How to install a shaving stick in a glue container

Yup, you read right... I'm going a bit shave stick crazy lately... I decided to have my shave sticks in containers where possible so I did an experiment... We all like experiments and not having shave sticks containers available (I have the same problem than Barber-Eile - http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2243184#post2243184) I decided to find another way...

I bought 2 shave sticks (they are only $1.99) and 2 tubes of glue (a bit more expensive but if I buy in bulk, it's cheaper - ~$4 each individually).

I bought the biggest glue stick I could find in the store... If you have kids, think about school next year and which glue stick to buy...

Not having any kids, well, I got my two lonely glue sticks!

Disclaimer tongue_sm): This is not the only way or the best way... I also know that I'm wasting soap but, again, at $1.99 a stick, I don't think it's so bad...

Step #1
Clean the glue stick container and dry it (I used a chopstick and warm water).


Step #2
Try to insert the shaving stick in the glue stick container.


Now, if you did like I did and force it in, it won't come out ever... The dial (bottom bit of the glue stick) will pop out and you will a moment!

Let's now use the second glue stick container that I bought!

The stick is a tiny bit too large for the container, you have various options from here...

• Melt it in the microwave(if it's glycerin only, do not melt tallow or triple milled soaps)
• Grate it
• Melt it with water!

Step #3
Now, I know, I'm lazy but I don't want soap all over the place and then making it fit in the tiny little container, press it, wait for it to dry, etc...
Also, I tried to melt one of those Australian Palmolive Shave Stick and even if they don't contain any tallow, they won't melt. I'm suspecting they are triple milled...

Back to the stick - As you can see, it doesn't exactly fit, the stick is a tiny bit too large...
View attachment 113752

So I filled a coffee mug with warm water and drop the stick in
View attachment 113753

20 minutes later I checked, got rid of the soap that was too soft and tried it again, still doesn't fit freely...

Back in the cup with new warm water for another 20 minutes...

Step #4
The stick is now a tiny bit smaller (see left side) and it's hot so soft!

I rolled down the plate (that pushes the glue out) to the bottom. Using the cap, I slowly pushed the stick in the tube... Try to push the stick straight when you do this.
View attachment 113754

Step #5
Check that it works (dial up/down) and done!
View attachment 113755

But...

Now that I think about it... The problem in the other thread was a ~$30 bill for 10 shave stick containers shipped... I paid mine ~$4 each... Make sure you are considering this before you go ahead...

Done, Test #1 tomorrow morning!

I have one of those shave sticks you sent for the Big Box 2, and it is my favorite soap. I wish we could get it around here.

Well done Luc

I've always grated Tallow and pushed it down with a chopstick or melted Glycerine sticks and poured to get them in there. Never pushed it down over the spiral spike !!!!

Interesting the Palmolive wouldn't melt !

Go to the local discount shop ( Peanuts/$2 shop/Reject Shop whatever's it's called over there ) The ones down here have no name, made in China, glue sticks for $1.50 for 2 sticks. They're the 30 or 40 gram big ones.

They've also got a paper "wrapper" around them so you can just soak/scrap it off and relabel your stick with a Dymo or similar !!

Smart idea and well done.
May be it could be more cost efficient if you can borrow empty glue tubes from kids (if you have), work, collegues, friends, family or a local school, daycare, etc.
Anyway, some people (guess what...I belong to this people) like to make DIY project to have a result that meet their needs, even if it cost a little more...
Great.

kg4ghn said:

I have one of those shave sticks you sent for the Big Box 2, and it is my favorite soap. I wish we could get it around here.

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I'm happy some likes it! I think the Euro Palmolive shave stick is better but if I wouldn't have that one, the Oz Palmolive shave stick is acceptable!

There's a shop that sells it in the US I think...

http://shaveabuck.com/cart/palmolivemennens-shave-stick-p-333.html

fidjit said:

Well done Luc

I've always grated Tallow and pushed it down with a chopstick or melted Glycerine sticks and poured to get them in there. Never pushed it down over the spiral spike !!!!

Interesting the Palmolive wouldn't melt !

Go to the local discount shop ( Peanuts/$2 shop/Reject Shop whatever's it's called over there ) The ones down here have no name, made in China, glue sticks for $1.50 for 2 sticks. They're the 30 or 40 gram big ones.

They've also got a paper "wrapper" around them so you can just soak/scrap it off and relabel your stick with a Dymo or similar !!

Click to expand...

I was suspecting the Reject shop to have no-name glue stick containers but having a Officeworks across the street, it's an easy buy! I'll have a look into those...

PiXmo said:

Smart idea and well done.
May be it could be more cost efficient if you can borrow empty glue tubes from kids (if you have), work, collegues, friends, family or a local school, daycare, etc.
Anyway, some people (guess what...I belong to this people) like to make DIY project to have a result that meet their needs, even if it cost a little more...
Great.

Click to expand...

Yes, if you can "borrow" the empty containers, it's a cheap way to do it!

I must Credit Ian (Fidjit) as he was the one who did it first!

Nice tutorial. Thank you for sharing.

Oooo thanks for sharing this!
I must check and see if any of the one-euro shops here have big glue sticks I could use. I might bring my shave sticks with me to measure. Also I'll be looking to melt glycerin soaps and pout them in so it might be a bit easier as I can chill the containers so that when everything is finished, in theory, the soap won't stick.

Barber-Eile said:

I'll be looking to melt glycerin soaps and pout them in so it might be a bit easier as I can chill the containers so that when everything is finished, in theory, the soap won't stick.

Click to expand...

I don't chill my glycerines after pouring just let them cool naturally. No "sticky problems"

Oh I ment to chill the containers before pouring the glycerin into them. Then, as the containers warm up again they will expand but while the soap in them cools it will contract thus, hopefully, giving a nice amount of movement room around the edges.

Thanks for posting your efforts, well done. I have got to try this. I have a brick of Cella soap that is begging for a travel tube/container of this size.
I travel 46 weeks of the year for work, space is always a premium and this tube-soap could well be the answer I'm looking for.

Thanks again.

Regards
Simon

Just don't leave extra glue sticks sitting around the sink and grab the wrong one!

Very nice job. I recently picked up a stick of Palmolive and Spieck to be my travel soaps. I wondered if someone had come up with a better solution than peeling back the foil and then folding it back over the end when done. I even wondered it they sold something for the shave sticks I mentioned.

I think once they're gone, I'll pick up some Gentlemens Best in a stick which has it's opwn lid and container. That has become "My Scent" and SWMBO loves it too.

Yes, that would work.

I grated Palmolive shave stick and put it in a bowl. No, I didn't like it, it acted different.

How much water do you add, how long do you let it dry, and does it act the same? Does it go on easier? Does it break apart?

IF you can convince your local pharmacist to sell you some, the REXAM PM-20 vial (with threaded cap) is a perfect container for your shave stick.
Very less messy.

I tried the stick this morning! Everything went fine and worked well!

I used the glue stick method with Palmolive yesterday but grated it and pressed it down also. worked very well, took the last of it that did not fit and grated it onto the top of my Vander-Williams so not to waste any of it. Thanks for the tips.

Arise thread!

I tried this tonight with a Euro Palmolive stick I was PIFed on another site - worked a treat and I have a new travel stick!

WOOT, WOOT!

AWESOME thread and perfect timing for someone to resurrect it (thanks mark1966)

i just used a shave stick today and was looking for some containers to use for DIY shave sticks, as i've done one myself too (see below from a face shaver electric talc container)...i was thinking roll on deodorant, lip balm, but nothing was available around the house.

but the kids use that glue all the time...thanks Luc.

Fantastic! Good picture mate!

Luc said:

Fantastic! Good picture mate!

Click to expand...

thanks! that is what was left in my old spice mug of the Benton Clay, so i melted it down and worked great. the stick i used today was the palomolie shave stick you pif'd me a while back. i had a been a soap guy since i started DEing a year ago, but am now transitioning into soaps and decided to give the palmolive stick a try...it was great.

ps...got 2 empty glue stick in the sink soaking off the paper and residue. 1 lg, 1 sml. i'll post pics of my success or failure later.

brucered said:

thanks! that is what was left in my old spice mug of the Benton Clay, so i melted it down and worked great. the stick i used today was the palomolie shave stick you pif'd me a while back. i had a been a soap guy since i started DEing a year ago, but am now transitioning into soaps and decided to give the palmolive stick a try...it was great.

ps...got 2 empty glue stick in the sink soaking off the paper and residue. 1 lg, 1 sml. i'll post pics of my success or failure later.

Click to expand...

Sensational - I love it when a thread gets a second life!