Gentlemen,

As some of you may have read in JimmyHAD's cold water shaving thread, I'm among the many here who gave it a shot and was more than pleased with the results. I've been shaving using the "1905" technique for a week now, making sure my results are consistant enough to recommend this procedure, and the verdict is yes. It works, and although I may save this technique for the summer months (yes, contrary to popular belief it CAN get very hot in the summer in Canada) I would recommend cold water shaving to the uninitiated and the skeptical.

But now that the proverbial honeymoon phase is over I'm interested in the opinions others (more experienced w/ cold water shaving) may have regarding the effects of this technque on edge longevity.

Keep in mind this is, for me at least, entirely theoretical. But wouldn't making the beard hairs brittle and hard with cold water and soap be harsher on an edge than the soft supple whiskers that we are used to cutting with hot water prep?

On the other hand, those brittle and hard whiskers may theoretically be cut with more ease, and therefore with less pressure, using the cold water method.

I do not know the answer to either scenario, nor do I own a microscope, so I must ask others who might have a better idea than me. Hopefully some members who have had many more cold water shaves compared to my handful will be able to respond with their experiences.

Best regards,

Ryan