Subscribed, right next to sunnypeaches 77 I did a cursory search to define this new-to-me term. I don't mind appearing ignorant because that means I don't know about the brumbies. Since they are A Thing I don't want to be uninformed. Is this a Canadian meme?
Interesting but considering this board's preference for redheads, I would have expected Beverly Crusher:
Hear ye, hear ye... A proclamation from the President for Life of S.B.O.A. Addressing the opposition. Let it be known that Bloomers are Bloomers by Choice. We were not born this way, it is a way of life that we have freely chosen. We've tried it "your way" and have opted to do it "our way". Bloomers aren't soap wasters. We pay good money for our soaps and how we choose to use them is up to us. Bloomers accept non-bloomers. We Bloomers do not discriminate against those out there (and you know who you are too...). If you wish to have dryish, thin lather, by all means, have at it. We prefer our lather to be thick, rich, creamy AND WET. There is a misconception that Bloomers aren't "Real Men" (or "Real Women"). This is the most egregious of all of the accusations we Bloomers must endure. Stereotypical name-calling and misguided innuendoes must cease and desist. In conclusion, I ask you, fellow-shavers---Bloomers and Non-Bloomers alike: "Can't we all just get along?"
Brumbies are a herd of wild horses in Australia popularized mostly by the movie "The Man From Snowy River" who was known to befriend and tame the notorious stallion who lead the herd. Having been a horseman in days gone by and observed the ruckus horses within a herd cause as they jostle for their respective places in the pecking order, I thought it fitting to use the term 'shave brumbies' to describe some of this same ruckus I sometimes dabble in.
Very good. I'd hate to think I was out of touch with all the modern jargon you kids use. Next time I see it I'll know that...
Oooh, Grumpy is becoming a sooky wussy fussy cranky no bloomer, mummy wants to change his nappy again for being a sooky wussy fussy cranky no bloomer
Here lies my dilemma, I haven't actually tried the dry soap method, but to ensure my objectivity I will.
You should. I am confident of your return to our most-hallowed ranks, Stanks. (See what I did there?)
I really want to see for myself how much water this soap can take. I like my lather to be sloshy and have a residual slickness. I was surprised to see Barbasol to possess this characteristic after a little water was added. I was also surprised to see the highly popular TOBS to fall somewhat short. And I found top seller Sandalwood to smell similar to to bargain stick Derby. Not bad, clean, soapy like Ivory, but certainly not in the 'glorious stank' category. I had been given a stick of this Derby soap but was reluctant to try it because of the Derby blade 'hate crowd'. When I did, surprise again ... It outshines soaps many times it's cost. An easy face lather to 'The Sloshy Side', and good residual. So I must see for myself, can the economical Williams fall in line with the other ill-perceived economy stuff, AND will Stirling still be garnering my love? For the Williams test, can I get by with a synthetic or perhaps that lovely Simpsons Super Badger. Or do I need to get me a boar brush? Stanks for listening, Lover of the Sloshy, slippery, shave soap.
This was posted on DFS by Brad of Brad Sears ShaveWorks (also an interesting write up on brush care): Thanks for your kind words! We do try to be helpful. I'm kinda heads-down in the shop right now and wish I had some quick illustrative pics; but in their absence, I'll share some thoughts. The thing is: this is one of those seemingly simple questions that requires a long answer. Even so, there is more that could be said. (Let me also preface my remarks by saying that what I'm about to describe is my preferred method. There are other ways. This is not intended to disparage what you--or anyone else--prefer(s). I'm just trying to point out that every method entails some degree of compromise, as I'll discuss in a minute. That said: first of all, I don't find it necessary to splay a brush. (Others differ--and that's perfectly fine with me.) Rather, I like to soften the soap first by covering it with warm water for 4-5 minutes (or so) while I'm in the shower or doing something else. At the same time, I'll also soak the brush in warm water. Before loading, I'll dump the water from the soap, remove the brush from whatever container it's been soaking in and gently wring some of the excess water out of it. I load the brush in gentle circular motions letting the tips do the work. If the brush doesn't load, I'll add a few drops of warm water until it does. This usually takes around 30-45 seconds. Once the brush is loaded, I'll add a little more water to work up the desired lather consistency either in a bowl/scuttle or on my face, depending on my mood. When applying lather, I might start out with a few circular motions, being careful not to press down more than ~1/4 of the way, then finish off with back and forth "paintbrush" strokes. This method admittedly limits the amount of scrub I get from the brush. So when I want more scrub--and maybe a little scritch--I give my good M&F and BSSW brushes a break and reach for an inexpensive 20mm Simpson Berkeley 46 Pure. This brush might be a little tough on sensitive skin, but it makes a nice change every once in a while. The thing to remember is that lather is only soap, water, and air. The brush simply combines these components--creating lather--and applies it. What I look for are the most efficient and aesthetically pleasing ways to accomplish these functions. How you do it is entirely up to you. Each method entails, as I mentioned before, some degree of compromise. (Again, I'm not advocating one method over another--just explaining my preferences.) About compromises. To me, a shaving brush is a tool: a very nice tool to be sure, but a tool nonetheless--just like a saw is to a carpenter. And like the carpenter's saw, all use takes "life" out of a brush. Brushes eventually wear out just like a saw does. Some types of use wear brushes out faster than others, just as cutting harder woods wears a saw out faster than cutting softer woods. The bottom line is that the more pressure we apply to a brush, the greater the stress--and therefore the greater the wear. At the same time, circular motions twist the fibers, creating forces that wear brushes down faster than back and forth motions. We see these effects more often with "pointier" (if that's a word) bulb knots--where the central hairs/fibers are shorter than those on the outside. What eventually happens is that the more we splay the brush, the more we wear down these central hairs--because they bear most of the pressure--eventually resulting in the infamous "donut hole." Circular motions also increase the stress on the fibers as a result of twisting force. Certainly, other factors come into play as well: how well the brush is rinsed and dried between uses, hardness/softness of water, the amount of soap scum buildup on the fibers, etc. Back in the day, when men typically owned just one, brushes wore out faster, due to constant use, than most of ours do today simply because we tend to own more than one brush. (No kidding, right?) Still in all, if I like to splay the heck out of my brushes and apply lather in vigorous circles, what can I do to maximize brush life? The first thing I must accept is that these actions will shorten brush life. There's no way around it. But I can do a few things get maximize brush life. Take proper care of them. I hesitate to say this to a group of experienced wet shavers, but it does bear repeating. (True story: I gave an expensive brush to one of my sons-in-law about a year ago. A month or two later, I found that brush upside down in a soap bowl covered (soaked?) in dried-out lather. The brush was already starting to shed. Mild disappointment, anyone?) Rotate my brushes. Rotations of even two brushes give each time to dry, add variety to our daily routine, and, obviously, extend brush life by spreading out usage v. using one brush every day. All things being equal, I would buy Fans or Hybrids--or at least Bulbs with flatter crowns as these shapes tend to spread some of the forces exerted on the knot. (Quick aside: a flatter crown one of the specifications I give my Chinese knot makers.) I might look for denser brushes with lower lofts because they tend to be "scrubbier" than those with less dense knots set at higher lofts, possibly requiring less pressure on the knot. (I can make counter arguments here; but I throw this out for your consideration.) Finally, if a favorite brush wears out, the maker--or someone else--can often replace the knot. (I don't recommend that for just any brush, but for a nice expensive or vintage brush, I wouldn't hesitate. We could easily go into an extended conversation on this topic--and if we do, I might ask the moderators to move it to the General Shaving category. In any event, I hope at least some of this is helpful. Best wishes for a good day! Brad
You know, this rant is only fair - users of the WORST SHAVE SOAP ON THE FACE OF THE EARTH have been regularly maligned on this forum. Turnabout is fair play, I guess! I just don't understand why its wrong for those who have been sucked in to the philosophy that there is something virtuous about using Williams, to try to find some way, such as blooming, to make it work for them... Now, in truth, a bar of Dove Beauty soap will far outperform Williams! Better shave, far better lather! All you trying to make Williams soap work should consider that... but if you insist on using a urinal cake to shave with, and you can make it work by blooming it, then bloom away! And revel in the fact that mosquitoes will not come within 10 yards of you! Hey, if I ever move back to Alaska, I'll have to bear that in mind...
Thank you Andrew @Linuxguile for the outside source info. Sounds like blooming a soap softens the outer layer thereby reducing wear and tear on brush fibers. I see no down side to this information. Increased hydration soap loading at the expense of bloom time with the added benefit of extended brush life. The Opposition will generate spurious arguments, but they are grumpy brumbies.
