Cold water shaving

Dr Watson

Dr Watson

James
Published in 1833, The Young Man’s Guide offered advice for men coming of age on various facets of life. The author devoted one section to personal grooming. Along with the typical advice you’d expect to hear (bathe daily, change your clothes) the author suggests that men give up shaving with hot water and mirrors in order to save time. Here’s what he says:

Sir John Sinclair asked a friend whether he meant to have a son of his (then a little boy) taught Latin? ‘No,’ said he, ‘but I mean to do something a great deal better for him.’ ‘What is that?’ said Sir John. ‘Why,’ said the other, ‘I mean to teach him to shave with cold water, and without a glass.’

My readers may smile, but I can assure them that Sir John is not alone. There are many others who have adopted this practice, and found it highly beneficial. One individual, who had tried it for years, has the following spirited remarks on the subject.

‘Only think of the inconvenience attending the common practice! There must be hot water; to have this there must be a fire, and, in some cases, a fire for that purpose alone; to have these, there must be a servant, or you must light a fire yourself. For the want of these, the job is put off until a later hour: this causes a stripping and another dressing bout: or, you go in a slovenly state all that day, and the next day the thing must be done, or cleanliness must be abandoned altogether….How many a piece of important business has failed from a short delay! And how many thousand of such delays daily proceed from this unworthy cause!’

Another 19th century writer also advocated cold water shaving. In 1838’s Present to an Apprentice, Sir J. Bannard tells readers:

Always shave with cold water. Barbers use warm, because they have to accommodate themselves to the habits of those whom they shave. The use of cold water saves much time and trouble— tends to preserve the smoothness and beauty of the skin; and when you have accustomed your face to it, you will shave as easily with cold water as with warm.

In Cottager’s Monthly Visitor, a monthly magazine from 1822, the editor writes:

Do not lose time by waiting for hot water. Cold is better after you once get accustomed to it. Hot water makes the face delicate and tender, the very cause why shaving is a painful operation.

And finally, in a book called Shaving Made Easy, the author argues that the idea that a soft beard gives a better shave is a bunch of bunk and that hot water should be avoided:

A hair, as is well known, is a tube composed of a hard fibrous substance, growing from a bulb or root, which secretes an oily matter.
This oil works its way up through the hair, and by permeating all parts, renders the hair soft and pliable. Now in this natural oily condition, it is very difficult to cut the hair with a razor, and it becomes even more difficult if the beard be made still softer by the application of hot water. Many do this, and it is no wonder they find shaving difficult. When this is done, the hairs become soft and limp, and the razor will either slip over them entirely, or else cut partly into them, bend them back and shave them lengthwise, all the while pulling and straining them at the roots, and making the process of shaving most painful.


Taken from this AoM article: https://www.artofmanliness.com/2010/03/24/cold-water-shaving/
 
SeanC

SeanC

Forum GOD!
Dr Watson said:
In Cottager’s Monthly Visitor, a monthly magazine from 1822, the editor writes:

Do not lose time by waiting for hot water. Cold is better after you once get accustomed to it. Hot water makes the face delicate and tender, the very cause why shaving is a painful operation.
Click to expand...
Very unfortunate name. I wouldn't sit reading that on the morning commute into work [emoji48][emoji33]


Sent from my LG-H815 using Tapatalk
 
R

R181

Grumpy old man
Dr Watson said:
Published in 1833, The Young Man’s Guide offered advice for men coming of age on various facets of life. The author devoted one section to personal grooming. Along with the typical advice you’d expect to hear (bathe daily, change your clothes) the author suggests that men give up shaving with hot water and mirrors in order to save time. Here’s what he says:

Sir John Sinclair asked a friend whether he meant to have a son of his (then a little boy) taught Latin? ‘No,’ said he, ‘but I mean to do something a great deal better for him.’ ‘What is that?’ said Sir John. ‘Why,’ said the other, ‘I mean to teach him to shave with cold water, and without a glass.’

My readers may smile, but I can assure them that Sir John is not alone. There are many others who have adopted this practice, and found it highly beneficial. One individual, who had tried it for years, has the following spirited remarks on the subject.

‘Only think of the inconvenience attending the common practice! There must be hot water; to have this there must be a fire, and, in some cases, a fire for that purpose alone; to have these, there must be a servant, or you must light a fire yourself. For the want of these, the job is put off until a later hour: this causes a stripping and another dressing bout: or, you go in a slovenly state all that day, and the next day the thing must be done, or cleanliness must be abandoned altogether….How many a piece of important business has failed from a short delay! And how many thousand of such delays daily proceed from this unworthy cause!’

Another 19th century writer also advocated cold water shaving. In 1838’s Present to an Apprentice, Sir J. Bannard tells readers:

Always shave with cold water. Barbers use warm, because they have to accommodate themselves to the habits of those whom they shave. The use of cold water saves much time and trouble— tends to preserve the smoothness and beauty of the skin; and when you have accustomed your face to it, you will shave as easily with cold water as with warm.

In Cottager’s Monthly Visitor, a monthly magazine from 1822, the editor writes:

Do not lose time by waiting for hot water. Cold is better after you once get accustomed to it. Hot water makes the face delicate and tender, the very cause why shaving is a painful operation.

And finally, in a book called Shaving Made Easy, the author argues that the idea that a soft beard gives a better shave is a bunch of bunk and that hot water should be avoided:

A hair, as is well known, is a tube composed of a hard fibrous substance, growing from a bulb or root, which secretes an oily matter.
This oil works its way up through the hair, and by permeating all parts, renders the hair soft and pliable. Now in this natural oily condition, it is very difficult to cut the hair with a razor, and it becomes even more difficult if the beard be made still softer by the application of hot water. Many do this, and it is no wonder they find shaving difficult. When this is done, the hairs become soft and limp, and the razor will either slip over them entirely, or else cut partly into them, bend them back and shave them lengthwise, all the while pulling and straining them at the roots, and making the process of shaving most painful.


Taken from this AoM article: https://www.artofmanliness.com/2010/03/24/cold-water-shaving/
Click to expand...
From today's pov you can still save time and water by not running the hot water tap till you get hot water to the sink making it an eco friendly thing to do as well. Personally, it fits my purpose to save time on what I consider a nonessential and conserve water. I save further time and reduce clean up necessary by not using a scuttle and face lather instead. That in turn leaves me more time to enjoy a leisurely 4 pass close and comfortable morning shave. The shave is the part I enjoy and not all the other jiggery pokery. OTH, if you enjoy all the other associated stuff why not. There is not one right or wrong way to shave only what works for you as an individual.

Bob
 
Nishy

Nishy

Forum GOD!
Staff member
Make sure you wet the razor head before use, with cold water. I find that I need to wash my face between passes just to add additional water.
 
halvor

halvor

a most elusive fish
Dr Watson said:
Published in 1833, The Young Man’s Guide offered advice for men coming of age on various facets of life. The author devoted one section to personal grooming. Along with the typical advice you’d expect to hear (bathe daily, change your clothes) the author suggests that men give up shaving with hot water and mirrors in order to save time. Here’s what he says:

Sir John Sinclair asked a friend whether he meant to have a son of his (then a little boy) taught Latin? ‘No,’ said he, ‘but I mean to do something a great deal better for him.’ ‘What is that?’ said Sir John. ‘Why,’ said the other, ‘I mean to teach him to shave with cold water, and without a glass.’

My readers may smile, but I can assure them that Sir John is not alone. There are many others who have adopted this practice, and found it highly beneficial. One individual, who had tried it for years, has the following spirited remarks on the subject.

‘Only think of the inconvenience attending the common practice! There must be hot water; to have this there must be a fire, and, in some cases, a fire for that purpose alone; to have these, there must be a servant, or you must light a fire yourself. For the want of these, the job is put off until a later hour: this causes a stripping and another dressing bout: or, you go in a slovenly state all that day, and the next day the thing must be done, or cleanliness must be abandoned altogether….How many a piece of important business has failed from a short delay! And how many thousand of such delays daily proceed from this unworthy cause!’

Another 19th century writer also advocated cold water shaving. In 1838’s Present to an Apprentice, Sir J. Bannard tells readers:

Always shave with cold water. Barbers use warm, because they have to accommodate themselves to the habits of those whom they shave. The use of cold water saves much time and trouble— tends to preserve the smoothness and beauty of the skin; and when you have accustomed your face to it, you will shave as easily with cold water as with warm.

In Cottager’s Monthly Visitor, a monthly magazine from 1822, the editor writes:

Do not lose time by waiting for hot water. Cold is better after you once get accustomed to it. Hot water makes the face delicate and tender, the very cause why shaving is a painful operation.

And finally, in a book called Shaving Made Easy, the author argues that the idea that a soft beard gives a better shave is a bunch of bunk and that hot water should be avoided:

A hair, as is well known, is a tube composed of a hard fibrous substance, growing from a bulb or root, which secretes an oily matter.
This oil works its way up through the hair, and by permeating all parts, renders the hair soft and pliable. Now in this natural oily condition, it is very difficult to cut the hair with a razor, and it becomes even more difficult if the beard be made still softer by the application of hot water. Many do this, and it is no wonder they find shaving difficult. When this is done, the hairs become soft and limp, and the razor will either slip over them entirely, or else cut partly into them, bend them back and shave them lengthwise, all the while pulling and straining them at the roots, and making the process of shaving most painful.


Taken from this AoM article: https://www.artofmanliness.com/2010/03/24/cold-water-shaving/
Click to expand...
Bah, I’m happy with the servants I’ve got. He wants them to go to the pub instead of heating my shaving water, or even go without a job??Such a nasty man, to paraphrase dear Donald.

I get the (theoretical) point of hairs, or follicles, tightening up with cold water, though, rendering hairs easier to cut. My objection is that cold water seems to numb the skin, leaving me with less feel with my strokes and shave all over.
 
N_Architect

N_Architect

Travel, See, Feel, Explore
Perhaps the sweet spot lies somewhere in between, like with room temp or lukewarm water... Cold water shave never suited me, to be honest. May be we're just so much used to hot or semi-hot water shaves.
 
Chris

Chris

Forum DOG!
Staff member
If you like cold water shaving be my guest, but I find it unpleasant and uncomfortable and as I don’t tend to get nicks or weepers with my usual warm water I fail to see the benefit.

@N_Architect may have a point, how hot did you cold advocates have your water before you converted? I can see that using hot water may not be beneficial but struggle to see what benefit cold vs warm would bring.
 
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