Thread: Just got some Tabac

After reading the numerous reviews i had to go ahead and buy this jar of Tabac. My question is...whats the best way to make this soap last as long as possible? Should i lather directly on the soap, or move on to a lathering bowl just like my Col Conk puck? Also ive heard of people melting it down so its more form fitting for your bowl.

Another thing...i saw 2 different refill links on amazon. THIS ONE for 13 bucks...and THIS ONE for 10ish. Is there a difference between the two?

Thanks

They both come out pretty close to even, in cost, if ya add up the shipping. Im always forgetting to check the shipping...much to my own chagrin.
I like tobac, myself...but im kindof a shaving soap wh*re. As for the differences, ive only bought the one that comes in the box.

Mac

I don't think there is any difference in the two refill pucks. Its just two different shops selling at two different prices on Amazon. If you are interested in buying a refill puck, you might want to look at FragranceX. The refill puck is $10.99 and shipping is free with the coupon code "FREE"

There is only one tabac, just make sure it's shaving soap and not bath soap.

As for melting, no--don't melt it. You CAN'T melt it. Only cold-pour soaps like VDH, Col. Conk (same stuff, different name/scents) and the cottage-industry soaps melt.

You can grate it down into little pieces and mash it, but that's a waste of effort I reckon--if you have a puck that slips and slides around a lot, wet the top a wee bit (maybe even rub it with your brush to make a "prot-lather") and turn it upside down. When that stuff dries, it's just like glue, and it'll stay put.

However, in the Tabac jar this shouldn'T be necessary, it has little ridges at the bottom that both hold the puck up off the bottom, and will hold it in place with just a wee bit of pressure.

As for lathering--do what you like. Lather right on the soap, that's what I do, or if you're worried about wasting soap then load the brush amply and move to another bowl. Either way, tabac is a great lathering soap with a classic scent.

Enjoy!

You can melt any soap, just not in the microwave. You would probably have to grate and rebatch it in the way described in the video I posted. If if were impossible to melt milled soap, it would also be impossible to make triple milled soap. Needless to say, I mill/rebatch soaps all the time. Some people avoid rebatching by just grating and compressing the soap back together in the new container, no need to do that if you have the bowl though. To give you an idea of how much you can stretch a puck of Tabac, please read Utopian's posts on this thread:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/newbi...ay-lather.html

He make his last for 5 to 7 years. I would not go that far but it is possible.

Al raz.

My Tabac has been my main soap for a year and a half, I've made a dent in it, but I'd say I'm about a 1/3 of the way through at best.

DO NOT SKIMP ON LOADING YOUR BRUSH!

It's not an expensive soap by any means. $10-12 a puck, for something that lathers like this???

DO NOT SKIMP ON LOADING YOUR BRUSH!


Your Tabac will lasgt a long time, don't make that time less enjoyable by "swirling the brush atop the soap 3 times...." or whatever foolishness you may hear from time to time on some forums. Soap should be used hard to get the best out of it.

Originally Posted by Alraz

You can melt any soap, just not in the microwave. You would probably have to grate and rebatch it in the way described in the video I posted. If if were impossible to melt milled soap, it would also be impossible to make triple milled soap. Needless to say, I mill/rebatch soaps all the time. Some people avoid rebatching by just grating and compressing the soap back together in the new container, no need to do that if you have the bowl though. To give you an idea of how much you can stretch a puck of Tabac, please read Utopian's posts on this thread:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/newbi...ay-lather.html

He make his last for 5 to 7 years. I would not go that far but it is possible.

Al raz.

I'm emplying Utopian's "leave the extra lather on the soap, not in the sink" method for my $$$$ Penhaligon's EF $$$, gotta make that sucker last as long as possible!

Here's the direct link:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/238216-post23.html

Tabac, I don't fuss with like that.

Originally Posted by Alraz

You can melt any soap, just not in the microwave. You would probably have to grate and rebatch it in the way described in the video I posted. If if were impossible to melt milled soap, it would also be impossible to make triple milled soap. Needless to say, I mill/rebatch soaps all the time. Some people avoid rebatching by just grating and compressing the soap back together in the new container, no need to do that if you have the bowl though. To give you an idea of how much you can stretch a puck of Tabac, please read Utopian's posts on this thread:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/newbi...ay-lather.html

He make his last for 5 to 7 years. I would not go that far but it is possible.

Al raz.

Are you equating milling with melting? Or perhaps dissolving? I know that when I tried to melt MWF in a double boiler, it got somewhat softer but by no means melted--it maintained its shape and still required considerable pressure to remold (the flakes never totally lost melded together).

Originally Posted by JimR

Are you equating milling with melting? Or perhaps dissolving?

I wished I could take credit for this idea but unfortunately, the credit goes to Jacobus Henricus van 't Hoff and Svante Arrhenius, among others, who developed these theories at the turn of the twentieth century. For their work, they both received the Nobel Prize in chemistry in 1901 (the first year in chemistry) and 1903, respectively. The theory behind it is simple and the link between dissolving and melting falls in what is now known as "colligative properties" of solutions. The way it works is identical to the way salt melts ice on roads, please check this is you are interested:

General Chemistry Online: FAQ: Solutions: Why does salt melt ice?

There are many other everyday applications of this theory.

Originally Posted by JimR

I know that when I tried to melt MWF in a double boiler, it got somewhat softer but by no means melted--it maintained its shape and still required considerable pressure to remold (the flakes never totally lost melded together).

I am sorry to hear about your experience. I obviously cannot say what went wrong in your case but I can tell you, without a doubt, that any soap can be melted. Perhaps you did not grate the soap or did not add enough water but under the right conditions, it takes about 45 minutes to melt a lye or milled soap in a double boiler. If it didn't, it would be impossible to make triple milled soaps (the process repeated 3 times). The reason why glycerin based soaps melt more easily has to do with the water content and the overall melting point of the mix. You need higher temperatures with milled soap because the salt content is higher, this is why you use a little bit of water to help the process. If you are only reshaping the soap, it may be easier to just grate add water and apply pressure. Check this video before you try again:

Hand Milling or French Milling Soap for Homemade Lye Soap Making: How to make Lye Soap | eHow.com

I hope that this post finally clarifies this issue. Good luck, but if you try it and it does not work, please do not blame me, blame them ;-).

Al raz.

Ahhhh, thanks for the explanation! That does make it clearer why I failed...

It would appear that the process is much too involved for me. But it is good to know!