What's new

Still not impressed with Tabac

Having used multiple pucks of both Williams and Tabac with success, I have always found it easier to lather Tabac. In fact, Tabac is easier for me to use than a few other soaps. Could it be that you received an old or defective Tabac puck?
 

Mike M

...but this one IS cracked.
Tabac stick is the first stick I got that managed to make a decent lather, I usually have so much trouble I end up crushing sticks into a dip bowl to make them easier to lather. I just wet my face and then give the stick a good run over my face and then face lather from there with a synthetic brush.
 

Ravenonrock

I shaved the pig
Having used multiple pucks of both Williams and Tabac with success, I have always found it easier to lather Tabac. In fact, Tabac is easier for me to use than a few other soaps. Could it be that you received an old or defective Tabac puck?
Don’t overthink it. I binned a puck of MWF a while back after having no success, despite considerable perseverance. Lots of advice on how to lather, tips and tricks etc. All valid and with good intention. I waited months and re purchased a puck and it has become a favourite. Hope Tabac comes around for you, it’s a solid soap IMHO. If not, plenty of other good soaps out there. Good luck!
 
Add water until you get a sheen on the lather. The sheen is obvious, can't miss it. If that doesn't work you should just walk away, put it up and shave with something else. Come back to it in a few months it will still be there.
OK, I will look for a sheen.
 
I realize that you've gotten a lot of response already but I wanted to counter what many here have said about using more water:

I use the shave stick and so I drag it across my wet face (which isn't very wet at all compared to a brush) and it leaves a residue of course, which I will lather vigorously with a wet brush, leading to an explosion of very slick lather.

So... I believe the method that would make most sense for you (if you are using a puck) is to start with a damp (dryer than wet) brush and work it until the brush absorbs a lot of product. Then take that product to your face and spread it around until your face is covered in a thick paste. Now wet your brush some and lather your puck and face again. Wet it again and repeat that (puck then face) and I believe you will get the results you are looking for.

Best of luck.
 

garyg

B&B membership has its percs
You do well with two soaps that are notoriously hard to work with but Tabac most find easy to use and you are having trouble. That's quite interesting, and I have a feeling that those who recommend more water and product are on the right track here.


Ya this - MWF has ended up shower soap despite all the hacks, turned bowls, lathered at the new moon etc. But, I have Great Lakes water, in East Egypt it may be different. Here Tabac is the best
 
I'll keep trying, because I don't like throwing anything away. What do you think about brush bristles? You think badger or boar would be better? I'll start paying attention to how it lathers with each brush. Last time I used the Omega boar.
 
I'll keep trying, because I don't like throwing anything away. What do you think about brush bristles? You think badger or boar would be better? I'll start paying attention to how it lathers with each brush. Last time I used the Omega boar.

With Tabac it doesn't matter what brush you use. With Williams I would suggest a boar for a noob (or a synth for those inclined) but Tabac no issues with any brush. Even though it's triple milled and hard it requires so little work to make ridiculous lather the brush is really irrelevant.

A few months ago I was sideways with La Toja Cream in the Red tube. The shaves were just horrendous, irritating, burned like nothing else with any AS. No reason for this as La Toja stick is a world class top of the line shave. The cream should be at the least good, right? So I walked away, put it up for a while. Here's where it landed...

 
I made a (rather embarrassing in hindsight) thread about this same issue a year or two ago: I could get my Williams lather dialed in but not my new Tabac. The truth is they are completely different beasts when it comes to lather technique. I suspect that my Tabac may have been water logged at the time which did not help, but really the problem was my approach.

Williams is a very personal soap - everyone has their ritual that works for them and a fair number simply cannot get it to work at all. With Tabac, for me, it was the opposite - I was overthinking it! It is impersonal in the sense that all the rituals, specific brushes, blooming etc. simply complicate the matter. Load a bit heavy and add a bit more water than you think you need. When it develops the telltale sheen add just a bit more.

Tabac does not need blooming, soaking, sacred brushes, glycerin added or anything else. If you are learning how to lather Tabac simply load heavy and work it in a bowl, adding water slowly until it has a sheen and then add just a bit more. Once you get a few good shaves in with Tabac you will know what to look for a truth be told it aint much. Tabac has the reputation it does because it simply works and for me is one of the least fussy soaps I have ever used.
 
One of the most important determinators of lather quality is the softness/hardness of one’s water. In my own experience, it’s absolutely fundamental. I tend to think that many here overlook it and pay more attention to damp vs. dry brush, type of brush, blooming, etc.

If your water is soft, you will need a ton of water in order to lather Tabac ideally. If your water is hard, then you will require less water.
 
I made a (rather embarrassing in hindsight) thread about this same issue a year or two ago: I could get my Williams lather dialed in but not my new Tabac. The truth is they are completely different beasts when it comes to lather technique. I suspect that my Tabac may have been water logged at the time which did not help, but really the problem was my approach.

Williams is a very personal soap - everyone has their ritual that works for them and a fair number simply cannot get it to work at all. With Tabac, for me, it was the opposite - I was overthinking it! It is impersonal in the sense that all the rituals, specific brushes, blooming etc. simply complicate the matter. Load a bit heavy and add a bit more water than you think you need. When it develops the telltale sheen add just a bit more.

Tabac does not need blooming, soaking, sacred brushes, glycerin added or anything else. If you are learning how to lather Tabac simply load heavy and work it in a bowl, adding water slowly until it has a sheen and then add just a bit more. Once you get a few good shaves in with Tabac you will know what to look for a truth be told it aint much. Tabac has the reputation it does because it simply works and for me is one of the least fussy soaps I have ever used.
Well, that's two comments about a sheen. I'll pay attention and look for this sheen. Previously, I just lathered up and went with it. Tabac doesn't like that. Tabac is fussy. :)
 
One of the most important determinators of lather quality is the softness/hardness of one’s water. In my own experience, it’s absolutely fundamental. I tend to think that many here overlook it and pay more attention to damp vs. dry brush, type of brush, blooming, etc.

If your water is soft, you will need a ton of water in order to lather Tabac ideally. If your water is hard, then you will require less water.
I have hard water. Thank goodness. I hate soft water.
 
Tabac is the easiest soap in the world to overload. If so, you’ll never add enough water to it unless using a salad bowl to mix it up in. Tabac is very slick when used very minimally, like thin watery bubbles minimal, but will get dry and pasty and slow your razor down otherwise, especially if it looks like “a good load”.
 
Top Bottom