FrankenFoam - Bits and pieces rescued from the graveyard

[_JP_]

Once in a while it happens: I get to a point where I have only slivers left of a few soaps. They are still good soaps, but they are to the point where I have to work like crazy to get lather from them and often just wind up chasing them around in the mug or bowl. So I finally hit upon an idea.

I have had most of a used puck of Burma Shave soap sitting around for quite a while. I can lather it up OK, but I never really took to it. So I used that as the base in the bottom of a screw top Rubbermaid container for the FrankenFoam. Digging in the graveyard, I found a sliver each of VDH, Col Conk Bay Rum, and C&E Sandalwood. I wet the top of the Burma Shave puck, tossed the slivers on top of it and stirred a bit with a boar brush. Then I covered it wet and put it away so that it could all meld into one mass.

So far, this turns out to be decent stuff! It lathers well and shaves OK. There isn't much smell because the soaps have been around long enough to almost depleted of scent, but I get an occasional signature whiff of one of them. I think I'll keep this going, adding more slivers from the graveyard as I dig them up.

 

[kingfisher]

Good idea. No need to waste soap.

 

[Bertilak]

A new application of an old concept! See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_stew

 

[smithno]

I have been worrying about the same thing for 2 or 3 months. I had the same basic soap rotation for about 18 Months and I got to the bottom of the puck on a couple of soaps. Didn't want to pitch it nor waste it in the shower. Ran across a post about making a shave stick with a garlic press. I tried it and it works great! Mixed 3 left over soaps and made about 2.5 "sticks" that work almost as well the commercial shave sticks, like Palmolive. My concoction is definitely usable.

 

[Hanzo]

I do this in old mugs not because I am concerned about soap slivers but because I get bored with soaps and combine them. Yesterday I milled Speick, Harris Marlborough together and melted it in HBS Barbershop soap .The HBS seems to bind all the soaps together making a lumpy surface. The lather is amazing with the HBS barbeshop scent predominate. I also have a mug of VDH select, VDH Glycerin, and HBS melted together and the lather is good as well.

A couple of members have commented on how mixing soaps together makes a stronger better new soap. They convinced me and I like my results.

 

[DanOK]

I also use my bits of soap in the same manner. For anyone trying this for the first time remember you cannot nuke or melt the tallow soaps. As noted above you must either mill, grate, or chop, the bits of tallow soap up and then stir them into the melted glycerin soap you are using as a base. I use VDH as a base.

 

[_JP_]

Mill,grate, chop, or even melting the bits of soap is too much work for me. That's why I simply combined the wet slivers on a base puck. I have no desire to homogenize the mix.

 

[SRock]

I've heard of others doing this as well. Sounds like a pretty reasonable idea to prolong the life of your soaps instead of getting frustrated with the tiny bits and throwing them out.

 

[SRock]

A new application of an old concept! See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perpetual_stew

Made me think of: