Have you ever had a soap that just won't work?

[Al Bundy]

I've had a few that were very challenging but with experimentation I have managed to get a reasonable performance out of.

However, 2 that I absolutely cannot get to play ball at all are:

1. Mr Natty Silver Label Shave Soap. and
2. Bulldog Original Shave Soap

Both of them produce a lather which is inferior to Fairy liquid!

Referencing the onging furore over the MWF reformulation it is concerning that both of the above mentioned soaps are palmate based (although the Mr Natty's principle ingredient is olivate)...

 

[ChriWilson]

I've had a couple that just wouldn't lather.
That is until I cut it with PAA CK6 Scentsless...

So basically, I'm just applying fragrance to an unscented lather bomb ?

 

[Wgg2017]

I struggle to get good lather from Wholly Kaw and Zingari. It usually turns out more paste-like than lather. I suspect it's my water, not a fault with the soaps. It's a shame because I really like some of their scents, particularly Zingari.

 

[Guido75]

My worst soap is De Vergulde Hand (standard version in a blue plastic tub with yellow/blue sticker on it), an old recipe dutch soap. Smells incredibly boring (like super old plain soap) and i dont get a good lather from it. Its also not slick and dries my skin.

What has been your procedure if I may ask? DVH is one of the easiest lathering soaps I know of. Almost lathers by looking at it. Given your description of the tube I am guessing you might have an older stock puck.

I do get the dryness. Post shave you definitely need some nourishing balm or cream.

Thanks,

Guido

 

[Bells Dad]

I struggle to get good lather from Wholly Kaw and Zingari. It usually turns out more paste-like than lather. I suspect it's my water, not a fault with the soaps. It's a shame because I really like some of their scents, particularly Zingari.

I had the same problem with those two, you must use quite alot product then it can produce a decent lather. But I find both soaps disappointing to be honest

 

[Bells Dad]

Michell Fat Wool never worked for me, I have tried everything, but can only get thin lather oug of it

 

[Capt. Pat]

Most of the time the soaps I purchase work out okay, in large part as I rely on reviews, here and elsewhere, before purchasing a new soap. I've been trying MWF for a few weeks now and that hasn't lived up to its reputation; life is too short to spend a lot of time trying to cajole a decent lather out of it.

 

[Phil Dumont]

What has been your procedure if I may ask? DVH is one of the easiest lathering soaps I know of. Almost lathers by looking at it. Given your description of the tube I am guessing you might have an older stock puck.

I do get the dryness. Post shave you definitely need some nourishing balm or cream.

Thanks,

Guido

Hi Guido,
I use the same procedure as with all my other soaps, a wet Yaqi synthetic brush or a wet soaked boar brush and then loading this brush in the soap for about 70 turns, then making lather in a bowl , swirling while adding water until i get a nice lather.

But it is true, my puck of DVH is very old now (about 15 years old i guess). Other soaps equally old (cans for example) still work great.

 

[Guido75]

Hi Guido,
I use the same procedure as with all my other soaps, a wet Yaqi synthetic brush or a wet soaked boar brush and then loading this brush in the soap for about 70 turns, then making lather in a bowl , swirling while adding water until i get a nice lather.

But it is true, my puck of DVH is very old now (about 15 years old i guess). Other soaps equally old (cans for example) still work great.

Understood - 70 turns sounds like a lot (but we are all different). You might want to try if you haven’t already blooming the puck a little. At least with the current formula I give it about 10-15 maybe 20 turns and build my lather in my shave bowl. That usually produces a nice slick lather. I mostly use a synthetic brush like you do.

Guido

 

[Deano]

Trumper Rose. Lovely scent and lathers ok but evaporates before l can shave it off but remains slick. I grated it and Arko and combined the two. Not much rose scent left but it fixed it.

 

[eezee]

Trumper Eucris
L'Occitane Cade (New Formula)

 

[ZeelandsRoem]

Geo F. Trumpers. I tried two soap pucks (Eucris, Officer and Gentleman) and two creams, Spanish Leather and Sandalwood. The creams produce leather but other than providing some lubrication, they don’t do much. The soap bars barely produce leather and by the time you apply it to your face and grab the razor, it’s gone. You have to shave with the razor in one hand and the brush in the other.

 

[BigJ]

I have given up on local ‘artisan’ shaving soaps. Most ended up in the shower.

 

[FL shaver]

The veggie Erasmic stick. Unusable.

 

[PLANofMAN]

This stuff. I'm not even sure why I keep it around, other than it was a limited edition, and 'rare.' It might be the last one in existence for all I know.

The soapmaker royally screwed this one up, and didn't add enough fat to the mix, leaving some unconverted lye in it. It burns whoever tries to use it. Wiping a finger across the surface and touching it to your tongue produces the same acid burning effect.

It's one of the very few missteps that Shane has done over the years, and one of his bigger regrets.

 

[corlay]

RazoRock Santa Maria del Fiore and The Dead Sea.
Could only muster thin, almost non-existant lather.
Probably my water not compatible...

 

[JeffJ]

Floris 89, prior non tallow version. Wasn’t even a good bath soap.

 

[DrStrange]

View attachment 1667653
This stuff. I'm not even sure why I keep it around, other than it was a limited edition, and 'rare.' It might be the last one in existence for all I know.

The soapmaker royally screwed this one up, and didn't add enough fat to the mix, leaving some unconverted lye in it. It burns whoever tries to use it. Wiping a finger across the surface and touching it to your tongue produces the same acid burning effect.

It's one of the very few missteps that Shane has done over the years, and one of his bigger regrets.

I had one that seemed like caustic tallow and left a sticky residue.

My best effort to get some use out of it was to scoop out the whole tub
and goop all of it, all over myself in the shower.
It smelled nice but then I had to use another soap to wash off the sticky residue.

Every other shaving soap, I was at least able to use as a shampoo bar,
but that one single one, was counterproductive in every context.

 

[Ravenonrock]

MWF…complete dud. Replaced the puck…never fails. I use MWF regularly, really like it, but that first puck was a failure.

 

[The Blackadder]

I struggle to get good lather from Wholly Kaw and Zingari. It usually turns out more paste-like than lather. I suspect it's my water, not a fault with the soaps. It's a shame because I really like some of their scents, particularly Zingari.

I’ve also had problems with Zingari, tried a lot of things and got frustrated when I saw on YouTube how some people created lather effortlessly with it. I’ve got decent results placing some product on a bowl (close to a teaspoon), blooming the soap on the bowl, getting rid of the bloom water and start swirling and adding water little by little. What I haven’t been able to lather is an eShave cream. I’ve tried for two weeks, all I get is bubbles or some goo that disappears quickly. I’m on the brink of giving up