Thread: Soaps vs. Creams - and encouragement

To all those new to building your own lather (like me), I just wanted to encourage you to keep at it when using a soap bar vs. cream (usually the soap takes much more practice). I was nearly at a point of giving up soaps and sticking to the creams, but I pushed through and finally built an awesome lather with soap. So keep at it, keep reading and doing, and you too, like everyone else on here, will get better. I promise that it's not a skill giving to a select few. Happy shaving!

~James

...and how much effort depends on the product, whether it's soap or cream, or something in between...hard creams or soft soaps.

I find the amount of water you do or don't add greatly affects the final product and its performance.

Originally Posted by andrewmurray86

I find the amount of water you do or don't add greatly affects the final product and its performance.

That was my issue! Well, one of them...

Funny thing,,,,for me it was the other way around. I could whip lather off a puck no problem. That going around in circles for a minute and a half to whip up cream had me wondering if it was ever going to happen. Maybe just a brand choice but either way your right. Don't give up. Practice practice practice.

There are some soaps out there that will challenge the best of us to whip up a good lather. I've concluded that when that happens, it's not me, it's the soap. Soap shouldn't be hard to lather. Different soaps perform differently depending on many variables such as water hardness, water quantity, brush type, etc. Experimenting with these can sometimes lead to success. However, if whipping up a lather with a puck of soap is requiring you to spend more than 1-2 minutes to get exceptional lather, than there may be something wrong with the soap an not necessarily the technique. If you think you can't make lather with soap, I'd suggest you try lathering up DR Harris. It could possibly be the easiest soap to lather out there. Also, for a more economical option, Cella is pretty easy as well.

I recently had issues with Trumpers. Even though I really wanted that soap to work, because I paid a small fortune for it, I finally conceded that it wasn't worth my time and effort. Many people swear by Trumpers but you'll find many that have the same issues with it that I do. Since they changed the formula several years back it has been known as a dud. Williams mug soap is another that struggles to produce good lather. The lather is more sudsy and tends to deflate quickly. I'd stay away from anything like that especially if using a straight.

I've used both soaps and creams and IMHO, most quality soaps are just about as easy to lather as a cream.

There was a vicious thread on Trumper pucks awhile back.

Dave

http://straightrazorpalace.com/soaps...mper-soap.html

Originally Posted by str8tlkr

There are some soaps out there that will challenge the best of us to whip up a good lather. I've concluded that when that happens, it's not me, it's the soap. Soap shouldn't be hard to lather. Different soaps perform differently depending on many variables such as water hardness, water quantity, brush type, etc. Experimenting with these can sometimes lead to success. However, if whipping up a lather with a puck of soap is requiring you to spend more than 1-2 minutes to get exceptional lather, than there may be something wrong with the soap an not necessarily the technique. If you think you can't make lather with soap, I'd suggest you try lathering up DR Harris. It could possibly be the easiest soap to lather out there. Also, for a more economical option, Cella is pretty easy as well.

I recently had issues with Trumpers. Even though I really wanted that soap to work, because I paid a small fortune for it, I finally conceded that it wasn't worth my time and effort. Many people swear by Trumpers but you'll find many that have the same issues with it that I do. Since they changed the formula several years back it has been known as a dud. Williams mug soap is another that struggles to produce good lather. The lather is more sudsy and tends to deflate quickly. I'd stay away from anything like that especially if using a straight.

I've used both soaps and creams and IMHO, most quality soaps are just about as easy to lather as a cream.

I had to work harder to learn how to make a cream lather the hard soaps were no problem once I learned what I needed to do it right. For a long time I didn't even know your not supposed to store shave brushes upside down hey the bottoms flat right?

The hard soap trick I've used (Hat Tip to Glen/Gssixgun et al) is to break it in to chunks. Then run it through a crank type grater, packing each chunk down one layer at a time.
The first few times you use it you may pick up some shavings, this ends soon.

The change is pretty dramatic - for me it was one of those "why did I resist?" moments....

So before you bail on one of those hard soaps - run it through the mill so to speak.
What have you got to loose?

Smooth shaving....and abundant lather...

Originally Posted by 710Express

I had to work harder to learn how to make a cream lather the hard soaps were no problem once I learned what I needed to do it right. For a long time I didn't even know your not supposed to store shave brushes upside down hey the bottoms flat right?

I dont think it is compulsary, i have both storage options, and it doesnt seem to be an issue.