Quote Originally Posted by Shorty
Where we live on the South coast of England, the water hardness is very high and perhaps this isn't helping matters too much. I will prove the point perhaps by trying some good quality bottled water to lather up with and see how it goes.
Hi Steve. Where I am in Swindon we also have quite hard water. What I tried for a while was pouring some water from our Brita filter jug in the kitchen (for the kettle) into a mug and microwaving it for 2 mins, then using that for the lather.

However, in my experience it doesn't seem to make much difference to using very hot water from the tap. From my chemistry days, the hardness in the water will bind with some of the soap and after that it will lather just fine, you just need to use a tiny bit more soap/cream than in a soft water area.

I stopped bothering with filtered water, it was too much hassle and provided no major benefit.

Try starting with more cream/soap than you need, as it seems to make lathering a bit easier. Then slowly reduce the amount of lather you make as you get mor proficient. I started off using creams as I found them easier to lather when i was learning, but I have since switched to soaps which I find give me a slightly smoother shave.

Of course your mileage may vary, you should trry a few things out and see what works for you. Good luck and don't be afraid to ask questions, it's a very friendly bunch in here.