Comprehensive guide to building superlative lather!
- Thread starter joel
- Start date
Only problem I have with superlather is that I think it is blasphemy to even think about mixing shaving soap with shaving cream 
This is the best piece of information I've gotten from this forum, other than Mark's vids and the post about negative pressure.
I went right out to Target and got a water boiler and have had some seriously kick-***, hot lather the past couple of days.
Thanks, Joel, you rock!
I went right out to Target and got a water boiler and have had some seriously kick-***, hot lather the past couple of days.
Thanks, Joel, you rock!
very, very nice!
At one point in the threads, it is suggested that the badger brush not be soaked in boiling hot water. So, is the water heater just used to warm up the bowl, but you use hot tap water for the brush (which is not what's shown in the pictures, but is suggested in later text)? And how key is the hot water boiler to this process at all -- in other words, if I follow these instructions, but just use really hot water from the tap, should I be able to recreate the process/lather shown here (with just not quite as warm lather)?
I just bought a new badger silver tipped brush and is says NOT to soak the brush in boiling water.
- Thread starter
- #26
I boil water - unplug the boiler, and let the water sit for a few seconds while I get ready - then I pour it in the mug.
Brush manuals/leaflets say do not boil the BRUSH (as way back when - they would boil shaving brushes to sterilize them.
Putting near boiling water, or boiling water on brushes for the most part is a-ok. On one of my brushes - it knurled the tips a touch, but myself and others have used this with quite a few brushes, for years.
Basically - i'd say it is safe to use near boiling water on a shaving brush long term.
Brush manuals/leaflets say do not boil the BRUSH (as way back when - they would boil shaving brushes to sterilize them.
Putting near boiling water, or boiling water on brushes for the most part is a-ok. On one of my brushes - it knurled the tips a touch, but myself and others have used this with quite a few brushes, for years.
Basically - i'd say it is safe to use near boiling water on a shaving brush long term.
Boiling water is NOT good for the hair - it damages it. You may still use the brush for years...
You can get warm lather without boiling hot water (e.g. boil it and wait a bit, or mix with cold water).
Using boiling / too hot water will also play a number on your lather as it will become dry faster than otherwise and you will need to add more water.
Cheers
Ivo
- Thread starter
- #29
There are other adjustments you'd make for soaps - but the general idea is the same. In this section (pictorials & videos) there are a few pictorials on soap lathering as well.
A quick snapshot is to basically shake your brush, work the brush on the soap, and if the lather is a bit dry, add a bit of hot water to the brush (you can just run a bit of hot water on the bristle tips) and begin lathering on the soap again. It may take a few adjustments to get the hang of it, but in a few days, you'll have it down pat!
I made my wife bring her eletric kettle home from work the other day (she was using it for tea.) When she found out why she was a little upset
Oh I second everyone who says let it cool down a bit, I have burnt myself several times already.
Oh I second everyone who says let it cool down a bit, I have burnt myself several times already.
Hmmm,
$10.00 kettle or a 60 dollar scuttle
$10.00 kettle or a 60 dollar scuttle
A friend of mine just starting using the hot pot method in the last couple days and absolutely loves it he is a member here as well. Unfortunately for myself my face doesnt react all that great to extremely warm water.
Thanks for this post as a new wetshaver i wasn't producing proper lather and couldn't figure out why people loved wet shaving so much, now i have found the golden ticket and the wonderful world of wetshaving is incredible, my wife has found my face to be so smooth she is even thinking of trying wetshaving her legs.
Awesome. Will do. Have my first shave coming up soon. Great tips.
Joel, I've read a lot of your articles and they are all great and so helpful. I got some TOBS Avocado cream in the post yesterday and used your method and also kept the mug warm in water. At last I know what good warm lather feels like. Thanks
I've just started using a DE razor after many years of using the 3-bladed disposables... Imagine: being able to shave for 1/10th the cost!
I just got a badger brush and a cake of shaving soap. I have put the soap into a coffee mug, and use that to lather the soap. Any reason NOT to do this? I'm getting good results this way.
