Phil, friend and uber-moderator @luvmysuper was kind enough to retitle my Foolproof threads from
Foolproof Lather Method (TM) for any soap
to
Foolproof Lather Discovery Process (TM) for any soap
There are a couple of reasons I wanted to do this, as I am still getting messages about those posts even several years later, so I am glad they are helping people. However, I've always regretted the title because I did not intend to put forth a lathering method, but a lathering discovery process.
Take, Cella as an example. One can lather it with the Marco Method (Italian barber method), or load the brush and bowl lather, or load the brush and face lather, or load the brush and bowl/face lather hybrid (what I do). There are many ways to lather a soap that will work for you, but first you need to understand the product--how much product do you need, how much water do you need, how wide is the hydration window (how much water can you add before it breaks?).
If you don't know that information, then you may have trouble lathering a soap, or, if you're getting OK lather, you may not be getting the most out of it you could get. A good example of that is my friend @Marco who at first did not think much of Saponificio Veresino, thinking it mediocre at best. Then he used my approach to carefully discover how the soap worked and now it is his #1 favorite. He was getting OK lather, but not great lather at first, but now it is perfect!
I do this process with every new soap I try. I just did it with Ethos F base Dragonsbeard, and on the third day I was getting right to perfect lather in minutes without wasting product. With an old base, Barrister & Mann's Reserve base, it took me a couple weeks of frustration to understand it, but then it was terrific. The hydration window information is important because you may like thicker, yogurty lather and another shaver may prefer slicker more hydrated lather, that's the YMMV part of this, which is why I didn't mean to call it a "Foolproof Method". Therefore you have to know how much water it can handle to get to your desired lather consistency. There are many methods, but you need to understand your product to get the absolute most out of it that you can. That process can be very quick with a soap like Ethos, or can take a while with a more finicky base. But if you do this process, you may find that finicky soap becomes your favorite and you'll be able to lather it like it's your job once you figure it out.
The other reason I wanted to change the titles is it sounded a little braggadocious and I was never really happy with that after I posted them. Many thanks to Phil for editing the title for me. Part one is linked here.
www.badgerandblade.com
Part 2 is here. Happy shaving!
www.badgerandblade.com
Cheers,
Foolproof Lather Method (TM) for any soap
to
Foolproof Lather Discovery Process (TM) for any soap
There are a couple of reasons I wanted to do this, as I am still getting messages about those posts even several years later, so I am glad they are helping people. However, I've always regretted the title because I did not intend to put forth a lathering method, but a lathering discovery process.
Take, Cella as an example. One can lather it with the Marco Method (Italian barber method), or load the brush and bowl lather, or load the brush and face lather, or load the brush and bowl/face lather hybrid (what I do). There are many ways to lather a soap that will work for you, but first you need to understand the product--how much product do you need, how much water do you need, how wide is the hydration window (how much water can you add before it breaks?).
If you don't know that information, then you may have trouble lathering a soap, or, if you're getting OK lather, you may not be getting the most out of it you could get. A good example of that is my friend @Marco who at first did not think much of Saponificio Veresino, thinking it mediocre at best. Then he used my approach to carefully discover how the soap worked and now it is his #1 favorite. He was getting OK lather, but not great lather at first, but now it is perfect!
I do this process with every new soap I try. I just did it with Ethos F base Dragonsbeard, and on the third day I was getting right to perfect lather in minutes without wasting product. With an old base, Barrister & Mann's Reserve base, it took me a couple weeks of frustration to understand it, but then it was terrific. The hydration window information is important because you may like thicker, yogurty lather and another shaver may prefer slicker more hydrated lather, that's the YMMV part of this, which is why I didn't mean to call it a "Foolproof Method". Therefore you have to know how much water it can handle to get to your desired lather consistency. There are many methods, but you need to understand your product to get the absolute most out of it that you can. That process can be very quick with a soap like Ethos, or can take a while with a more finicky base. But if you do this process, you may find that finicky soap becomes your favorite and you'll be able to lather it like it's your job once you figure it out.
The other reason I wanted to change the titles is it sounded a little braggadocious and I was never really happy with that after I posted them. Many thanks to Phil for editing the title for me. Part one is linked here.
Foolproof Lather Discovery Process (TM) for any soap
I am a Lather Master! Not being braggadocious, just stating a fact. And you can be too! I'm here to teach you. No need for a Brotherhood of Lather Masters, every member of B&B should be a Lather Master. Unfortunately, with so many people who enjoy this activity so much, and the more OCD of us...
www.badgerandblade.com
Part 2 is here. Happy shaving!
Foolproof Lather Discovery Process (TM), Part 2
@ylekot Buckle up, buttercup, we're about to put the hammer down now! So, for those of you who followed my Foolproof Lather Method (TM) - Any soap, Any brush, it may have sounded a little braggadocious, but it was... You cannot fail to stumble into a good lather if you start way below the...
www.badgerandblade.com
Cheers,
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