First Experience with Shaving Soaps

I started with a str8 last Christmas and was doing ok but I was using shaving gel from a can (sacrilege, I know). Then I tried the shaving cream from Jack Black because I really like the post shave gel. (moisturizes, cools, and has a great smell) The only problem was, it doesn’t lather up. I’m using Frank’s Finest badger hair brush but there just wasn’t any lather. So, I decided to try Proraso shaving soap. I received Proraso shaving cream, but no worries; I had planned on trying both. WOW! There was a huge difference! The smell was great! The lather was easy to whip up! I was sold. But now, what about all the others? I ordered a couple of tubs from Mama Bear to give it a shot.
As soon as they arrived, I wanted to give it a try; I had already watched the videos, so I was ready, so I thought. After the soaking, preloading, mashing, turning, and wiping, I had some excellent bubbles that dried up on my arm within seconds. Ok, let’s try that again. At least I’m consistent because I whipped up another fine batch of bubbles after 5 minutes of work – back to the Proraso and videos.
About this time, con16721 did his lather experiment and based on his input and feedback I made some modifications – specifically, I cut out most of the water I was using and pre-soaked with hot water. SUCCESS! Now I can get a really nice lather in <a minute AND the effect is definitely worth the effort. The razor glides much easier, there is almost no blood, and the quality of the shave has dramatically improved. What’s next… oh yeah, honing. I’ll post that experience in the sharpening section.

"there is almost no blood"? Now, where's the fun in that?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by ace

"there is almost no blood"? Now, where's the fun in that?

---

Spoken like a true Virginian... where men are men and sheep are nervous... LOL!

Hello, ACE!

:D

I love my proraso. I just moved and we have very hard water. I used to be able to get good lather out of my MB with cold water but now I have to use hot. Oh well, I can let the lather sit till it cools down for my summer time shaving.

Virginians are about as far away from Proraso as Buzz Aldrin was from the moon in '62.

Everyone seems to be talking thousand dollar customs and elite creams us working guys will never get to use.

I had to save up for 3 months to buy my Norton 4/8. Good thing I can work it 'cause now I find out I need a 300 dollar finisher? I'll have to finish that baby on my pantleg. I'm tapped out.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tonycraigo

Virginians are about as far away from Proraso as Buzz Aldrin was from the moon in '62.

Everyone seems to be talking thousand dollar customs and elite creams us working guys will never get to use.

---

Ah, but proraso (the c.o. bigelow that is found at Bath & Body Works) is currently on the buy 2, get 1 free promo so for $5-$10 per tube depending on which size you buy, it's darn cheap. I've been using a little tube for 3 months and its half gone. That's with a few other soaps thrown in for good luck. 3 huge tubes for $20 should last you over a year... :)

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by tonycraigo

Virginians are about as far away from Proraso as Buzz Aldrin was from the moon in '62.

Everyone seems to be talking thousand dollar customs and elite creams us working guys will never get to use.

I had to save up for 3 months to buy my Norton 4/8. Good thing I can work it 'cause now I find out I need a 300 dollar finisher? I'll have to finish that baby on my pantleg. I'm tapped out.

---

Nonsense. You should be able to get a very good shaving edge off the 8K. Is it the ultimate? No, but do you drive around in a Rolls Royce? You could always get a cheap cloth strop and put some CrO on it and use that too.

As far as the soaps go you can get some really good ones for less than 20 bucks which would last you many months. I'm thinking the English brands and MWF too.

tonycraigo - good point and you're right, if I had known that after I bought a razor, I would need hones, stones, CrO, and so forth, I might not have jumped into this. But, I'm here and I'm cheap. ;) So I always look for the least expensive way to do things. I will probably never buy a custom piece and I won't spend a lot on soaps because the scent will either go away or be diluted when I put on the witch hazel, after shave balm or cologne! But what I have does a good job, good enough for me.

Kind of like a fine wine - $250 a bottle and I can't tell the difference between that and an $8 bottle. Even if I had it, I wouldn't "get it". Maybe someday...

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Nonsense. You should be able to get a very good shaving edge off the 8K. Is it the ultimate? No, but do you drive around in a Rolls Royce? You could always get a cheap cloth strop and put some CrO on it and use that too.

---

Of course, you're right. I do get a good edge off the 8k, I just spend a little more time on the felt before the leather. I wasn't complaining and I think I forgot the proper emoticon.

:)

The degree of happiness going from the barbasol to the williams was so great, I might not be able to stand the jump from the williams to something much better, but I'll formulate a great christmas list this year based entirely on my reading here - and that will be a good thing.

I might not be able to stand the jump from the williams to something much better, but I'll formulate a great christmas list this year based entirely on my reading here - and that will be a good thing.[/QUOTE]

What's better? Subjective question I know, but I really like the MB but I'm always willing to try something new.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Haakon

I started with a str8 last Christmas and was doing ok but I was using shaving gel from a can (sacrilege, I know).
....snip...
Then I tried
...snip...
WOW! There was a huge difference! .
....snip...

---

Gel or goo from a can is not sacrilege. It is just
common, boring and in general unsatisfactory.

The process of building a good lather like
making a good cup of coffee or a good cup
of tea improves life.

It is sort of like adding well prepared fresh vegetables
to a meal. My Dad used to take a can of soup
and add fresh vegetables from his garden. When
he was done the soup was no longer soup from
a can it was healthy and tasty too.

As you shop hunt for the classic Williams shave
soap or perhaps van der hagen shave soap. Not
because they are good but because they are
inexpensive and if you take some time and tinker
with them you will learn a lot about making a fine
lather and not break the bank.

Also I might note that not all shave creams
are intended to lather. Some gels work very well
when applied thinly to a face freshly washed in the
shower. Some are well compounded for tossables
and DE shaving (think traveling). Some even work
for str8 shaving.

Some shave soaps are seasonal....i.e. best
in the winter but suffer in the heat of the summer.
So if you find one that is "lacking" put it up for a
couple of months and try it again. If it is lacking
a couple of seasons in a row then toss it.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

As far as the soaps go you can get some really good ones for less than 20 bucks which would last you many months. I'm thinking the English brands and MWF too.

---

The English brands indeed, for they are always the best. Not that I am prejudicially for them or anything. :P

Proraso is an excellent shaving cream, it is truely a must have in any shave kit, I love the small tub (73g) as you don't end up with it sitting in your bathroom forever and it is great to throw in the dopp kit when you travel.

Have a go of the other well known soaps but you must splash out one day and get a luxury soap/cream when you think you will appreciate it. At the moment I am loving Fitjar from Norway, and a very special one... Benton Clay from Canada.
Sam