Question about soap's and bowls or mugs

[nickelsig229]

i'm searching websites for mugs and types of soaps. Every site I read seems to suggest that the soap goes in the mug or bowl.

I was under the impression that the mug or bowl was used to create the lather in.

So my question is this, does the puck go in they mug/bowl and you create your lather on top of it? I was under the impression that you load the brush and then move to the bowl/mug.

Also, what is the difference between milled non millled, and how do you know which is which?

 

[Aussieshaver]

Ah the fun of wetshaving.

The short answer to your first question is, it depends on how you build a lather (sorry for being cryptic ).

• If you are a face latherer, you swirl on top of a puck (which is in a mug or bowl) and then move to your face and lather there.
  
• If you are a bowl latherer, you swirl on top of a puck (which is in a mug or bowl) and then take the brush and build the lather further in a seperate bowl and apply to your face.
  
• One further alternative, is to build the lather straight on top of the puck (which is already in a mug or bowl) and then apply to your face.

Re: Milled vs Poured, see here: http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/index.php/Shave_Soaps#Milling_Soap
I am not sure how to easily tell the difference (maybe someone else can assist)

 

[steveclarkus]

I generally grate four or five pucks of Williams and mash it into one of those large metal camping mugs and I lather in the mug which I suppose is the most common method although whatever method suits you is fine.

Milling soap is done with large metal rollers used by soap manufactureres. The milling gets all the moisture out of the soap and it is a very hard and long lasting soap. Some people use the term for grating their soap or grinding it in a cheese mill so they can fit it into their mug or bowl. Having to chase the puck around a mug is a real drag and slows the lathering down. But, to answer your question, "milling" is an industrial process. I don't know if Williams is milled or not, I don't think it is, but it is pretty dense and grating it greatly hepls the lathering process.

 

[nickelsig229]

Excellent, thanks guys.

One more question though. If you lather on top of the puck, do you just rinse it off when done or leave till next time. Also, is it more difficult to get the proper lather since your constantly loading more soap?

 

[Aussieshaver]

I just wipe down any excess from the sides and let it all dry out. Havent noticed any problems with building future lather - it all just sort of settles.

 

[CraigarTA]

I have a puck that is just sitting in my VDH mug and it stays put no problem and I let the residue fall off to the sides. Granted I get a better lather with a boar brush doing this over a badger.

 

[Topgumby]

The first rule of the standard way to make lather is that there is no standard way to make lather.

I rotate between the methods mentioned above, and have made lather in the palm of the hand or just picked up a puck and rubbed it on my face like a shave stick, or held the puck while I loaded the brush.

every one of those methods resulted in good shaves, so it really boils down to what I feel like at the moment.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Building lather on the puck wastes a lot of soap. Keep your puck in a seperate container, load the brush and generate the lather in a seperate bowl. The bowl doesn't have to be anything fancy, a large coffee cup or something similar works fine. Or, you can load the brush and form the lather directly on your face.

Search the topic and you will find enough old posts that cover each method.

 

[goby]

I preferred bowls to mugs when I face lathered. I'm guessing there is a mantic video on lathering that would help much more than our words. Have you seen them on youtube?

 

[takeshi]

Building lather on the puck wastes a lot of soap.

That and it's difficult to control the ratio. Don't lather on the puck.

 

[nickelsig229]

I preferred bowls to mugs when I face lathered. I'm guessing there is a mantic video on lathering that would help much more than our words. Have you seen them on youtube?

Watched all of them, his video's are actually fun and instructional. Kudo's to that guy.

 

[Stubbley DoRight]

Hi Guys, Stubbley here, just wondering what the alternative would be if you're using, as I am, Taylor of Old Bond Street's Shaving Cream. It comes in a bowl. Can I lather directly from there or should I scoop up a little of the shaving cream and lather in a separate bowl? Another quick question: how do shaving soaps compare to shaving creams? Thanks!

 

[goby]

Hi Guys, Stubbley here, just wondering what the alternative would be if you're using, as I am, Taylor of Old Bond Street's Shaving Cream. It comes in a bowl. Can I lather directly from there or should I scoop up a little of the shaving cream and lather in a separate bowl? Another quick question: how do shaving soaps compare to shaving creams? Thanks!

I used to lather in a bowl, then I started face lathering (both soaps and creams). For face lathering you need a brush with backbone. I had a Vulfix 2234 which is a great brush, but floppy. I couldn't face lather with it.

Shaving creams are easier to lather than soaps. Also, their scent is usually stronger.

You can't lather in a bowl of cream. You'd have way too much product and it just wouldn't really work. You can either scoop some cream in a bowl and then lather, dip you brush in the cream, then lather, dip your brush in in the cream, then face lather, or put cream on your face using your fingers, then face lather.

 

[JaDo]

Hi Guys, Stubbley here, just wondering what the alternative would be if you're using, as I am, Taylor of Old Bond Street's Shaving Cream. It comes in a bowl. Can I lather directly from there or should I scoop up a little of the shaving cream and lather in a separate bowl? Another quick question: how do shaving soaps compare to shaving creams? Thanks!

If I'm using a cream in a tub, I usually just scoop a little out with my finger and press into the tip of the brush, then start lathering on my face, adding water, little by little.

 

[Stubbley DoRight]

Thanks gentlemen both ideas sound great, but after watching Mantic's vids on Youtube just a few minutes ago I've decided to scoop out a little of the cream and lather it up in a mug. Cheers!

 

[AlanL]

In my searches for mugs and bowls, I landed these two coffee cups, which are the perfect size and shape. The smaller turns out to be exactly the size of my soap puck, while the larger is ideal for lathering in.

 

[JaDo]

In my searches for mugs and bowls, I landed these two coffee cups, which are the perfect size and shape. The smaller turns out to be exactly the size of my soap puck, while the larger is ideal for lathering in.

care to share your source for the one on the left? that one looks like an ideal size.

 

[Shavely Manden]

i'm searching websites for mugs and types of soaps. Every site I read seems to suggest that the soap goes in the mug or bowl.

I was under the impression that the mug or bowl was used to create the lather in.

So my question is this, does the puck go in they mug/bowl and you create your lather on top of it? I was under the impression that you load the brush and then move to the bowl/mug.

Also, what is the difference between milled non millled, and how do you know which is which?

Most people think that lathering on top of the soap just wastes soap--lather in a separate bowl than you keep your soap in. Putting soap in a bowl or mug can help keep the soap in place and keep your hands from getting all soapy, but you can just pick up the puck and load if you want to.

As for how to get it in a dish, you can either just jam it in there, grate it with a cheese grater and press it in (which folks here seem call "milling" it), or (for soft, glycerin soaps like Mama Bear's) melt it in the microwave and pour it in the container you want.

Be careful what you put it in, though...here's a picture of my Williams after digging it out of my mug at all costs (I had to use a knife--I wasn't going to waste a mug on that stuff):

View attachment 128210

EDIT:

Here's a photo of my precious MWF in a wooden bowl from Gentlemen's Best. Really great bowl, BTW...I got mine engraved w/ my initials as part of his B&B donation special.

View attachment 128211

 

[AlanL]

care to share your source for the one on the left? that one looks like an ideal size.

At work we have 10 kitchenette areas, all stocked with mugs and cups collected and contributed over the years. It was one of these; so I have no idea where it originated. No marks or labels on the bottom. Sorry.

 

[Menhir]

I have two mugs, One to soak the brush in while I shower, and the other with the soap. I'll usually toss a bit of water on the soap while I shower to soften it up a bit. I have hard water, so this works well for me.

Then I make the lather on the soap and scrape away.

I don't wash the soap off when I'm done...I just put it up on the shelf to dry.

Incidentally, I just use coffee mugs that I picked up at the thrift store. I found I few that I liked and bought them home. My favorite for the soap though, for no particular good reason, is the blue/green bowl that came with the VDH kit I bought when I first tried wet shaving.