First go with Seaforth soap

[K.T.]

I was lucky enough to stumble across a used Seaforth shaving mug with soap at a rummage sale this week. Only $2!

OK, the mug was kinda beat up, the paper lid had a lot of water staining, and the soap had been used. The upshot is that the soap looks like it was only used 3 or 4 times at most; the embossed logo was still legible.

After doing a a few hand lathers to test it out, I decided to give it a go today.

Well, there is a bit of a learning curve. I'm fairly new to soaps only having used VDH and Williams (with KMF as a superlather), and I really wasn't able to get a good lather out of the Seaforth. After the initial letdown, I gave a squirt of KMF, superlathered, and finished the shave.

Looking over the forums today, I saw a discussion about getting the most out of MWF. A lot of good tips, there! I think I'll have to use a drier brush to charge up, use a lot more soap, and to let the soap hydrate a bit more. I imagine a soap that's been sitting around for several decades is bone dry and needs a little moisture to loosen it up.

I've heard good things about Seaforth soap, so this is a good experience for me trying to figure it out. Anyone get good results with this soap?

 

[bythbook]

I have both Seaforth! and Heather & Fern (from Seaforth!) - I get great lather & shaves from them both.

There was a learning curve - I didn't seem to get rich & creamy lather at first - maybe the soap needed some hydrating? (Please, physicists & chemists & soapies - I don't know if such is ever necessary... be gentle with me.)

Nice find - enjoy!

 

[theperfectstorm]

I have both Seaforth! and Heather & Fern (from Seaforth!) - I get great lather & shaves from them both.

You've been holding out, dude.

 

[poppi]

I have some Seaforth soap as well. I had to hydrate it for awhile to get a good lather. All I did was take some really hot, not boiling, water and immerse the puck for about 20 minutes. I poured off the excess and proceeded to make a wonderful lather. I have not had to do anything else to it and it performs fantastically. Good stuff.

 

[Seraphim]

I was lucky enough to stumble across a used Seaforth shaving mug with soap at a rummage sale this week. Only $2!

OK, the mug was kinda beat up, the paper lid had a lot of water staining, and the soap had been used. The upshot is that the soap looks like it was only used 3 or 4 times at most; the embossed logo was still legible.

After doing a a few hand lathers to test it out, I decided to give it a go today.

Well, there is a bit of a learning curve. I'm fairly new to soaps only having used VDH and Williams (with KMF as a superlather), and I really wasn't able to get a good lather out of the Seaforth. After the initial letdown, I gave a squirt of KMF, superlathered, and finished the shave.

Looking over the forums today, I saw a discussion about getting the most out of MWF. A lot of good tips, there! I think I'll have to use a drier brush to charge up, use a lot more soap, and to let the soap hydrate a bit more. I imagine a soap that's been sitting around for several decades is bone dry and needs a little moisture to loosen it up.

I've heard good things about Seaforth soap, so this is a good experience for me trying to figure it out. Anyone get good results with this soap?

Key #1 with any soap is to really, REALLY load it up. Don't be stingy with the product. Soaps generally last a good long time to begin with, so have at that puck. Do not be beguiled by stories of "I only swirled it atop the puck 3 times, and BAM!......etc....".

When I first started with soaps, I also superlathered with KMF,and then I tried going for a week using Williams alone. That taught me two things:

#1 load it up more than you think is necessary.

#2 Williams is not the soap for me....

 

[kingfisher]

....Williams is not the soap for me....

You don't say! I never would have guessed.

 

[bythbook]

Key #1 with any soap is to really, REALLY load it up. Don't be stingy with the product. Soaps generally last a good long time to begin with, so have at that puck. Do not be beguiled by stories of "I only swirled it atop the puck 3 times, and BAM!......etc....".

...

yeah, what he said.


Can't use too much soap, it's true.

 

[bythbook]

You've been holding out, dude.

I maintain a certain air of mystery, it's true.

 

[K.T.]

Great tips, guys. Thanks!

I'll give it a go and report back.

 

[michiganlover]

I used Vintage Seaforth for the first time yesterday. I got a really good quality shave from it. I didn't have to do anything special to make it perform. As noted above, really loading up on the soap is key. I load for pretty close to a full minute.

 

[K.T.]

Success!

...well, sort of.

I took your advice; hydrated the soap, used a slightly dry brush, loaded it up nice and abundant with the soap, and started face lathering adding 3 to 4 drops of water now and then to the mix as needed. Great, thick, cushiony lather!

Now I was getting somewhere. The lather started to dry after the 2nd pass, though, so I put a little more water in. Maybe too much...lather for the third pass was thin and started to disappear. I had to recharge the brush for part of the third pass and touch up.

Still, I think I've just about got it figured out. Now to really nail it down.

I like the shave. I haven't fully mastered the Seaforth lather, yet, but I think it will be an excellent soap. Thick and cushiony. My only complaint at this point is that all the scent has evaporated from the puck. Scent really does a lot to the shaving experience in my book. Too bad! Can't really complain too much, though. I feel lucky to have picked this Seaforth up for a steal.

 

[michiganlover]

My only complaint at this point is that all the scent has evaporated from the puck. Scent really does a lot to the shaving experience in my book. Too bad! Can't really complain too much, though. I feel lucky to have picked this Seaforth up for a steal.

99% of Vintage Soaps have no scent remaining. The heavily prized Yardley, Old Spice, and even Vintage Williams are all scentless due to their age.

I do agree with you though, that the various scents I get the thrill of trying is one of the big allures of wet shaving.

 

[Ru4scuba?]

I'm guessing this stuff is Tallow based? I've seen it up on Ebay sales before...ever jumped tho...

 

[Rivguy]

I received some Seaforth years ago from and aunt who liked to send me shaving supplies for special occasions. About a year ago I went looking for some of my old shaving items that I had packed away and found a new unused mug of the heather. I have used it several times since and found that to my surprise it still had a nice scent albeit less than I remembered. It lathered well and provided a very nice shave. I now use it only occasionally. Not because I don't like it but because I have so many soaps and creams.

Happy shaving,

Doug