Bowl Lathering With Badger

[Latherati]

Hello Everyone,

I never watch YouTube shaving videos, but the other day I was watching a few videos on the Lambda Athena because it’s tremendously beautiful and I wanted to see the razor in action (the lather rinse intrigues me). I was recommended a “how to lather in a bowl” video from a popular shaving YouTube creator. Watching the beginning of the video, he said he uses synthetic brushes to bowl lather instead of badger because bowl lathering with badger damages the bristles. I understand mashing a brush in a bowl or on your face would cause damage to the bristles, but how would swirling a badger in a bowl damage the bristles any more than lathering on your face with a badger?? Thank you for your input! Always enjoy learning from everyone on the forum!

 

[CCS]

Hello Everyone,

I never watch YouTube shaving videos, but the other day I was watching a few videos on the Lambda Athena because it’s tremendously beautiful and I wanted to see the razor in action (the lather rinse intrigues me). I was recommended a “how to lather in a bowl” video from a popular shaving YouTube creator. Watching the beginning of the video, he said he uses synthetic brushes to bowl lather instead of badger because bowl lathering with badger damages the bristles. I understand mashing a brush in a bowl or on your face would cause damage to the bristles, but how would swirling a badger in a bowl damage the bristles any more than lathering on your face with a badger?? Thank you for your input! Always enjoy learning from everyone on the forum!

Mashing a boar or badger is probably a poor idea when bowl lathering but I've used, mostly badger brushes for a few decades by swirling and going back and forth quickly with only light pressure. In my current line-up, my oldest badger is over 15 years old now and looks like new. But it only gets used once a week or two these days. But all of my badger brushes save for the recently acquired Wee Scot are at least 10 years old and all look great and have been used, primarily, as bowl latherers. I'm newer to using boars and synths but are using both more often than badger these days.

 

[Barbarian80]

The whole concept of bowl lathering is to whip up lather in some vessel via controlled method so you more or less have the same quality lather every shave and or your face cannot take the rigors of scrubbing required to face lather. Then, you paint the lather on your face. At that point, you've defeated the purpose of using animal hair, anyway. Though, if you're scrubbing the lather on rather than painting it, you could have saved yourself the trouble of whipping up the lather in a bowl and instead went right to your face. My opinion- if you're bowl lathering as intended there is no real good reason to use the pricier animal hair brushes.

 

[Cino]

I always use a scuttle. I just get better and more consistent lather that way at the the temperature of my choosing (cold usually). I also use the brush to massage the lather into my beard prior to painting. I use only badger and boar, and I've never had a problem with a brush, though I am not a masher.

I fail to see how building lather in a bowl is harsher to a brush than building lather on stubble. Maybe if your bowl had stubble

 

[Barbarian80]

I fail to see how building lather in a bowl is harsher to a brush than building lather on stubble. Maybe if your bowl had stubble

I don't bowl lather, but as a face latherer if i press too hard on my face with a brush the prickly feedback i get will allow me to back off. Obviously, you aren't getting any feed back from a bowl so someone may get carried away with an expensive animal hair brush- but i do get the whole scuttle thing especially in the cooler months when it does feel nice to have a warm brush and warm lather.

 

[Ron R]

Hello Everyone,

I never watch YouTube shaving videos, but the other day I was watching a few videos on the Lambda Athena because it’s tremendously beautiful and I wanted to see the razor in action (the lather rinse intrigues me). I was recommended a “how to lather in a bowl” video from a popular shaving YouTube creator. Watching the beginning of the video, he said he uses synthetic brushes to bowl lather instead of badger because bowl lathering with badger damages the bristles. I understand mashing a brush in a bowl or on your face would cause damage to the bristles, but how would swirling a badger in a bowl damage the bristles any more than lathering on your face with a badger?? Thank you for your input! Always enjoy learning from everyone on the forum!

My experiences with badger brushes bowl lathering it does not damage them, but I have only been using badger for about a year so over time I not sure. The reason I use a bowl is less scrubbing of my face and second is to preserve my soap longer because I'm not adding water to the puck. I use so many different soaps in my rotation that it takes weeks some times to get to the puck that was used with loading the brush. It takes about 1-2 minutes to get a decent lather out of a bowl and that is Ok with myself.
I would think scrubbing a whiskered face would be harder on the brush then bowl lathering IMO!
Nothing wrong with using synthetic brushes either because they work well also & same as my boar brushes.
You are bound to lose the odd natural hair regardless whether face lathering or bowl lathering.

 

[sarimento1]

never had any problems lathering creams with either badger or boars in mug or scuttle!

 

[ctr]

Used a bowl or mug for many years. Maybe 20 years. Only had one badger in all that time. No damage. Some YouTube "experts" need to say something, anything, to be an "expert" on camera.

Switched to face lathering and later palm lathering.

 

[RayClem]

My face is too sensitive to tolerate face lathering, so i generate my lather in a bowl and then paint it on my face.

Brushes come in a variety of shapes. Those who face lather often like fan shaped knots. Those who bowl lather often prefer bulb shaped knots. Certainly, you can use either shape brush for either method, but you will probably achieve your results more quickly with a brush that corresponds to the type of lathering you are doing.

Boar and horsehair brushes were originally used to face lather after loading soap from a hard puck in a shaving mug. Thus, they tend to be either fan shaped or even flatter. Badger and synthetic brushes come in version from nearly flat to almost pointed. Pick your brush based on your preferred method of loading and lathering.

 

[Ron R]

never had any problems lathering creams with either badger or boars in mug or scuttle!

Must be a battery operated brush on auto, where did you pick that brush up, you seasoned photo Pro having a little fun!

 

[frbock]

With a bunch of experiments, I've ended up close to where I started. In the 80s I had a boar brush, and the Old spice puck in the mug. Add water to the puck, load, and face lather.
These days I'm kind of settling in on put the hot water on the softer soap (TOBS, Noble Otter, etc), swish it for 10 sec or so and pour the water into the bowl (currently plastic). Wet the brush(synthetic) and light shake. About 10-15 of running on the soap should have enough soap (I'm 1 pass). Then start working it in the bowl.
Slather and shave.
If I'm using a creme, I wet the face and lightly wet the brush, and rub the creme on the skin and do face lathering. It works better for travel, a lot less to carry.
I bought the synth to be my travel brush, but it's much better than the pure bader I got for Christmas, and if I lose it, I'm only out a little. I'd hate to lose a Silvertip on a trip.
I think I'll ask for a ceramic bowl for Christmas. I can heat them while I'm taking a shower, and convert it to a hot shave.

 

[cf1]

I would say the aggressiveness of some bowl ridge designs does increase risk of damage. I had a Pierra(sp) bowl and the ridges at the bottom were pretty sharp and did result in some hair breakage especially in my Semogue 830. I actually sanded a couple areas smoother(the Star and “P”). but didn’t help enough. We are talking 1-2 breakages per lather and I was not mashing. I got rid of the bowl quickly and haven’t had issues since. I use a fine bowl and HC&C bowl now. As always ymmv.

 

[Big Jim]

I used a finest badger this morning and lathered in a an old spice mug. The puck was one bought in Hungary a few years ago at a Christmas Market. The markings on the puck make me think it was made by monks.

Anyway, the brush is stiffer than most finest badgers and it whipped up beautiful lather quickly without putting stress on the bristles. The result was better than any of the synthetic brushes I have used.

I truly do like synthetics and they are improving, but to always say they are superior to badger just isn't so. YMMV

 

[CCS]

The whole concept of bowl lathering is to whip up lather in some vessel via controlled method so you more or less have the same quality lather every shave and or your face cannot take the rigors of scrubbing required to face lather. Then, you paint the lather on your face. At that point, you've defeated the purpose of using animal hair, anyway. Though, if you're scrubbing the lather on rather than painting it, you could have saved yourself the trouble of whipping up the lather in a bowl and instead went right to your face. My opinion- if you're bowl lathering as intended there is no real good reason to use the pricier animal hair brushes.

Interesting take. I'm not sure you're right but you might be. I've used badger and boar for so long doing bowl/face lather mixing that I never gave it much thought. But I now have have three synthetics and all of the them are lather monsters and I can either bowl or face lather (but not as well as with good badger or boar) or get things started in a bowl and finish on my face. I'm fortunate that even with my fair complexion, I don't have some of the skin issues so many gripe about here.

 

[DEGuy]

I load my brush in the container in which my soap sold. I give it a good loading, go to my face and have a ton of lather to work with--enough for two good passes. I use RazoRock XXX, to which I add a bit of water while my Omega Pro brush (huge knot and fairly high loft) is soaking. When ready, I shake out the brush, take it to the XXX container and load those bristles. No bowl needed; just my Omega Pro brush, RazoRock XXX shave soap, and my 34C. There's a lot to be said for keeping it and other things in life simple. Of course, it took me decades to come to this realization; but not before spending time and money on products that added to the defunct shaving-gear box.

 

[Barbarian80]

I never gave it much thought.

I think that the only thing anyone should think about is whether they are enjoying the experience and don't be afraid to try something different to take it to the next level of enjoyment.

 

[CCS]

I think that the only thing anyone should think about is whether they are enjoying the experience and don't be afraid to try something different to take it to the next level of enjoyment.

Bud, I've enjoyed my experience shaving, once I learned how to do it correctly, for close to 50 of the 55 years I've been shaving with a blade and brush. I mentioned I recently bought a couple synthetic brushes to try and I've picked up two modern SS razors to see if they really are any better than my collection of vintage Gillettes based on the enthusiasm of some younger folks here. I've never been afraid to try most things when it comes to my interests but when you know what works and you like it, you're good. Here, I made an exception as I haven't paid much attention to where the last decade has taken the world of wet shaving. A good number of active members here are younger and just starting out with shaving with things other than carts and electrics so it can be interesting to hear some of their experiences. But I doubt few here enjoy wet shaving more than I do. I think many are more into it as their current hobby which it's not for me (a hobby).

 

[ERS4]

I alternated making lather in the bowl/on my face and didn't find which one damaged the brush more.
Just avoid pressing the brush too hard and grinding the hair.

Also I would recommend avoiding "suribachi" type bowls, especially expensive brushes, although some people love it.

I have tried many types of bowls including several suribachi, and suribachi does work, but some suribachi with too sharp texture can cause knots in the center of the brush or fray the hair.

 

[Ron R]

Also I would recommend avoiding "suribachi" type bowls, especially expensive brushes, although some people love it.

I have tried many types of bowls including several suribachi, and suribachi does work, but some suribachi with too sharp texture can cause knots in the center of the brush or fray the hair.

I agree with your conclusion also with the suribachi bowl that is used for grinding down herbs and other substances.
I have one also my wife found it at a garage sale for $1.00 and that was my conclusion also, the fine grooves in mine where to sharp for even my synthetic brushes. I could feel the bristles kind of grinding that is not what you want for a nice expensive brush to last for a long time IMO.

 

[never-stop-learning]

I bowl lather vigorously with Badger, Boar and Synthetic brushes.

After building the lather in the bowl, I splay the brush on my face and do a bit of face lathering to apply the lather and then use painting strokes to even things out.

Never have had any issues with shedding or damaged brushes.