Lathering with a boar brush, how the heck do you do it?

stryker4526 · Jan 15, 2013

So I've been giving my boar brush daily lathers to try and help it break in faster (SOC, by the way). First lather was with a soap I couldn't get to work for me with my badgers either, so I wasn't too concerned when I couldn't really get a good lather going. Second was with another such soap. Third, though, was with some cream that I haven't had any problems with before.
I soaked the boar for a good fifteen minutes. I did gentle drop motions to get the excess water out. I took out a snurdle and starting working up a lather... only no lather happened. It was just this kind of soapy not-quite-paste. So I added more water. Same thing. More water. Still the same. More water. Okay now it's too runny. More cream. Back to the whole "not actually building up a lather" thing.
I've heard that boars can be somewhat troublesome until they break in but come on, not even being able to build a lather? What am I doing wrong, here? I bowl lather, by the way.

Throwaway · Jan 15, 2013

stryker4526 said:
So I've been giving my boar brush daily lathers to try and help it break in faster (SOC, by the way). First lather was with a soap I couldn't get to work for me with my badgers either, so I wasn't too concerned when I couldn't really get a good lather going. Second was with another such soap. Third, though, was with some cream that I haven't had any problems with before.
I soaked the boar for a good fifteen minutes. I did gentle drop motions to get the excess water out. I took out a snurdle and starting working up a lather... only no lather happened. It was just this kind of soapy not-quite-paste. So I added more water. Same thing. More water. Still the same. More water. Okay now it's too runny. More cream. Back to the whole "not actually building up a lather" thing.
I've heard that boars can be somewhat troublesome until they break in but come on, not even being able to build a lather? What am I doing wrong, here?

http://youtu.be/93v-AK5BoCU

Semogue Owners Club face lathering video.

You could have hard water. Try using distilled water next time.

stryker4526 · Jan 15, 2013

Ah, one thing I should have mentioned was I am attempting to bowl-lather.
I know it's not a water issue with the cream I was using, as I don't have trouble lathering it with my badger brush. I was planning on picking up distilled water for another problem soap of mine anyway, so maybe I will try that and see if it makes a difference.

SteveWY · Jan 15, 2013

See this on Home page Interactive Guide to Lathering

There are differences and a learning curve between badgers and boars but you can master it. It sounds like the answer isn't more water, try more cream, more swirls.

Also look at Marco's guide to lathering Italian soft soaps.

Throwaway · Jan 15, 2013

stryker4526 said:
Ah, one thing I should have mentioned was I am attempting to bowl-lather.
I know it's not a water issue with the cream I was using, as I don't have trouble lathering it with my badger brush. I was planning on picking up distilled water for another problem soap of mine anyway, so maybe I will try that and see if it makes a difference.

Here is another Semogue Owners Club lathering video. This time with a bowl.

http://youtu.be/VUNFFVBwEQk

gunterbr · Jan 15, 2013

++++++++1 for Marco's Guide to soft soaps. I've found that following that results in the thickest, creamiest, most protective lather possible. And I use it for everything. Creams included (had a wonderful C.O. Bigelow lather just last night). Because there's so much water it definitely starts out super wet and soupy...but after 2-3 minutes of good whipping the lather comes out in mountains. I also bowl lather too, so hopefully it helps.

Also this article, http://shavenook.com/thread-a-beginner-s-guide-to-boar-brushes-the-science-of-the-boar-shaving-brush, mentions that Boars hold less water than Badgers. If thats true I wouldn't try and remove too much water before loading, etc... buy YMMV.

Oh I do use an Omega brush, so I don't know if that makes a difference. I'm still very much a newbie at all this.

Good luck with your future lathers! :biggrin1:

stryker4526 · Jan 15, 2013

Throwaway said:
Here is another Semogue Owners Club lathering video. This time with a bowl.

http://youtu.be/VUNFFVBwEQk

Thanks for that. It looks like my problem might be not enough product, not enough water. Especially with the soaps. He was loading that like he hated it and started with a little puddle of water in his bowl... He made it seem so easy to get mountains of lather.

gunterbr said:
++++++++1 for Marco's Guide to soft soaps. I've found that following that results in the thickest, creamiest, most protective lather possible. And I use it for everything. Creams included (had a wonderful C.O. Bigelow lather just last night). Because there's so much water it definitely starts out super wet and soupy...but after 2-3 minutes of good whipping the lather comes out in mountains. I also bowl lather too, so hopefully it helps.

Also this article, http://shavenook.com/thread-a-beginner-s-guide-to-boar-brushes-the-science-of-the-boar-shaving-brush, mentions that Boars hold less water than Badgers. If thats true I wouldn't try and remove too much water before loading, etc... buy YMMV.

Oh I do use an Omega brush, so I don't know if that makes a difference. I'm still very much a newbie at all this.

Good luck with your future lathers!

Thanks for the input. I will give it another try tomorrow taking these into consideration.

xillion · Jan 15, 2013

The Marco Method was used below. The brush is the B&B essential boar. The soap is Gold Dachs.

rajagra · Jan 15, 2013

stryker4526 said:
I added more water. Same thing. More water. Still the same. More water. Okay now it's too runny.

I see a pattern.
Try less water!
Soak the brush by all means, but give it a firm squeeze before loading the soap. This is what I have to do to get my boars to work.

Kazeryu · Jan 15, 2013

I think you are missing out on the boar experience unless you face lather, but I guess that doesn't answer your question. The thing with boar is that it's a lot stiffer and doesn't flop around so much on its own, so I think you will need a bit more vigour than you are used to using. Also, more product is almost always a safe answer.

stryker4526 · Jan 15, 2013

Kazeryu said:
I think you are missing out on the boar experience unless you face lather, but I guess that doesn't answer your question. The thing with boar is that it's a lot stiffer and doesn't flop around so much on its own, so I think you will need a bit more vigour than you are used to using. Also, more product is almost always a safe answer.

I have face-lathered with it before, but it is generally too messy for my tastes. I don't want to clean the bathroom every time I shave! :lol:

Kazeryu · Jan 15, 2013

stryker4526 said:
I have face-lathered with it before, but it is generally too messy for my tastes. I don't want to clean the bathroom every time I shave!

If your lather is splattering you are using too much water or too much vigour. my 2 cents.

BigFoot · Jan 15, 2013

Here is the simple way I was taught to use a boar.

Make sure your brush is good and wet before making lather. I mean dripping water. Take it to your soap and load the brush for a good 60 seconds. I actually hold my puck over my bowl so the slurry drips in. Once you have your brush fully loaded take it to the bowl and start making lather. Add more water if needed, just remember how wet your brush already was, so just add a bit at a time.

Of course this may not work for you, but give it a try and let me know.

jarhead · Jan 15, 2013

I have a different method.
Squeeze out almost all the water,now load the brush 30 to 60 seconds.
I then face lather adding a drop of water as necessary.
I've also noticed that letting my boar brush soak too long makes it next to useless
YMMV

rockviper · Jan 15, 2013

I had loads of problems with boars, .... until I hit the Eureka! moment.
Here's what works for me.

sulkhogan · Jan 15, 2013

Lots of good advice here. All I can say is don't give up on that SOC just yet! Once it breaks in you just might find yourself neglecting your badgers...

BigFoot · Jan 15, 2013

jarhead said:
I have a different method.
Squeeze out almost all the water,now load the brush 30 to 60 seconds.
I then face lather adding a drop of water as necessary.
I've also noticed that letting my boar brush soak too long makes it next to useless
YMMV

Its a crazy world this wet shaving. I could not lather a dry boar if my life depended on it.

HUF · Jan 15, 2013

stryker4526 said:
So I've been giving my boar brush daily lathers to try and help it break in faster (SOC, by the way). First lather was with a soap I couldn't get to work for me with my badgers either, so I wasn't too concerned when I couldn't really get a good lather going. Second was with another such soap. Third, though, was with some cream that I haven't had any problems with before.
I soaked the boar for a good fifteen minutes. I did gentle drop motions to get the excess water out. I took out a snurdle and starting working up a lather... only no lather happened. It was just this kind of soapy not-quite-paste. So I added more water. Same thing. More water. Still the same. More water. Okay now it's too runny. More cream. Back to the whole "not actually building up a lather" thing.
I've heard that boars can be somewhat troublesome until they break in but come on, not even being able to build a lather? What am I doing wrong, here? I bowl lather, by the way.

More swirls! Build it up for some three minutes.

dpm802 · Jan 15, 2013

Is it possible that the lather is being held inside the brush? All brushes do this to some extent, some more than others. Squeeze the knot gently from base to tips and see how much comes out.

Also, you say you're lathering it up every day to break it in. Be aware, its the DRY part of the cycle that breaks in the brush. This is when the bristles split and the tips soften. Its possible that the brush is not completely drying out between each use. Try giving it two days in between and see if that makes a difference.

stryker4526 · Jan 15, 2013

dpm802 said:
Is it possible that the lather is being held inside the brush? All brushes do this to some extent, some more than others. Squeeze the knot gently from base to tips and see how much comes out.

Also, you say you're lathering it up every day to break it in. Be aware, its the DRY part of the cycle that breaks in the brush. This is when the bristles split and the tips soften. Its possible that the brush is not completely drying out between each use. Try giving it two days in between and see if that makes a difference.

I am sure it dries completely between each use. It sits out in open air very near a heating vent when it's drying. And that's after I squeeze the water out of the knot and buff the tips against a towel to dry them as much as possible before setting it out.

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Lathering with a boar brush, how the heck do you do it?

stryker4526

Throwaway

stryker4526

SteveWY

Throwaway

gunterbr

stryker4526

xillion

rajagra

Kazeryu

stryker4526

Kazeryu

BigFoot

I wanna be sedated!

jarhead

rockviper

I got moves like Jagger

sulkhogan

BigFoot

I wanna be sedated!

HUF

dpm802

stryker4526

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