Tried something different with lather

I've recently converted from face lathering to bowl, as I find I can get a more luxurious lather (I primarily use MWF even through I've read it works better to face lather... Guess my puck wanted to be a little different).

Well I was thinking yesterday that the soap won't be getting worked into the beard as much as when I face lather so today (well about half an hour ago) I tried something different. Instead of just building lather then applying it, after loading the brush I rubbed it into my face as though I was going to face lather, after getting a thin layer of soap on my face I massaged it into the hair then proceeded to build the lather in the bowl as per. I then washed off the "lather" that had sat for a few minutes, re-lathered and shaved. Think this is the closest/ smoothest shave I've had to date. It's definitely staying in my prep and I hope it wasn't just a one hit wonder.

I just thought the lather was there to provide a cushion and lubrication for the blade, but this got me thinking does the lather penetrate the hair and make it stiffer and/ or brittle to make it easier to cut as well as giving the protection?

From what I have read, shaving soaps are intended to neutralize the oils naturally present in hair, thus making the beard bristles more brittle and easier for the razor to "bite" so to speak, allowing for a closer, cleaner shave.

This makes sense I suppose, just never thought about it. Bringing a nice bit of science into the art :)

I do something similar. I lather then set up on the counter and strop, rinse and lather again. Sometimes I use a pre-shave product such as oil or pure glycerin. Works well for me.

I too went from face to bowl lathering because, for me, the lather is better. Going by what the 1905 booklet mentioned in this OP here said, I vigorously massage the first pass of lather into my beard and then relather without rinsing. I do use cold water for the whole process and the vigorous rubbing in of the lather is my entire prep. So far so good. YMMV. :chapeau

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I vigorously massage the first pass of lather into my beard

---

How long does this process roughly take?

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by JimmyHAD

I too went from face to bowl lathering because, for me, the lather is better. Going by what the 1905 booklet mentioned in this OP here said, I vigorously massage the first pass of lather into my beard and then relather without rinsing. I do use cold water for the whole process and the vigorous rubbing in of the lather is my entire prep. So far so good. YMMV. :chapeau

---

I read that article a while ago and converted to cold water and my face prefers it, but I'd forgot about rubbing it in, I was just after a way to work the soap into my beard.

And Grim I personally tend to massage it into my beard for about a minute or so then let it sit for a further 5

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by chris0194

then let it sit for a further 5

---

Is that not a bit overkill, surly i would be dry by then??

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by GrimReaper

Is that not a bit overkill, surly i would be dry by then??

---

The soap I rub in is just directly after loading the brush, the 5 minutes is roughly the time it takes to build the rest of the lather, but I rinse that off before applying the actual lather as yes it's almost dried out by then

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by chris0194

The soap I rub in is just directly after loading the brush, the 5 minutes is roughly the time it takes to build the rest of the lather, but I rinse that off before applying the actual lather as yes it's almost dried out by then

---

Oh right, i got ya now Lol:)

I may have to give this a try. Thanks for the tip!

Steve

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by chris0194

I just thought the lather was there to provide a cushion and lubrication for the blade, but this got me thinking does the lather penetrate the hair and make it stiffer and/ or brittle to make it easier to cut as well as giving the protection?

---

Rather than repeat this like it was my own, I found gssixgun's response reference this very thing. You'll find it in post #6.
http://straightrazorpalace.com/pre-s...n-stiffen.html

Regards,
Howard :)