Thread: I can't get hot lather for some reason

Originally Posted by BobH

The short answer is yes. Even the commercial hot lather machines the barbers had years ago were not that hot not even close.

Bob

Really? SO like 60-80F? That's downright cold. 80F, which is around room temperature in hot climates I'd consider maybe lukewarm. My lathers never get above 60F to be honest, even with the insane things I do, 60F is as high as I ever get (according to the thermapro i have anyway).

Also this can't POSSIBLY be true. Body temp is 97-99F, and i know 100% that hot lather machines felt warm to the touch, and physically that will only happen if temperatures reach or exceed body core temperature (so minimum of 95F). Honestly, I've used hot lather machines, (or had them used on me), all i want is the temp that they reach, whatever you think that is, I just want that...but without having to buy one of those(which I am 99% sure is fairly close to 100F, like 90-95F at minimum, though I"ve never measured it.).

P.S: far as I can tell, the "hot water" setting on my bathroom tap is about 100F or so, maybe a little less, maybe a little more but 100 seems like a safe bet (120F is mentioned in various places including hydro company websites as a very common setting for hot water at homes, but the limit to safe temperature - any higher can be dangerous to sensitive skin such as children. So, 100F seems like a REALLY good bet regarding most peoples hot water taps at home).

Perhaps you're confused about F vs C? 100F is about 37.8C. 80F is about 26C, which is usually considered "room temperature" in warm climates, 110F (or about 43C) is a temperature I've seen on warning labels for hot water tubs and kettles and the like as a warning "hot water" temperature - this seems to be the where the commonly accepted "really hot" range starts for water. So good temperature for "warm to hot water", which will feel nice during cold climates for a shower is around 90-100F, any colder and it will be well below body temperature and then it's just plain PHYSICS that it will NOT feel warm to the touch, let alone hot or scald - you can't possibly harm a brush with something that is COLDER THAN YOUR OWN SKIN!

Also: I put my brush AFTER taking the water out of the heating device. By the time my brush is in there, it's cold enough wash my face in, so not hotter than 105 or so by ANY MEANS, and likely a LOT colder. Generally I find, it's impossible for any liquid to stay above 95F in my house outside unless being supplied with heat in some way - for more than 15seconds - like this is true even for Soups, I LOVE drinking soups but everything above the second sip is just cold.

Originally Posted by Tjh

Really? SO like 60-80F? That's downright cold. 80F, which is around room temperature in hot climates I'd consider maybe lukewarm. My lathers never get above 60F to be honest, even with the insane things I do, 60F is as high as I ever get (according to the thermapro i have anyway).

Also this can't POSSIBLY be true. Body temp is 97-99F, and i know 100% that hot lather machines felt warm to the touch, and physically that will only happen if temperatures reach or exceed body core temperature (so minimum of 95F). Honestly, I've used hot lather machines, (or had them used on me), all i want is the temp that they reach (which I am 99% sure is fairly close to 100F, like 90-95F at minimum, though I"ve never measured it.).

P.S: far as I can tell, the "hot water" setting on my bathroom tap is about 100F or so, maybe a little less, maybe a little more but 100 seems like a safe bet (120F is mentioned in various places including hydro company websites safe temperature for hot water at home - any higher can be dangerous to sensitive skin such as children. So, 100F seems like a REALLY good bet regarding most peoples hot water taps at home).

Perhaps you're confused about F vs C? 100F is about 37.8C. 80F is about 26C, which is usually considered "room temperature" in warm climates, 110F (or about 43C) is a temperature I've seen on warning labels for hot water tubs and kettles and the like as a warning "hot water" temperature - this seems to be the where the commonly accepted "really hot" range starts for water. So good temperature for "warm to hot water", which will feel nice during cold climates for a shower is around 90-100F, any colder and it will be well below body temperature and then it's just plain PHYSICS that it will NOT feel warm to the touch, let alone hot or scald.

You are right about hot water heaters in homes, 120F seems to be the hottest recommended. No, I am not confused about F vs C as I grew up using F and then had to learn to use C for temps. Our tankless hot water heater is set to 125F, about 52C, as the boss likes it really hot. Before switching to cold water shaving I did make lather in a modern scuttle with a built in hot water reservoir to keep the lather warm and it did keep it warm.

I have no idea why you can't feel that the lather is at least warm as the majority of people can. Instead of doing really insane things to get a hot lather you might want to get one of those old style commercial hot lather machines as they seem to work for you when nothing else will.

Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

I have no idea why you can't feel that the lather is at least warm as the majority of people can. Instead of doing really insane things to get a hot lather you might want to get one of those old style commercial hot lather machines as they seem to work for you when nothing else will.

Bob

Sorry, i think I may not have communicated this well: i can feel warm lather fine, if it is indeed warm. I have no issues for example when I'm shaving at my parents house, get nice warm, even hot lather there. My problem is, it is IMPOSSIBLE for any liquid to stay above 65F or so in my house for more than 15 seconds unless being supplied with heat. I'll try the hot lather machine tbh, as a last resort. But again, my problem isn't me being wierd and demanding some insane temperature, my issue is that my house is SO COLD and DRY that NORMAL temperatures lathers and water reaches and stays at for most people, it doesn't for me. Again, 65F is as hot as I'll EVER GET water, lather, brush or really ANYTHING liquid to stay at without it being heated up. Solid objects are better at retaining heat - my blade or that cast iron pot seems to be able to even stay warm for a long time.

to those most recently asking...

Heat some water in a bowl or put water heated in the kitchen in one that's large enough to hold your mug. Build the lather with hot tap water, then , put your mug containing lather in it while you make a pass, or two or three.

However, truth be told, hot lather is not a necessity, it's a luxury. To soften your beard (which is the point), get some hand towels hot with tap water, and hold them on your face for 15 or 30 seconds, then lather.

Originally Posted by Haroldg48

and it's worth it if folks need advice!

On the one hand, replying to this thread with my issue COULD result in people getting pissed of at me because I rezzed a dead thread...OTOH people would get pissed of at me if i started a NEW thread by saying "there's already a thread with this same topic, go there!"...and yes, while the rules of conduct here may be to make new threads if an old thread is older than 6 months or whatever, it doesn't (to my knowledge) say that anywhere explicitly, and I've seen and felt people getting pissed off in both directions on various forums. So, honestly most of the time I just simply don't post at all...cuz i don't know what to do. And my social anxiety consequently means that I"m paralyzed with doubt and fear.

Sounds to me like you could use a good space heater.

Try this. It works for me.

Hot shower followed by hot towel on face.

Rub shaving soap directly on moist face. I find using a shaving stick soap easiest.

Soak brush in very warm to hot water. Boiling hot water could loosen the knot, so do not do that.

Use the warm moist brush to raise a lather on your face. Rewet the brush with hot water as needed, shaking off excess water first. A good badger brush will retain the heat better than boar or synthetic bristle.

I've used an electric kettle that I keep under the bathroom sink. You'll need a scuttle. Before showering, fill up the kettle and let it boil the water. When ready to prepare your lather, pour tap water into your scuttle reservoir and brush holder about a 1/4 to a 1/3 full then fill the rest with the heated water from the kettle. You have to play with the ratio of tap and kettle water to get the right temperature. Too hot and the lather will break down. Leave about a tablespoon of the warm/hot water in the bottom of the brush holder, this helps transfer heat from the reservoir below the brush bowl. This method gives me warm lather for as many passes as I care to do.
Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by Tjh

Sorry, i think I may not have communicated this well: i can feel warm lather fine, if it is indeed warm. I have no issues for example when I'm shaving at my parents house, get nice warm, even hot lather there. My problem is, it is IMPOSSIBLE for any liquid to stay above 65F or so in my house for more than 15 seconds unless being supplied with heat. I'll try the hot lather machine tbh, as a last resort. But again, my problem isn't me being wierd and demanding some insane temperature, my issue is that my house is SO COLD and DRY that NORMAL temperatures lathers and water reaches and stays at for most people, it doesn't for me. Again, 65F is as hot as I'll EVER GET water, lather, brush or really ANYTHING liquid to stay at without it being heated up. Solid objects are better at retaining heat - my blade or that cast iron pot seems to be able to even stay warm for a long time.

OK, seems I misunderstood. Since you can get a warm lather at your parent's house what is the difference in the temperature they keep their house at and yours and also what temperature do they keep their hot water set at? It may be that the ambient temperature at your house is too low to let the lather remain warm for long and/or your water temperature is too low also.

You could be loosing heat from your water on the way from the hot water tank to your bathroom if your basement is very cold. Insulating the hot water pipe in that case may help.

Bob

Gentlemen,

I think, for lack of a better word, "warm/hot" rather than "boiling/hot" for my lather. "Boiling/hot" will contribute to breaking down the lather, as well as over time damage the badger, boar or synthetic brush. My shave den sink offers all the plain old "warm/hot" water I need to heat my scuttle.

Here is the way I play in my humble shave den: On the way to the shower, I fill my Schwarzweisskeramik scuttle, both bowl and tank, with "warm/hot" water from the sink faucet, and bloom my soap, if it needs it. The brush stays out, because I feel the "warm/hot" water in the scuttle bowl is still a wee bit too hot for my brush.

By the time I'm out of the shower, the water in the scuttle bowl is safely warm in which to soak my brush. Since I use pre-shave to further soften my beard and give extra protection to my ultra-sensitive skin, I massage a small amount of it onto my Hollywood face let it sit for about a minute or so before applying the hot towel over it ("warm/hot") — three times.

I then take out the soaking brush, give it a gentle shake and a light squeeze. I dump the water from the scuttle and just refill the tank with "warm/hot" water from the faucet. I load my brush with soap or cream, swirl it in the scuttle bowl a few times, long enough to warm the brush, and then proceed to face lather. I adjust the lather's moisture as I go along.

That's that. During the shave, if I feel I need to reheat the bowl, I dump the water from the scuttle tank and refill it, again, with the "warm/hot" water from the tap. This way my brush stays comfortably "warm" throughout the shave.

And gentlemen, this ritual (and the actual shave) is one of life's greatest pleasures.