Brush size affect how much lather I SHOULD be making?

[Jslinger]

I have become a one-pass shaver. I use an SR3318 which is a relatively small brush. But in order to conserve soap, I like to only take what is necessary for one pass and a little left over. So I shake out more water and swirl the brush on the puck around 8 times so as to only pick up enough soap to match the amount of water I have in the brush. Does anyone know if the brush size affects the amount of lather I should be making. Should one use a small brush for a small amount of lather, or can you use less water and soap in a large brush and get the same result?
I have noticed that my shaves seem better with my wee scot than with my considerably larger Savile Row.

 

[cegadede]

I have become a one-pass shaver. I use an SR3318 which is a relatively small brush. But in order to conserve soap, I like to only take what is necessary for one pass and a little left over. So I shake out more water and swirl the brush on the puck around 8 times so as to only pick up enough soap to match the amount of water I have in the brush. Does anyone know if the brush size affects the amount of lather I should be making. Should one use a small brush for a small amount of lather, or can you use less water and soap in a large brush and get the same result?
I have noticed that my shaves seem better with my wee scot than with my considerably larger Savile Row.

With smaller brushes less lather is "lost" inside the brush, so more lather gets in the face, on the other hand, bigger brushes tend to store more lather inside, so you have more lather for a second, third or even fourth pass.

As you don't want to do a second pass, I don't see any advantage in using a bigger brush.

 

[djh]

The general wisdom is that if your brush is full of product (and in turn lather) it will easily give up the lather when you apply it to your face. Logically you will need to make a lot more lather (and accordingly use more soap or cream) with a larger brush in order to have it perform properly. Your three choices seem to be:
a. Use the Wee Scot (as I often do when I am making only one pass)
b. Use your SR with minimal soap or cream and dig the lather out of there with your fingers
c. Fill your SR with soap or cream and make lots of lather- and then throw away the excess.
In the end........... shaving soap is not too expensive

 

[Jslinger]

Thanks for the input!

 

[Crixus]

Should one use a small brush for a small amount of lather, or can you use less water and soap in a large brush and get the same result?

I have noticed that my shaves seem better with my wee scot than with my considerably larger Savile Row.

You are definitely on the right track if you choose a smaller brush for the one pass shave. It allows you to conserve your soap, as you have been doing. Your shaves with the Wee Scot are good because your ratios are in the sweet spot--a little soap, a little water, a little mixmaster--all getting together in a golf ball size storage chest where it's easy to get to with minimal waste.

Many people like the luxuriousness of big brushes, but to keep the ratios favorable (and accessible), you've really got to feed them.