Help with TOBS

[mitchelld1]

I am relatively new to DE shaving having started only a couple of months ago. Starting out I bought a puck of VDH and a tube of CE Bigelow and love them both. For Christmas I asked my wife for TOBS Sandlewood soap with the wooden bowl. I am very pleased with the scent and how easy it is to lather but it dries my face out nearly on contact to the point I can hardly shave with it. The blade wants to drag and skip. I really want to like the soap but I can't figure out how my $2.00 puck of VDH is out performing the TOBS. I have no issues with the VDH whatsoever. I've played around with the lather on the TOBS, tried adding more product, more water - it just isn't working. Anybody have this issue or know of a solution?

 

[john parker]

Sorry thatI cannot think of any solution except what you are trying - more product and more water. I use TOBS Sandalwood soap, and it lathers fine and stays wet.

 

[Egmont]

I have TOBS sandalwood soap and must admit it took me a while to figure out how to get slick, creamy lather. I suggest keep working at it. Try loading for a longer time and if you add water do just a little at a time. Also, I have 2 brushes that do not seem to like this soap so if you have more than 1 brush try them out. Don't know why, but this soap likes my Omega 49 boar, but I have to load it quite a bit. One last thought, it's no shame to load a little more before the second pass if you need to. After more effort and fiddling with the soap than I prefer, I now get very nice lather and great shaves from this nicely scented soap.

One last comment, performance does not always correlate with price. I haven't tried VdH yet, but I do use Arko (soap and cream) and KMF. Good luck.

 

[stryker4526]

Load it like you hate it.
Add more water.

 

[mitchelld1]

^ That did it. I went all in on the lather and built a big billowing bowl. The shave was much better!