Ok I have read through a ton of posts here and alot of people seem to agree about getting the beard soft makes sense right, Something soft should be easy to cut and something hard well hard to cut. But after reading the book on shaving made easy http://www.archive.org/details/shavingmadeeasyw0020th it got me thinking because in the book the author states that you do not want to soften the beard because it will make it harder to cut and cause more irritation. So what does happen to the hair when it has been preped for a shave? I maybe wrong but my understanding is the hair becomes softer and will increase in size after it has been preped for shaving. Now this is when the problems begin because if the hair is softer is it not more likely to bend when the razor comes across it and be cut length ways resulting in the hair being pulled as it is cut causing irritation to the skin. Also with the hair being slightly larger now because of the preping will this not make it harder to cut because the force of the blade is being spread over a larger area?
So what is there to back up these claims well the book is written with the help of barbers of the time 1905 or there abouts so there would be plenty of experience around at that time. Also there is my own experience of cutting things I know that a firm fresh tomato is easier to cut than an old soft one and its easier to cut things on there thinest side try hand slicing up a 5kg block of cheese on its widest edge you'll get tired very quickly. I know about very sharp blades I have worked with Japanese chefs for over 4 years and learned to sharpen sushi knives with soft and hard water and ceramic stones and mirror finishing blades with a nagura stone. I also know that a slicing action is more effective than just pressing the blade against what you want to cut.
So the question I ask is. What is there to back up the claim that softening your beard before a shave is a better than not softening it?
So what is there to back up these claims well the book is written with the help of barbers of the time 1905 or there abouts so there would be plenty of experience around at that time. Also there is my own experience of cutting things I know that a firm fresh tomato is easier to cut than an old soft one and its easier to cut things on there thinest side try hand slicing up a 5kg block of cheese on its widest edge you'll get tired very quickly. I know about very sharp blades I have worked with Japanese chefs for over 4 years and learned to sharpen sushi knives with soft and hard water and ceramic stones and mirror finishing blades with a nagura stone. I also know that a slicing action is more effective than just pressing the blade against what you want to cut.
So the question I ask is. What is there to back up the claim that softening your beard before a shave is a better than not softening it?