Rinse blade with warm or cold water?

[raccoonandbrush]

Yesterday I heard that I should rinse my razor blade with cold water while I'm shaving so the blade stays tight and so stays sharp and cuts hair better. I tried it out today. It's possible that the blade cut the hair better, but I like the feel of a warmer blade on my face better than a cold one. Does rinsing with warm water have any negative effects on a razor blade? I'm going to be getting a traditional straight razor very soon and I would like to know ahead of time.

Thanks!

 

[Jim B.]

I've shaved with cold water and it wasn't a pleasant experience. I figure the same bad experience will happen if the blade and the razor are cold. So, no cold blade or razor on my face.

 

[Atrin]

Either. But keep it consistent.

It's not the pure cold or pure hot that damages the blades, it's the rapid thermal compression and expansion. So as long as you pick one and stick with it through out the shave you should be fine.

If you switch between hot and cold between passes you'll damage the blade.

 

[BladeDE40]

I personally find that using warm-hot water allows for a smoother slice of the blade through the wiskers...similar to a hot knife through butter.

 

[raccoonandbrush]

Either. But keep it consistent.

It's not the pure cold or pure hot that damages the blades, it's the rapid compression and expansion. So as long as you pick one and stick with it through out the shave you should be fine.

If you switch between hot and cold between passes you'll damage the blade.

Whoops, that doesn't look good for my Gillette Fusion razor. This morning I started rinsing with cold water, then I switched to warm so I could see if there's a difference with the quality of the shave. Oh well, I'm glad I know now so I don't go messing up a new straight razor. I guess I'll just stick with rinsing with warm water.

 

[oscarbowman]

I can see the logic of the cold water but all off that would be greatly outweighed by the simple fact warm is nicer than cold. So there!

 

[ShaveAddict]

I don't know if cold water is better or not for the blade but i prefer the feeling of a hot blade on my face.

 

[JCD]

Warm water rinse for me. If a blade got "loose" from the temperature difference I doubt I could tell but I sure notice a difference in comfort between a warm and cold rinse.

 

[Pescara]

... So, no cold blade or razor on my face.

These guys didn't like shaving with cold water either.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xprkytujEAk (about 9:50)

 

[shamus]

I've heard of some people using a Cold Water Rinse BEFORE their last pass. Then, they complete their last pass without Lather....just water. To each their own.....

Tutti Frutti, Cheers

 

[gearchow]

I kind of doubt that the cold water (or hot) that comes out of taps will make that much of a difference in expansion of the blade that would be noticeable.

I could be wrong.

I would say it's strictly a matter of session quality. Hot water shaves are luxurious and cold water shaves are not? I think cold water for shaving is just fine and use it most of the time.

YMMV

-jim

 

[mwhals]

I rinse with warm water.

 

[dantodd]

Even if it made enough difference for a DE blade it surely wouldn't be able to shock the mass of a straight razor.

FWIW, I use the hottest water I can get to rinse my razor.

 

[pauls51]

I like the feeling of a warm blade, even during summer !

 

[kprincehouse]

While it's true that metal expands when hot and contracts when cold, I would be shocked if it makes any difference in this case. The magnitude of the effect is just so small. When you're building a bridge that's a quarter mile long, needs to stay up for fifty years, and weather freezing nights and scorching days, it absolutely matters. But here... I'd just stick with whatever is most comfortable. The comfort factor dwarfs any cold-metal-sharpness-bonus by a few orders of magnitude.

I'd even be surprised if rapid hot/cold cycles had any affect on the blade. The lifetime of a DE blade is just so short, I'm highly skeptical that you can harm a blade this way in regular use. (Just to be safe, though, I'm not going to put my straights in the freezer and then pour boiling water on them in the name of science.)

 

[Atrin]

I doubt it makes much of a difference either. But if you want to be anal, you should be consistent and pick room temperature water.

What's most important I think is drying your razor and blade after a shave. Oxidation is not slow.

 

[gearchow]

(Just to be safe, though, I'm not going to put my straights in the freezer and then pour boiling water on them in the name of science.)

I do understand the "coddle it" factor, but think of the temperatures that are used to temper steel. Household freezers and boiling water ain't in it!



-jim

 

[Casey]

I like nuclear hot. My bathroom sink will go to 150F, so I shave with 150F rinses of the blade.

 

[shmeegs]

I like warm water. It builds a better lather, eels better on my face, the blade glides better on warm lather, and the rinse of the blade gets rid of the buildup of hair/lather that could get stuck in the blade.

 

[dod.e.ratherwell]

I save the cold water for the final rinse of my face!
During the shave the water stays as hot as the tap can get it.