Using soap up too quickly

**Jtokle** · 07-10-2012, 09:51 PM

Hello there, apologize if this has been beaten to death here but it was difficult to search for other threads about this.

I am a complete noob when it comes to traditional wet shaving. My question today is about my soap.

I've been using a 2.25 ounce puck of Col. Conk soap. I lather in the mug with the puck, although I'm visiting Ikea next week where I will hopefully be able to pick up a nice bowl. I noticed today that I've used quite a bit of the soap. Comparing it to a fresh puck, it looks like I've used up about 1/4th of it. I've only done five shaves with it. I thought these things were supposed to last for months and months, but it's looking like a puck is going to last me 4-6 weeks at the rate of shaving every other day.

I have a few questions about this, if you don't mind answering them.

1. Is this normal wear for a small puck? If not, how many shaves should a puck ideally last for?

2. Would lathering in a bowl dramatically increase the life of the soap? If so, how much longer will it last for?

One last thing, I know that Col. Conk isn't the best soap, but I'm trying to get my blade and razor preference sorted out before I start spending money on soaps. Col. Conk is the only soap that I've tried so far, but my mother gave me a 3.5 ounce puck of VDH Luxury soap as a gift. I've read nothing but excellent things about the VDH soap and plan on trying it after my first puck of Col. Conk is gone. I know these are probably looked upon as beginner soaps, but I am very much a beginner right now.

I appreciate any input on this. I mainly just want to know if I'm somehow wasting soap with my technique or if this is normal wear. There's just so much to take in at first and I'd like to think that my lathering technique is at least sufficient for now.

**mhdena** · 07-10-2012, 10:18 PM

If you look in the 3017 thread you'll see 2 months is the average for some serious soap eaters!

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...ss-3017/page96

**insomniac** · 07-10-2012, 11:37 PM

Is this normal wear for a small puck? If not, how many shaves should a puck ideally last for?

Melt-and-pour soaps like Col. Conk tend to have a shorter lifespan. The soaps that last months-and-months are triple milled soaps, stuff like DR Harris or Tabac.

Not lathering on the puck (which it sounds like you are) would increase the lifespan. Besides swirling on the puck for 30-60 seconds and then going to a bowl, you can also directly lather on the face.

If you look in the 3017 thread you'll see 2 months is the average for some serious soap eaters!

Yeah, but we intentionally are trying to use up the soap as quickly as possible

**nav** · 07-11-2012, 12:02 AM

A hard milled soap (not col conk) will last 6-9 months of daily use. This assumes you only load the soap onto the brush and not create the full lather on top of the puck.

**Toddy** · 07-11-2012, 12:44 AM

Much depends on how much product you need to make a decent lather. If you get a better soap next time you won't need as much for each shave.

**STJ529** · 07-11-2012, 02:28 AM

Yes it's rather wasteful. Listen to insomniac's advice. Also take a look at these.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...utorial-Part-1
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthr...utorial-Part-2
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/21136

**Jtokle** · 07-11-2012, 03:09 AM

I always feel like such an idiot asking these noob questions, but you guys are way too helpful and nice. Thanks for those links, guess I need to work on my lathering skills.

**redrako** · 07-11-2012, 04:17 AM

Originally Posted by Jtokle

I always feel like such an idiot asking these noob questions, but you guys are way too helpful and nice. Thanks for those links, guess I need to work on my lathering skills.

We all had the same question at one time, so it's far from idiotic.

Good Luck,

**BallisticBurrito** · 07-11-2012, 05:28 AM

Originally Posted by Jtokle

I always feel like such an idiot asking these noob questions, but you guys are way too helpful and nice. Thanks for those links, guess I need to work on my lathering skills.

If you want a good bowl at a cheap price..grab a double-walled plastic salsa bowl from Walmart. $1.60, love mine. Not the fanciest thing..but nigh-unbreakable and works GREAT.

**takeshi** · 07-11-2012, 06:25 AM

Originally Posted by insomniac

Not lathering on the puck (which it sounds like you are) would increase the lifespan.

FYI there's a sticky at the top of this subforum with a lathering guide that covers this, IIRC.

**kingfisher** · 07-11-2012, 06:32 AM

I use a cheap cereal bowl I bought at Target for lathering. You don't need something fancy. I'd suggest a wide bowl and in a dark color; you can judge the thickness of the lather very easily when the bowl is dark; mine is black.

**Rustonrazor** · 07-11-2012, 08:25 AM

using up my conk soap much faster as well. Especially so when compared with Proraso or cella in a tub. Those seem to grow in the container.

**jazzguy** · 07-11-2012, 08:27 AM

I strongly suggest that you try face lathering.

**Topgumby** · 07-11-2012, 09:18 PM

Originally Posted by jazzguy

I strongly suggest that you try face lathering.

That'll stretch the stuff out.

While the other guys have posted some very insightful, practical and helpful information, they are all averting their eyes from the only true answer like a bunch of bashful preachers at a strip bar.

The real solution is to buy many, many more soaps of all types, and start a rotation that will have them all lasting until well after the sun goes supernova and obliterates all of wetshavedom.

Oh, and don't forget to stock up on your individual favorites. There's a reason that Arko gets sold in a fifteen pack, and it's got nothing to do with need, baby. It's all about feeding the SSAD demon.

Just give in and start collecting and hoarding. Soon, you'll be surveying your vast soap empire, and your worries about a few millimeters off of a puck of Colonel Conk will be a distant memory.

**Jtokle** · 07-11-2012, 10:39 PM

Originally Posted by Topgumby

That'll stretch the stuff out.

While the other guys have posted some very insightful, practical and helpful information, they are all averting their eyes from the only true answer like a bunch of bashful preachers at a strip bar.

The real solution is to buy many, many more soaps of all types, and start a rotation that will have them all lasting until well after the sun goes supernova and obliterates all of wetshavedom.

Oh, and don't forget to stock up on your individual favorites. There's a reason that Arko gets sold in a fifteen pack, and it's got nothing to do with need, baby. It's all about feeding the SSAD demon.

Just give in and start collecting and hoarding. Soon, you'll be surveying your vast soap empire, and your worries about a few millimeters off of a puck of Colonel Conk will be a distant memory.

I'm afraid I might be one step ahead of you. Ordered two tubes of C.O. Bigelow yesterday and then just a few hours later placed an order with Mama Bear after reading that she was closing up shop. Have read nothing but good things about her soaps and wanted to try some before they were gone forever.

**Larry J** · 07-11-2012, 10:51 PM

Well done, OP. Your journey has begun.
Highly recommend trying the English creams as well. The three Ts. Taylor of Old
Bond Street (TOBS) is a personal favorite. Reasonably priced, a great variety of scents and amazing performance.

Enjoy the ride.

**fccexpert** · 07-12-2012, 06:06 AM

High glycerin content soaps will not last as long as traditional soaps. This is due to two primary factors:

First, you generally need more of these since the soap (the stuff that produces the lather, provides lubrication etc) has been diluted by the added glycerin.

Second, they are softer than traditional soaps, again due to the added glycerin. This means that no matter what you do, you will end up with more on the brush.

You can minimize your use by face lathering using the following Lathering Made Easy(tm) approach:

1) Wet brush
2) Apply wet brush to soap
3) Apply soapy brush to wet face and lather

If lather is too thin, go back to 2) and add more soap
If lather is too thick, go back to 1) and add more water

This will minimize the amount of soap lost to lather you leave behind in a bowl, mug or scuttle.

**vegaskid74** · 07-12-2012, 12:23 PM

While it's true that triple milled soaps last longer than the Conk types, there's no accurate rule of thumb for how long a puck should last. All sorts of variables have to be considered to be sure you're comparing apples to apples. When a guy says he gets nine months out of a puck of MWF, Tabac, etc., does he shave every day? How many passes? What's the density of the lather? How hard is his water? And on, and on. It takes a certain amount of soap to make a given quantity and quality of lather. I shave daily, three passes plus touch up, and I load relatively heavily because I like dense lather. I probably get 75 shaves or so from a puck of Tabac, MWF, and the other triple-milled soaps of similar size. I've had guys tell me this number is ridiculously low, and others that it pretty closely matches their experience. So, big surprise, YMMV.

**The Kiwi** · 07-12-2012, 12:38 PM

Originally Posted by BallisticBurrito

If you want a good bowl at a cheap price..grab a double-walled plastic salsa bowl from Walmart. $1.60, love mine. Not the fanciest thing..but nigh-unbreakable and works GREAT.

I have one, also, and the rough outside texture means I have less worries about being such a butterfingers (been breaking my cereal bowls every so often that way for donkeys' years now). It's practically non-slip, even wet.