Jinx, sounds like you just need to add a bit of water but are on the right track. Do you face or bowl lather?
You CANNOT make decent lather with six teaspoons of water ....
- Thread starter JCinPA
- Start date
I face lather and find that I have the tendency to not load enough product. I don't use a whole lot of water either, but I need to spend more time loading initially.
I bowl lather and use creams so measuring the product consistently is easy.
Oy vey! I weep for the future. 
... and i've thought i have everything i need!
Now i see i'll have to get a teaspoon... or six
Now i see i'll have to get a teaspoon... or six
I had way better lather today after reading this post thanks heaps
Very good post. I had my best shave with a DE so far yesterday. I have VDH soap, and I used very little water and more product and got a pretty nice lather, I was struggling before to get a think lather and didn't have enough protection when shaving.
Made some test lathers last night with a few different brushes using this "theory".
Oddly enough, my really good lathers from later last year (using Palmolive in a dish) were similar. There was some very thick proto lather on the badger brush after loading, then going to the face, and slowly adding a bit of water.
It was easiest with the badger brush, probably because it holds water so well, and seems to mix and hold the lather internally. Not quite as good with the boar because it's a smaller knot and doesn't hold much lather, but still usable. Last was the synthetic, which really just wants to release everything, but it's also a tiny little travel brush. It was the most susceptible to "overwatering" and also loaded the least amount of soap.
Then again, the three brushes were 22mm for the badger, 21mm for the boar, and 19mm for the synthetic, so it's not really the most fair comparison.
Oddly enough, my really good lathers from later last year (using Palmolive in a dish) were similar. There was some very thick proto lather on the badger brush after loading, then going to the face, and slowly adding a bit of water.
It was easiest with the badger brush, probably because it holds water so well, and seems to mix and hold the lather internally. Not quite as good with the boar because it's a smaller knot and doesn't hold much lather, but still usable. Last was the synthetic, which really just wants to release everything, but it's also a tiny little travel brush. It was the most susceptible to "overwatering" and also loaded the least amount of soap.
Then again, the three brushes were 22mm for the badger, 21mm for the boar, and 19mm for the synthetic, so it's not really the most fair comparison.
Try loading your stubble in addition to loading your brush. If you're using soap, rub your puck or stick directly on your face. Your stubble will abrade plenty of soap off.
They need to learn on Williams then they can do ANYTHING.
What if you're allergic to nuts? Then what?
But seriously, this is a great thread.
Less water, more product, then a little more water and a little more = titration, right?
I'm not all that methodical, but it sure is easy to start with a tiny amount of water and add more.
I soak my brush in a bowl of warm water that sits in a sink full of steaming water while I shower. When I'm ready, I dump the water, pump the brush and start with just the little bit of water that clung to the bowl and the brush. I either dip the tips of the brush in water or sprinkle little pinches of agua into the bowl if I need more moisture. Gets the job done rather unscientifically considering that I toss off words like titration.
If the mix is too tight, I simply titer it some more.
I'm new at this. If I can do it, almost anyone can.
Six teaspoons of water will make a nice lather for washing a small dog (my daughter's six-pound Yorkie is a house guest this week).
But seriously, this is a great thread.
Less water, more product, then a little more water and a little more = titration, right?
I'm not all that methodical, but it sure is easy to start with a tiny amount of water and add more.
I soak my brush in a bowl of warm water that sits in a sink full of steaming water while I shower. When I'm ready, I dump the water, pump the brush and start with just the little bit of water that clung to the bowl and the brush. I either dip the tips of the brush in water or sprinkle little pinches of agua into the bowl if I need more moisture. Gets the job done rather unscientifically considering that I toss off words like titration.
If the mix is too tight, I simply titer it some more.
I'm new at this. If I can do it, almost anyone can.
Six teaspoons of water will make a nice lather for washing a small dog (my daughter's six-pound Yorkie is a house guest this week).
My soap sits down about 1/2 inch from the top in my glass pyrex bowl, I would be rubbing a glass ring on my face.
I assume you mean water added to the bowl with the soap, and not the total amount used to soak the brush and build lather.
That's awesome! I'm less scientific, I just feel it out slowly... Perfect lather 99% of the time
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