Thread: Trouble Lathering Harris Soap

This morning I thought it’s been a while since I used Harris Soap so I soaked my Thater 30 Mm and began trying to whip up a lather and I swear I could not get it to lather. This was about my 4th shave on this particular puck and the first three times it was great. Now all of a sudden it would not lather!! Have any of you experienced this with Harris Soap?

I finally got totally frustrated, rinsed out my brush, grabbed the MDC original, loaded the crap out of my 30 MM Thater and within 15 seconds tops I had a mountain of thick creamy lather in my Captains. I’m thinking about just sticking with MDC, Tabac, Castle Forbes Cream, TOBS Cream, And Trumper Coconut Cream. Maybe Cade. I do enjoy it.

Hell with the other dozen soaps I have.

DR Harris soaps are normally stored in wooden bowls with loosely fitting tops. As long as you use the soap on frequently, the soap will not dry out and it will lather easily. However, in your case, it sounds like it has been quite a while since you used the soap. Thus, it would be quite dry and difficult to lather.

I would suggest that you add enough hot water to cover the surface of the soap and then let the soap "bloom" for 10-15 minutes until most of that water is absorbed into the soap. That will make the soap much easier to load onto your brush and to develop your lather.

I have a bowl of DR Harris Windsor in my rotation. I have enough soaps that I only use a given soap once a month. I bloom the DRH while I shower. After blooming, I have no issue lathering the puck. If I were using it once a week, that might not be necessary.

I also let all my triple-milled soaps bloom for about 10 minutes - while I shower. One can of course get a good lather even without it, but I have a pretty hard water here and blooming makes it so much easier - it became a permanent part of the process.

Never had any issues, works dependably with a wide range of water hardness grades.


In fact, if think D.R. Harris soaps, I think “dependable”.


The finish of their light coloured wodden soap bowls could be more water resistant though.


B