How to make great lather from a soap ~ Tutorial

[CaptainScallawag]

This is great information. .. just what I was looking for. .. thank you very much ....as a newbie I thought you had to build latheron top of the soap in the cup not load the brush then build lather on my face

 

[August West]

Awesome bump on some great info.

 

[Royalpar1]

I don't do it with tinned soaps, but other pucks get placed in a small bowl and I build my lather right there on top of the puck. (That sounds like some big technical thing, but it just means I swirl the brush on the puck until I get a good lather.) It works great and I never find that it loads too much soap for a good shave.

I have now switched back to my Scuttle. I find that once I load the soap, I can get a much better lather than face lathering or lathering in the tin.

 

[elmoensio]

Thanks for this very very well made tutorial!!!!

I have finally learned to lather my soap both with badger and boar, thanks to these photos. So far I've preferred creams because they are easy to lather.

 

[williabe]

This method works best for me with Mikes Natural Soap. I had a block I pressed into a plastic container, and I would build lather direct on the bar. The drier brush loading method, then building in my scuttle, was my best lather to date with MNS.

Thank you for the great tutorial!

 

[againstthegrain]

Thank you so much for posting this! I just tried a shaving soap for the first time today (been using creams) and got a pretty decent lather on my first try, in spite of using a rather cheap brush and hard Florida water. This really helped me, thanks!

 

[heysi]

I've been shaving the same way for 31 years, take wet brush and swirl on top of soap until "bubbles" start to form, apply to face vigorously. I tried this method yesterday morning and WOW!!!! I still can't believe how much soft, warm lather I created with so much less soap...and it was the dregs of an old Williams puck. I can't wait to get to the new puck of Mitchells Wool Fat and perfect my lathering skills. I guess you can teach an old dog new tricks. Thanks to everyone that put this tutorial together. You're all like the dad's I never had.

 

[UserNameHere]

Great writeup! Thanks for taking the time for us noobs.

 

[tetraodon]

amazing, simple, easy to follow. i have done lots of reading for how to wet shave, but there really wasnt a whole lot on how to load the brush, and such. im so glad i found this my lather has gotten so much better than when i started.

 

[o8di]

Great tutorial, thanks for taking the time to create it!

 

[HazMat Shaver]

Question...
When I start putting the soap on my face (BTW, Hard soap puck) it is very think and heavy. More like white paint. Is this because I need to add water to the brush and work it on my face more? Should the lather look airy? Lots of tiny bubbles in it or is that when you've added too much water? I've never pushed it to the point of it running down my neck too thin but I thought the thicker/heavier the better. Am I wrong and just not completing the making of lather?

 

[viking4976]

I suppose it's a learning curve like everything else. I have also heard that some shave soaps lather up easier than others. The Van Der Hagen luxury soap I'm currently using (due to lack of options without going online to order) very easily whips up into a nice rich lather. And I heard that the Williams shave soap is more difficult. I want to try different soaps with these methods and see how they lather.

By the by, I like the VDH soap. Nice shave soap for the price.

 

[HazMat Shaver]

Very good Dan. I was thinking it was a bit thick. I guess I don't have a problem loading the brush. Then spread in on my face its almost think as putty. I figured if it was thinker like that I'd have more protection but I've found that the razor don't slide like its really slick. Guess its just massive amounts of soap and needs water. I'll give it a try to add more water and see what it looks like then. I just don't understand where you should stop adding water. I read that you put it on your fingertips and you shouldn't feel the prints. I feel them no matter how thick or smooth it is so that didn't help me. Thanks for the reply and I'll give it a go again. And again, And again...

 

[alex2363]

Classy

 

[Z4CHc]

can't wait to try this

 

[buckaroo]

This was AWESOME!! Many Thanks, Buck

 

[Rich lathers]

The following is a guide and suggestions for the foundation for a great lather.

This tutorial was developed by a group of B&B members in collaboration. A team of struggling new wetshavers worked with more experienced members to learn how to make great lathers with a variety of soaps. They documented their progress – triumphs and setbacks – and developed the method shown below. This method of lather making is not the only way to get to a great shave – it is however in our collective experience the simplest and easiest to communicate through our chosen medium. We hope with this we can get our new lathermeisters on the fast track to great shaves. Enjoy!

OK lets get started~
If you are using a soft brush it may take up to a full minute to fully load your brush, or as little as 15 seconds with a premium soap brush.

1. Fill sink with hot water and submerge bowl in water.

2. Place brush into bowl and let soak while you are showering- at least a couple of minutes.

3. Place a thin layer of water on your soap and let soak for at least a couple of minutes. (A teaspoon's worth)

4. Remove brush from bowl and squeeze bristles vigorously. Give it a couple of good shakes as well.

5. Dump the thin layer of water off of soap. (Your lather bowl is a good place for this)

6. Begin swirling your brush in a circular motion with light to medium pressure. Add some plunger motions, use the whole brush including the sides of the brush. Continue swirling until a paste-like consistency begins to form on the top of the soap and on the brush.
Bubbles mean too much water. A large volume of lather means too much water.
Continue to swirl until a noticeable audible and tactile difference is made when the brush moves over the soap. When the paste is forming the brush is noisier and seems to drag over the soap instead of smoothly going over the top. The brush will “drag”.

7. Take a look at your brush, do the bristles clump together? If yes, you're done. If no, continue to swirl and load.

8. Now you can build lather on your face or move to a bowl!

9. Add water as needed- a few drips at a time.

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Have FUN!

Thanks to Kyle, ALBaron, Daniel,and Thomas !

 

[Rich lathers]

I came across this post while doing a goggle surch on how to build a larger with a soap. This made my vdh soap give me a silky smooth lather. It was the best shave of my life. Thanks. I have been reading articles on this forum for two weeks now and decided to join.

 

[Jim]

Great to have you with us Rich.

 

[Rich lathers]

Thanks I have to confess the first time using a soap gave me server razor bumps. This is what led me here