How do you shape the shave soap puck to the bowl?

[Wildcat1]

Just got back from Las Vegas and I am looking forward to trying out a puck of Penhaligon's English Fern I purchased there.
I've never used shaving soap before and I am asking you knowledgeable folks if there is a way to make it shape to the bowl so that the soap doesn't fly around.
Just to let you know, I have a metal mug of traditional size.

Thanks for your help gents!

 

[nole1]

Since its not a melt-n-pour soap your only choice is to grate/shave it very fine, put the shavings in the container you wish to use, then compress the shavings in the container so to get it as close to 'solid' as possible.

 

[Munxcub]

You can either shave it down until it fits with a vegetable peeler, put the shaving under it and stuff it down, or shred it completely with a box grater/food processor and smoosh the shavings into whatever container you want.

There is a tutorial somewhere, look for milling your soap into any container or something similar in a sticky/faq/wiki. Can't remember exactly where.

 

[Wildcat1]

I saw the sticky but it looks real messy. Ya' can't melt it eh?

 

[danparker77]

Here is the link to the tutorial.

http://www.badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=23892

 

[danparker77]

sorry see you already found the tutorial. No you can't melt and non-melt and pour (glycerin) soap. I guess you could but I hear the result are bad.....real bad!

 

[Munxcub]

I saw the sticky but it looks real messy. Ya' can't melt it eh?

Nope. And it's not THAT messy. I milled my Speick stick into a bowl, took a few minutes. I used a grater/container combo thing from Ikea. It has a grater lid that goes over a plastic tub. Easy Peasy. And boy does it smell good! It felt a lot like I was shredding a candle actually. heh

 

[Wildcat1]

Ok nuff said. I'll use the sticky instructions.

 

[Wildcat1]

Nope. And it's not THAT messy. I milled my Speick stick into a bowl, took a few minutes. I used a grater/container combo thing from Ikea. It has a grater lid that goes over a plastic tub. Easy Peasy. And boy does it smell good! It felt a lot like I was shredding a candle actually. heh

"Easy Peasy" ... you guys kill me.

 

[Dewaine]

Get out that cub scout knive and shave the puck down around the edges until it fits into the bowl. Save the shavings and put them in the bottom of the bowl, and put the correctly-sized puck on top.

 

[gull]

Get out that cub scout knive and shave the puck down around the edges until it fits into the bowl. Save the shavings and put them in the bottom of the bowl, and put the correctly-sized puck on top.

Nice advice!

I haven't had experience with hard soap, but can you just take a hammer and mash it in a bowl? Or will it crack?

 

[media]

I milled my palmolive and speick sticks. Took about 10 minutes each batch, grounded up two of each for their pyrex bowls. It helps to lay some wax paper down for the shavings. Just pour a little soap in the bowl, press, repeat until there isnt any left.

Edit: for that puck I would take a knife and go around the edges until it fits in a bowl, like I said I use pyrex with a lid. throw the shavings from the edge of the puck in the bottom and squish the chunk of soap in. That way you dont have to grate up the entire thing.

 

[Swashbuckler]

Yeh it sucks when you just love your shave bowl but are restricted in what soaps you can put in it.

Do you guys not try a different soap because it isn't the right size for your bowl?

 

[Hex]

When I did my Speich stick, after I had it all shredded in the bowl, I dribbled a bit of water on top, then smoothed it with a large spoon. Worked well.

 

[Saltchuck]

Get out that cub scout knive and shave the puck down around the edges until it fits into the bowl. Save the shavings and put them in the bottom of the bowl, and put the correctly-sized puck on top.

I've tried it both ways, trimming the edges with a knife and completely grating the puck. I like the grating method better. I get a better fit, and it looks better in a glass bowl.

After a few days of use, you can't really tell by sight that the puck has been grated. As a bonus, it seems to load more quickly onto the brush after it has been grated.

 

[watchiekong]

I don't have many soaps but I have the following shaped into stoneware bowls:

MWF - grated and shaped into bowl
Cella - shaped and hand pressed into the bowl
Pre de Provence - grated and shaped into the bowl
Martin de Candre - shaped and hand pressed into bowl
Klar Kabinett - grated and shaped into bowl

For me, soft soaps can be hand pressed and hard soaps gotta be grated into required bowl.

 

[Donnchadh_Sempill]

It sounds like to me that the problem you're having is that the soap is small for the mug/bowl (it's "flying around"). That's a problem that has always fixed itself for me. The soap softens/dissolves when it's wet, and adheres to the mug as it dries. It takes a few shaves to get it to stick. As you use it, though, you'll find that it conforms to the mug pretty well. At least that's been the case with the soaps I've used.

 

[bach_rocks]

A member of that forum across the street recommends: If the soap is just barely larger then what will fit in your container, let it sit on your car's dashboard in the sun for a bit and squish it down when it gets warm. Or cut /shave around the edges so the soap is about the right size for the container, put the shavings underneath the puck, and let it sit on the dashboard. Or mill the whole thing into the container, squish it down with a spoon, set in sun under the windshield, and further shape with spoon. DO NOT microvave it or melt on stovetop. Note: I have never tried this personally. I just use a lot of different mugs and bowls. Maybe someone else has tried this method?

 

[shaversnapper]

not trying to hyjack the thread.....but what would make a glycerin soap non-melt.....able? does this go accross all such soaps? I only ask because I melted three pucks of VDH glycerin soap into a metal tin and it seems to have worked great.

 

[LMAN007]

I've tried it both ways, trimming the edges with a knife and completely grating the puck. I like the grating method better. I get a better fit, and it looks better in a glass bowl.

After a few days of use, you can't really tell by sight that the puck has been grated. As a bonus, it seems to load more quickly onto the brush after it has been grated.

You are soooooooo right!!