How do I make my LATHER slick enough? More water, or less?

Here's what I'm using:

Merkur Futur (usually set at 2 or 3), Feather blades, EJ Best Badger

A few soaps:

Truefitt & Hill Luxury Soap
Classic Shaving unscented soap


The problem I'm having is that I can't seem to get my lather slick enough to let the razor glide over that "cushion". I have experienced a nice, slick lather a time or two, but I can't figure out how I did it exactly.

Here's how I make my lather...

1. Soak brush in my big, honkin shaving mug, while I take a hot shower
2. Rinse soap with hot water
3. Empty mug, and reheat with hot water, filling up the sink under it
4. Soak brush again and let it drip a little
5. Swirl on the soap for 5-10 seconds (lather starts foaming up)
6. Move to the big mug (only damp from where it was emptied) and start swirling
7. Swirl and Swirl until lather is big and thick
8. (Sometimes I add a little water, sometimes a lot)


My guesses are (and PLEASE tell me if I'm right or wrong):

When the lather is thick (without adding water) it seems to dry up on my face too quickly and becomes sticky

When the lather is shiny and runs a little (not liquid, but slides around) it stays wet on my face, but doesn't seem to offer any "protection" against the blade. Slippery to the fingers, but not to the razor. The razor has a tendency to "grab" also.

So, how do I know which way to go? Is there a better choice of soap? Should I move to a cream? Would a pre-shave oil keep it slick? What should the lather look like/act like/feel like?

Your comments would help!

My knee-jerk reaction is to recommend more time on the soap puck before hitting the bowl. Additionally, don't get overly concerned about building huge billows of lather. If you don't have enough product on your brush and then you work the mess out of it in a bowl, you will stretch the product too thin and lose lubricity. Further, after spending more time on the puck and less in the lather bowl, you might try doing a small bit of lather building on your face as you apply.

Kyle is right on target. I would add that you might try giving the brush a good shake before charging it with soap---the drier brush will probably pick up more soap, when you can then convert to lather by adding small amounts of water as you work up the lather (in a bowl or on your beard).