Final Update - NOOB schooled I microwaved the puck of great-smelling granite for 30 seconds, let it cool, and then used it after my shower today. Tons of beautiful, easy lather. I lathered in the bowl that holds it, just like I do with Williams (actually most the soaps I use). Fantastic lather, fantastic shave. I actually did this before I read the tip from @Terry just on a lark, but thank you nonetheless, brother! It's absolutely amazing the difference this makes. I had remembered vaguely (which is the only way I remember anything) the box of Ogallala saying it could be microwaved and poured into any container. I thought this was kind of odd when I read it, only because I haven't seen it stated on other pucks I have. Is that the "secret"? Does this stuff wake up from the dead when it gets nuked? This literally went from trying to produce lather from a stone to absolutely mountains of perfect lather. I'm flabbergasted. Of course tomorrow, or Wednesday, knowing my luck, it will be back to the unyielding slab of granite! So, another question, since this is the school: is this true of all soaps? Most I have don't need it, as they can be easily pressed into any shape, e.g. Stirling. But for those that can't, will nukeing work with all of them, or just some? I seem to remember reading someone had tried that with MWF and ruined it, but I could be misremembering. Thanks All! - Carl
Hard for me to imagine how that eould directly affect the lather. Maybe being stuck to the bottom made it easier for you to load more? Maybe, having been used a couple of times, the puck has absorbed some moisture and microwaving is just coincidental? Whatever the cause, there it is. I'm glad you were able to get it working. Microwaving will wreck tallow soaps. Only so-called glycerine soaps will melt like that.
Followed through lurking the posts as they've happened. Glad there's light at the end of the tunnel, and the Ogallala is working for you now. It is nice aroma and soap! FWIW, I only have a WSP synthetic and a very nice boar (my daily driver). I'll try the Ogallala tomorrow with the synthetic. I'm researching badger brands (had a cheap one to start with, passed it to family)....want a nice badger, but argh...they can get spendy! I'm hoping to get something in the 26mm to 28mm knot size to be able to compare to the boar I have, but also want to get a fun design (which those two things kick it in $$$ territory usually).
I also find it hard to imagine, but it was literally the only changed variable. Same puck, same brush, same water, same me. Unless there was some "crust" on the puck that was broken down, or at least well redistributed through the melting process, and it wasn't the melting itself. And the change was not gradual at all; the attempt before melting, on Saturday, was largely unsuccessful. After melting this morning (Monday) and putting the Semogue to it, the lather was immediate and copious. Ok, good to know. So, if you see "tallow" in the ingredients, don't nuke. Like I said, most the soaps I have are much more flexible than the OBR, so probably a non issue. Carl
I'm liking my Semogue boar. Not "too scratchy" or too anything for me. Having said that, I'm also happy with my PIFd-to-me synthetic, and my $5 maybe-badger. I'm (usually) easy to please. - C
