I would say they are less “clicky” if they get wet, the rust can transfer to a towel, bag, etc. I am currently playing the the SM8 in raw, but only have 2 rounds in on them, so they haven’t fully rusted up yet. When they do get rusty, you can easily clean them up to remove excessive rust.

I've had raw, oil can, black nickel, and tour chrome over the years.

To me, raw definitely feels the softest.

You can control how much rust builds up. I always used a brillo pad to clean them every few rounds. Some guys really let it build up.

I never had any problem with it getting on clothes but it can get on your towel when you clean the club (if you've got a LOT on there).

I've really grown to love the tour chrome finish, though. I want a crisp feel around the greens nowadays. Seems to provide the most feedback for me.

Hope this helps!

WW

Softer? Hard to say, sound is more muted perhaps which makes them seem softer. I have played raw wedges exclusively for nearly 20 years, never any issues with rust residue. You can control the rate of rust or slow down or speed up depending on your preference. I prefer a slow rust and just make sure they are clean and dry after a round, always stored at room temperature - never leave them in a trunk or garage for that matter. If you want them to turn full on rust right away soak them in a bucket of saltwater overnight, they will be orange by morning. I like the dull multishade colors of light and dark metal mixed with some rust elements- looks best that way to me.

I have played the raw wedges and can't say that they feel any softer than the Black Oxide that I normally play. Personally, I don't see the need to pay extra for the raw, I use the Black Oxide as my standard finish. They wear over time and get a slight rust on them. I also go through 3 sets of wedges a year, so the extra cost of the raw is not something I really want.

I have an SM7 raw 50 degree gap wedge. I read an article that was saying raw wedges can provide some more spin, don't know the truth behind this but it was interesting to read. Played it for the second half of the season last year and I loved the look of the raw finish. It felt a little softer on pitch shots (40-60 yds) I would say. Haven't had any issues so far with rust getting on any of my gear. Hope this helps!

The article is correct in theory - if you take a wedge with no finish applied (raw) and then compare it with a wedge that had a finish applied you reduce the sharpness and depth of the grooves. Walk on your driveway barefoot compared to walking with a sock on. Slight difference, but noticeable. However, with Vokey wedges whether they are Raw, Tour Chrome, Brushed Steel, Jet Black - doesn't matter, they calibrate the wedges to perform with equal spin regardless of finish, similar to how they calibrate the spin and groove design specific to certain lofts to make sure not to overspin or underspin. Within the Vokey line the finish is purely aesthetics/feel/personal preference but they should all perform the same. Raw may be popular on tour for the preferred look/no glare finish, but more likely is a raw wedge is easier to make adjustments/grind to their preferences without having to refinish it again.

I play sm7 raw and they do seem to feel a little softer. I don’t have a rust residue problem. I really enjoy look of them.