Can you guys give me some tips on face lathering Stirling? Particularly in terms of keeping it hydrated throughout the shave to secure slickness? I've been using the Semogue 610 and the Simpson chubby 2. The protection is there but I can't get the slickness! Help! . Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Personally, I either barely dip the tip of my brush between passes, or drip some water from my fingertips. I also really wet my face between passes.
Stirling takes a ton of water. The coolest thing about It is that it will tell you when it's ready. When light shines off of it, you are getting there. If you stop working it when it starts to look pillowy, it's not ready. Add water slowly and keep working. I turn my faucet on to a slow trickle and just flick the brush under it. Stirling has top notch shiny lather, so when it is about blinding in a bright light, you know you are ready.
I use a badger brush El cheapo. I have stirling barbershop puck and it is so easy to lather. I soak my brush in warm water while I take a shower and then I take the brush out and knock out most of the water. You can grip the brush at the neck with thumb and index finger and kind of squeeze the water out gently. Then I take the soap and load the brush for 15 seconds and then start to face lather. I add some water by dipping the brush a bit till I get the nice creamy feel and then really work the soap ip your face. I get some of the best shaves with this soap and the alum is more or less quiet on the shave. I love stirling soaps, Rod is the man. Sent from my SM-G928V using Tapatalk
Lots and lots of water! Use lots of water when loading your brush. The trickle method mentioned by @PickledNorthern is a great tool. Make sure your face is wet before lathering. Dip the tips in the sink as you are lathering. Stirling can take TONS of water!
Yeah Stirling does take a lot of water. Just as has been mentioned above, when it's shiny you know it's ready. It will glisten in the light when it's got enough water. Just make sure you load enough from the puck. About 10-15 seconds.
You got your solutions cut out for you above here. Just wanted to chime in and say that I believe that a silvery, shiny lather is something to aim for with all soaps. Not all are capable of equal glimmer as it were, but a shine is almost always indicative of getting to a proper saturation.
This. ^^^^^ And I have found that the ability to achieve and maintain that shine is the common factor in all the soaps that live in my den.
I add about a palm full of hot water to the top of the puck and shake out a soaking brush. I start building lather on top of the puck; when it starts getting creamy, I'll complete building lather on my face. As needed, I'll dip the tips of my brush in water, to keep the lather well hydrated. The result is so slick, I do the unthinkable, and touch up without re-lathering and just wet the touch up spots -- no irritation or razor-burn.
With my top soaps (like Stirling), I try to use a synthetic brush. They just seem to get the right amount of soap when gathering and hold the right amount of water. Stirling actually sells really great synthetic brushes for dirt cheap that are perfect. Boars never worked well for me on really good soaps. Now...on lower quality soaps that require more soap to be used, they are great.
It is nearly the same as a Stirling brush would be. You likely could not tell a difference in feel. They do have different sizes and lofts, and handles.... And you don't have any hardware with their logo on it... But you are all set for building lather. Now when can we talk you into some different badgers? 'Cause they do feel different.
