My critical reading skills ain't all that, but it seems to me to be quite a humble little study. Fundamentally, the only real objective seems to be evaluating the reduction in cutting stresses due to the presence of moisture. The failure mechanisms and blade angle seems to be secondary to the whole objective. In a shave, we automatically compensate for those failures, either by a subsequent pass in a differing direction, by maintaining a sharper blade, and by maintaining/controlling the distance from the base. I'm not sure where all the differing cut angles come in either, other than as a function of blade distance from base.
It seems to beg the question: if water saturation reduces the cutting forces necessary, how much further reduction does shaving lather offer? I wonder if there is any inherent effect from lather, or if it just speeds up the rate at which water is absorbed by the hair shaft, or is it's function simply to reduce friction between the skin and blade?