I take a shower first and then fill the sink with hot water. Some drops on the soap to let it soften a bit and a washing cloth to keep the whiskers soft and moist. Since the cloth isn't large enough to cover my whole chin and cheeks I dip it in water, hold it to one place for about 10 seconds, dip it again and hold it to the next place on my face and so forth. In total it lasts 1 - 2 minutes. Works for me.
I've tried that, but since September I have been a cold water shave convert. Saving on the hot water, and love the effect on the skin.
The time needed for the towel depends on how tough your beard is I think. Lately, I just don't worry about the towel. I wash my face and leave the wet soap on there for a few minutes. Then use wet hands to get the soap wet again. If my whiskers don't feel softer, I let it sit a few more minutes. The towel doesn't seem to speed things up for me.
I used to do this as well. Not as much anymore. My flocks of products have mostly replaced it. It is a very nice feel ing though... looks like tomorrow will be Kyle method Sunday!
Geofatboy has a pretty good video illustrating the use. He recommends it only for times when you don't shower first, and I think he recommeds at least 2 or 3 minutes, and 2 applications if you have time.
It works. I prefer to wash in the shower first, but if I can't then it's a good wash at the sink immediately before the shave. A nice cotton face towel soaked in warm water works best for me. (used gently.... no scrubbin') I even put a few drops of Clubman Vanilla in the water sometimes, just because I like the smell.
Slightly ot, but my current sink-side hand towel has an illustration of a whale, a bowl of petunias, and the words 'not again' printed on it. Found it hanging in the back of my local bookstore with a sign saying 'free towel'. It was May 25, which apparently is Towel Day. I had a spring in my step that day! Sorry, back to the shaving.
A towel is about the most massively useful thing an interstellar hitchhiker can have. Partly it has great practical value. You can wrap it around you for warmth as you bound across the cold moons of Jaglan Beta; you can lie on it on the brilliant marble-sanded beaches of Santraginus V, inhaling the heady sea vapors; you can sleep under it beneath the stars which shine so redly on the desert world of Kakrafoon; use it to sail a miniraft down the slow heavy River Moth; wet it for use in hand-to-hand-combat; wrap it round your head to ward off noxious fumes or avoid the gaze of the Ravenous Bugblatter Beast of Traal (such a mind-boggingly stupid animal, it assumes that if you can't see it, it can't see you); you can wave your towel in emergencies as a distress signal, and of course dry yourself off with it if it still seems to be clean enough. You can even use it as part of your wet shaving ritual.
