Thread: Bowl Compatiability

So I seem to go through a puck much faster than everyone else. Based on that fact, I'm looking to try some different soaps. Right now I've got some Truefitt and Hill, and it's ok... pleasant scent, but lacking in the lather department for me. A lot of that I'm sure is due to the poor water quality here, so I'm not going to hold that against them. I'm looking at trying some MWF once I finish this puck off, and what I want to know, is are pucks all generally the same size or do manufacturers all get together and decide that this brand's bowl will be just different enough so that brands puck won't fit? I've already spent far more on razors than I ever thought possible, so now I'm trying to reign it in and shift my focus to something other than razors themselves. Thanks for the input.

They are pretty close actually but a Knife or a Cheese grater makes short work of the fit if needed

I just shave them down to fit, toss the shavings into the bottom of the bowl and press the puck on top of the shavings, actually works pretty darn good.. This can also work in the reverse too, shave some off the bottom of the puck, and that will help fit a smaller puck to a larger bowl

I would get some distilled water for MWF because in my experience it is picky on water quality and amount.

One of the most finicky soaps in my opinion. Buy worth the trouble.

Yeah... distilled water really isn't going to happen here... I'm still deployed... maybe once I get home, but for now, I'm thinking a slick soapy froth is probably the closest I'm going to get to lather.

It depends on the soap. Soaps like Tabac and MWF have bottoms that are squared off, like a puck; the English soaps are typically rounded/convexed. Each company tailors their bowls to fit their product, but as Glen pointed out it's nothing a knife or cheese grater can't handle

That being said, if you can't get T&H to lather and suspect your water is the culprit you should stay away from MWF, unless you want to use bottled water. Lathering T&H will seem like a cakewalk compared to the Fat....

In that case, I would avoid the fat like Ryan stated. I will say that in my travels, with different water, I have found that tabac and valobra shave sticks always produce nice lather. The valobra tends to take longer to develop but rather the scent of it than tabac. That said, I can always get a great lather from Tabac. So, if I am traveling to a new area where water quality is unknown, I pack tabac as my backup.

Originally Posted by Ketsco101

Yeah... distilled water really isn't going to happen here... I'm still deployed... maybe once I get home, but for now, I'm thinking a slick soapy froth is probably the closest I'm going to get to lather.

Originally Posted by Ketsco101

Yeah... distilled water really isn't going to happen here... I'm still deployed... maybe once I get home, but for now, I'm thinking a slick soapy froth is probably the closest I'm going to get to lather.

You got access to laundry or mess stores ? Some baking powder or washing soda will soften water. Might do the trick.

I just bought a puck of M Wool Fat, I haven't tried it yet but I did find that the price for the bowl was too much to be justified.
I ended up going to a kitchenware store. I bought a Ramekin, which are those little bowls to prepare baked deserts (such as a soufflé) .
The one I bought is only a few mm wider than the puck and half of the puck's height higher, it has a nice lid and it was less than $5 to buy.

Originally Posted by Ketsco101

...lacking in the lather department for me. A lot of that I'm sure is due to the poor water quality here...

Artifact Soapworks makes a nice handmade soap that lathers very nicely with the hard water that we have in my town. My wife finds that bay rum scent very pleasing. I can barely smell it, so it's not overpowering. The puck is a little over 3" in diameter.

Artifact Soapworks Limited - Shampoo Soaps

I guess if there was a standard size 3 inch would be it. However there are plenty of exceptions.