i was perusing youtube for wetshaving videos and came across one that said you shouldnt load directly from the puck but rather scoop out the amount you want to use. even though i do see alot of other youtubers loading directly from the puck. will this damage the soap at all or at the end of the day does it not really matter?
puck loading vs scooping
- Thread starter newwetsahver
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Some folks scoop out mainly when they bowl lather or when soap is expensive and/or soft so they don't get 'contaminated' with brush loading.
It is just personal preference as I see it. I face lather and load from puck.
It is just personal preference as I see it. I face lather and load from puck.
If you are unsure about the soap, you should scoop an amount to try, so it is easier to sell it afterward.
Other than that, there is no reason not to load directly. Just let it air dry between uses so no mold can grow inside.
Other than that, there is no reason not to load directly. Just let it air dry between uses so no mold can grow inside.
- Thread starter
- #4
cool, ill let them air dry, i dont plan on selling any of my soaps atm, normmaly i just load from the puck and put the cap back on
You don't even have to let them air dry very much at all. I just let mine dry during the course of my shave and cap it at the end. Tons of shaver's just cap 'em and store them away. It's crazy hard forbacteria or mold to grow on soap.
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- Thread starter
- #7
yea, i thought that video was a bit nitpicky, ill just cap em after i use them then.
I load my soaps from the puck and then face lather. I then leave the lid off the puck until tomorrow’s shave when I put the lid on and then start with the next soap. Never had any mould yet.
What I love about MWF and Tabac are their bowls that allow for the pucks to air out without keeping the lid open.
I've done both. They both work. No issues with either. I do find that MdC doesn't seem to appreciate being capped when wet.
It might be a little easier to approximate the exact amount of soap needed if you scoop daily, but who cares? Soap is pretty cheap stuff in the long run. I have not scooped in years.
It might be a little easier to approximate the exact amount of soap needed if you scoop daily, but who cares? Soap is pretty cheap stuff in the long run. I have not scooped in years.
I don't know how you would scoop a hard puck of soap like MWF.
The only time I scoop is with soft creams.
The only time I scoop is with soft creams.
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I load soaps directly from the puck. For me, this is simpler and I can also load a bit more soap if needed to get the lather I want.
However, to answer your question, with creams or soft soaps it is easily possible to scoop a bit for that day’s shave. With a hard soap, scooping is not so easy!
However, to answer your question, with creams or soft soaps it is easily possible to scoop a bit for that day’s shave. With a hard soap, scooping is not so easy!
If you air out soaps, or store them in an open mug, you will lose a lot of the scent. I find that hard pucks load easier as they slowly absorb the water from each use. I have never had a problem with any soap even after years of intermittent use.
I have never scooped a soap in 12 years of trad shaving. I’ve never had anything go rancid.
That said, I dry the soap for 12 hours or more before I recap it.
That said, I dry the soap for 12 hours or more before I recap it.
I scoop only soft creams from a tub. Hard soaps cannot be scooped, and it is easy to lather from the puck.
I scoop triple milled pucks and lather directly in cream tubs.
Most YouTube videos you see are guys who have been given the soap for free. They then scoop what they need to try it and do the video and then pass it along as “only been scooped once”, “only scooped from” etc.
It depends on the size of the tub for me. I load directly from the larger tubs, scoop from the smaller tins and tubs. I leave the lid off for a few hours to make sure the puck dries. Never noticed much difference in scent strength either way.
I had to toss a soap that grew mold on it within a year after purchase--so not all that "crazy hard". It was a tub of Grooming Dept Absinthe & Leather, not an inexpensive soap. I used to bloom this soap. I now see that the maker recommends against blooming.
I think that drying out a bloomed soap is the best practice. I leave the top off my soaps after use and leave them to dry out for several hours. The one exception, at least for me, is Saponificio Varesino particularly when I am going to use it again the next day. SV seems to like moisture and the maker does recommend blooming.
I use both methods, scooping and lathering directly from the puck. For starters, if you are unsure about a newly purchased soap, scooping is best practice so that resale is easier. Scooping leaves a soap in more pristine shape while lathering on the puck is a lot easier.
I have found that I like scooping--I use a really sharp knife to carve a little off the top. I don't worry about getting too much (within reason) as I like a good bowl of lather. I like the feel of the soap as I smear it on the bottom of my lathering bowl. I have a couple of GD soaps that I have only scooped even though I have no intention of selling them--I like the look of the virgin soap and, frankly am a little gunshy when it comes to either blooming or putting a wet brush on my Grooming Dept soaps after having to toss that one puck.
There was a poster @Atinofpeas who took the position that you should never put water on to a soap puck because it causes changes to the soap.
Well, grooming dept is known for manufacturing issues. So I would probably sa guess that soap may have been problematic from the start.
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