After reading through some of these threads, I bet it is the brush. I bought my brush at Wal-Fart and I think I paid a couple bucks for it. The shaving soap I have right now is from Crabtree & Evelyn. The previous soap was Burt's Bees. I couldn't get it to lather worth a darn either, but I switched to the C&E mainly because I didn't care for the fragrence of the BB. This brush has got to be all wrong. I probably need to spend $30-$40 and get a decent one. Any receommendations (that is if you think the brush is my problem)?
I would recommend watching all of the videos by a guy called 'Mantic', he does a great job at video tuturials. You can start here for the lather video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd7Aj9vwrtc The here for the rest: http://www.youtube.com/user/mantic59?ob=1 There's also a recent thread here about brush recommendations: http://www.theshaveden.com/forum/showthread.php?p=134547#post134547
Burt's Bee shave soap doesn't lather very well at all from what I've read. I've tried the brush from Wal-Mart, and had no trouble producing lather from a good soap/cream, such as C&E. You may want to start your lathering career with a cream. They are usually easier to lather.
Burts Bees is not good, this is true. I can get a lather from a VDH brush but well its not a good lather. I find soap to be easier, all you have to do is wet brush, wet soap, lather on face adding water to brush as needed.
What's hard about, wet brush, put cream on brush, lather on surface to be shaved, add water as needed? Oh, and you forgot to swirl your brush around on that there soap.
A little late to the party, but it's not the brush. See this thread. Will has some helpful info, with pics. My posts in that thread are not helpful at all ...but they do prove it's not the brush.
After watching the video, I'm sure it's not the brush. I was trying to get the right consistancy by wetting the brush, shaking off the excess water, then trying to get the lather I wanted by constantly swirling the brush on the soap cake, instead of loading a little bit of soap on the brush then moving the brush to a bowl or to my hand to lather. Too much soap, not enough water.
Not that it is hard, I just find it easier and quicker with soap. I didn't forget. Magic JoAnna, magic.
It wasn't the brush (though I still think I will end up getting a better one as this one is a cheapy). Last night I followed the example in the video and was able to get a decent lather. I was using too much soap and not enough water. With a little more practice and a better brush I think I'll be able to produce a really nice lather.
I always have to point out that as a el-cheapo I only have the VDH boar. It works well for me with creams or soaps. But I am an SE guy what do I know Fuzzy
I have both a VDH boar, and a C&E best. I get similar lather when using soaps, but the badger makes much better lather from creams. The C&E also has the advantage of not shedding almost every shave.
Maybe I am just lucky My VDH has never been that bad of a shedder. Oh well when i get the coin will get a better one, Fuzzy
I only get 1-2 hairs per use shedding from the VDH, but it think it's worse because it's primarily a travel brush. The C&E best feels so much better and lathers creams so much better that I don't use the VDH that often. I'm discovering I like soaps more than creams, so I may have to pick up a nicer boar brush at some point.
Now that my VDH is about a month old I hardly ever get a loose hair and it lathers great. I do plan to try a badger brush, though I can't afford a very expensive one and am not sure I want a softer brush anyway. Strangely I seem to like the boar. Maybe I'll just buy a better boar brush.
