I soak the harder soaps, especially hard tallow based soaps. This tends to reduce the amount of time needed to lather. Soaps like Tabac really only become great, for me, once I have used the puck a few times in a row and have soaked it each time. After a few daily uses this tends to soften the soap - the puck actually expands in the first few days as it takes on the moisture. With hard triple milled soaps, I'd say my first week or so of shaving with the puck provides the poorest shaves, relatively speaking, and that once the soap has taken on enough moisture through soaking and use it becomes a better performer. Nearer the end of the puck soaking becomes less needed as the soap has taken on enough moisture. If I recall correctly B&M is a sort of in-between soap - not overly hard, so soaking is optional. On a side note, B&M soaps are fantastic
