Soap for more than straights?!

[Amir]

I thought I read somewhere that soaps were used more for straight razors, and creams for double edged razors.
Now into my first foray, I've been using creams with my Merkur HD.
Are their rookies out there who went right to soaps with their DE's?


Amir

 

[BallisticBurrito]

Yep, soaps tend to offer more bang for the buck..normally more product (with less used each time) for your money.
My first, and I still have it, is RazoRock Third Eye.
I've since tried Cella and RazoRock Don Marco...soft soaps rock.

 

[AABCDS]

Yes, I started with MWF last year with my Futur.

It doesn't make sense to me that a soap or cream would be better to use with one particular shaving device.

 

[Optometrist]

I am predominantly a straight razor user and also use soaps, but that's because I just prefer the lather generated from a soap, irrespective of straight or DE use. I find soaps produce a slicker and more protective lather that benefits straight razor use, although that's not to say creams do not suit straights. I don't believe there are any hard and fast rules here....I haven't read anything to that effect.

 

[tbress]

When I started DE shaving is used a tube of Proraso cream and then a tub of TOBS rose cream, but after that I moved on to soaps and haven't looked back.

 

[CharlieFoxtrot]

I am predominantly a straight razor user and also use soaps, but that's because I just prefer the lather generated from a soap, irrespective of straight or DE use. I find soaps produce a slicker and more protective lather that benefits straight razor use, although that's not to say creams do not suit straights. I don't believe there are any hard and fast rules here....I haven't read anything to that effect.

+1 here. I prefer the slickness of soaps versus creams. When I use a DE, I do like to occasionally use GFT & TOBS creams. It's two different animals.

 

[john shea]

I use. Both. Try mixing themN with or without a few drops of glycerin to your bowl/scuttle.

 

[Go West Young Man]

I thought I read somewhere that soaps were used more for straight razors, and creams for double edged razors.

That's completely incorrect, both are good for either. What you use is a personal preference thing.

 

[inspiringK]

In my case, this is totally true. I enjoy using creams from time to time when shaving with a DE, but since trying a straight for the first time a few months ago I have not found a cream that works well when straight shaving. In my experience, creams often build great lather, have great scents, and are protective, but lack a bit of the slickness that soaps are somehow able to produce. I should say that the difference isn't big and that there are certain creams that are slicker than certain soaps, though it just tends to be that soaps are slicker on the average.

 

[mhdena]

1st I've heard of this.

I don't believe there are soap brushes and cream brushes either.

 

[Viseguy]

I can't speak to straights, but you can certainly use either soaps or creams with safety razors. Or both soap and cream (superlather).

 

[morganjg]

I personally started using soaps when I was still using carts.. almost 5 years to be exact. It wasn't until I was looking for a better soap than VDH and a replacement brush for the VDH I bought at Wally's (the knot literally fell out one day!) that I found B&B and started my voyage in DE, SE and SR shaving. There was never any of these razors in my house coming up, my dad was a hardcore electric fan and his backup was probably BIC disposables. I still use soaps 90% of the time, but occasionally I find myself whipping up some lather from a cream.

 

[BallisticBurrito]

1st I've heard of this.

I don't believe there are soap brushes and cream brushes either.

There are some brushes better suited for one or the other.
Stiffer ones fair better with soaps than softer ones, normally.

 

[thatsilverguy]

I have used both with both and gotten good results.

YMMV

 

[Brent]

I ran into this too here:
http://www.shaving101.com/index.php/shaving-faqs/116-is-shaving-soap-better-than-shaving-cream.html

I use straights and either work for me. I prefer slickness vs protection though too much protection gets in the way of a close shave for me.

 

[Bad Robot]

Started with creams with my DE but moved very quickly to soaps and tend to prefer the lather from soaps.

 

[mhdena]

There are some brushes better suited for one or the other.
Stiffer ones fair better with soaps than softer ones, normally.

Obviously YMMV, some brushes may need more loading same as some soaps need more loading.

I ain't buying it as I don't think brush makers group their brushes one way or the other, they're just brushes.

YMMV

 

[takeshi]

I thought I read somewhere that soaps were used more for straight razors, and creams for double edged razors.

Always consider the source. It's a matter of preference. I read somewhere that you can only get a decent shave with cartridges and canned goo. There's good and bad info out there. What matters in the end is what works for you.

Are their rookies out there who went right to soaps with their DE's?

I went straight to hard soaps. Tried some creams but didn't care for them. Tried some soft soaps that were good but didn't prefer them. You need to determine what you prefer based on first hand experience. You can read all the opinions you want but experience is what matters.

There are some brushes better suited for one or the other.
Stiffer ones fair better with soaps than softer ones, normally.

Again, preference. People like to parrot "boar for soap, badger for brush" but, again, it's up to each to determine preference. I use hard soaps and my brushes are soft. Generalizations don't mean much with YMMV/subjective matters.

 

[beginish]

I'm a DE only person, and soaps are far and away my preference.

 

[wstruth]

When I started DE shaving is used a tube of Proraso cream and then a tub of TOBS rose cream, but after that I moved on to soaps and haven't looked back.

Thats Pretty much my path to soaps as well but i still venture into the creams for the scents.