Geo Trumper disappearing soap

[FredD]

Let me preface by saying I have been using shave brushes with hard soaps since 1979 - nearly 40 years! In the old days I used mostly Williams or Crabtree & Evelyn and did not really know how to form a proper lather; I was mostly shaving with a bubbly soapy mess. I caught the true wetshave bug almost 6 years ago (to include DE razors) and now regularly make great lathers.

The thing is, during this time, I have had incredibly BAD luck with supposedly good hard soaps from T&H and now Trumper. When approaching a hard soap, I regularly go to one of my "Big 3" brushes: a Chubby 2 (BB), Duke 3 (BB), or a WCS Silvertip that falls somewhere between the two Simpsons. So, I don't think the brush is the issue. With my just-purchased puck of Trumper Limes, it doesn't matter what I do -- Load the brush more, try more water, less water, spend more time building it up...I end up with a thin, disappearing lather. (I bowl lather but then do a partial face lather before brushing on additional lather from the bowl) We're talking before I finish the right side of my face, the left side has virtually evaporated and I can clearly see my skin through a thin film. I have to keep re-applying mid-pass. Meanwhile, I'm getting a great lather from Williams I purchased on Amazon as well as Men's Soap Company hard soap I found on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JSXA2YY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
(This stuff really works quite well).

I really don't get it. I have no problems with the two above-mentioned cheap soaps, and if I use these brushes on a croap or cream I get a virtual lather-bomb. Why can't I get a good lather from the Tumper hard soap?

P.S. I LOVE the trumper creams!

 

[sugardaddy]

Trumper, Trufitt, and TOBS have outsourced their hard soap production.

Not as good as it once was.

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I've been using soaps like that for 6 months now (local artisans) and have another 18 months of such soap to work through. I've found there's a narrow window of hydration at which they hold their form, but even if they go flat to a transparent film, they still lubricate just fine... unless you've run it too dry, in which case it can end up a little tacky.

At first I too was disappointed, but once I got over the fact that the lather from these look different, and focussed purely on the performance/lubrication, I started getting great shaves. Most times now, the lather does stay throughout, but I still get odd times when I don't hit the sweet spot and it fizzles out, yet get perfectly fine shaves regardless. Keeping the razor head wet helps too.

 

[nemo]

I thought I could lather anything ... Williams, Mitchell's, Truefitt, Taylor, all the ones people had complained about, no problem. I'm the Lather King, been doing this for decades, the Master!

Then I got a hold of a beautiful bowl of Trumper's sandalwood. A lovely scent and presentation but whoa, disappearing into nothingness lather ... crap, ugh. What the ... ?

I've saved it since 2010 or so, thinking it will someday work and I'll get the magical water/soap ratio right, maybe some super badger brush, rain water from heaven, stars aligned. But no. What a waste.

Just sniffed it a few minutes ago ... love the scent. Maybe I'll try it again tomorrow. Maybe.

 

[FredD]

Sugardaddy: Thanks. I've seen that comment made by others, as well.

Aimless: Yes it does lubricate OK and give a good shave, but Jeez! I can make a nice lather out of 3-pucks-for-$10 Williams, but not from this supposedly "Premium" soap? It's frustrating!

nemo: Yup! That's exactly what I'm experiencing!


Funny thing is, that puck of Williams was sitting in the bottom of the drawer for close to 2 years, so if anything was going to be dried out, this should be the one. I soaked some hot water on top of it while I was showering and it produced a fine lather. I do the same thing with the brand new Trumpers, and I get the magical-disappearing-lather syndrome...

 

[EL Alamein]

These days I am not surprised.

Chris

 

[Pepin]

I use two Geo F. Trumper scents purchased in the last couple of years- 2014, 2015 (Eucris and Violet). Both of these soaps provide great lather, and will be replaced when used up, which is the case with the Eucris.


When starting a new puck I always hydrate the puck the first dozen or times I use it, afterwards I have found that I do not need to.


1. Dribble some warm water on the puck to hydrate for a few minutes.

2. Put the brush to soak in warm water.

3. Shake out the brush and pour off any water on the puck.

4. Load a lot of product.

5. Begin building the lather in the bowl/scuttle.

6. Finish building the lather on your face. You can feel when the lather turns thick and yogurt-like. I find that using the brush like a paint brush works well for me.


I find that it is a very good soap, but it will take some effort to dial in. I like to use a soap for at least a week straight (or a month), this gives plenty of time to dial in the soap with regards to amount of water, temperatures loading etc.

 

[azwetshaver]

If the first ingredient is sodium palmate, you might as well use it in the shower. Or so I've read. Your problem is not uncommon for that formula.

I've only used the potassium palmate version (formula right after tallow version) which is very good.

 

[sarimento1]

Let me preface by saying I have been using shave brushes with hard soaps since 1979 - nearly 40 years! In the old days I used mostly Williams or Crabtree & Evelyn and did not really know how to form a proper lather; I was mostly shaving with a bubbly soapy mess. I caught the true wetshave bug almost 6 years ago (to include DE razors) and now regularly make great lathers.

The thing is, during this time, I have had incredibly BAD luck with supposedly good hard soaps from T&H and now Trumper. When approaching a hard soap, I regularly go to one of my "Big 3" brushes: a Chubby 2 (BB), Duke 3 (BB), or a WCS Silvertip that falls somewhere between the two Simpsons. So, I don't think the brush is the issue. With my just-purchased puck of Trumper Limes, it doesn't matter what I do -- Load the brush more, try more water, less water, spend more time building it up...I end up with a thin, disappearing lather. (I bowl lather but then do a partial face lather before brushing on additional lather from the bowl) We're talking before I finish the right side of my face, the left side has virtually evaporated and I can clearly see my skin through a thin film. I have to keep re-applying mid-pass. Meanwhile, I'm getting a great lather from Williams I purchased on Amazon as well as Men's Soap Company hard soap I found on Amazon:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JSXA2YY/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1
(This stuff really works quite well).

I really don't get it. I have no problems with the two above-mentioned cheap soaps, and if I use these brushes on a croap or cream I get a virtual lather-bomb. Why can't I get a good lather from the Tumper hard soap?

P.S. I LOVE the trumper creams!

Sir Fred, I've not had this problem with my Trumper's Lime.
Methinks it's your water or your magnetic compass location.

 

[FredD]

Thanks again for the responses!

Pepin: I follow your steps 1-6 with virtually any soap, croap, or harder cream (I've found the Trumper creams are soft enough to not require any presoak). As to your final points, I have so many soaps and creams I have a hard time sticking with any single product for an extended period.

sarimento1: Yes I do have hard water at my home. Had not considered the compass direction
Cool video you inserted, but that looks like the thin bubbly mess I was referring to.

After the frustration with the Tumper soap, today I rewarded myself with a shave using Mike's Barber Shop cream. Wow! Only my second shave with Mike's, but it's almost like cheating -- easy, great lather and great lubrication. After a great, enjoyable shave like this, I can see why many say why bother with the "troublesome" products when there are so many great alternatives out there.

 

[Pepin]

If the first ingredient is sodium palmate, you might as well use it in the shower. Or so I've read. Your problem is not uncommon for that formula.

I've only used the potassium palmate version (formula right after tallow version) which is very good.

I have finished my puck, which does have the sodium palmate listed first. It did take some time, but once familiar with the soap I really enjoyed it.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I can see why many say why bother with the "troublesome" products when there are so many great alternatives out there.

I'm assuming you meant "can't" see...

I'm one of those that use these problem soaps. Used one for about 6 months, just started the second puck, and have another two pucks after that.

These soaps don't lather like other soaps, but I still get great shaves with them. They lubricate the face just fine, and the post shave feel is good too... so long as I get the mix right. If I get it too wet, it can oddly enough be a little drying, too dry and the face can be left feeling tacky.

However, you have to forget what you're used to seeing from a lather. You'll never replicate the same look and feel as a tallow soap lather, and I think that's where people get fixated on the idea that it's "gone wrong". Even when it collapses down to a film, I still get a good shave from it. So I don't find it particularly "troublesom", it just looks different.

Having said that, I can only get the level of slickness I need for DE shaving. If I go for a straight shave, I'm better off running a Palmolive stick on my face first, and then face lathering the regular soap on top for increased slickness.

 

[BigJ]

Trumper, Trufitt, and TOBS have outsourced their hard soap production.

Not as good as it once was.

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk

I liked the ‘Three T’ soaps in the olden days!

However, the new formulations are sub-par IMHO!! Unfortunate!!

 

[Boar Fighter]

Sir Fred, I've not had this problem with my Trumper's Lime.
Methinks it's your water or your magnetic compass location.

View attachment 936052

That is a very nice animation sequence! Very original! But i would agree with @FredD , that this looks overly frothy.

 

[sarimento1]

That is a very nice animation sequence! Very original! But i would agree with @FredD , that this looks overly frothy.

thx! the sequence could have used some more product and lathering, but shave was quite acceptable!

 

[Chaucer]

T&H USA tells me there’s a new formula for their soap. I love T&H cream. So the new soap will be on my list.

Longevity of lather on the face is nice, but there may be a trade-off between longevity and slickness with some products. Jarrod at Superior Shave thinks so.

 

[Tiggity T]

I had a Trumpers coconut that I bought in 2012-13. After attempting to use it unsuccessfully about a dozen different times over a 6 month period I finally relegated it to shower duty. I found using it as a bath bar that it made a nice lather. Maybe not up to snuff with some of the soaps that are in my rotation now, but it would have been passable to shave with. I came to the conclusion that this stuff either needs a ton of water or I need to make a brush knot out of my own chest hair.

 

[ask4Edge]

T&H USA tells me there’s a new formula for their soap.

Told the same by T&H UK. Also told they were hoping to debut the Apsley version of the hard soap in February '19.

 

[azwetshaver]

T&H USA tells me there’s a new formula for their soap. I love T&H cream. So the new soap will be on my list.

Longevity of lather on the face is nice, but there may be a trade-off between longevity and slickness with some products. Jarrod at Superior Shave thinks so.

Did they mention tallow at all?

 

[Chaucer]

I didn’t ask.