Can lather make the blade!!!

Discussion in 'Shave School' started by Fly2High, Apr 3, 2017.

  1. Fly2High

    Fly2High Breaking Frugal

    With my recent experiences with slicker lather, I was wondering if poor lather can make a great blade feel poor and can great lather make a lesser blade feel better?
     
    Bama Samurai likes this.
  2. Bama Samurai

    Bama Samurai with Laser-like Focus

    I don't think so.

    Bad lather with a great blade feels like bad lather with a great blade. Great lather helps maximize whatever blade you choose.
     
    jsw41, RetLEO-07, MR41 and 1 other person like this.
  3. jimjo1031

    jimjo1031 never bloomed myself

    I recently used a soap that really didn't lather that much. But it still provided me with enough protection to produce a nice shave.
     
    Jayaruh likes this.
  4. Christopher Powell

    Christopher Powell Well-Known Member

    Not in my experience. A great lather helps the blade perform as well as it possibly can, but it won't make a bad blade feel like a great blade. I cannot stand Merkur blades and no lather I've ever made will make them perform like an Astra SS.
     
    jsw41 likes this.
  5. clint64

    clint64 Blind Squirrel

    My feelings exactly.
     
    Bama Samurai likes this.
  6. SRNewb

    SRNewb Well-Known Member

    Bad lather can make for a really bad shave, no matter what blade you use, and good lather will never make up for a bad/dull edge. Everything works together as a whole. You need both.
    MHO
     
    Bama Samurai likes this.
  7. RetLEO-07

    RetLEO-07 likes his penguin deep fried, with pink sparkles

    +1
     
    Bama Samurai likes this.
  8. Bookworm

    Bookworm Well-Known Member

    I'd say that bad lather with a great blade feels like bad lather with a bad blade. I'd also say that if you've been paying attention, you can still make that bad lather give you an okay shave, even with a bad blade. You just won't be happy about it.
     
    wchnu likes this.
  9. wchnu

    wchnu Duck Season!

    Not in my thinking. Bad lather feels like bad lather. Will not help a dull razor. A blade is a blade if sharp. They will feel about the same with whatever lather. I mean bad lather will not make blades feel that different from each other.
     
  10. wchnu

    wchnu Duck Season!

    I like this thought too.
     
  11. Lancre

    Lancre Well-Known Member

    Good lather can't make the blade but bad lather can break the blade. You're always going to be limited by the weakest part of the shave, whether that's the lather, the razor, the blade or your technique. You can usually save the shave from one weakness by optimizing everything else, but that's just saving it, not making it great.
     

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