What makes Someone a "Wetshaver?"

[Boyextraordinare]

Would using a Fusion and canned goo, lathered onto wet skin quality one as such?

Or does a Wetshaver need to know what he's doing to a certain extent; understand that the first pass should be WTG, then next XTG, etc.?

Or does a Wetshaver need to have some sort of less than customary tool - a DE razor, a brush and soap, etc.?

[SilverKarn]

Technically "Wet Shaving" is simply shaving with water and soap/cream instead of canned stuff.

You dont even need a DE razor to Wet Shave. But you do need a brush and soap/cream.

[jpkunst]

Where I'm from, "wetshaving" is anything that's not electric. (I'm talking about the term as used by the general public, not people who frequent shaving forums.)

[Zach]

Although 'wet shaving' is a term that can be defined as simply as it already has been, we here all know that it is also an expression for our hobby, which absolutely means brush, soap or cream, single edge, hot water, gradual reduction via multiple passes, etc.

For example, what is food?
Well, you can get a meal at McDonald's if you want to, that's food, technically.

[Harry]

So is Mc Donlads fast goo ?

[Nitrox]

I've always thought that wet shaving entails using a soap or cream with water (wet) and a brush.
The razor doesn't really matter, but a DE is preferable since this is how a lot of us started shaving and is the 'classic' way to shave.

[Zach]

Exactly, Harry; my parallel was something quick and easy, versus, say, preparing a gourmet meal. The benefits are quick and easy, maybe throw in cheap as well, but how does the meal compare?

[Harry]

I supose after the past year i would have to go back to the canned goo and the vibrating razor to compare the too , but as they are both long gone all i can say is Mc Donalds is off the menu

[Crhis]

Or does a Wetshaver need to know what he's doing to a certain extent; understand that the first pass should be WTG, then next XTG, etc.?

It should?

But yeah, I class anything that uses water at some point as wet shaving.

[The Zook]

For me the end result is the same, a smooth irritation free shave.

Just depends how much time I want to spend doing it. You can make this as luxurious as you want, or sometimes need. But to say spending 20 minutes shaving versus 5 minutes = a better shave isn't necessarily true - the same thing goes for a single blade vs multi blade razor. I get awesome shaves with my Sensor, Mach3, Fusion, HeadBlade, etc... I also get awesome shaves with my vintage single blade razors, just depends on what mood I'm in.

Wet shaving is what it is... shaving with water/lubricant and some form of cutting device.

By the way, I make ONE pass on my head and it's against the grain... I get BBS shaves every morning with no irritation using a multi blade cartridge.

[Big Ren]

we here all know that it is also an expression for our hobby, which absolutely means brush, soap or cream, single edge, hot water, gradual reduction via multiple passes, etc.

[Zach]

Good point, Ren.
I didn't mean SE when I said single edge, I meant "a single edge"
As is SE, DE, Injector, Straight, etc.

Sorry for the ambiguous post; you can use a Fusion if you like, but I think our hobby recommends that you do not if you don't have to

[GollyMrScience]

Wet shaving is just that - shaving with wet stuff rather than dry stuff.
Within the wet shaving there are degrees.
We like to discuss the elite class of wet shaving but even the poor benighted souls who still scrape away with a multi blade cartridge and canned goop are wetshaving. Its not our fault they aren't havng any fun doing it.

[The Zook]

Its not our fault they aren't havng any fun doing it.

Why does almost everyone on these forums assume this?

[Crhis]

I think it's a fair assumption. Most everyone I've spoken to about shaving hates it and views it as a chore. Anecdotal and I'm sure there are exceptions but still a reasonable guess based on that.

[D.Irving79]

my interpritation: single edge. soap. brush.

[Zach]

I think it's a fair assumption. Most everyone I've spoken to about shaving hates it and views it as a chore. Anecdotal and I'm sure there are exceptions but still a reasonable guess based on that.

+1

The term 'wet shave' as something different than what everyone was doing really started with this post a couple of years ago.
It's just a term he chose; sure, it does literally mean "everything but electric shaving" but WE have made it mean "our world" and as such when WE refer to wet shaving, we refer to "our thing"

So when you ask this question, on this forum, this is the answer. This is what WE mean by wet shaving.
If you prefer to refer to is as Cosa Nostra, that would be fine, as well, and you should not imply and criminal activity.

I'm assuming Gordon is busy shopping for some Champagne or something else that's preventing him from opening up his can of shaving whoop ass on this thread.

[Big Ren]

We like to discuss the elite class of wet shaving but even the poor benighted souls who still scrape away with a multi blade cartridge and canned goop are wetshaving. Its not our fault they aren't havng any fun doing it.

Inferno, Canto I

"Nel mezzo del cammin di nostra vita
mi ritrovai per una selva oscura,
che la diritta via era smarrita"



Ren

[Crhis]

I think you're getting yourself in to a whole heap of problems if you don't just draw the line and be done with it.

Is a soap user more of a wetshaver than a cream user? What about straight users compared to DE (or *gasp* injectors and the like) users? What about a chap who hones and uses his own straight razor and uses a brushless cream compared to a DE user lathering up with a brush? And how about those who use all the soaps/creams etc. and use an ivory handled cartridge razor? Would it change if they were only using the plastic handle? And how about those 'wetshaving' electrics?

There's just so much variance in what people use even on this board that trying to draw definite lines other than 'it uses water' would be too hard.

[GollyMrScience]

Is a person who drives a Geo NOT a driver while a Ferrari driver is?
No - they are all drivers.
If you went to the Ferrari forum they might think differently and unfairly so as far as I am concerned.
As for assuming the cartridge and goop guys are not having fun I may be assuming too much but I was perhaps speaking for myself. I withdraw the implication that cartridge shavers are NOT having the time of their lives.