Thread: Cold water shave is the best & worst ever

I tried the cold water shave last night.

Washed with cold water, rubbed cream in by hand and almost let dry, lathered with cold water lather and completed first pass. I continued with a cold water rinse pat dry, lather and completed second pass.

Maybe I should have rubbed in lather again and let dry on second pass.

The shave was very close, but with a little irritation. I followed with witch hazel.

Will try soap on next shave.

Originally Posted by Radar

Haven't read through the whole thread and I'm sure somebody has mentioned this before, but doesn't cold water make your razor harder and then again sharper?

Interesting thought. On the other side of the coin though, I was always under the impression that, since heat causes metal to expand, hot water on the razor would cause the microscopic 'saw teeth' on the edge to expand thus reducing the gap between each creating a more consistent edge -- providing a keen blade and smoother shave.

I never did like science though, or math for that matter (give me history any day!). I say just try both and use which ever works best for you.

Originally Posted by Malacoda

hot water on the razor would cause the microscopic 'saw teeth' on the edge to expand thus reducing the gap between each creating a more consistent edge -- providing a keen blade and smoother shave.

Interesting thought as well!
Will be trying out different things the next few shaves.

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I have always run hot water on my blade , DE or straight, and I still do . I prep and shave with cold water but I run hot on the blade before my first pass and rinse with hot throughout the shave. Including the final rinse of my face.

I just had an epiphany. After reading what you said about rinsing the blade in hot water, Jimmy, I gave it a try. Previously, as I've been experimenting with cold water shaving, I've been rinsing my razor in cold water as well to be consistent. The results were mediocre: tugging, razor burn, mildly close shave. However, today I did the cold water routine, but rinsed my blade in hot water.

Wow, it made all the difference in the world. It was the closest, most comfortable shave I've had in a loooong time. I think that rinsing my face with cold water and lathering with cold lather helps close my pores and makes the whiskers stand up straight, but the hot blade just cuts through those whiskers with ease. The saying "like a hot knife through butter" holds a lot of weight when it comes to shaving . There was absolutely no tugging during this shave, I barely felt like there was a blade on my face. And it was closer in two passes than I had achieved with three or four passes previously. No razor burn either.

This really seems like the jackpot. Cold water and cold lather on the face, and a razor rinsed in hot water. Nothing better!

Dan, I think there is something to that hot knife through butter deal. After I rinse my face with hot water at the end of the shave, dry it and apply the cold A/S that closes the pores following the rinse. The pamphlet said a hot towel but I'm too lazy to bother. It would be interesting to see the results of that.

I was away this past week, and the hotel where I was staying had horribly hard water. I ended up shaving with bottled water, and couldn't help thinking about this thread.

The cooking analogy a few posts above is interesting, as I found the lather from my AOS shaving cream samples particularly lush and creamy, less prone to breaking down into "suds."

I found my shaves to be at least as good as with warm lather at home. The cold lather with proraso green was a treat in the 85 degree weather!

I think I will play around with this some more now that I am back home.

What I am about to write may cause some of you to think I've lost my mind. After my shower yesterday, I Prep'd my beard with an Ice Cube. I've been putting an Ice Cube in my scuttle and building Lather cold for a few months now. Also, I've been sticking the scuttle in the Freezer to get all components of my Shave Routine as cold as possible. But yesterday I crossed a line I knew was coming anyways. Ever since I first shaved Cold, I have progressively gotten Colder and Colder. At first I started putting the brush and scuttle in the freezer, then I was soon adding Ice to my lather. I am now using exclusively SubZero temps on everything I do to my face and have eliminated Hot and Warm water all together. As any of you could guess, I Love my new methods. And I know this post may sound like the confessions of an addict... Well, because it is. Sliding an Ice Cube over my clean face to begin my Shave is a new High for me, as well as my new standard. BTW The Shave was incredible!
I would like to thank all of you Gentlemen for allowing me a place to declare, and disclose these "Shaving Afflictions" that I am very gladly effected by.
All The Best -John

Hey Jimmy how cold should the water be ?

Originally Posted by MARKHOLLADAY

Hey Jimmy how cold should the water be ?

I just use it as it comes out the tap. Nothing further than that.

Originally Posted by JohnnyCakeDC

I would like to thank all of you Gentlemen for allowing me a place to declare, and disclose these "Shaving Afflictions" that I am very gladly effected by.
All The Best -John

John,

I'm looking forward to the day when you tell us you are using snow instead of water.

As for me, I'm waiting until I get over to Switzerland, where the girlfriend has a small country house by a lake, to try the crystal clear and freezing waters with my shave.

Pics will be posted, of course.