Just to add my similar experience to the thread, I bought two wooden bowls of Trumper (Lime and Rose) about 18 months ago. I struggled and struggled to conjure a great lather. What I ended up with on my best day was a barely acceptable lather that I was able to shave with, but so disappointing. So, both pucks went in the shower (they were great as bath bars)and I peeled the labels off the bowls to use them for test-driving soap samples.