Hard water and shaving (part 2)

[SUNA]

My original thread:

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=155590

So we finally got our water softener system installed...and I finally had my first shave since the installation.



Ladies and gentlemen...soft water is hands down the best product for shaving. Our water in Calgary is very hard and I haven't had a decent shave since moving here (unless I have 3-4 days growth).

I felt like I was bathing in olive oil! Highly recommended for shaving in hard water areas! Wicked lather, tremendous slip, etc. all from using soft water.

One word...sweet!!!

 

[SpyvSpy]

Congrats for your soft water. I have a massive water system downstairs the gives my wife and I soft water. I swear by using it (shaving only) but we both can't stand how it takes forever to wash that soapy feeling off your body in the shower.

 

[SUNA]

Congrats for your soft water. I have a massive water system downstairs the gives my wife and I soft water. I swear by using it (shaving only) but we both can't stand how it takes forever to wash that soapy feeling off your body in the shower.

I love that! Hard water usually leaves soap scum on your body...makes you feel squeaky.

 

[sodajerk]

That's great!! In your first post I wrote how shaving at my daughter's house was shave heaven! ) When I shaved there I could barely feel the razor against my skin. Do you get that sensation?

 

[SUNA]

That's great!! In your first post I wrote how shaving at my daughter's house was shave heaven! ) When I shaved there I could barely feel the razor against my skin. Do you get that sensation?

I have been using a Feather AS...it usually doesn't feel like anything but removing lather.

 

[sodajerk]

I have been using a Feather AS...it usually doesn't feel like anything but removing lather.

Yep - that's the feeling.

 

[BladeRunner001]

Congratulations...ain't soft water great?

Cheers,
Robert

 

[nilserik]

Oh, never thought that made a difference. Wonder if our water is hard or soft.

Cheers,
Erik

 

[Den]

Well, from what you guys are saying I guess I have hard water.

 

[Steavis]

I've been meaning to install a water softener just because I'm tired of all the scale on our plumbing fixtures--never realized it could make a difference in shaving. Now I definitely have to do it!

 

[Pumpkin]

My original thread:

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=155590

So we finally got our water softener system installed...and I finally had my first shave since the installation.



Ladies and gentlemen...soft water is hands down the best product for shaving. Our water in Calgary is very hard and I haven't had a decent shave since moving here (unless I have 3-4 days growth).

I felt like I was bathing in olive oil! Highly recommended for shaving in hard water areas! Wicked lather, tremendous slip, etc. all from using soft water.

One word...sweet!!!

Congratulations on the soft water...I don't know how I'd manage without mine (scum floating in your tea? Yeuch!)

Now try and lather some modern Williams!

 

[wulfgar1976]

It sounds like I could do with one myself. I live in London, where the water is notoriously hard. Kettles and shower heads don't last long here.

 

[Stubble Face Killah]

It sounds like I could do with one myself. I live in London, where the water is notoriously hard. Kettles and shower heads don't last long here.

I was in London for all of June and naturally I brought my wetshaving gear with me. You're right. Truly terrible. Could not get Trumper cream to lather well. My house is on a well in rural Virginia and our water smells like straight sulfur out of the tap, but it was still far better than London water.

 

[Pumpkin]

It sounds like I could do with one myself. I live in London, where the water is notoriously hard. Kettles and shower heads don't last long here.

I've never had to de-scale a kettle up here!

 

[SUNA]

The U.S. Department of Interior and the Water Quality Association classifies hard water as follows:

Classification mg/l or ppm grains/gal
Soft 0 - 17.1 0 - 1
Slightly hard 17.1 - 60 1 - 3.5
Moderately hard 60 - 120 3.5 - 7.0
Hard 120 - 180 7.0 - 10.5
Very Hard 180 & over 10.5 & over

The City of Calgary (goodbye to Dave "my legacy is a $25M foot bridge while raising taxes" Bronconnier and please don't vote for Rick "I'll drag us down further" McIvor) classifies hard water as follows:

Hardness rating Concentration of Calcium Carbonate (mg/L) Concentration of Calcium Carbonate (grains/imperial gallon)
Soft 0 to <75 0 to <5.2
Medium hard 75 to <150 5.2 to <10.5
Hard 150 to <300 10.5 to <21
Very hard 300 and greater 21 and greater

NW and NE Calgary have about 11.4 grains/gallon, while SW and SE Calgary have about 15.04 grains/gallon. So according to the US, Calgarians have very hard water...but according to the City of Calgary we have just plain old hard water.

 

[aimsport]

Soft water makes a huge difference.

Hair is softer. Skin is softer. Lather is better. Pores unclog. Your dog learns to fetch the paper and slippers on his own... Oh, all right. Everything is true but the Dog part. It's just the paper he teaches himself to fetch.

You wife can forget all the moisturizing/softening body cremes... soft water and a good soap.. and the skin becomes amazing.

If you've just installed it, it will probably get even better over the next few weeks.