Those lathers all look pretty good. I'd use the one that included the most water; it's likely to be the slickest. Maybe palm or face lather instead of bowl lathering? That might help you feel when it's just right for you.
B&M wasn't super slick - need advice
- Thread starter Gig103
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I agree -- the last one doesn't look broken down from the pics. It's a little hard to tell, and there is some variation in preferences (and also it seems straight razor shavers like it thinner than DE shavers, but I don't know how close to universal that is). The "peaky" one looks slightly dry for my tastes but I bet I could shave with that just fine. Maybe this soap has a wider sweet spot than you thought!
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This thread reminds me how badly I need more B&M soaps!
Maybe I'm just crazy, but it looks to me that you need to load for a bit longer. I use B&M probably 3 times a week and load my brush for about 45 sec. I face lather and seriously have enough lather for about 6 or 7 passes. It may sound excessive, but it looks to me like you don't have very much lather in those pics.
I think it is possible that the B&M just wont be as slick as some other soaps for you, probably due to your water. I have B&M Cheshire - the fragrance is great, the performance is good but not as slick as Tiki, PPF or Caties Bubbles for me and I am quite sure it is not lathering technique for me.
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- #26
I'm not asking this as a tightwad, I promise... I don't mind loading more if it's going to help the shave, but why would I need enough lather for 6 passes? Some mornings I just do 2, not even 3! I would say that by the middle of this even there was a lot of volume in the mug - hard to photograph white on white, I didn't think to get a different bowl or anything.
That is possible - Arizona water is super hard. Maybe I'll try with distilled and see what happens next.
My .02. you should try face lathering. Get the brush loaded up and go right to your face. Dip the brush tips in water and work it until it feels right. You can reload off of the puck for the next pass if need be until you get a feel for loading all at once. It works, trust me. B&M is awesome.
Honest question. I don't try and load enough for 6 passes, that's just what I get when My brush and the jar seems properly loaded to me. I should add that I never bowl lather. I've found that all the soaps I use perform better when I face lather. I soak the puck and brush while I shower, then I shake my brush maybe 8 times, pour out the water on top of the puck and start swirling till I build a nice creamy lather on top of the puck. Like everything else YMMV, I prefer this method rather than trying to build the perfect lather in a bowl for whatever number of passes you want. No adding water and trying to mess with it, if needed you can dip the tips if if you find the lather you were building on your face is too dry, but I seldom need to do this. Good luck man, B& M is a fantastic soap when you get it dialed in.
Simply add more water slowly.
+1 - I really think B&M does best when Face Lathering and the more I learn about shaving the less I am using my bowl. That is just me though, I am sure you can get great lather in the bowl as well but it doesn't work for me.
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- #31
Thanks to everyone who recommended a face lather. It really does make a difference. I away from it because with cream I never do a good job, but it appears soaps are different for me, I suspect because of loading being even over the brush. Oh and these samples have some serious life to them - I'm past lather #6 with what appears to be plenty left of the same sample.
But I digress a little - great shave tonight! Thanks again for the advice.
But I digress a little - great shave tonight! Thanks again for the advice.
Another success story!
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