My solution for tough to lather soaps

[Rockminer]

Thought I would share something that has worked really well for me reguarding tough to lather soaps.

I am a bowl latherer, and have been having some trouble getting enough lather with some of the more difficult soaps. I have hard water and never seem to be able to make enough for 3 passes + touch ups.

My solution is to load the brush, as best I can, build a lather, then squeeze the lather out of the brush into the bowl and repeat. The combination of two trips to the soap creates a fantastic lather that is easy to control the consistency.

For those of you, who have trouble with certain soaps, it may work for you too.

 

[reboot]

I'll try that next time I encounter hard water. I travel all over the Southern states on my job so I've shaved with hard water before.

 

[Rockminer]

Not sure how hard my water is but I don't have the same problem with cella or creams. Forgot to mention that my brush likes a little bit of water when going back to the soap the second time.

 

[Johnny_Ludlow]

My solution for tough to lather soaps and other suboptimal shaving goods:

1. get friends into wetshaving
2. give everything that you don't love to them
3. seem like a good guy, although they help you perfect your den

 

[Ufgoodies]

My solution for tough to lather soaps and other suboptimal shaving goods:

1. get friends into wetshaving
2. give everything that you don't love to them
3. seem like a good guy, although they help you perfect your den

+1

 

[Rockminer]

My solution for tough to lather soaps and other suboptimal shaving goods:

1. get friends into wetshaving
2. give everything that you don't love to them
3. seem like a good guy, although they help you perfect your den

Maybe I should have stated that some soaps work better for others. Take MWF for example; some people have problems lathering this soap, while other consider this soap a lather bomb. Technique, water hardness and hardware determine the effectivness of the soap for each individual person.

I didn't specify, in my OP, but I was refering to soaps that we like but just cant quite get enough out of them. Take Mike's for example; For me, I love the scent, love the slickness and properties of this soap. I however, don't seem to be able to get more than 1 1/2 passes with the soap after loading it once. Instead of giving up on it and not using it, I load a second time and enjoy the soap. Sure I could just go for a different soap or cream, but I like the Mikes, and 30-40 seconds more on the soap ,a second time, gives me all the suds I need.

 

[ackvil]

Maybe I should have stated that some soaps work better for others. Take MWF for example; some people have problems lathering this soap, while other consider this soap a lather bomb. Technique, water hardness and hardware determine the effectivness of the soap for each individual person.

I didn't specify, in my OP, but I was refering to soaps that we like but just cant quite get enough out of them. Take Mike's for example; For me, I love the scent, love the slickness and properties of this soap. I however, don't seem to be able to get more than 1 1/2 passes with the soap after loading it once. Instead of giving up on it and not using it, I load a second time and enjoy the soap. Sure I could just go for a different soap or cream, but I like the Mikes, and 30-40 seconds more on the soap ,a second time, gives me all the suds I need.

Good suggestion and advice.

 

[Johnny_Ludlow]

Yeah, sorry for taking the thread to a wrong direction.

 

[Rockminer]

Yeah, sorry for taking the thread to a wrong direction.

I didn't mean to imply that you were taking it in a different direction. I was mostly commenting on the "give it away" idea, and adding to my original post. I have zero problems with your post.

 

[tfinch]

My solution for tough to lather soaps and other suboptimal shaving goods:

1. get friends into wetshaving
2. give everything that you don't love to them
3. seem like a good guy, although they help you perfect your den

So true!

 

[Leon]

My solution is to load the brush, as best I can, build a lather, then squeeze the lather out of the brush into the bowl and repeat. The combination of two trips to the soap creates a fantastic lather that is easy to control the consistency.

Try pouring water on top of the soap. I mean plenty of water, not just some drops. Leave it while you go take a shower, for example. Then, remove the water and start lathering. You'll find that lathering it will be easier afterwards

 

[fatnash]

Hard water seems to lather better when it is cold.
After you get used to shaving cold you will find its the best way to go

 

[Sawblade]

I put a Brita filter on the faucet. That way, I can load the brush with soft water and fill the sink and rinse with regular water.


I really put it on because the water smells bad here, and I drink a lot of water. The shaving was a by-product.

 

[Rockminer]

Try pouring water on top of the soap. I mean plenty of water, not just some drops. Leave it while you go take a shower, for example. Then, remove the water and start lathering. You'll find that lathering it will be easier afterwards

I usually cover the soap with warm water. I let it sit for 5 min or so, I don't shower before I shave.I find that my brush tends to take on a certain amount of soap, then it's hard to load. I've found that once I get to the point that, I feel like it's not taking soap well anymore, It's better to just whip it up then go back to where it loads easily. Seems to take about the same time, I get more lather, and I don't have the feeling of forcing more soap into the brush.

 

[Rockminer]

I put a Brita filter on the faucet. That way, I can load the brush with soft water and fill the sink and rinse with regular water.


I really put it on because the water smells bad here, and I drink a lot of water. The shaving was a by-product.

That's a good idea

 

[Rockminer]

Hard water seems to lather better when it is cold.
After you get used to shaving cold you will find its the best way to go

I enjoy the cold lather in the summer, I'm trying to get used to it in the winter. Love me some warm lather when it's cold.

 

[Ufgoodies]

Try pouring water on top of the soap. I mean plenty of water, not just some drops. Leave it while you go take a shower, for example. Then, remove the water and start lathering. You'll find that lathering it will be easier afterwards

That is a good idea for those bowl latherers, just whip up two loads before you begin and it can also get the chance to properly warm up as well.

I have read that some Tallow soaps which are difficult to lather (such as Mikes or MWF) may lather better if you use warm, or room temperature water instead of hot. I don't have hard water so can't play around with combinations, yet my 2-band, boar, horse and pure brushes have given me no problems with lathering. Maybe i can play with some hard water the next time i go on vacation.

 

[goatee]

i tried more product and it worked. ha ha...
if i need a bit more, i just scrap the brush along the sides of the bowl and then go back to soap. (keeps hands cleaner)

 

[michiganlover]

I have never bought into the hard water makes some soaps hard to lather excuse. Why some, but not all?

If I have 10 soaps, and 9 of them work flawlessly in my supposed hard water, but the 10th refuses to lather, logic should tell me the problem lies with the soap not my water. So guess what, that inferior soap is getting binned (used as shower soap/ sold/ traded)!! I am not going to waste a ton of effort trying to get a inferior product to work correctly.

 

[Rockminer]

i tried more product and it worked. ha ha...
if i need a bit more, i just scrap the brush along the sides of the bowl and then go back to soap. (keeps hands cleaner)

What's the fun of it, if you can't make a mess.