Sticks are awesome! I prefer the Wilkinson Sword and tallow Tabac stick but La Toja is great as well.
Those are really nifty containers my friend! I'll be looking into some. Thanks.Shave sticks are awesome!
I started my wet shaving adventure lathering in a bowl but several member's proselytizing the virtues of face lathering with a stick have began to sink in.
I've been sitting on a few zip lock bags of soap samples and last night I decided to watch Atomic Blonde (again) and make soap sticks.
I have some of the larger 2.5oz sticks like PAA sells but these were smaller samples of soap and I'd purchased a few cheap 1oz roll up containers off amazon for just this exercise. I started off with a cheese grater but after taking off the tip of a finger for the 20th time I switched over to a garlic press. Which was weird but fun, like making soap spaghetti.
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After making the What The Puck label I took to time to figure out the font setting in the labelers. But I was too lazy to actually make that container a new label.
These roll up containers are not great - the bottom is open, unlike the larger ones. I guess they are designed to pour your liquid material in from the bottom and then it hardens. Pushing in soap from the top was a little problematic at first till enough mass got in there to fuse and block the riser.
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Still, once I figured that out and stopped pushing soap right through it onto the table, I found these function fine.
I plan on getting seriously stick for Decemboar and face lather for a whole month. I'm ready to get down now.
Those are really nifty containers my friend! I'll be looking into some. Thanks.
Lather is lather. You can make it in a bowl, you can load a brush and make it on your face/palm or you can rub the soap on your face and make it that way. It's lather.
I can understand how some might find one method easier/more comfortable than the other two. I can also understand that some people (naturally or by practice) have perfected one of the methods and firmly believe it is superior to the other two.
But I believe you can make the exact same lather with any of the three if your technique is appropriate to the task.
So should we all be required to perfect all three? NO! Use what works for you and what makes you happy. If you possibly can, try not to insult all the forum members who feel as strongly about their choice as you do about yours.
Don't worry about insulting me - I'm good at everything.
Yes, you can make lather with all 3 methods, but most guys here agree that a shave stick is faster, easier, and you have more control over your end result. Hense, the best method.
That's why this thread is about shave sticks. Everyone has their own opinion. Enjoy what you prefer.
Why would it be faster? How many seconds? Why easier? Where does the extra control come from?Yes, you can make lather with all 3 methods, but most guys here agree that a shave stick is faster, easier, and you have more control over your end result. Hense, the best method.
That's why this thread is about shave sticks. Everyone has their own opinion. Enjoy what you prefer.
Why would it be faster? How many seconds? Why easier? Where does the extra control come from?
I'm not trying to be confrontational; I really don't see it.
Yeah, OCD and even touching a shave stick without a container around it must be tough! I can relate to things not lining up.... Not easy!I'm definitely a shaving stick and face lathering fan. I recently purchased two of the Shave Nation twist up containers to try to improve my stick wielding skills. I tried to load Arko in one and Speick in the other. Both were already in stick form, and I feel like I got it wrong with both. I just pressed the Arko onto the rod along the centerline of the container (it's soft enough), which sort of worked. I tried heating the Speick stick briefly in the microwave, which softened the center; soft enough to press it onto the rod in the container. However, neither stick fills the container to its sides, which triggers my OCD need for things to fit well. HELP!?
p.s., I also have a D.R. Harris stick that I really like, but the soap doesn't want to advance out of the container when I twist the bottom. And, once I get it to advance out of the container, then the lid doesn't want to screw on all the way. I must be missing something with the D.R. Harris stick. HELP2!!
I'm definitely a shaving stick and face lathering fan. I recently purchased two of the Shave Nation twist up containers to try to improve my stick wielding skills. I tried to load Arko in one and Speick in the other. Both were already in stick form, and I feel like I got it wrong with both. I just pressed the Arko onto the rod along the centerline of the container (it's soft enough), which sort of worked. I tried heating the Speick stick briefly in the microwave, which softened the center; soft enough to press it onto the rod in the container. However, neither stick fills the container to its sides, which triggers my OCD need for things to fit well. HELP!?
p.s., I also have a D.R. Harris stick that I really like, but the soap doesn't want to advance out of the container when I twist the bottom. And, once I get it to advance out of the container, then the lid doesn't want to screw on all the way. I must be missing something with the D.R. Harris stick. HELP2!!
I think you've hit the nail on the head with your last sentence. Excellent!It is what it is. I find a stick to be faster at making lather than with a bowl. It is easier, again it just is! I can get a nice rich creamy lather with a stick more easily than with a puck. The extra control is from making the lather on my face I can see how it is and if I need to add water it is very easy to do so.
For me it is faster, easy, and I always get a great lather.
We all know an Arko stick is best. Good luck winning this argument my friend! Hahahaha!!!I think you've hit the nail on the head with your last sentence. Excellent!
I load my non-stick of MdC for 4 seconds and am shaving in what seems like about 45 seconds, but to be honest I'm just guessing as I have no clock in the bathroom (nor apparently enough interest to bring my watch in after my shower). Adding water to the lather is exactly the same as using a stick, and I am comfortable saying my MdC lather holds up very well in comparison to any stick, so those two parts are a wash in the discussion.
I can absolutely see that your loading technique with a stick could be easier and faster than with a brush. I use LaToja sticks when I travel. For me it's considerably easier to load the brush on a puck. Given that the only difference is where the soap goes first, I'm fairly certain that most people would find both methods about equal if they practiced them the same amount of time. I suppose it's possible for someone to own a brush that doesn't load efficiently to prefer the stick.
My bottom line: I appreciate that you find the stick better and wish you all good shaves with your chosen method. I hope you can appreciate that I don't find it easier or faster using a stick and will continue to enjoy my shaves with my chosen method. But I will not say mine is better.
Yes, each person will have their preferred method for making lather, that goes without saying, I prefer a stick and the name of this thread is "Shave Sticks are Awesome!" I still say they are the best method.My bottom line: I appreciate that you find the stick better and wish you all good shaves with your chosen method. I hope you can appreciate that I don't find it easier or faster using a stick and will continue to enjoy my shaves with my chosen method. But I will not say mine is better.
I have been known to rub a puck on my face because I just prefer face lathering. I'm WAY too ADHD to lather in a bowl. I'm liable to forget it's soap and eat it!Yes, each person will have their preferred method for making lather, that goes without saying, I prefer a stick and the name of this thread is "Shave Sticks are Awesome!" I still say they are the best method.