I used the C.O. Bigelow cream for a few days with great results, but today I decided to try my new puck of Col. Conk bay rum soap. I soaked my brush and began stirring up the lather. At first I was getting lots of thin foam. The bowl I was using wasn't too tall and it began to get messy. I rinsed off the bowl and kept going. My arm was getting tired, just like I have heard from others. Eventually I got some decent foam, but it still wasn't as thick and it seemed to dry out quickly. I had to add more throughout my shave. I also got a bit of razor burn on my chin, which I hadn't gotten before. Not sure if I had too much water or needed to work on my technique, but it didn't go as well as my experience with cream. I like the variety of scents available with soap, but need a little more help getting a good lather from it.
Sounds like too much water. Give you brush a good squeeze or shake before going to work on the puck. It's much easier to add water than to take it away, so start with a dryer brush and add water as needed.
Yup. You're going to find a lot of variables with soaps - every soap is different, every brush is different (size AND material will determine how much water it can hold and how aggressively it scrubs at the soap), everyone's water is different. You'll get a lot of ideas and suggestions, you'll watch the how-to-create-the-perfect-lather videos, and you may or may not get the results you want. Keep trying all the different ideas and suggestions. Eventually you'll find the perfect brush/soap-to-water ratio/technique that works best for you. Me, I prefer soaps. They last longer.
Yep as DashM is saying its too much water in the brush, give a squeeze. Make sure there is a little hot water on the surface of the puck to soften the soap, aids in getting the soap in the brush. I face lather it , have not tried to build in a bowl. Don't underestimate the Colonel, its good soap, very slick. Its easier if your soap puck fits the mug dimensions snugly, keeping the puck stable so you can load the brush and if you have a large super bar of Conk, you have more surface to get soap. I avoided Conk because I thought it a cheap soap but I have several pucks and its surprisingly good stuff.
How stiff is your brush? I have some floppy ones that I would NEVER use with soap because I can't properly load them. Maybe you are using a brush that should be reserved for creams?
I used to believe this, the irony in all of this my Vulfix 2197 turns out to be my best soap brush period. Floppy isn't bad, its good, it provides flow-through which is critical for face lathering, knowing how to actually use the brush is a different story. For the OP, a couple of things, Conk is not a quality soap, sorry its just not as good as VDH, Arko or P160 my new favorite cheap soap, these are roughly the same price +/- a few cents in the end. Also don't expect a soap to ever be as thick as a cream, unless its a soft soap and or Italian That is generally the point, soaps tend to be slicker than most creams but less cushioning.
I'm with Aaron. I don't believe there is such a thing as a "soap" brush or a "cream" brush. You just gotta learn how to use the tool. As I've said, each one is different.
Shave soap I'm using a Tweezerman Badger Brush. I really don't know if that is a soft or stiff brush. From what little I have read, I would guess that it is somewhere in between soft and stiff. Being new, it seems like every product gets good reviews from someone. It seems that some people love Col. Conk soap, while some claim that it isn't a very good soap. I'm going to give it another try with less water to see if I have any better luck. I'm also very curious about wool fat soap. I would love to try it, but it's definitely an expensive product.
MWF and other milled soaps last much longer than glycerin soaps like Conk, VDH, etc. While a larger investment, the cost per shave isn't much different. Shaving both my face and head, a puck of MWF lasts about a year being used 4-5 days/wk average.
If you just want the soap, and not pay the overhead for the nice looking ceramic dish, a puck of MWF can be had pretty reasonably. A quick price check at Connaught Shaving showed it to be @ $12.00 shipped to the U.S.
You guys are right. I should have said that some brushes seem easier (for me) for soaps or creams only. YMMV in full effect here, especially if you're only months in to this as I am
The good thing about triple milled soaps are, they last forever, the bad thing about triple milled soaps are, they last forever. :happy102
Strohman, all good advice. As you know, I am relatively new also but use soaps nearly exclusively. I have found that loading the brush properly is equally critical as agitation and water as it sets the "tone". As others mentioned, I also put a teaspoon or so water on the puck, dump into my lather bowl then squeeze the brush and swirl for somewhere between 30-60 seconds (depending on soap). I know the brush is properly loaded when I can hear it "sticking" and feel it grabbing the surface of the puck. I then agitate, slowly adding water to the mix for a fine lather, albeit different in feel than cream. I actually like soaps a great deal more thus far but do think creams are easier to lather from my limited experience. Have also found that all soaps I have tried have different requirements: some are thirsty, some need more agitation, etc. but that's half the fun for me a couple months in. Trying to figure out how to mix the potion! Good luck!
