Tabac Trouble?

[DanDavis]

Hi All,
I can't quite get Tabac to lather correctly. I either get a thin layer of weak bubbles or mountains of airy froth. Also, during the first two passes my razor hops rather than glides across my face.
I must be doing something wrong.
I've been wet shaving for about 2 years. This week I made the jump from shaving cream (AoS) to Tabac. On the almost unanimous adulation for Tabac I picked up a jar.

Here's What I'm using:
Art of Shaving badger brush, a Merkur 180, Derby Razors, and a regular coffee mug.

Here's my routine:
Fill my mug with hot water. Soak the brush in the hot water while I take a shower. After the shower I empty out the mug, shake off the excess water from the brush, swirl the brush on the Tabac about 20 times before working it up in my mug, adding 1/2 teaspoon of hot water in the beginning. After a minute or two, I apply it to my face with the brush and begin the first pass.

I love the Tabac smell, the way the soap makes my face feel afterwards, and my wife likes the way the bathroom smells when I'm shaving. I'll keep trying, but any thoughts or advice would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks,
-Dan

 

[justinp]

Needs more product. Swirl hard and fast with a slightly damp brush (give it several good shakes post-soaking) for a good minute or so for starters. That'll get things going.

 

[Pontoppidan]

I'm no expert on lather, but to me, it sounds like your lather is a bit dry. You have to add water until the texture is correct. You can't just add a set amount of water and expect it to be perfect every time...

Check out this thread for some pointers:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21136

 

[bananaman]

^^^^^^^
The thread referenced above was very helpful for me in learning how to build a good lather from soaps.
I love Tabac now, and get great results using that method.

 

[justinp]

I don't think it's too dry.. I think it's too WET.

Here's what to look for.

With regard to Joel's review, I would just caution that he is absolutely incorrect-- unless he's got some sort of uber-brush that behaves unlike normal brushes-- that 8 swirls is enough to generate 4-5 passes' worth of lather. That's a recipe for the OP's problem. Give it a solid minute. It's a hard-milled soap, and you don't need to worry about using too much product... it will last basically forever.

 

[djh]

Needs more product. Swirl hard and fast with a slightly damp brush (give it several good shakes post-soaking) for a good minute or so for starters. That'll get things going.

+100 Load your brush, load it some more and then try to load a little more........... Tabac is a fantastic soap, great value and is very easy to lather in my experience.

 

[dpm802]

Tabac shave soap does require a short break-in period. If you have only 2 shaves in, the soap is not ready yet. You're doing the right stuff, just keep doing it for a week or so and I think you'll answer your own question(s.)

Tabac is a wonderful cold-weather scent, and now is the perfect time of the year to use it for the first time.

Do yourself and SWMBO a favor and invest yourself in the whole range of products ... especially the Tabac shave-cream and ASL. Both will enhance your experience a great degree for relatively little cost.

Eventually, you'll want the others, too. EdT and/or EdC (I use them both.) Deodorant stick (when you can find it.) Even the Luxury Bath Soap and ASB make for a marvelous combination that is hard to beat.

 

[cymric]

... After the shower I empty out the mug, shake off the excess water from the brush, swirl the brush on the Tabac about 20 times before working it up in my mug, ...

See here. Swirling 20 times is too little, and make sure you leave some moisture in the brush so it can dissolve the soap. The brush isn't meant to be used as a piece of sanding paper.

 

[DanDavis]

Thanks for the replies, especially the links! The pictures were particularly helpful.
I'll try more soap with the same amount of water and see how that goes. From there I'll keep working at it until I get it right. Regardless of the platonic ideal of soap to water ratios, the consensus is that Tabac is worth the effort.
On a less-frustrating note, the past two shaves were the closest I've ever managed.
I ordered the Tabac AS right after I got a good waft of the soap. It's excellent.
Thanks,
-Dan

 

[cymric]

That's enough for 10 passes.. the first picture is how much I use

Those pictures were taken to make the difference clear between loading for three seconds, and one minute; not for showing how much lather to make. I think I mentioned that in the description; in addition I hadn't been using Tabac for months so my estimates of what would have been necessary were off. In practice I use about a good third less; and if I wanted to economise I could cut the amount in half.

However I'm not into wetshaving to economise and to end up with somewhat less lather than I really need just because I felt skimpy. Another thing to consider is that I don't build any more after I've produced the lather; I merely massage it gently onto my face with the brush. So it doen't grow any more in volume either. Then there is also some loss of lather due to evaporation on my face, and dilution because when I relather it occurs on a damp skin, not a parched dry one. Finally, since my eyesight is rather poor and I can't wear my glasses in the bathroom, I need a good contrast between lather and skin to show where I've been and where I'm going. (I am not kidding; I have thrown out products which failed on this account.)

10 passes? No way. 4 passes: yes; in practice about 3 plus a bit of touching up, assuming the reduced amounts I mentioned above.

I really don't understand why some of you make so much lather.. it's seemingly wasteful.

On the same note, I don't understand why some of you make but a single brush, consider that 'well loaded' and then make it stretch for 3 or 4 passes. The last pass has to be mostly water. I think I'd prefer using a good shaving oil than the watery mess which is then on my face. Even for touching up I find it completely unsuitable.

Making the lather the way I do, and in the quantities I use most certainly isn't for 'show', if that's what you think.

 

[mike72]

I usually shake my brush once and add water a couple times and usually get a good lather. I'm hooked, most of the time i super lather but with tabac I do can do just the soap and did I mention...it smells great!! Hang in there you'll grow to love it.

 

[Sydney Guy]

OP - In your routine you don't mention whether you are wetting the puck prior to use. A hard triple-milled soap needs a little water to soak in and soften the soap before you swirl the brush on it, otherwise you won't be picking up enough soap. Try placing that teaspoon of hot water on the puck and leaving it to soak while you take you shower. When you're ready to lather, pour off the water into your mug, swirl away with the brush on the Tabac and go from there.

 

[drandall]

personally, i find that putting too much water on a tabac puck can hinder lathering.

with a semi-dry/damp brush, you get good traction on the puck and will coat the bristles with a soap paste that will make several passes of great lather once you add some water.

if the brush is too wet, you begin to make lather right on top of the puck. your traction is reduced and instead of dense paste, your bristles fill with froth. you can still shave with that, of course, but it won't be that crazy-thick lather for which tabac is famous.

 

[mretzloff]

I would, under no circumstance, put any water on the top of a Tabac puck. I (and many others) did this in the past and ended up ruining our pucks. After a few weeks, your puck will rise up like a soufflé and no longer lather.

 

[Pioneer]

I would, under no circumstance, put any water on the top of a Tabac puck. I (and many others) did this in the past and ended up ruining our pucks. After a few weeks, your puck will rise up like a soufflé and no longer lather.

+1 I did this too - turned me off Tabac for a while, 'til I figured out it was my own fault.

 

[JPDyson]

I think the folks who advise loading for long periods of time tend to start with dryer brushes than I do; if I loaded Tabac for more than 10 second with my technique, I'd be able to shave a wookie. I'm a face-latherer, and I like to start with all the water I'll need already in the brush. So with a boar, that's a soaked brush with one good "Jersey Shore". The badger takes a couple flicks (as it likes to hold the water tighter). In any case, Tabac lathers as quick or quicker than any other soap I have. Don't be afraid of water.

 

[DanDavis]

Hey Gents,
Had some success this morning: I added a teaspoon of hot water on the top of the puck while I showered. After, I swirled the brush on the puck for 20 seconds or so, adding a few "plunging" motions to make sure the brush was fully loaded.
Got three good passes with just enough for a few thin touch-ups.
I saw a few warning posts about not adding water to the top but can't seem to get a consensus; if I add a few drops of warm water before the shower, load my brush, shave, and put everything away, what is the long term down side? I'm not putting any water down the sides, just the top.
Have I opened up a can of worms?
-Dan

 

[DirtyDave]

For what it is worth, I usually put a bit of water on the Tabac puck while I soak the brush for a moment in warm water. I have not had any problems and it lathers like a champ. I don't remember how many swirls I need to fill the brush. I think it just depends on what brush I am using. When the brush is solid white it's time to build the lather in the bowl. For me the stuff is a near foolproof as I have ever used.

 

[Sydney Guy]

I saw a few warning posts about not adding water to the top but can't seem to get a consensus; if I add a few drops of warm water before the shower, load my brush, shave, and put everything away, what is the long term down side? I'm not putting any water down the sides, just the top.
Have I opened up a can of worms?
-Dan

Just use your own judgement. If you're using it every day and the top of the puck is soft enough from the previous day's use for the brush to pick up soap without wetting the puck then don't. If you only use it once a week and it's too hard, then add a teaspoon of water. Moderation is the key.

 

[dpm802]

When I have to pre-soften my soap, I fill up the entire bowl with hot water, so that the soap is completely submerged. I let it sit for a few minutes, then I turn it upside down to spill out the excess. Whatever the puck soaks up always seems to be the right amount, and I get a great lather no matter how wet or dry the brush is.