Lather Bowl/Mug

[bryanalban]

So I stopped by Bed Bath and Beyond yesterday and picked up the large mug, that people recommended for a lather bowl. So far I only use cream, and it works great for this.

I was going to order some soap to try out (as people have recommended to give it a try). But never having used a shaving soap, I have a question. I noticed that some come in a container, and some don't ("refills").

The ones in a container you just build a lather right in there, correct?

What about the ones that don't come in a container. Would I just drop it into the bottom of my mug and lathe it? Would it move around too much in the large mug? Should the soap puck fit snuggly at the bottom of the mug?

Thanks.

 

[wilsondude]

I had the same problem when I first started; My first puck of soap (Col Conk) is glycerin based, so I dropped it in the bottom of the mug, put it in the microwave for 20 seconds, and it melted/melded into the bottom. I found quickly that face lathering worked well for me, so I just loaded my brush from the mug for about a minute, then had anough soap for several passes. I have since found shallower ceramic containters at Walmart for my glycerin based soaps. You can also use a mug or other shallower container for tallow based soaps, but will need to use something like a cheese grater to get those soaps to form into the bottom of the container; don't microwave them! You can then pack them down by hand. Hope this helps.

 

[DavidP]

If you're bowl lathering then I'd get a separate mug in which to make your lather, otherwise if you lather on top of your soap you'll wear it down faster than needed. But like Mark said, for both face & bowl lathering simply melt / mill your soap into a shallow container.

Check out Mantic's video on lathering, you'll see how he has his soap in a separate dish, and then makes the lather in a bowl/face/hand.

 

[michiganlover]

The ones in a container you just build a lather right in there, correct?

No, most of the vessels that the soap comes in, are simply for holding the soap. You load your brush with soap, and then move to a much larger bowl to actually generate your lather.

Most of the vessels soap comes in are too shallow, and not wide enough to lather in, not to mention lathering on top of the soap is extremely wasteful of soap.

You might be well served to read through the lathering tutorials that are in the sticky at the top of the newbie forum.

 

[Omnichron]

So I stopped by Bed Bath and Beyond yesterday and picked up the large mug, that people recommended for a lather bowl. So far I only use cream, and it works great for this.

I was going to order some soap to try out (as people have recommended to give it a try). But never having used a shaving soap, I have a question. I noticed that some come in a container, and some don't ("refills").

The ones in a container you just build a lather right in there, correct?

What about the ones that don't come in a container. Would I just drop it into the bottom of my mug and lathe it? Would it move around too much in the large mug? Should the soap puck fit snuggly at the bottom of the mug?

Thanks.

you need a mug that will snuggly fit your soap. the lather mug is much larger is for working up lather with your brush only. take a look in the kitchen and see if you have a mug that will fit your soap

 

[bald1]

Call you what you want but as a wet shaver who has been at it since the late '50s, I've never melted a puck into anything else.

In years past I simply put a new puck in my Old Spice mug and whipped away with my brush until my brush was loaded with thick lather. In more recent times I've used a lather bowl (currently a simple stainless Sierra Cup measuring 4.5" diameter x 2.25" depth which is warmed with hot tap water just like the brush scuttle). Getting the soap to the cup varies depending on what the soap container is like. (I'm finding I'm recycling Mama Bear, Taylors, and Trumper containers to house fresh pucks.) More often than not I'm holding the container on an angle over the cup whipping it with my brush.... what soap doesn't drop down is scraped off the brush against the cup's lip. Once sufficient soap is in the cup I proceed to whip it into a nice thick lather. A recent addition is a small scuttle into which the brush and lather remaining after a first pass is placed to keep warm. Sounds like more of a chore than it really is and it works for me. BTW it's the basically the same with creams.... get some into the cup and whip away

 

[JPM]

Get thee a scuttle. Dirty Bird 1.5X preferably.