What's new

Some basic questions that I probably should already know the answers too

Hello all. So I have been wet shaving on and off since 2013. I just recently got back into it and I am loving it. I have picked up a couple of Fatboys and understand the mild razor, sharp blade works best for me. However, what I am not really clear on are a few basic things that I bet most of you already know. So I thought I would just ask :)

  1. I read on here today a reply that said something like "I have mostly a mostly gray beard so it is coarse" - Q: does beard color equate to hair coarseness? And how does one know if they have a coarse beard? I assume a coarse beard takes more effort to shave.
  2. I recently shaved with Williams Mug soap and I got a horrible shave. Very irritated when it was over. I felt my lather was on pair with the other soaps I was using. Q: does changing the soap have that much impact on shaves if the soap makes a good lather?
  3. Speaking of lather. I watch a lot of youtube videos on shaves. Trying to understand more and spot new techniques. One thing I notice is that a lot of guys on there spend a lot of time getting a really thick lather. Q: does a think lather make that much difference in the quality of shave? I mean I have a good lather, but not like a Barbasol can lather.

So far, I have gotten a lot of DFS using the Fatboy on 2. I have tried several blades such as Personna Red, GSB, Astra (both stainless and platinum), Gillette 7 o'clock. The only 'bad' shave I have gotten in the last few mos is the Williams Mug recent shave so I believe I am doing a lot of the basics correct.

Thanks for your advice
-Erik
 

EclipseRedRing

I smell like a Christmas pudding
Hi Erik, I am no expert but here are my thoughts:

1 - I am in my mid 50s and my now grey beard seems tougher than it did in years gone by. I suspect a darker beard may be tougher than a blonde one but that is just a guess. It seems that the majority here seem to think they have tougher beards and more sensitive skin than average; maybe I just imagine that. No beard, no matter how coarse, is difficult to shave with the proper equipment and technique, you may need to adjust that as you age I suppose.

2 - I use only MWF and Tabac hard soaps and assuming there are no ingredients that irritate your skin then I think you can get a decent shave with any soap that lathers well for you. Some have different qualities such as slickness and cushion but I think there is a lot of pretentious nonsense spoken about those qualities. Some work for you and some don't depending on for example the water you have available. There are too many soaps available to waste a lot of time trying to make something work for you that doesn't in my opinion.

3 - I spend more time face lathering than I need because I enjoy it, rather than to improve the lather. Some times I may make it worse by continuing but I do not care as for me the primary purpose of the exercise is fun and relaxation, with a decent shave being almost incidental. Looking at the 'lather pictures' on this forum it seems that fewer bubbles and a thick yogurt like consistency is thought best, perhaps because it is less likely to dissipate prematurely. I prefer a thinner lather than seems to be recommended, certainly when using a straight or my Feather AC. I feel that some try to create a mystique around lathering that does not exist, in doing so they over complicate the process, and for me make it a joyless experience. It becomes an exercise in making a thick bubble free lather, rather than one of shaving; nothing wrong with that if it is what you want of course, to each his own 👍
 
I don’t profess to be an expert on wet shaving but I certainly can give you my $.02 worth. You have a good setup with the FatBoy’s and I agree a mild razor and sharp blades work best for me too. Now to your questions.
1. I used to consider my beard just average until it turned gray. Now I consider it much coarser. Many will say the coarser it is the harder it is to get a DFS or BBS shave.
2. I have not tried Williams, but many swear by it. Many also complain they cannot make a good lather with it.
3. Personally I don’t feel I need voluminous amounts of lather for a good shave. I like for my beard to be covered and the lather to be slick and not filled with any air bubbles.
The pre shave prep is more important with your beard being hydrated, good technique and you know the directions your beard grows all contribute to a good shave. Sounds to me like you are headed in the right direction, you may just not get along with Williams.
 
Hi Erik, I am no expert but here are my thoughts:

1 - I am in my mid 50s and my now grey beard seems tougher than it did in years gone by. I suspect a darker beard may be tougher than a blonde one but that is just a guess. It seems that the majority here seem to think they have tougher beards and more sensitive skin than average; maybe I just imagine that. No beard, no matter how coarse, is difficult to shave with the proper equipment and technique, you may need to adjust that as you age I suppose.

2 - I use only MWF and Tabac hard soaps and assuming there are no ingredients that irritate your skin then I think you can get a decent shave with any soap that lathers well for you. Some have different qualities such as slickness and cushion but I think there is a lot of pretentious nonsense spoken about those qualities. Some work for you and some don't depending on for example the water you have available. There are too many soaps available to waste a lot of time trying to make something work for you that doesn't in my opinion.

3 - I spend more time face lathering than I need because I enjoy it, rather than to improve the lather. Some times I may make it worse by continuing but I do not care as for me the primary purpose of the exercise is fun and relaxation, with a decent shave being almost incidental. Looking at the 'lather pictures' on this forum it seems that fewer bubbles and a thick yogurt like consistency is thought best, perhaps because it is less likely to dissipate prematurely. I prefer a thinner lather than seems to be recommended, certainly when using a straight or my Feather AC. I feel that some try to create a mystique around lathering that does not exist, in doing so they over complicate the process, and for me make it a joyless experience. It becomes an exercise in making a thick bubble free lather, rather than one of shaving; nothing wrong with that if it is what you want of course, to each his own 👍
What you wrote is the conclusion I have come to as well. Nice to hear I am on the same page as at least one other person :cool:

BTW, I am 46 and my beard is mostly grey now. I never thought of it as coarse but at the same time, I really have no reference point to judge the coarseness with.
 
Hello all. So I have been wet shaving on and off since 2013. I just recently got back into it and I am loving it. I have picked up a couple of Fatboys and understand the mild razor, sharp blade works best for me. However, what I am not really clear on are a few basic things that I bet most of you already know. So I thought I would just ask :)

  1. I read on here today a reply that said something like "I have mostly a mostly gray beard so it is coarse" - Q: does beard color equate to hair coarseness? And how does one know if they have a coarse beard? I assume a coarse beard takes more effort to shave.
  2. I recently shaved with Williams Mug soap and I got a horrible shave. Very irritated when it was over. I felt my lather was on pair with the other soaps I was using. Q: does changing the soap have that much impact on shaves if the soap makes a good lather?
  3. Speaking of lather. I watch a lot of youtube videos on shaves. Trying to understand more and spot new techniques. One thing I notice is that a lot of guys on there spend a lot of time getting a really thick lather. Q: does a think lather make that much difference in the quality of shave? I mean I have a good lather, but not like a Barbasol can lather.

So far, I have gotten a lot of DFS using the Fatboy on 2. I have tried several blades such as Personna Red, GSB, Astra (both stainless and platinum), Gillette 7 o'clock. The only 'bad' shave I have gotten in the last few mos is the Williams Mug recent shave so I believe I am doing a lot of the basics correct.

Thanks for your advice
-Erik
1 - Your beard becomes tougher as you get older.
2 - The purpose of lather is to lubricate, protect and keep your whiskers hydrated. It does this by holding water. If your lather does not contain enough water, or if you try to shave with a lather that does not contain enough soap, your lather will not provide enough lubrication and protection. You don't need huge clouds of pretty lather, like the pictures show -- but you do need to build a lather that is slick and protective. Williams takes more work to get there than many other soaps, but it can be done. Try another soap and your life will be easier.
3. Lather makes a whole lot of difference in how smooth and irritation-free your shave is. It does not really matter much what it looks like, though. Lather needs to be slick, protective and hydrating for the whiskers.
 
Last edited:
1. I am 78 years old. When I started shaving at the age of 14 my beard was on the soft side. Over the years it got stiffer. My beard now is grey and I don't find it any coarser in contrast to when I was 50 and had no grey in it. The only difference I do see is that now my hair doesn't grow very fast on the top of my head (which is why I shave the little I have there) but it sure does grow fast on my face and neck.

2. I have tried many soaps over the years. Yes, there is a big difference in the performance of soaps. Some soaps have ingredients that make for a slick lather and a razor just glides over your face. Some soaps lack this lubrication quality. There are some soaps I have tried that make a nice looking lather for me but do not provide sufficient lubrication to result in a smooth shave. For me, it's all about the mixture of ingredients.

3. I usually don't watch youtube videos of men shaving. However, often on B&B I see photos of what looks like a beautiful, rich lather. The lather is rising majestically on top of a shaving brush. This lather may look great but if it doesn't have sufficient water in it you will not get a good shave. For me, it's more important to have a good, slick feel to the lather rather than a thick one.
 
Hi Erik, I'm no expert either, but I will give you my opinion.

1. I'll be sixty this year and my beard is nearly snow white. It didn't happen overnight, it was a gradual affair, so I couldn't tell you if my stubble was actually easier to cut when it was brown as opposed to white. This is probably a good question for a barber.

2. Williams mug soap was one of the first, if not 'the' first shaving soap produced in the United States. It's legendary and infamous at the same time. It used to be a fairly easy shaving soap to lather, but years ago it was reformulated. In order to get an acceptable lather from present day Williams mug soap, you must first give the puck a few compliments, take it out to a fancy restaurant, give it a hot oil massage, then soak it in hot water. I would ditch the Williams and buy a puck of Mitchell's Wool Fat instead. Your face will thank you for it.

3. Like Richard, I prefer a lather with more water in it. It's what works best for me when I shave with a straight razor or a double edge razor. I'm really not concerned if the lather is photogenic, slickness is what I am going for. As far as cushion goes, I don't even know what the heck that means.:straight:
 
Last edited:
  1. And how does one know if they have a coarse beard?

I agree that every body thinks they have a coarse beard. To find out, you need to go feel some other mens faces. Rub up and down, side to side. Get up close and observe their faces for swirls and other problem spots. Don’t forget right under their noses and below the chins. When you get out of the hospital from your face getting busted up, please let us know if you have a coarse beard. 😏

I just assume I have a medium beard and work from there.
 
In regards to question 2, is it possible you're allergic to something in the soap? I've never used Williams but a lot of people here have and like it as well.
 

This video is one that I did where I got a superb creamy slick lather from Williams mug soap.

In terms of slickness, WMS can compete with pretty much anything out there. and I agree with many already posting here that slickness is the most important aspect of a soap to get a good shave.

In my view, it has two weaknesses.

1. It takes work to get the best out of it. With so many other options that are easier to get to it great lather, many folks just don't want to spend the time with it .
2. It can dry some people's faces out. And the people I'm talking about are not your average person, but people with actually very dry skin who need moisturizers in their shaving soap as well as a balm or moisturizer after the shave. If a person with average skin experiences dryness with WMS lather, then it is really user error : maybe not enough water, maybe not enough mixing time, etc.

I think it's probably a good idea to learn how to get good lathers from it . I think that will help you to be able to get good lathers from just about any other soap out there.

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk
 
A thick, dense lather may sound really good in marketing, but in my view many times that kind of lather doesn't bond with your skin as well as a slicker, wetter, thinner relather that will offer you the best protection.

I like to push as much water as I can into my lathers and try to stop right before it loses a creamy feel .



Sent from my phone using Tapatalk
 
Excellent video! Thanks for sharing.

This video is one that I did where I got a superb creamy slick lather from Williams mug soap.

In terms of slickness, WMS can compete with pretty much anything out there. and I agree with many already posting here that slickness is the most important aspect of a soap to get a good shave.

In my view, it has two weaknesses.

1. It takes work to get the best out of it. With so many other options that are easier to get to it great lather, many folks just don't want to spend the time with it .
2. It can dry some people's faces out. And the people I'm talking about are not your average person, but people with actually very dry skin who need moisturizers in their shaving soap as well as a balm or moisturizer after the shave. If a person with average skin experiences dryness with WMS lather, then it is really user error : maybe not enough water, maybe not enough mixing time, etc.

I think it's probably a good idea to learn how to get good lathers from it . I think that will help you to be able to get good lathers from just about any other soap out there.

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk
 

This video is one that I did where I got a superb creamy slick lather from Williams mug soap.

In terms of slickness, WMS can compete with pretty much anything out there. and I agree with many already posting here that slickness is the most important aspect of a soap to get a good shave.

In my view, it has two weaknesses.

1. It takes work to get the best out of it. With so many other options that are easier to get to it great lather, many folks just don't want to spend the time with it .
2. It can dry some people's faces out. And the people I'm talking about are not your average person, but people with actually very dry skin who need moisturizers in their shaving soap as well as a balm or moisturizer after the shave. If a person with average skin experiences dryness with WMS lather, then it is really user error : maybe not enough water, maybe not enough mixing time, etc.

I think it's probably a good idea to learn how to get good lathers from it . I think that will help you to be able to get good lathers from just about any other soap out there.

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk
Going to watch the video now. Thank you!
 
So I just watched the video and I literally did everything opposite of what this guy did. I have been trying out the Marco method and used that with Williams. I recently bought a soap lot so I am not going to give this a try anything soon, but I am not going to throw it out again. Maybe in a few Saturdays, I might try again.
 
Hello all. So I have been wet shaving on and off since 2013. I just recently got back into it and I am loving it. I have picked up a couple of Fatboys and understand the mild razor, sharp blade works best for me. However, what I am not really clear on are a few basic things that I bet most of you already know. So I thought I would just ask :)

  1. I read on here today a reply that said something like "I have mostly a mostly gray beard so it is coarse" - Q: does beard color equate to hair coarseness? And how does one know if they have a coarse beard? I assume a coarse beard takes more effort to shave.
  2. I recently shaved with Williams Mug soap and I got a horrible shave. Very irritated when it was over. I felt my lather was on pair with the other soaps I was using. Q: does changing the soap have that much impact on shaves if the soap makes a good lather?
  3. Speaking of lather. I watch a lot of youtube videos on shaves. Trying to understand more and spot new techniques. One thing I notice is that a lot of guys on there spend a lot of time getting a really thick lather. Q: does a think lather make that much difference in the quality of shave? I mean I have a good lather, but not like a Barbasol can lather.

So far, I have gotten a lot of DFS using the Fatboy on 2. I have tried several blades such as Personna Red, GSB, Astra (both stainless and platinum), Gillette 7 o'clock. The only 'bad' shave I have gotten in the last few mos is the Williams Mug recent shave so I believe I am doing a lot of the basics correct.

Thanks for your advice
-Erik
Welcome back! Here's my take on the three.

1. Coarse beard just depends on how easy it is to shave. You can also tell visually by the density of the beard and physically by touching your beard and seeing if it's like sandpaper or cat whiskers.

2. Williams is not my favorite. I haven't tried it in a while but all I know is that it dissipates easily and is crazy slick. Changing soap does impact the shaves based on the lather and the residual slickness.

3. Thick lather is enjoyable to make but is not necessary. I can get the same result from thick or thin lather, as long as it's hydrated. If the lather is dry, it doesn't matter whether is thick or thin; the razor will pull on the skin and I have to do more work, leading to irritations.
 
As for coarse beards -- yes, a coarse beard is just harder to cut, but I wouldn't exactly say it takes more effort, just more discretion in your selection of razors, blades, and soaps. My beard is coarse, and I say this because, before I discovered wetshaving, I never had a shave that didn't hurt. A lot. Electric razors, different kinds of cartridge razors, canned goo, canned foam...some were better than others, but they all made me feel like they were pulling on the stubble as much as they were cutting it. (And, unsurprisingly, they tended to leave me with a terrible shave.) It wasn't until I discovered wetshaving and the combination of an aggressive razor or slant and a very sharp blade that I could finally get a shave that wasn't extremely painful, though of course that kind of razor and blade do require good technique. I don't usually need more passes than anybody else (typically 3 passes + touchups unless it's a special occasion or something), but I am more picky about razors and especially blades (only Super Iridiums or Gillette Yellows), and I do have to be careful about my technique, due to the extremely aggressive setup my beard seems to demand.

Basically, if you're not having problems getting a decent or painless shave from your current setup, I wouldn't worry too much about coarseness.

Also, coarseness doesn't only go with grayness...I'm not yet in that part of my life, but I just have a naturally coarse beard. I assume it'll get even worse as I go gray.
 
Great questions!! Here are my $0.02:

1. Q: does beard color equate to hair coarseness? ...I assume a coarse beard takes more effort to shave.

I would say that my beard has become more coarse as it has become more gray. However, with better equipment and technique my gray beard is not more difficult: I am getting better shaves than ever!

2. Q: does changing the soap have that much impact on shaves if the soap makes a good lather?

Changing soaps means that I need to figure out how to get the best out of a new product. It may take me awhile to figure out the optimal soap to water ratio and to make a slick, protective lather. Plus, some soaps simply don’t work as well for me as others!

3. Q: does a thick lather make that much difference in the quality of shave?

I prefer a slick, protective lather rather than the thick yogurt often shown is videos. My razor just glides better and I have less chance of a nick.

Hope this helps!! :thumbup: :thumbup: :thumbup:
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
Hello all. So I have been wet shaving on and off since 2013. I just recently got back into it and I am loving it. I have picked up a couple of Fatboys and understand the mild razor, sharp blade works best for me. However, what I am not really clear on are a few basic things that I bet most of you already know. So I thought I would just ask :)

  1. I read on here today a reply that said something like "I have mostly a mostly gray beard so it is coarse" - Q: does beard color equate to hair coarseness? And how does one know if they have a coarse beard? I assume a coarse beard takes more effort to shave.
  2. I recently shaved with Williams Mug soap and I got a horrible shave. Very irritated when it was over. I felt my lather was on pair with the other soaps I was using. Q: does changing the soap have that much impact on shaves if the soap makes a good lather?
  3. Speaking of lather. I watch a lot of youtube videos on shaves. Trying to understand more and spot new techniques. One thing I notice is that a lot of guys on there spend a lot of time getting a really thick lather. Q: does a think lather make that much difference in the quality of shave? I mean I have a good lather, but not like a Barbasol can lather.

So far, I have gotten a lot of DFS using the Fatboy on 2. I have tried several blades such as Personna Red, GSB, Astra (both stainless and platinum), Gillette 7 o'clock. The only 'bad' shave I have gotten in the last few mos is the Williams Mug recent shave so I believe I am doing a lot of the basics correct.

Thanks for your advice
-Erik
1. My beard has become coarser with age but not denser. I believe it has more to do with age than color.
2. Williams is a slick soap but troublesome because of its tendency to dissipate before you finish shaving. Different skins react differently to soap ingredients so it could be that.
3. The only lather that matters is what touches your skin but there must be enough to keep what touches your skin wet. Personally, I don’t apply lather thickly but I do prefer it well hydrated. My first pass lather is generally thicker than my second pass. I just do it that way and don’t really know why. Perhaps the enjoyment of piddling with it is over.

I shave with a straight so wetness seems to be more critical than with a DE - just a personal thing.

Regarding the Williams, it is cheap so if it gives you problems, just toss it or use it in the shower. If you are looking for inexpensive, try Palmolive Classic shave cream in the tube. It is excellent, easy to lather, mildly scented and inexpensive.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom