You don't know how bad your lather is until you finally make a good one.

[EvilZeg]

Been wet shaving for about 3 months now, just recently started with a straight razor. I had believed I was making a decent enough lather, I have been having some issues with the water at the hotel I've been staying at for the past few weeks. The lather was fading fast, so I tried adding some glycerin, Bigelow cream, more soap. The soap I'm using is a homemade from http://www.a-natural-alternative.com/. When I was shaving the other day I noticed that the lather was caking on the razor. The following day I began just whipping up lathers, changing the amount of product loaded on the brush, amount of water, and brush. I started using a badger brush I picked up at an antique store and after an hour of experiments, success. And what a difference, the lather didn't fade away, didn't cake on the razor and made my shave even more enjoyable.

[Foyle]

Usually disappearing lather is the result of not enough product on the brush. Sometimes it's just the product itself. Playing with water ratios until you find the sweet spot is always advisable whenever you get a new product.

I'm glad you got it. It usually takes most people a while to get the whole lathering thing down pat. You can get a usable lather easily enough but to get a really great lather consistently takes a little deliberate practice. I think a lot of newbies don't bother to practice simply because they have no frame of reference by which to compare their results.

[EvilZeg]

I had my ephiphany when I was reading a thread which described the lather as an "emulsion", for some reason once I read that term it all made sense.

[KeithS]

I've still been getting some irritation and weepers EVERY shave after a year. Finally, the last shave, I tried patting my face with a towel after each cold water rinse. I now think each re-lather was too thin due to too wet a lather on 2nd and 3rd passes.

[drawonme]

Keith, You want the water. Instead of patting your face dry, try just adding a little more soap/cream. Wetter is better, as long as it is good slick lather