Cold water shaving, how the heck do they do it?

[JCinPA]

I was never a fan of The Fat, but I think the difficulty lathering it was related to the lanolin??? Not sure.

But anyway, that learning process will allow anyone to lather anything -- eventually. Quickly or with a little patience if it's finicky, but it will work.

Glad temperature was not the issue, and that you had success!

 

[Goblin]

I am a hot water advocate. The findings of this study agreed with my experience and confirmed for me that hot water shaving does make it easier to cut whiskers.

It's true that the difference is small, and it is entirely possible that cold water does reduce irritation and that this is a greater benefit for some folks, but I still find warm shaves to be more comfortable and that equates to less irritation for me personally.

 

[Cino]

Try keeping a scuttle in the refrigerator!

 

[ChriWilson]

Ah yes...the field shave. A disposable cartridge razor and the canteen cup with water in it. And canned foam or gel.

And just try to unclog all that stubble that collects under the blades by swirling the razor around in the canteen cup. Can't do it, and hitting the sides of the cup will often knock the cartridge off the handle.

If only I had know about Techs and Super Speeds back then...

A lot of times, we went without the Edge Gel and relied solely on a wet face and comfort strip.

I found accidentally somewhere else somebody having difficulty to make a good lather out of Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap. It made me think that LPL Oud & Santal and Mitchell's Wool Fat Soap both are tallow based. For sure animal fat becomes thicker with cold. I gave it another try with some non tallow based artisan soap (Savon Mystere) and following the golden rules of the guide of the Lather Maestro @JCinPA , I got me excellent results. Nice thick foam, that stayed like this for three leisurely done passes, with cold water in a 38 deg C afternoon.
I just love it!

When I say that I'm shaving using cold water, I use cold water for my brush soak and to build my lather.
I always use a hot-soaked washcloth to start and finish my shave routine.

Never had issues building lather on what I would attribute to water temps...

To this day, MWF gives me fits no matter what - so I switched to Kent

 

[Ckmaui]

Another cold or room temp most the time or whatever comes out of tap set to cold
as it never gets super cold where I am unless winter then it can get a bit cooler

prefer it big time over warmer water

 

[DesertIguana]

Most who have been in U.S. Military got stuck using Cold Water to shave, as they don't have hot running water in exotic places like in the field.

 

[Ankerwycke]

I’ve been cold water shaving for nearly ten years now. I always shave after a warm shower and I’ve never had any problems lathering anything.

 

[cryhavoc]

I'm a cold water shaver year round, I've never had an issue lathering with cold water.

 

[cryhavoc]

Most who have been in U.S. Military got stuck using Cold Water to shave, as they don't have hot running water in exotic places like in the field.

Very true, unless I was in miserably hot areas where the water was never cold

 

[AshleyC]

Very true, unless I was in miserably hot areas where the water was never cold

Fort Riley, KS. My brigade always seemed to want to schedule the big two week field exercises in July or August.

One notorious summer, with a commander who insisted on flak vests if you step out from under the camo net, my battalion suffered 48 heat casualties in a week.

Why didn't we do field problems like that in March?

We shaved with the same water we drank. And it was the temperature of bathwater, at best.

 

[JCinPA]

You haven't lived until you've done a day-long exercise in full MOPP gear in the Philippines!

Oh, what fun. lol

 

[KW Driver]

Yeah… water temps should have no bearing on building a lather in my experience. I’ll do a cool/chilled summer shave so I don’t start sweating again out of the shower. I don’t like cold shaves, cold weather, or being cold in winter. A cold shave in a cold world? That’d be my personal Hell.

As far as the Fat goes (I still have tallow fat, but won’t replace it with the veggie versions)… keep it hydrated. Don’t let it shrink, much less crack. Once they cracked from disuse, I’d grate and rehydrate and pack them into the container again. They don’t need to be so hydrated they get soft much less goopy, but they work wonderfully and load easily when hydrated. I keep mine contained with a lid to prevent evaporation. As soon as you get any side wall separation, give it a spritz and put the lid back on. keep it swelled to the container.

Trying to load and lather a dry puck of fat is a pain. Loading a properly hydrated puck is as easy and voluminous as any other high end tallow or good veggie soap.

And I have hard water. I got tired of buying bottles and just learned to make it work. I go somewhere with soft water? I can accidentally load 6 passes worth until I adjust it.

 

[AshleyC]

You haven't lived until you've done a day-long exercise in full MOPP gear in the Philippines!

Oh, what fun. lol

You haven't wished you were dead until you've done MOPP Level 4 in the Phillipines.

I cheated at Fort Riley. On MOPP 4 days there, I'd be going "bronco". No BDUs under the Chem suit. MOPP jacket and pants, then t-shirt and underwear.

 

[Brutus]

We are currently having a discussion somewhere on this site about “steep” shaving and one of the problems is that there is no agreed upon consensus from what angle a shave is “steep”.

There also seems to be no agreed upon temperature definition of what is a ”cold” shave and I suspect what is “cold” for some shavers might be merely “tepid” to others.


So, what is the definition of “cold shave” to you?

Colder than body temperature,
around room temperature,
temperature of cold water from the tap (which can vary),
temperature of cold water from the fridge,
or even colder?

As some members use the metric and some use the imperial (US) system of measurements, it might be nice to stick to definitions that anyone can understand (without having to convert into one’s customary system of measurements).


B.

 

[AshleyC]

We are currently having a discussion somewhere on this site about “steep” shaving and one of the problems is that there is no agreed upon consensus from what angle a shave is “steep”.

There also seems to be no agreed upon temperature definition of what is a ”cold” shave and I suspect what is “cold” for some shavers might be merely “tepid” to others.


So, what is the definition of “cold shave” to you?

Colder than body temperature,
around room temperature,
temperature of cold water from the tap (which can vary),
temperature of cold water from the fridge,
or even colder?

As some members use the metric and some use the imperial (US) system of measurements, it might be nice to stick to definitions that anyone can understand (without having to convert into one’s customary system of measurements).


B.

We are currently having a discussion somewhere on this site about “steep” shaving and one of the problems is that there is no agreed upon consensus from what angle a shave is “steep”.

There also seems to be no agreed upon temperature definition of what is a ”cold” shave and I suspect what is “cold” for some shavers might be merely “tepid” to others.


So, what is the definition of “cold shave” to you?

Colder than body temperature,
around room temperature,
temperature of cold water from the tap (which can vary),
temperature of cold water from the fridge,
or even colder?

As some members use the metric and some use the imperial (US) system of measurements, it might be nice to stick to definitions that anyone can understand (without having to convert into one’s customary system of measurements).


B.

Members that use metric have already been consumed and exist now as Pod People.

Don't hate me for being the messenger. I'm going to spend the next few hours crouching in my basement.

 

[Brutus]

Members that use metric have already been consumed and exist now as Pod People.

View attachment 1892904

Don't hate me for being the messenger. I'm going to spend the next few hours crouching in my basement.

Remember that the astonishing feat of the first moon landing is that it was achieved DESPITE using the imperial system, not BECAUSE of it.


B.

 

[AshleyC]

Remember that the astonishing feat of the first moon landing is that it was achieved DESPITE using the imperial system, not BECAUSE of it.


B.

Metric is for countries that do not have a flag on the moon.

 

[Cino]

Remember that the astonishing feat of the first moon landing is that it was achieved DESPITE using the imperial system, not BECAUSE of it.


B.

If you believe it really happened.

 

[cryhavoc]

You haven't wished you were dead until you've done MOPP Level 4 in the Phillipines.

I cheated at Fort Riley. On MOPP 4 days there, I'd be going "bronco". No BDUs under the Chem suit. MOPP jacket and pants, then t-shirt and underwear.

Did MOPP 4 in Kuwait once upon a time, boy did that suck!

 

[chinmusic82]

Water temperature is not the problem. I live in India and by default shave with cold water. When I say cold it’s not that I use ice in the water, just the water which comes out of the tap.
I’ve never had a problem with soft or triple milled soap or cream.