Cold Water Shaving?

[LBussy]

I see this posted on occasion, a passing reference that assumes I know what it means or how edgy they are ... no idea really.

Is there really a group of people who shave on purpose with cold water? Or are these people the same who think they need to not shower until their deodorant wears out so they get their money's worth?

 

[DICE]

Everything you ever wanted to know: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/168069-Cold-water-shaving-it-works

 

[Nick Danger]

Is there really a group of people who shave on purpose with cold water?

Yep, I shave with cold water and I like it! Hot towels and warm water rinses just made my face puffy and prone to irritation and weepers.

Of course, I live in Chicago and have a high tolerance for cold.

Nick

 

[DICE]

I should have mentioned that I am also a Cold Water Shaver. I always used the normal hot/warm water and was getting a certain amount of irritation. I read the thread on Cold Water Shaving and decided to try it for a week and after the dramatic changes (zero irritation) I stuck with it.

 

[LBussy]

See in the Army we used to use cold water for shaving as a punishment - the Privates dinked around too long and we would not let them set up an immersion heater for shaving because there was "no time". I can honestly say cold water is worse for me but having read that thread (okay not all 11 pages but I got the general idea) I guess there are folks for whom it works.

Sheesh, next you guys are gonna tell me patchouli has a use other than on a stripper to cover up the smell of sweat and the last big tipper.

 

[DICE]

Sheesh, next you guys are gonna tell me patchouli has a use other than on a stripper to cover up the smell of sweat and the last big tipper.

I thought only hippies or gypsies used patchouli!!! Never smelled a stripper that smelled like a hippie

 

[gus1942]

I see this posted on occasion, a passing reference that assumes I know what it means or how edgy they are ... no idea really.

Is there really a group of people who shave on purpose with cold water? Or are these people the same who think they need to not shower until their deodorant wears out so they get their money's worth?

Lee, as a dedicated cold water shaver, your post caught my eye, I reviewed your 42 posts and noted the sarcasm but failed to pick up the occasional enlightening remarks. You might wish to review the volumes of info on our website concerning the subject of cold water shaving. It has always been a contentious but fun discussion. Then if you have not tried it, you might do so. If one doesn't care for the cold method, then I respect HMMV.

Gus/BOTOC/B.O.S.S/Arkolyte

 

[Cagliostro]

Well well, yup I am a cold water shaver...some times I might even add ice in summer due to even cold tap running a bit luke. But yeah read that link info, I prefer cold to hot any day personally. I shower hot but after that bring on the cold, I prefer my face to tighten and pores to close so as to bring the max length of that hair out so I can slay it with my razor. Example of effect? I shaved day before yesterday and I only got minute stubble right now, yup the gents that love hot can have it I'm not goin' back lol.

And btw...I never smelled patchouli on a stripper... I MUCH prefer that Cotton Candy smell they got going on...makes me hungry! HAHAHA

 

[LBussy]

I reviewed your 42 posts and noted the sarcasm but failed to pick up the occasional enlightening remarks.

42 posts already?! How time flies! It must be rare for a new person to have questions.

Sir, allow me to help. If you are searching for enlightening remarks from a newbie then perhaps your sights are set a bit high? Or maybe my particular form of humor is not to your liking. This is often the case, but to be fair I did indicate that I was sarcastic and that's a dead giveaway that slapstick comedy is not likely to be found. Enlightenment often comes at the strangest time however so do be prepared.

Also, as is the case with any discussion forum, using the search feature is about like trying to get a sip of water from a fire hose. What I get when I ask the question is often a link that a revered veteran member like yourself thinks is a thread with a good answer, not just a voluminous answer that rises to the top based on a search algorithm written by a CS student in a third world country.

However I do understand that after a person gets to the point where they have posted four times a day for over a year without asking the same question as someone else, a certain jaded lethargy comes about. I apologize for not living up to your standards and I'll try to do better in order that you can deem my question worthy and share some of your knowledge. Thank you for taking me down a notch, and I'll try not to disappoint.

To the subject at hand - I think I've given it an honest try (on hot days where the thought of hot water was too much to bear). Maybe I have not tried everything but I guess I think it's not for me. I LOVE the cold water after, but my beard feels like a forest of rough-cut timber with cold water before I shave. In that link I read about cold water on long hair to help "seal up" the hair, and I believe it, but I also think I'm not trying to protect my beard but rather to prepare it to be removed. The cold water thing on long hair is something my wife does to keep her hair from breaking.

Maybe my timing is bad. We have a snow storm coming (did you know they name these things now?!) and cold water is not palatable to me. I'll give it another go when it warms up and maybe I won't have been run out of here by then and I can post my thoughts on it.

[I get that I'm a sarcastic person, and maybe a little goes a long way. Sort of like Arko; some folks may never like me. That's okay. I'm not going to change who I am however because of who you are. If we can get along as-is then great. If not then I guess it's not meant to be.]

 

[Mick]

I use warm water and scuttles in winter

I use cold water and stainless lathering bowls in summer

Works for me

 

[LBussy]

I use cold water and stainless lathering bowls in summer

So that's something I did not see in the 11 pages in that other thread - I might have missed it. Can you get a good lather with cold water? Because as I've been trying to work out my "system" I've (I think) noticed that I get better lather with hot water. On a couple of the soaps I have I'm pretty sure the soap would laugh at me if I tried cold.

 

[Mick]

So that's something I did not see in the 11 pages in that other thread - I might have missed it. Can you get a good lather with cold water? Because as I've been trying to work out my "system" I've (I think) noticed that I get better lather with hot water. On a couple of the soaps I have I'm pretty sure the soap would laugh at me if I tried cold.

I get the same quality lather with either warm or cold water (notice I don't say hot as you should NOT use hot water, only warm)

Here are some pics of cold and warm lathers that I have made in the past

Cold:

Warm:

 

[Hunter]

I get great lather with cold water, its basically is all about how much water and air you can get into the soap for it to really take off without being too runny.

 

[Cagliostro]

I get soaps to cooperate by attacking them headlong with my Semogue 830 boar brush, that thing will get any soap puck to say Matay aka I give! lol But yeah, cold works the same as hot unless you have MWF...I haven't tried that soap but I heard stories of it's stubbornness hot or cold...it's almost like Williams (I am SO getting shot at for that).

 

[Nick Danger]

Can you get a good lather with cold water?

I get excellent lather with cold water. About the same as I got with warm water. I use creams exclusively.

Nick

 

[Toothpick]

I like your style Lee. I am forced to use cold water now. The hot water wont come out of the faucet in the bathroom sink, i suspect years and years of mineral deposits have clogged it up. That or the shaving gods wanted me to try cold water shaving, then took notice that I enjoyed it and never turned the hot water back on. At any rate cold water shaving is really no different than hot water shaving to me, or warm water. water is water. after you splash your face with cold water a few times you get used to it and don't feel the shock of the cold anymore. at least I do. I can't say i'll never go back to hot/warm water but I can tell you that I usually just give the pits a sniff and if my eyes don't water i dont need a shower

 

[LBussy]

I get great lather with cold water, its basically is all about how much water and air you can get into the soap for it to really take off without being too runny.

I see you used cream in the first - have you noticed a difference with hard soaps (if you use them)?

I get soaps to cooperate by attacking them headlong with my Semogue 830 boar brush, that thing will get any soap puck to say Matay aka I give! lol But yeah, cold works the same as hot unless you have MWF...I haven't tried that soap but I heard stories of it's stubbornness hot or cold...it's almost like Williams (I am SO getting shot at for that).

Not tried William's yet Cag, it's on the list of things to try. I keep hearing it's available in drug stores but no joy so far. I'll keep an eye out for it, or end up using the Amazon add-on program when I make an order next.

 

[Hunter]

I have always used soap, I've used a sampler of a cream once but it was one pass with warm water (before I made the switch) It isn't hard, just have to keep at it until you get enough lather. I have heard good things about using cream and soap together for a super lather. I'm going to try that when I get my cream in at the end of the week.

 

[Cagliostro]

Well lots including me talk trash about Williams, for me it don't cut it. I mean I actually did learn to lather the stuff and it aint terrible just not what I like, so it is a matter of preference and yes I COULD make do with it and get a decent shave but I got too much better stuff to use so yeah lol. I like soaps and creams about the same, funny enough some day's I make lather better from soap than I do creams...maybe cause I pick up too much cream on the brush out of habit from using a soap for a while.

 

[Buster Casey]

The colder the better. I haven't used warm or hot water, since switching to cold water 2 years ago.