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Tip that might ??? change your shaving life.

The next three months are tied up with life events I find amazingly glorious, but I’m scheduling time in July to wonder why, exactly, you would think and say such things. I suspect demons.
Huh? No demons, whatever that is implying.

I think many people overthink shaving. I know I did at one time. I was just playing off the other member stating "It's just shaving".

It was even in the B&B guidelines at one time.....""12. Remember that in the end, it's not solving world hunger. It's just shaving!"
 
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Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
Well I'm a cold water rinsing shaver after each pass and I have been doing it for years and I believe it helps calm the skin.
I do not get near the weepers as some of the Youtubers get and also it is very awakening to have cold water splash.
It is not natural to have hot water splashed on your face according to skin doctors and when you think about 2000 years ago before Christ folks did not heat water to shave or even wash their body's, but royalty no doubt did some times, my $.02 worth.
As for the razor being rinsed with cold water I have recently tried this(2 days now) and it gives a nice sensation to the face and from my limited research the reason for this procedure is to prevent expansion and contraction of the finite edge of the blade is what this physicist explained to Geo Fatboy customer in the email to him.
What the physicist tried to explain is the edge of the blade is measured in millionth of a inch or micro inch and the expansion from the hot water rinse breaks the edge quicker and also the coatings is my understanding if that makes any sense.
I used this method of rinsing my razor with cold water with a GSB blade(1) this morning and I received a perfect shave and my skin feels perfectly good.
Is it from the cold razor rinse? I'm not going to even dispute that claim but it sure feels good.
I still use warm lather when applying to the face in winter months and also like that face feel, results matter and if it helps a person why would you not give it a try for what it takes IMO. Its also cheaper than hot water I suppose.:yikes::lol:
(1millonth of a inch = .000001 inches)
 
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"Cold Shaving" is an actual thing. Ben Franklin among others promoted it. Cold water = stiff whiskers = cleaner cut. Cold water and skin don't promote as much bacteria growth as a warm environment. I kind of go with what ever water temp is available to me at the time.

This-as having a coarse beard, the cold water is much happier skin and the hairs don't flop

Mine super stiff but get much softer when hot washed, tend to mash the edge while trying to cut.

Also, was given as advice back in the day :)
 

thombrogan

Lounging On The Isle Of Tugsley.
why would you not give it a try for what it takes IMO.

I’m nine days in on cold water shaving and eight days in on @TobyC style prep.

Three biggest hurdles:

1. Wanting to shave the moment I feel stubble
2. Temptation to offer an alternate explanation with enough things wrong enough to guarantee lifetime achievement awards from the Dunning Kruger Foundation
3. Fighting back urge to shout praises from mountaintops as though I had changed my diet or did a vigorous physical workout
 
I know some people on here use cold water to shave, but I'm not sure why.
I tend to agree with the "bulldust" comments above, but if you're feeling generous, you could say there's some physical concept at work. Namely, that a hot blade will expand and a cold one will contract. Now, this makes a difference at large scales (say, like metal roofs that are constantly expanding and contracting) but for something as small as a razor blade? And assuming the razor itself is unaffected by the same phenomenon? I'm skeptical.
Leaving this particular question for a moment, I'll say that cold water has a definite effect on your face. A cold splash tightens my skin and reveals stubble I couldn't feel when my face was warm. In other spots, it does the opposite: patches that I could have shaved a little closer become BBS.
I use a cool rinse after shaving. I also know there's some benefit to rinsing a blade in cold, but it feels so good to use hot water.
 
Myself, I find having a cold shave works wonders for me so yes I'm a cold water shaver I find it brings my skin alive after the shave, and in summertime I love menthol shaving soap then followed by snake bite or the likes of but I use a straight razor all the time.
 

JCarr

More Deep Thoughts than Jack Handy
I cold water rinse my face before and after the shave and rinse my razor with cold water during it. I've found that it does reduce redness and irritation for me. But as many have already said, it's a personal shave regimen thing. If you suffer from regular irritation or redness give it a try. What can it hurt?
 
I live in Norway. It is cold enough:)
I really do not think the thermal effect on the blade itself makes any difference. There is not that many degrees in difference, unless you are using boiling water:)
The only explanation i can find is that the cold water from a dripping razor cools down the skin a little. This tightens the skin a little, just like a cold water shave. The safety bar is also cold. Because this is moving over the skin and hair before the blade it might do the same.
Most of my shaves are with a straight razor. My routine always include allot of skin stretching. I do the same if i use a DE. To some degree this does the same thing as cold water. If i had shaved like some of the youtube "stars" i would not have any skin left:)

I have tried cold water shaves. It works really well, but it takes away some of the enjoyment of the shave, for me at least.

If i shave after exercise i am more likely to get irritation. In this situation a cold water shave can be really nice, especially during summer. Cold water rinsing the razor might be nice compromise.

If you are overthinking, at least you are thinking.
 
For me this is what works:
1). Hot/warm water for prep, actual shaving, and rinsing blade during shave.
2). After the shave, washing off with Hot/warm water.
3). Final splash with Cold water before applying Thayers and then non alcohol balm on face followed by aftershave on back of neck.
 
The lathering technique from "Another Cut Above" using synthetic brush really helped my to create a consistent lather every time. Slowly adding water while face lathering is not the only way. This technique works best with synthetic brushes, as he points out.
It also can speed up the process and save time. I usually do not need this wet lather for a DE shave, but it sure helps for a dripping SR lather.

 
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