Bowl Lathering

One of the things I enjoy most about straight shaving, is the opportunity to change things.

Lately, I've gone from a strict face latherer, with only the occasional bowl lather, to a dedicated bowl latherer.

For me, I find I get more out of the soaps, the scent, the texture, allowing the soap to really lather up so nicely, and I'm finding it is far more consistent in getting a really good lather that feels great on the face.

I've always soaked my brush beforehand, but today I broke out my old scuttle, although I've used it a few times, it now has a spot in my shave den.

Anyone else make the switch?

Yep, but I do still face lather with a certain soap, MDC.
I can control MDC on my face better than in a bowl.
Been using a lot of Stirling lately and it just drop the puck in the one of my bowls and lather away.
I let the lather dry in the bowl and just reuse it the next shave.
I also got the Fine lather bowl that I use with the rest on my soaps.

Yes. I have been bowl lathering mostly these days, I was a dedicated face lather-er. Unfortunately, I broke my bowl today while teaching my son-in-law how to make proper lather.

That's funny I started out bowl lathering and now I often face lather although I did use my scuttle today. I just haven't been able to bowl lather as well as face lather. This is technique not the brush but oh well. I'm glad it has a spot in your den phrank!

First, I could bowl-lather a cream, but not soap.

Then, I could bowl-lather creams an soaps, but couldn't face-lather to save my life.

Then, I could face lather! I'm still so excited about it, that it's all I do.

At some point, I'll settle down enough to go back to the bowl and see where that can take me now. :)

Glad you are enjoying bowl lathering but I don't see myself going to it in the near future but never say never.

Bob

Tried bowl lathering. Made no real sense to me. Face lathering seems to be more efficient and equally good, if not better, at least for me.

I can make a great lather on my face; I can make a PERFECT lather in a bowl.

I have bowls everywhere. I cant seem to pick a scent on a regular basis.My wife is not happy, all those small pyrex bowls are perfect. Corningware bowls work. Heck I even use a gold leaf antique gravy boat. The G20 scuttle depending on water temp dries out my soap faster than usual. In the winter its a treat takes more steps but warm lather is worth the time.

I bowl lather creams (tubes) and face lather soaps (pucks).

I suppose I should try face lathering a cream.

I face lathered for a couple of years before I stopped using cartridges. I started bowl lathering when I started using DEs, just to see if I could make the lather any better. For me, it is a lot easier to control the amount of water using a bowl. I use a round soup bowl that has a flat bottom and a handle. Its a part of the process I actually enjoy for shaving, so even though face lathering is faster, I do use the bowl. Although when I put the lather on my face, I do use the brush to really work it into my whiskers, then paint on a thicker lather. I guess I use kind of a combo of face and bowl lathering, but it works well for me.

I prefer using a bowl. I have face lathered a few times, but much prefer the even consistency of whipping up a good lather in a bowl rather than the hit and miss I get when face lathering. \m/

I face lather and bowl lather technique together. I lather in a bowl or a scuttle for a short time then I start applying the lather on my face at least one minute of working on the face then painting strokes, lastly couple swirls in the bowl and good to go. Btw, I always start almost dry brush and add water couple times.

Tried face lathering a few times, but it just doesn't feel like the straight shaving experience. I prefer the bowl/mug, and gives me more control of wetness. I also mix cream and soap, so it mixes better in the bowl.

I like to switch it up once in a while. Certain soaps & creams lather better in a bowl than on the face, and vice versa. I also sometimes whip up lather in my SRD scuttle, which probably isn't designed for it, but works well.

Usually bowl lather as I like the thickness and consistency it produces. Will sometimes face lather when I have a 3 or 4 day growth as the intense scrubbing seems to produce a softer, easier to shave result.

When I'm shaving with straights, I almost always bowl lather. I enjoy raising the lather as a part of a leisurely routine. But, if I'm in a rush I'll break out the TOBS cream, face lather and breakout a DE. I face lathered for 25 years before I found this site and leaned how to bowl lather.

I prefer the bowl. Less face irritation for me. My lather is also more abundant and luxurious for straight razor shaving.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Phrank

One of the things I enjoy most about straight shaving, is the opportunity to change things....
Anyone else make the switch?

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I go back and forth between the two, depending on the soap/cream, my patience at the time and my success on the first cheek. I usually face lather, but keep the loaded brush in a bowl. If I start to shave and it doesn't feel pleasant I do some whipping in the bowl with a little more water sometimes, before I move on. Other times, I do fine going only to the face. BTW, I'm a cool water shaver/latherer.

I apologize for the newbie question but here goes... If using a shave cream that comes in a bowl, you shouldn't build a lather in that bowl right? I have been shaving with soap in a cup for years but haven't issued cream that came in a bowl before.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Quixoticshaver

I apologize for the newbie question but here goes... If using a shave cream that comes in a bowl, you shouldn't build a lather in that bowl right? I have been shaving with soap in a cup for years but haven't issued cream that came in a bowl before.

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If you are using a cream that comes in a container not in a tube you have a couple of options. You can lightly swirl your brush across the cream to load it and then go to a separate bowl to make your lather in. You could alternately scoop out a dollop of cream , place it in the bottom of a separate bowl and then make your lather.

Bob

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Quixoticshaver

I apologize for the newbie question but here goes... If using a shave cream that comes in a bowl, you shouldn't build a lather in that bowl right? I have been shaving with soap in a cup for years but haven't issued cream that came in a bowl before.

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BobH is correct.
I would say try it both ways. Yes you can lather in the bowl it comes in, BUT you keep adding soap to your brushes with each swirl.
Conversely if you load your brush and whip it in a separate bowl, you can add water as needed and use/waste less soap.
We all have enough soap till last to Armageddon yet alot of us enjoy maximizing the soap we have go figure like misers,
There is no wrong answer here, if you new to raising a rich creamy lather use the tub it came in and enjoy.
Lynn says have fun. The only time I wouldn't bowl lather is when the tub is filled to the rim.