February 2017 30 Day Rule/Focus Pix & Discussion

Six years before I was born, I do however remember the song as it was the theme song to the soda which I quite liked as a kid.

 

Day 10..... and it was no bueno. Lather, meh. Not gonna lie, was getting really discouraged and pissed off. I definitely over hydrated it. But here is a question.

So what I have been doing was just putting some hot water on top of the puck while I shower and use that as a starter for my brush. I don't even wet it. I'll let the water run and pass the brush through twice before going back at it. And I was treating the soap like it owed me money. But nothing seemed to be appearing on the head of the brush. Now, if I grab at the base of the knot and squeeze as I move my hands up, I squeeze out what looks like nice lather. Something you would want to put on top of a piece of pie. I tried then to use this as the base for more lather, which would promptly move to the bottom of the brush. Is this normal? Is it due to the soap or brush? I'd mash that brush on my face, but nothing would come out.

 

I forget what you are using for a brush. Can you tell us again? It also sounds like what you have is simply the start to a good load of soap. You were using the Conk, right? Glycerine soaps can be hard to load. The brush can just swirl on top without actually picking anything up.

 

Correct, I am using the Conk. Only 18 more days. i was swirling, mashing, twisting, though maybe I need to soak the entire puck in hot water again. The brush is a Maggard's synthetic 24mm.

 

Gotcha. A perfect brush for building lather. I probably should have mentioned that sideways paint brush strokes will help to release the lather. After that initial use of bloom water did you add any more water? Are you using a bowl, or face lathering? Sorry if you've told us all this already.

 

Nah its fine. I forget things I did in the morning.

Sideways on the puck or sideways on the face?

So I'm doing it right on the puck in a mug. I think you (or someone else) suggested I melt it down and put it in a bigger container then what it came in, to get more surface area I just don't have anything in the house and forgot to look for something when I was out.

So after the initial water on top of the puck, I swiped it through some running water, just trickle like in the video someone shared awhile back. I did a few more times then I should have though. Frustration had set in by that point.

 

Thanks Lino, I will try that.

 

The pictures helped, but I don't know German.

 

In the old days, at least my dad and grandfather built their lather in a mug, right on top of their soap. That's the way I learned to do it thirty five years ago. When I took up wet shaving again seven ish years ago, I still did it that way. Then I found forums, and all this talk about loading the brush and going to the bowl or whatever screwed me up so bad I just went back to building on the puck, and still do it that way.

When you get that soap into a better container, and it can be anything for now, a coffee cup a soup bowl, anything: do exactly what you are doing, but keep doing it. And then do it some more. I probably flick my brush four times under that trickle of water twenty times as I keep going back to the puck. I swirl on the puck until the top of is looks pasty like toothpaste is smeared on it, then more water. Then more smear, then more water. Eventually the lather just starts to boil up and I'm getting there. (I also take forever to make lather, but I always have enough and it is always good.) Before I go to my face, my entire brush is saturated and full, and good usable lather is coming over the sides of me tub or mug or whatever. This is what my brush looked like this morning after I put my first pass on. This was completely done on top of my soap.



Patience is key. There are faster ways to do it, but when I have the time, this takes me at least five minutes, is the most enjoyable for me, and I get the best results.

 

Oh, sideways like with a paintbrush. As opposed to swirling.

 

Some brushes get called a "lather hog" because they get full of lather but won't release it. Not sure if that's the problem. I suspect it's a use more product issue.

 

I agree. And that Plisson style knot should not be trapping it either.

 

I hate you.



(Kidding of course... But seriously )

Tomorrow I might just try and do a practice lather and see what I get.



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Thing is, I spend as much time making lather and then rinsing out my brush as some people do for their entire shave time. I am a total dork that way. That's why I shave at night when I am working on a job. I like to take my time. The whole brushes and soaps is my favorite part.

I have also done it a lot, and I GUARANTEE the soap I was using this morning was easier to lather than what you are using right now. Your soap is fine, it's just not the easiest.

Keep at it.

 

Razor: Timeless .95 OC w/ Aluminum Handle
Blade: Personna 74 Tungsten Steel (10)
Brush: El Druida Mopane 2 Band
Soap: Reef Point Soaps Classic Barbershop
Aftershave: Old Spice Fresh Lime

Changing to an aluminum handle that weighs in at 38 grams with a length of 85 mm was a good plan. I had an excellent close comfortable shave tonight.

 

I figure if I can get this anything else I use will be easy. I also shave on when I can take my time, otherwise it's the electric. I want to enjoy it.



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What a fantastic idea for a picture setup. That is just excellent!

 

Thanks very much Jared. Getting my chops ready to do some recording, so it was right in front of me.

 

The practice is a good thing. I did when I started out.

 

I love the razor handle. I bet that light of a handle changed the entire feeling of the razor.