Thread: Hard soap brush

Any brush will do, I've used badger, synthetic, boar and even cheap plastic. The trick is to really load the brush, at least 30 seconds maybe more for some hard soaps. Also keep an eye on how much water adding more if needed. I've never pre soaked the soap even MWF the only thing I ever pre soak is a boar brush which as those of you that use one will know drinks water.

Originally Posted by Chet

What brand for a nice boar brush?

+1 to all the above, but if you're looking for a high loft boar with backbone I'd recommend a Semogue Owners Club. Love it.

I personally prefer using a boar brush for hard soaps. My omega works great.

If I can lather Williams soap with a badger brush, anyone can.

http://straightrazorpalace.com/soaps...me-lather.html

Any brush will load hard soaps - the only thing that should vary is the time spent loading (i.e. 15-20 seconds versus 40-50 seconds). For example, my Vulfix 41 - one of the biggest, softest, floppiest brushes around - takes about 45 seconds of loading with hard soap.

I would suggest giving the brush a good squeeze before loading to get all the water out - leaving the bristles damp versus wet, then try loading. There won't be as much water present to act as lubricant and the bristles will 'grab' more at the soap. Once it's loaded, proceed with building lather and adding water as normal.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

You know, you can take the hardest bar soap in the world and just use water and very lightly rub your fingers over it and load up your hand very easily. I think any brush no matter how soft it may be can get you great lather. If you can't build lather the brush isn't the issue you need to use some more water and adjust your brush loading technique.

This brush to suite the soap thing is just another old barbers tale like needing a certain razor to suite a certain kind of beard.

+3 to this. Soak the soap in hot water before for a few minutes. Also soak the brush for a few minutes in warm water (extremely hot water is not needed and could potentially damage the brush) before and that should be all you need. With more experience you will find it easier to lather any kind of soap with any kind of brush.

Originally Posted by Chet

What brand for a nice boar brush?

The famous Omega 48 will dominate every kind of soap you can find in the market.
There is no hope for any soap. There is no hope.
Omega 48 is the ultimate soap eliminator.

Gents:

In my particular case I feel that the better brushes for that are the two band with lower mm on knots possible but no less than 24mm. In my opinion the semogues, the morris and forndran, simpsons.

Thanks
Gents

Any brush in Two Band Super Badger with a loft of about 50-52mm ...

If you can find an old Simpsons "Ehsan" on the used market .. Grab it!

What works for me with any soap, cream or croap:

-Saturate brush with water.
-Shake out excess water.
-Swirl brush onto soap surface, holding soap upside down, so residual water flows down into the bristles. Do this for about 45 seconds.
-In a bowl, place about 1-2 tablespoons of soft water, and begin swirling your brush in this sloppy wet mixture for about 30 seconds.
-Now, take your brush as it is after the initial swirling in the wet bowl, and swirl onto the soap again for about 30 seconds, again holding the soap upside down over the brush.
-THIS IS WHERE THE MAGIC HAPPENS: begin to swirl your reloaded brush vigorously in your sloppy runny soapy wet bowl. If it looks a little dry at this point, hit it with a few drops of water, or better yet glycerin. Do this for about 60 seconds, or until lather overflows the top of your container.

There is no shave soap created by man that will not make great heaping mounds of soft serve shave lather with this method