Weak Lather

https://youtu.be/XdbWkVyVUDQ

Been straight razor shaving for about two weeks now, but I'm not sure I'm getting the lather I want. I'd greatly appreciate it if you could check the video of my lather above and give me some pointers and tips, or maybe just tell me I'm flat out doing it wrong. The mentor in my area is too far for convenience.

I feel like I'm not getting much lather at all. I'm getting just enough to spread on my face, but it's a rather thin coating. By the time I'm done shaving the right side of my face, the lather on the left side of my face has faded and all but disappeared - to the point where I now have to reapply a couple times mid-shave. I'm not spending an exceptionally long time on one side of my face either.

Basic info: SRD Unscented Soap, Simpson Beaufort B4 Pure Badger Brush, water is hot.

So, how does my process look? Am I missing something big? Pointers and tips? Thanks!

Hi Ratchet

Without looking at the vid I can say the following:

You need to load more soap on the brush
More water is needed
The lather needs to be worked more regardless if you are face or bowl lathering.



We have all been in your shoes when first starting wet shaving. As you gain experience you will start to get a "feel" of how much soap is needed on the brush and how much water to add. It is said that any soap will make a shaveable lather when prepped correctly. Getting the prep right takes a bit of practice and a familiarity with the soap.

Furthermore, soaps are different. You need very little Martin de Candre but quite a bit of a Stirling. I used a Maggard's soap for the first time this morning and had to go back to the bowl twice to get enough product to make a good lather.

A good trick: Practice. You don't have to wait for shave time to play with soap. Soaps are fun! Your hand is a good place to see how the particular soap should be prepped.

Keep us posted.

This may help https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=icTCqQTVFgI

and this https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4zESTQWDuw

Bob

As per Dave, I have not watched the video but everything he said is what I 2 old have said. Soap is cheap enough that you can make and throw away lather many times with little financial cost.

If you bowl lather the amount of time you spend whipping/ whisking is important too, much like whipping cream.

OK I just watched the vid, it looks like you are leaving the brush far too dry and I would also get a bigger, shallower bowl to lather in something around 2 inches deep and 4 to 5 inches wide, even a plastic tub from the kitchen would do to experiment with.

I watched the video. Here are a few observations.
You soaked the brush, allowing it to suck up water, and then wrung it out. I'm not sure why you did not leave the water in the brush. Then you tried to load the dry brush. In order to get enough soap in the brush you are going to need water. After you get the brush loaded you will likely want to add a little water to the lather in the cup. It is not rocket science but there are no recipes either. You are going to have to play with your brush and soap to figure out what you really like. There is no harm on lathering or building lather for practice. Soap may seem a little pricey when looking at the cost of a puck but it is unbelievable how many lathe rings you get from a puck. Also it is a personal issue, but I never try to load my brush in a full container. I take some out and put it in a bowl, mug, or similar container so that I have clean soap to share and never have to load my brush on such a flat surface. Now get back in there and play with the soap and brush. ;-)

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Originally Posted by RezDog

I watched the video. Here are a few observations.
You soaked the brush, allowing it to suck up water, and then wrung it out. I'm not sure why you did not leave the water in the brush. Then you tried to load the dry brush. In order to get enough soap in the brush you are going to need water. After you get the brush loaded you will likely want to add a little water to the lather in the cup. It is not rocket science but there are no recipes either. You are going to have to play with your brush and soap to figure out what you really like. There is no harm on lathering or building lather for practice. Soap may seem a little pricey when looking at the cost of a puck but it is unbelievable how many lathe rings you get from a puck. Also it is a personal issue, but I never try to load my brush in a full container. I take some out and put it in a bowl, mug, or similar container so that I have clean soap to share and never have to load my brush on such a flat surface. Now get back in there and play with the soap and brush. ;-)

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The beatings will continue until your lather is perfect.:whipped:

It looks to me that your brush was way too dry to start with. A couple shakes is normal, but wringing it right out might be your problem. On a side note, why is your tap running the whole time? Seems like a lot of water waste.

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Originally Posted by Firefighter2

It looks to me that your brush was way too dry to start with. A couple shakes is normal, but wringing it right out might be your problem. On a side note, why is your tap running the whole time? Seems like a lot of water waste.

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You can probably blame Lynn for that one. I would just put the plug in and fill the sink.

I watched. By the end, I would call what you've done "loading the brush." That is, you've worked the soap well into the brush (that's good!), but not yet lathered.

Try a shallow bowl instead of that cup: it's hard to work at the bottom of a narrow well. Start where you are at the end of the vid, get into a shallow bowl, and start adding water a little at a time. Each time, work the water/lather in and out of the brush, more times than you feel like you should have to.

Tip: practice in non-shaving days, when the pressure is off. Like RezDog says, play play play. Waste some soap & time and have fun.

Yes, if you have been lathering the same way the whole time with the same terrible result every time it is time to experiment. It is just a matter of practicing using different combinations of soap to water ratios until you produce lather you are after.

Bob

I was going to say the same thing as Bob ,, you need to watch a video not us,, and soap is cheap , Palm lather a few times to get the feel for when a lather is right, doing the same thing expecting different results. Heck I still practice lathering a new soap to see what water ratio it likes. So go back until you ve beat that lather to death. Tc

Thanks for all the help fellas.

General consensus seems to be I'm drying the brush way too much by wringing it out, so I'll stop that.

>>To clarify, I actually didn't mean to leave the water running, I just got carried away making the video.<<

I've watched a lot of the instructional videos out there, and I wasn't picking up anything new so I thought it was time to bring it up with the experts.

I also don't like the coffee mug. It just came with the package I bought so I'm trying to make due.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by ratchet

General consensus seems to be I'm drying the brush way too much by wringing it out, so I'll stop that.


I've watched a lot of the instructional videos out there, and I wasn't picking up anything new so I thought it was time to bring it up with the experts.

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You can load a dry/damp brush with soap if you load for a bit add a bit more water and load a bit more before moving to a bowl or your face. Once at the bowl or face you have to work up the lather adding a bit of water at a time till you get the lather you want.

Using mostly synthetic brushes that is the way I have to do it or have water and soap running out of the brush onto my hands. Generally I can load enough soap to get 4 good lathers for a 4 pass shave. I use a similarly dry/damp brush method with boars and badgers too. It is a matter of having enough soap loaded and then adding enough water to get a good lather.

Some visual cues that help me determine if the lather is good to go are when the rich thick lather leaves peaks when you pull the brush away and generally the lather will get a slight sheen/opalescence to it.

Bob

I have a few of those style mugs are they work great for putting a cake of soap in and loading the brush in the mug. I only ever load in one of the plastic containers unless it is the very last of the soap or it is a recycled container. I find it there is not enough freeboard in a container until it is about 2/3 done. I may be just a sloppy latherer though and perhaps others can load a brush without the freeboard.

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Originally Posted by RezDog

I have a few of those style mugs are they work great for putting a cake of soap in and loading the brush in the mug. I only ever load in one of the plastic containers unless it is the very last of the soap or it is a recycled container. I find it there is not enough freeboard in a container until it is about 2/3 done. I may be just a sloppy latherer though and perhaps others can load a brush without the freeboard.

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I find it messy too, but for things like my omega that are already in a bowl I load the brush with the soap container over my lathering bowl and Try to direct the mess into the bowl. At work I have a large plastic food storage container that is about 2/3 full of soap and that works very well for brush loading though it is somewhat unwieldy.

If you can't load a brush from a full container of soap the brush is too wet guys. ;)

Bob

Quote:

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Originally Posted by BobH

If you can't load a brush from a full container of soap the brush is too wet guys. ;)

Bob

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Some might say that if you can your brush is too dry :)

In saying that I used to lather straight off of a shave stick, hold stick in one hand like a chocolate bar and just go to town on the end with brush, it was a bit messy too though.

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Originally Posted by edhewitt

Some might say that if you can your brush is too dry :)

In saying that I used to lather straight off of a shave stick, hold stick in one hand like a chocolate bar and just go to town on the end with brush, it was a bit messy too though.

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Yea, I do that with a shave stick too, rub a little on the brush, after I smear my face with it and then lather up. No shortage of lather for 4 passes that way.

Bob

Should add that is with a damp brush so never really messy though. :angel:

I'm really messy so I need all the help I can get. I do often start with too wet of a brush for sure, but if the container has a little freeboard it doesn't matter it can just hang out until next time. I do like my lather a little sloppy too, right around soft peak for me.

This video should help you.

I think you need to load up your brush with more soap.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=