Thread: Need some advice please

Hi everyone,

I haven't been able to get a straight razor yet ( Lack of funds ) maybe soon though. Oh now to my question. I went to the drug store and bought the Van Der Hagen premium shave set (soap, bowl, and a boar bristle brush). I got it so i could practice making lather and shaving with my 5 blade razor, but I'm having trouble getting lather. I watched the video's on you tube and mine looks nothing like there's. Has anyone used this soap and kind of brush?

Thanks,
Josh

did you get the brush well loaded with the soap?
Also how much water did you use?
I would start with less water and add a little as need until the lather builds.

It made some lather. I soak the bowl and brush it hot water. I also put some drops of hot water on the soap. I then squeeze the water out of the brush. I leave a small amount of hot water in the bowl like 10 or 15 drops i guess. I then hold the knot of the brush and run it around in the soap for like 30 seconds. I then rub it in the bowl and add some water here and there but I'm just not getting the nice lathers i see them making. I dont know what iI'm doing wrong.

Almost sounds like you are lacking water.

Question, is the lather seem really thick and very little is made or is the lather bubbly and feels sloppy?

Originally Posted by JByrd

It made some lather. I soak the bowl and brush it hot water. I also put some drops of hot water on the soap. I then squeeze the water out of the brush. I leave a small amount of hot water in the bowl like 10 or 15 drops i guess. I then hold the knot of the brush and run it around in the soap for like 30 seconds. I then rub it in the bowl and add some water here and there but I'm just not getting the nice lathers i see them making. I dont know what iI'm doing wrong.

I know the brush you have isn't the best quality and that's fine, we've all started there. However if you're wringing all the water out of your brush...stop!! The water retained in your brush helps in the lather making. It alleviates having to add as much water later. Plus it helps "load" the brush faster. The VDH soap usually lathers well, but it'll take some practice, as it's a soap u need to loosen it up a bit. Good job with the hot water on the soap puck, that'll help. Once you begin to notice a bit of lather forming when u load your brush, stop and move to your mug or bowl and build the lather, it should keep building till it looks like soft tip of meringue or whipped cream. I it is stiff and thick like Canned shaving cream it'll probably dry out quick. If all else fails head to a bath and body works and pick up a couple tubes of CO Bigelow, it's a shave cream (American version of Proraso) itll help in the learning of lather building and it's dirt cheap. Hope this helps, if there's any more question PM me. I started the exact way you are now. Best of luck!

Thanks for the info. I'm going to try leaving more water in the brush. I will let you all know the results in a bit.

And what is PM???

Originally Posted by JByrd

Thanks for the info. I'm going to try leaving more water in the brush. I will let you all know the results in a bit.

And what is PM???

A PM is a private message. it like a email on here

Short on funds, eh. I have several strops with flaws that don't affect stropping. When you do try a straight razor, send me a PM or email me at [email protected]. I will PIF you one of these strops.

Originally Posted by LarryAndro

Short on funds, eh. I have several strops with flaws that don't affect stropping. When you do try a straight razor, send me a PM or email me at [email protected]. I will PIF you one of these strops.

Larry definitely knows what he's talking about, I started off with his PMSK and it still survives today as my travel strop. Not to mention some of the best deals on razors as well, listen to what he has to offer!

Get the brush full of warm water and give it a shake or two, then swirl the brush on the soap for a moment(30 seconds) and start from there.