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How many brushes does a wet shaver own? Some have up to a hundred. Most seem to have at least two dozen, all in rotation, so you can use a different one each day. And, they post pictures of their brush collections. Needless to say, some prefer a large knot (the amount of hair packed into the handle), and others like them much smaller. You, of course, bloom your brush before the shave. That is when you sit it in a bowl of hot water for five or 10 minutes before use.

Keep post-shave towel in the freezer

Many forum members hot towel before the shave. And, a few use an ice cold towel after the shave. How do they get the towel ice cold? They keep it in the freezer and take it out just before use.

And just about everyone uses witch hazel after the shave. Then they apply an aftershave, and then an aftershave balm.

Do these gentlemen have anything in common? Well, yes. Their writing is grammatically correct, without spelling mistakes, well organized, and clear. They present facts with specifics, not generalities (“I like my water at 125 degrees F. in my shaving bowl.” “I spend 15 minutes shaving during the week, 19 to 22 minutes on Saturdays.”) They always cite sources of information. They’re always positive, respectful, refined, helpful, and totally honest about themselves. Most appear to be married. And, they seem very content with their lives … actually, most seem very happy with their lot in life.

Who are the members of this elite group? That question was asked on the largest forum, and the answers included long distance truck drivers (they take a full shaving kit with them on every trip), police officers, surgeons, teachers, computer programmers, skilled tradesmen, lab technicians, and lots and lots of retired gentlemen. I recently attended a wet shavers meet-up. Here’s who I met: a landscaper, dentist, hearse driver, street cleaner, two university grad students, paint salesman, carpenter, scientist, two hair stylists, firefighter, two computer systems designers, writer, actor, professor, and three guys who were “in-between jobs.” The age ranged from mid-20s to mid-40s (except the hearse driver and me).