Thread: Dry Shaving

Originally Posted by GaiusValeriusPulcher

Although, I do regularly get the back of my neck dry ever since my trimmer broke. Still, blade's sharp as ever.

I'm going to make an assumption here (I'm assuming that the hair on the back of your neck is like the hair on the backs of the necks of most people I who's back of the neck hair I have seen), but the hair on the back of your neck is MUCH finer than the hair on your face. (There is also probably less of it, and you probably shave it less often than your face.)

Originally Posted by holli4pirating

I'm going to make an assumption here (I'm assuming that the hair on the back of your neck is like the hair on the backs of the necks of most people I who's back of the neck hair I have seen), but the hair on the back of your neck is MUCH finer than the hair on your face. (There is also probably less of it, and you probably shave it less often than your face.)

True 'nuff

I realize you are not "selling" dry shaving as the next best thing ou there. My only input would that I think everyone has different hair.. I can shave the back of my neck with a dry blade, but if I try that on my chin I get major burn. My face is like the seasons, the fauna changes as you move around it...up high on the cheeks it is spring ting time with fresh easy to cut hair, on the neck it is dryer sparse summer hair...chin and mustache...well my friend, it is snowing there now...

Touch-ups, Yes. Whole shave, not recomended for most guys, but if you can get away with it that's OK...

I supose when you do lather up your brush is made from steel wool right?

Originally Posted by ShaveShack

Touch-ups, Yes. Whole shave, not recomended for most guys, but if you can get away with it that's OK...

I supose when you do lather up your brush is made from steel wool right?

Yep, and my razor's actually a butter knife lol

The only experience I have with dry shaving is I might take a freshly honed blade to my jawline just to see if it cuts like it should off the ones. At those instances I don't shave more than a few millimetres, probably no more than 3/8 or something, and feel with my finger if there is any stubble left where the blade shaved. That's wtg, one pass, no touchup, in a very small area. Even this little practice leaves me feeling a little dry.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

You should also keep in mind that shaving dry is extremely hard on a razor's edge.....

What is your reasoning behind this? I suppose one could say that the softening of the hair by lather does less damage than a dry hair. But there can't be much difference between the two I wouldn't think. Any elucidation?

Originally Posted by adbuett

What is your reasoning behind this? I suppose one could say that the softening of the hair by lather does less damage than a dry hair. But there can't be much difference between the two I wouldn't think. Any elucidation?

The long answer is thus: average beard hairs are actually very tough. It has been measured here before that some mens whiskers are comparable to copper wire, and in some cases even stronger. Lathering will serve 3 purposes - provide glide, skin conditioning and soft whiskers. As we know, soft whiskers are cut with much more ease, thereby reducing stress and wear & tear on a razors cutting edge, which in reality is very fragile.

And what is the short answer you may ask? Take a look at a microscope pic of a razors edge damaged by the cutting of coarse, dry whiskers

I would suppose then, if this explanation holds true, that cold water shaving is harder on an edge than hot water shaving? From what I understand cold water is making hair more "brittle", thus allowing the edge to bite into it easier.

I think though that edges are a lot tougher than some people give them credit for. You're going to have to do something serious to really hurt an edge to the point where stropping or a quick couple laps on a barber's hone wont make the edge right again.

If I'm not mistaken , during beard prep , washing with soap , and water removes a protein on the hair , making it easier to cut . Easier to cut = less damage to the edge of the razor . Of course , if you enjoy dry shaving , keep at it .