What is wet shaving......

**FloridaRich** · 02-03-2012, 06:47 AM

I have been wet shaving for 6 months......I bought a scuttle, TOBS, shavemac brush etc.....EJ89......feather blades........the whole nine yards.....I was getting great shaves but noticed that the blade was tugging, especially around my chin area.....I made great lathers with peaks.....then last week I thought about it, what is wet shaving.....I looked at my lather and it was a lather.....thick white peaks.....but one thing I noticed.....it wasn't really wet. So I experimented....next shave I did not shake out my brush after refilling my scuttle with hot water.....I scooped out my TOBS avocado cream and spread it on the tip of my brush......then I started mixing......after a few swirls I had a burst of bubbly lather.....mixed more and the cream exploded even more......when I finished mixing I had an almost runny mix.....I brushed it on my face.....dripping cream.....brushing in circles on my face.....the cream exploded even more......then the shave.....a smooth skip free shave that required only 3 passes instead of my usual 4 passes.....moral of this story....the wetter the cream the better the shave.....try it and see if it works for you.....

**Dave101st** · 02-03-2012, 07:10 AM

I agree, Rich...I am experimenting with my lather looking to make it as wet as possible short of runny and overdone..

Dave

**ateace** · 02-03-2012, 07:18 AM

Water is your friend.

**chado006** · 02-03-2012, 07:19 AM

I was making the same mistake myself. When you first start, you're comparing the lather you whip up to that fluffy Barbasol you squirt into your hand. It's pretty hard to get that out of your head but once you do, it's a crazy difference.

**turtle** · 02-03-2012, 07:37 AM

I do not shake out a brush. Pull it from soaking and let it dangle until the water slows down flowing out of it. Then right into the bowl where I have placed a dollop of cream.

You will find that your brush holds the right amount of water if you just let the brush take the water from the soak into the bowl. Does not matter what brush you use, it will know how much water it can hold (brushes are smart things)

I use a plastic ice cream sample spoon to scoop out my cream (can't remember if the spoon came from Ben & Jerry's or Baskin Robbins or another ice cream shop). It is tiny and holds the exact amount of cream for a perfect lather and because I use the same spoon every time and use the same amount of cream on it every time, I get very consistent, perfect, lathers every time.

**deruitem** · 02-03-2012, 08:42 AM

I did the same thing for a long time. Thick and creamy, but a little more wet seems to work the best

**FloridaRich** · 02-03-2012, 09:31 AM

I will take pics when I have some time of the stages of my mix.....

**mattymatt** · 02-03-2012, 10:01 AM

This took me a while to learn as well. I now use more water.

**BlackBard** · 02-03-2012, 10:06 AM

YMMV is the watch word. I have always thought that creams were prone to being too thick, when lathered, compared to soaps. Bottom line - you must find your own best way to create the lather that works for you.

Edit: Upon thinking over my remark, I realized that it is not the cream's fault, but mine. I tend to make lather that is too thick when I use cream. Maybe it's because I have used soap for so many years.

**turtle** · 02-03-2012, 10:26 AM

A B&B member just PMed me and asked how much it holds. I stuck it into the sugar then transferred the contents to measuring spoons.

That plastic sampler holds a rounded 1/4 tsp so if you have a 1/4 tsp measuring spoon just get a little mound over level and that is what the sample spoon holds. You can adjust up or down from that but you will get a consistent amount of cream every time once you have your "scoop size" figured out

Should make it easier for everyone if they don't want to go to all of the ice cream joints in town looking for a sample spoon

Originally Posted by Island Dreamer

That ice cream sampler spoon is great! I use a little plastic knife but I like the spoon better.

I used a plastic knife too until I came across the spoon. I found it hard to be consistent as there was no reference on the knife as to how much I took out each time. Spoon is more consistent as I just fill it up like I did the last time

**dpmtherrien** · 02-03-2012, 03:11 PM

I like that small spoon idea. Thanks.

**Songwind** · 02-04-2012, 09:49 PM

I did the same thing! I was getting decent shaves, sure, but the lather when I add enough water makes it even better.

**turtle** · 02-04-2012, 10:00 PM

This was today's lather. Just a spoon full of cream and the scuttle was filled to the top.

**Jacob Robertson** · 02-04-2012, 10:13 PM

Let us assume that one is on a budget, and wants to use as little as possible. As in, have just enough to do 2-3 passes. Let us also assume that one is using Proraso. How much would one need to use? (Let us also assume that one's name starts with a J and that he is a cheap-@**.)

**mftoms59** · 02-05-2012, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by Jacob Robertson

Let us assume that one is on a budget, and wants to use as little as possible. As in, have just enough to do 2-3 passes. Let us also assume that one is using Proraso. How much would one need to use? (Let us also assume that one's name starts with a J and that he is a cheap-@**.)

spread the cream directly on your face, in a thin white film, then face lather.

**cluelessdude** · 02-05-2012, 10:44 AM

Okay guess I gotta get a Baskin Robbins spoon lol.

**ajs2294** · 02-05-2012, 10:48 AM

Shaving with H20!

**BlackBard** · 02-05-2012, 01:22 PM

Originally Posted by cluelessdude

Okay guess I gotta get a Baskin Robbins spoon lol.

There's always room for ice cream.

**gwlee7** · 02-05-2012, 03:23 PM

Originally Posted by BlackBard

There's always room for ice cream.

I have a theory: A person can be depressed before eating ice cream, and after eating ice cream; but never while eating ice cream.

**gwlee7** · 02-05-2012, 05:06 PM

So, After taking this thread seriously as well as not so seriously, I got my lather considerably "wetter" for tonight's shave and what do you know, I had a nice slick lather that let the razor (tech with a new derby extra) slide effortlessly across my face for what has to be my first true DFS and no real irritation except for a couple of greedy ATG weepers. Thanks a million!!!