Newbie question about Shave Sticks

[Proper Irish]

So, shave sticks… what exactly is a shave stick, and how do you use them?

Is it just regular shaving soap but in the shape of a stick?

For bowl lathering, can I just cut a chunk off and drop it in the bowl?
Or am i supposed to rub it on my face, or on the bowl?

 

[Alum Ladd]

So, shave sticks… what exactly is a shave stick, and how do you use them?

Is it just regular shaving soap but in the shape of a stick?

For bowl lathering, can I just cut a chunk off and drop it in the bowl?
Or am i supposed to rub it on my face, or on the bowl?

Wash and hydrate face and whiskers thoroughly.

Wet soap stick end lightly.

Rub soap stick onto face, ideally until whiskers show a 'candy coating' type effect.

Use a wetted brush and proceed to face lather, using scrubbing and then painting strokes.

Add water to brush as needed, I tend to dribble a few drops at a time from my fingers onto the brush knot.

When desired lather consistency is achieved, begin to shave.

I love how shave stick lather magically bursts into life when brush is applied. Tremendous fun!

 

[nemo]

For bowl lathering, can I just cut a chunk off and drop it in the bowl?

You can do that if you want. Some gents don't like the feel of it rubbing on their face.
Do try the above method from Mr Ladd, he broke it down nicely.

 

[Proper Irish]

Thank you @Alum Ladd & @nemo, I appreciate the guidance!
I got a La Toja stick and after I opened it, I realized that I have no idea how to use it

I will absolutely try the face lathering technique as outlined. Looking forward to it

 

[NorthernSoul]

Shave sticks are hard shaving soap in another form. They go back a long way. Originally made as a convenience for the traveling man. Compact, time efficient, no need for a mug, etc. Alum covers how to use them pretty well.

Any hard soap can be used in a similar way. Works well for face lathering. One reason for that is you get plenty of soap applied.

 

[ajkel64]

When I tried my first ever shave stick I tried to lather the brush from the end of the shave stick. It took me a while but it worked. Rubbing it on your face is the go. Works a treat and also cutting a slice into a shave bowl works well. I have tried grating shave sticks into pucks with some success. Sometimes though it doesn’t seem to work. I have had two failures with the grating method, some Mennen shave sticks and another type the lather is rubbish. It is all airy and thin and pasty.

 

[NorthernSoul]

A fairly easy way to convert a shave stick into a puck is to slice it into about three or four sections of equal length. Then, wet the pieces and press them into the bottom of a container. You'll have something that resembles a three-leaf or four-leaf clover shave instead of a cylinder, but it will still work for loading the brush.

 

[BigJ]

Wash and hydrate face and whiskers thoroughly.

Wet soap stick end lightly.

Rub soap stick onto face, ideally until whiskers show a 'candy coating' type effect.

Use a wetted brush and proceed to face lather, using scrubbing and then painting strokes.

Add water to brush as needed, I tend to dribble a few drops at a time from my fingers onto the brush knot.

When desired lather consistency is achieved, begin to shave.

I love how shave stick lather magically bursts into life when brush is applied. Tremendous fun!

+2! This is pretty much what I do with sticks! IME this is one of the easiest ways to get a good lather.

 

[Kaldane]

I'm another rub-it-round-the-face-and-give-it-some-brush fan, and was going to jump in but I see it's been pretty much covered.

Definitely something arcane about the way the lather manifests its presence.

 

[geneaut]

Shaving sticks can be fun. One of my favorite soaps, Sir Irisch Moos, came in a stick.

 

[Quaznoid]

Last time I used a stick (Arko!) I sliced it like a banana and put the pieces in the bottom of my lathering bowl and used it like a puck. Worked well.