your personal choices?
Most Hype: Mark Szorady
Most Boring: sgrdddy_shaves
Most Loveable: Wet Shaving With Angelo
Most Digressive (talks about everything but the razor):
tie between Kensurfs and SinatraLennon
Most Questioning (every statement sounds like a question?):
a tie between Shave 326 and The Wet Shave Experience
Most Focused and Informative: Zen Shaves
Most Shaves From 1 Blade: sgrdddy_shaves
Most Speedy: IAMCDP
Most Eccentric: SILKY SMOOTH
Most Slow Motion: a tie between Friendship Shaving and sgrdddy_shaves
Most Shaves With No Visible Stubble: Mark Szorady
Most Hype: Mark Szorady
Most Boring: sgrdddy_shaves
Most Loveable: Wet Shaving With Angelo
Most Digressive (talks about everything but the razor):
tie between Kensurfs and SinatraLennon
Most Questioning (every statement sounds like a question?):
a tie between Shave 326 and The Wet Shave Experience
Most Focused and Informative: Zen Shaves
Most Shaves From 1 Blade: sgrdddy_shaves
Most Speedy: IAMCDP
Most Eccentric: SILKY SMOOTH
Most Slow Motion: a tie between Friendship Shaving and sgrdddy_shaves
Most Shaves With No Visible Stubble: Mark Szorady
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