Thread: Read the "How To", practiced, now i have some questions

Hi guys

So as stated, i've been thru the tutorials in the wiki and searched thru some threads and i have a few questions about soap and cream lathering if you guys don't mind?

Hot Soap: when i got hot shaves in the barbers the soap was always hot, but my lather never is, is this because it's a metal bowl and the heat is being conducted away?

I figured out why i wasn't getting lather like the pics show and it was because i wasn't loading the brush up properly (when using soap). now i am getting that explosion point, but the lather ends up everywhere and not in the bowl.. when i whipped i didn't get enough, but now i'm pumping more the lather is pushed out before its properly hydrated.. i can't seem to get a happy medium.. any tips? it lasts longer now i'm pumping but it still dries out when using it on the second pass. bigger bowl or is my technique just poor?

does anyone have problems with blade skipping when going against the grain around the chin? i relather and restrop (quite confident in my stropping, i take it slow and even and steady) but it still happens. the razor is fine on any other pass and it really don't think its an edge problem. I have quite tough bristles to be fair. i end up using the toe and having to push a little, this is after changing the angle etc. Just in that one area around the chin

Other than this, i'm managing a more or less a close shave everywhere with no nicks or cuts.

You could try a scuttle for the heat. You'll have to decide if you want a lathering scuttle or a brush scuttle. The bigger and more open your bowl is, the more heat you'll loose.

Lather will get pushed out of any bowl. A different size bowl may help you, or you may be able to modify your lathering motion. I have a lathering bowl from SRD that has a lip around the inside of the top which prevents lather from being pushed out.

If you are skipping against the grain, I would recommend not shaving against the grain just yet.

Just my 2c on hot lather... soak the brush in the bowl of warm water. Then let the bowl sit in the sink with some hot water. I find that a washcloth under the bowl helps it retain heat better. Someday I will get a dirty bird 1.5, but till then this works.

I don't usually mind not having hot lather, but if it's a metal bowl you could just let it float in the hot water while you rinse your brush and let the sink fill. As for your lather going everywhere, i would suggest you try using a different bowl. I found a big coffee mug in Portugal that's really deep and it works great. Maybe all you need is to be a little less enthusiastic when you make your lather

Thanks guys, all idea's appreciated and noted, I can't figure out how to get multiple quotes in so bear with me lol

Right, yep i'm soaking the brush and bowl while i'm having the shower. and then the water from the puck into the bowl this was the main reason that, overall, my lather is better than it was.

The heat thing i was only really wondering about, I just found it nice in the shop but couldn't figure out how he was doing it because he didn't have a scuttle, just a soap dish and soap. will definitely try the towel thing though

The closed lip or bigger bowl seems a good idea, but unfortunately i'm one of these people that has the attitude of "if they can do it with that kit there's no excuse for me not being able to as well". it may come down to an SRD dish though lol

the skipping thing isn't too bad an issue, it just happens initially, and i can manage everyother part of my face ATG but just coming over the side of the front of my chin and the bouts if you know what i mean. I get there with much fiddling and angle changing and a little extra pressure, but don't feel i should need to be doing that if my technique was good enough.

probably just need to find a happy medium with the lather thing.. it's just that i don't get the lather without pumping but when i do its like a piston forcing everything out of the bowl lol

I've never used pumping and though I have a scuttle I rarely use it preferring the container the soap is in. I usually drench the brush under hot water and then shake some of the water out (this is the important part knowing how much to shake out) and then do circles with the brush in the soap and then press down so the hairs are splayed out and twirl a little more and the twirl the brush on the soap using very very light pressure. That's what works for me.

thanksfor all the help guys, the towel idea is working for keeping the soap warm, but my whipping/pumping is still causing lather dispersal.. Think i just need a bigger lather bowl lol

cheers for all the advice everyone

Simon