I tried some, hated them, and shredded them into a bowl to face-lather.
Shave Sticks are Awesome!
- Thread starter altruistguy
- Start date
I have a LaToja stick in my dopp bag as it is small and easy to fit for traveling. I don't hate it, it's just not my preferred method. I never use it at home.
It can take a little practice to get the hang of shave sticks. I wanted to like them because right from the start I thought it was a great method for making lather. I found Arko to be the easiest to use. Easy to make lather. Tabac came in second for ease of use.
I believe years ago just about everyone lathered on the puck. I did at first. Then I read here about using a lather bowl. I guess you waste less soap with a lather bowl. It's nice either way.
I like using shave sticks. The only issue I have is getting enough soap on my face after 1 days growth.
My solution is to wet the top of the stick for a while.
Sometimes I load my face and the brush with a bit of soap.
But then so what if there isn't enough for 3 passes after the first application. That just gives me and excuse to start again.
My solution is to wet the top of the stick for a while.
Sometimes I load my face and the brush with a bit of soap.
But then so what if there isn't enough for 3 passes after the first application. That just gives me and excuse to start again.
Shave sticks can be a bit tricky when you first start using them. Everyone has their own method to produce a nice rich lather.
When first starting out with a stick, apply a lot of product on your face. When you think you have enough on, apply a little more.
Then I take my brush and soak it with water and give one good snap of my wrist to get out excess water from the brush.
Then start making lather on your face.
If the soap appears to be too dry, just add water to your brush a little at a time. This works great for me.
When first starting out with a stick, apply a lot of product on your face. When you think you have enough on, apply a little more.
Then I take my brush and soak it with water and give one good snap of my wrist to get out excess water from the brush.
Then start making lather on your face.
If the soap appears to be too dry, just add water to your brush a little at a time. This works great for me.
I've never tried building lather in a bowl.
I'm pretty sure I would find it maddening.
That's exactly why I switched to face lathering.
It's just so much easier: wet face, apply soap, wet brush, apply brush, and shave.
Oh, sometimes it's too wet and I try not to do that next time. Sometimes it's too dry and I dip a few hairs and some air in the water and give it another go with my incredibly handsome face. And sometimes I accidentally dip THREE hairs and some air from the brush in the water and it's too wet.
But all that falderal with whipping in a bowl would make me mad most of the time. My softened, moist face would dry out, my wife would wonder what in the werld I was "doing in there so long", the cats couldn't drink out of the tub..... Just not werth all the trubble! Get off my lawn!
A 1oz B&M sample came in the other day and those come as paper-wrapped blocks, like bar soap. I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to store the bulk of it as I used it by scooping bits out into the bowl. Then I thought of the 1oz push up containers I have.
The challenge is that B&M is a soft soap, too soft to push through the top with an open riser and bottom like these containers have, it would have gone straight through and everywhere. But not long ago, the shaving stick ambassador @Tanuki came up with the clever idea of punching out 1" disks from plastic container tops to solve that very problem. These thin plastic "bottoms" sit on the top of the riser, providing a floor for the soap and include a convenient hole in the middle for the spindle.
With this sweet mod, the Smoking Bishop loaded easily and I can just scoop it out of the tube into the bowl or face lather like a civilized wet shaver.
Bonus: The B&M label that came on the sample packaging was easily transferable and fits, strangely, like it was made for that container size.
The challenge is that B&M is a soft soap, too soft to push through the top with an open riser and bottom like these containers have, it would have gone straight through and everywhere. But not long ago, the shaving stick ambassador @Tanuki came up with the clever idea of punching out 1" disks from plastic container tops to solve that very problem. These thin plastic "bottoms" sit on the top of the riser, providing a floor for the soap and include a convenient hole in the middle for the spindle.
With this sweet mod, the Smoking Bishop loaded easily and I can just scoop it out of the tube into the bowl or face lather like a civilized wet shaver.
Bonus: The B&M label that came on the sample packaging was easily transferable and fits, strangely, like it was made for that container size.
Have you thought about lining the bottom of the inside of the shave stick with a small square of wax or parchment paper?
I think I see a new business for ol' @Tanuki !A 1oz B&M sample came in the other day and those come as paper-wrapped blocks, like bar soap. I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to store the bulk of it as I used it by scooping bits out into the bowl. Then I thought of the 1oz push up containers I have.
The challenge is that B&M is a soft soap, too soft to push through the top with an open riser and bottom like these containers have, it would have gone straight through and everywhere. But not long ago, the shaving stick ambassador @Tanuki came up with the clever idea of punching out 1" disks from plastic container tops to solve that very problem. These thin plastic "bottoms" sit on the top of the riser, providing a floor for the soap and include a convenient hole in the middle for the spindle.
With this sweet mod, the Smoking Bishop loaded easily and I can just scoop it out of the tube into the bowl or face lather like a civilized wet shaver.
Bonus: The B&M label that came on the sample packaging was easily transferable and fits, strangely, like it was made for that container size.
View attachment 1559514
It looks like that came right from B&M like that. Well done!
When Cremo came out with this a year or so ago it was around $4. Now it's $10-$14 and looks like it's been discontinued.
![20221120_055008[1].jpg](https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/attachments/20221120_055008-1-jpg.1559662/ "20221120_055008[1].jpg")
No problem as I filled it with my Mystery Bowl contents now. Black Label Fougere, MWF, and MdC Rose.
~doug~
No problem as I filled it with my Mystery Bowl contents now. Black Label Fougere, MWF, and MdC Rose.
~doug~
