Thread: Hard water? Slickness killer?

Can hard water be a lather slickness killer? I have been straight shaving for over 3 years and moved to a new spot less than a year ago. Here is what I usually do before a shave.

I get home after a run
take a shower
leaving the water on my face
get to the sink re apply more hot water
load brush build lather on my face add more water the lather is a little runny but stable
go to shave and wham the blade won’t plow through the beard hair feels tuggy
wipe off lather add more water and a small amount of shave oil
re apply lather
we are now back on track smooth and keen shaving and I have no idea what just happened???

Can’t understand what the heck is going on but the blade feels dull but isn’t proven by the shave oil. Maybe my skin type could be too tacky? So maybe the hard water is killing the slickness?

Try with bottled water, just to see.

I thought perhaps it could be that you were still sweating from the run/hot shower and that could be causing the lack of slickness. I typically don't shave after a shower as I find my shaves are never as good for me personally, but I assume that this is your normal routine.

It's a strange one for sure especially since you have been doing this for a good while now. Has anything else changed in the routine? Maybe it was just an off day, it happens. I tried a new soap a while back and had the same issues, I thought that the blade was dull, but had the same issues the next time that soap came round in my rotation. So many things can cause the shave to go south, and everyone is different.

Good luck with this and I hope you get to the bottom of it.

Hard water can do a lot to some soaps. You didn't mention if you have the same soap/cream you've been using, or if this is a different/new soap.

There's a thread around here about hard water, let me see if I can find it

EDIT: Just type in "hard water" in th esearch box in the upper right corner of the page. It will give you links to several threads about it here

When I first got into wet shaving with a DE I went crazy buying artisan shave soap, mainly because of the scents they offered. I never even once thought about slickness in a soap. So I have many different soaps I rotate but mostly from the same 4 or so artisans?

It is entirely possible that I have been shaving sub par this whole time and yet still excited not knowing there is better because it is still that much better than shaving with a cartridge or electric shaver!

Wanted to add I don't have any issues making a thick luxurious lather btw, it's just not slick...

I will check out those threads thank you...

In my opinion, soaps that are good for shaving with a DE, may not be the best for SR shaving. Not saying that they are not good soaps, just not the best for every style of wet shaving.

Take a look at Obie’s thread on top tier soaps. Anything in the first tier will give you a great shave with slickness and cushion

I will definitely check that out Dieseld! I don't want to waste the several soap towers I have it the cabinet though. Since the shave oil worked so well and it is easy in my opinion to apply it would make sense to keep using it until it's time to buy some more soap stock?

Originally Posted by dshaves

I will definitely check that out Dieseld! I don't want to waste the several soap towers I have it the cabinet though. Since the shave oil worked so well and it is easy in my opinion to apply it would make sense to keep using it until it's time to buy some more soap stock?

Good thinking and with the money saved you could buy more razors!

I won’t argue that in any way. If it works for you, then go for it!!
There’s a lot of great stuff in that thread, so much it hurts the wallet

Originally Posted by Porl

Good thinking and with the money saved you could buy more razors!

If I could like your post twice I would lol!!!