Thread: How do you prep your soap?

i have one wooden bowl set up with Proraso green from the plastic tub
i also have a ceramic bowl with the same , and a pewter bowl with taylor of old in it ..

i generally fill the bowls to the top with hot water while im in the shower , and then fill the sink with hot water with just enough to almost get into the bowl ... ive noticed only the ceramic bowl holds it heat but either way the hot water keeps the soaps soft for me and allows me to get a good lather with just the water in the brush ...

on a side note i used cold water last night and it really brought out the soothing feeling of the Proraso , prob didnt help with the beard though ..lol

I use the tub that the soap comes in, and then face lather or use a scuttle.

Originally Posted by Firefighter2

I use the tub that the soap comes in, and then face lather or use a scuttle.

Yeah, I'm trying to figure this one out. Most of my soaps come in tubs or I put them in something, A mug, Those little glass desert bowls with the plastic lids, Anchor Hocking. Anything. Once the puck has been used a few times and has secured itself, I just put some warm water on top to soften it a bit, then I go to my scuttle.

if I'm using a DE, I usually just use a mug with a soap puck in it. I like Ogallla Bayrum and Sandalwood. Good stuff. I didn't care too much for VDH. It's been banished to under the counter. For less expensive soaps, I like Williams better. VDH just didn't do it for me.

I microwave a drops of hot water (our sink water will never get scalding hit) and dribble it in the soap in the bowl and leave it for a few minutes. I think it's necessary recourse for hard soaps likely Tf&H.

They have these little palm bowls. As I recall Classic Shaving used to sell them, made of horn I think.

I never add water to any soap no matter how hard. I just load up the brush with hot water and adjust the amount of water in the brush to the particular soap or cream I'm using and just twirl to load the brush. Then I just build the lather on my face. Sometimes I'll use a scuttle but it's only to keep the brush warm.

I have been warming up to the idea of using a scuttle. Just now reading the words of Birnando, "beloved scuttle" I just got pushed over the edge. Some day in the near future I hope....a scuttle.

Originally Posted by Birnando

A drop or two of water for a few minutes on the puck softens it up just right.
The making of suds takes place in my beloved scuttle. Each and every time.
Nothing beats the feeling of copious amounts of warm suds for all the passes.
IMHO that is

Originally Posted by WW243

I have been warming up to the idea of using a scuttle. Just now reading the words of Birnando, "beloved scuttle" I just got pushed over the edge. Some day in the near future I hope....a scuttle.

Two days ago, I figured today is the day and ordered a dirty bird scuttle. I've been wanting one for some time now and I went for it. When I got a confirmation email it informed me that, the normal wait is four weeks or so, BUT, with Christmas orders and the people making them taking time off around then, I could expect to get my order in February!! I guess I'll just keep using my wood bowl that I found in the back room. Seems like everything I order lately takes forever to get. Oh well, I'm sure there are other people in the world with bigger problems than waiting for a scuttle.

I also use the tub/bowl that the soap came in. I'll load from that then go directly to my face. I've only ever owned a mug and that was a Kent into which I had some Palmolive shave sticks pressed. I eventually sold that as I found it was easier/quicker to face lather with a shave stick.

I just soak the brush and the soap in a little hot water for a minute or two then drain the bowl and squeeze the extra water out of the brush. I go to work and get the suds going. I sometimes use a lather bowl to really get a creamy mixture. Works pretty well but that's one way of doing it.

I started with a bowl, but now only face lather. I shave in the morning. On each side of the bathroom is my wife and my daughter, both of them are not pleasant if you wake them up in the middle of a sleep.

I would be face lathering no matter what, anyway, it's faster and I have public trans to catch in the morning and try to keep a two-pass shave (99% of the time with a straight razor) below 5 minutes. If I have a soap that gets a little less cooperative over time (like tabac), then if I use it that day, I'll wipe a wet brush across the surface right before I go in the shower, and it'll soap just fine.