Do you grate your soap?

[Eastcoast30]

I grate my soap when it is a hard Puck that I want to fit in a container that doesn't match the soap size.

Or when I soak those shavings of Arko or William's in a cheap aftershave so that I end up with a container of Stetson-scented but slick-as-snot performing Williams soap, for example.

But I've never felt the need to shred mystic water. I think it can be pressed with the thumb to fit the container, right?

And also, just wanted to warn you that some soap makers advise against soaking the soap ahead of time, like Will from barrister and Mann. I've never soaked the softer croaps like Stirling or mystic water or declaration grooming or cella, etc. I used to just soak the hard pucks like fine, MWF, tabac, etc. But these days I'm discovering that even they don't really need it.

(Sent from mobile)

Yes, the Mystic Water is soft enough to press into the sides of the container - but it takes a bit of doing.

 

[ajkel64]

I only grate Arko sticks and make a puck. I have used other sticks as they were intended to be used but I think in the future I will grate all my shaving sticks and make them into pucks.

 

[old_school]

I only grate Arko sticks and make a puck. I have used other sticks as they were intended to be used but I think in the future I will grate all my shaving sticks and make them into pucks.

Speik stick didn't soften up enough to smash into a tub, so it got grated. The rest, La Toja, Arko, Palmoliove smashed just fine. So for the OP yes if it refuses to smash.

 

[Owen Bawn]

A lot of grate ideas in this thread.

 

[Beefdrippings]

Good thread. I’m thinking about slicing up a La Toja stick into a SS bowl, maybe adding some glycerin, and putting the bowl into a pot with some simmering water to puck it. Is this standard puck practice or...?

 

[DrStrange]

I combine different soaps with coconut oil.
My latest experiment also has a few drops of glycerin
and some water.
I used a Pampered Chef garlic slicer.

I had treated my previous experiment
like a bottomless pot of soup, adding a little bit of this
and that as I went through it
I decided that I would like to finalize a recipe
instead of doing that.
My major problem is that it takes forever to
go through a batch of shaving soap.

 

[Nofx_Phan]

MW is quite soft.. I don't see why it needed to get grated. But, I have grated a puck of Fine. It worked out well I suppose, but that was a major pain! Needless to say, I don't like grating soap.

 

[dmshaver]

The only soaps I can recall grating are Haslinger & MWF. I have also grated those two together into one tub for some pretty wonderful results!

 

[JeffJ]

Have grated in the past. Press or slice and press now.

 

[Roy]

I do this often, mix soaps after I use ahout half. Latest mix is SV cosmo and tabac. The result is outstanding. It seemed to me each variety has its own special quality, which enhance each other when mixed.

 

[Atlantic59]

...Latest mix is SV cosmo and tabac. The result is outstanding...

 

[jaro 101969]

It can be useful sometimes, let's say you have two smaller pucks that together will fill a container. Or you want to convert a soap stick to fit better in a container.

Lately, I have been using the "loading bowl" technique. I still face lather, but take a small amount of soap from the main container to press into the bottom of a loading bowl. The damp brush is loaded with soap in the bowl to make a paste, then the paste is used to build a lather on the face. This technique keeps the original soap in the container pristine. A small amount of soap is scooped out with a plastic spatula when needed.

It's also possible to bowl lather the same way, of course. I find that is good for shaving creams or for a change of pace.

Instead of using a plastic spatula , go to a local thrift store and get one of the small spreading knives..Being made of metal they hold up better than the plastic ones....you can usually find them for 10 to 25 cents..

 

[jaro 101969]

Mitchell's Wool Fat, Tabac, and Haslinger Schafmilch.
View attachment 1225887

In one container? Now that's what I'd call a real frankensoap.
☺

Nice start of a Clown Puke tub..

 

[emily666]

I press my Mitchells into a bowl using the butt end of shave brush.Never tried grating as this method works for me .

 

[jaro 101969]

I use MWF in their ceramic bowl and have never bloomed it, or any other soap, and it has never expanded to fill the bowl. It has always worked fine for me. I have grated MWF which has a very light scent, and seeded it with Fabergé Brut, Shulton Old Spice, and Aramis cologne to produce three soaps which perform well and have great scents. I would say that the performance of the MWF is slightly degraded by the addition of the scent but is still very good.

On another site we do a Williams challenge every year in honor of Williams birthday and most of us grate our pucks and add different scents to it... Its a fun challenge with interesting results.....

 

[jaro 101969]

View attachment 1226156

Nice start of a Clown Puke tub..

 

[Salty O'Rourke]

I bought that huge Tabac shaving stick refill and grated it into a large shaving mug. I also grated an Erasmic puck to make a shave stick, but those are the only times I've done it.

 

[phelix]

As others have mentioned, it is a great way to fit a hard puck into none standard containers. I grate razorock wtp into my wife's grandfather's old coffee mug and it molds perfectly. I've done the same with PdP, I highly recommend this method.

 

[Eastcoast30]

One advantage of "grating" is that I can grate half a puck into a smaller tin and save the other half. This makes it easier to keep a few containers on the bathroom sink. Some containers, like A&E are quite large. But I actually never "grate" the soaps. The soft ones will press right into a container. For the hard ones, I slice them like an onion on a cutting board. This is faster and less messy than using a grater.

 

[drummer_boy]

A lot of grate ideas in this thread.

(Groan)