Lather Troubles

Now, it's been quite awhile since I've posted in the newbie forum, but for the life of me I can't lather Tabac!

Now Tabac is the first triple milled soap I've owned. Normally I use KMF and obviously it lathers super easy. First off, yes I have read the tutorial and followed it exactly. I soak my Shavemac silvertip, put water on the soap, squeeze the brush and load like there's no tomorrow. But when I go to make the later there's never any substance. I add water but there's no volume, and if I keep adding it becomes thin and useless. It seems like I'm not loading enough soap into the brush, but I load for over a minute and it starts to lather on its own, so I don't think I can add any more.

Ideas?

Mikee is this the first soap you are using? what brush are you using? Almost without fail no/bad lather is caused by not using enough product. Can you take a photo of your loaded brush? Tabac is a hard soap You could try putting a couple of Tablespoons of boiling water on it and leave it overnight to soften it up. Sometimes the soaps get a crust on them thats hard to get through the first few times.

If you use cream and get a good lather think about picking up the same amount of soap off the puck as you would use of cream.

Don't give up.

I use Tabac several times a week and it lathers easily..I'm sure others will offer plenty of suggestions..I offer encouragement..Stick with it its worth it..

mikee --

Are you face lathering? ...or using a bowl?

-- John Gehman

You might try this, mikee...

My silvertip is DRENCHED with water when I start swirling the tips on the soap. I don't know how anyone could get a good lather by squeezing all the water out of the brush. I soak the brush, and hold it out of the water until it stops running out of the hairs, and load the tips of the hairs by swirling on the soap. I also lather directly on the face. In my opinion, lather should be formed on the face, not a bowl.

I use Tabac almost exclusively, and it has always lathered well using this method. I really think you just need a wetter brush.

Don

You might find this thread useful.

Jim- Yes this is the first soap I'm using. I started with Classic shaving soap a year ago, but I don't think that counts. I don't own a digital camera but my father does so I might be able to use that.

John- I've tried both bowl and face lathering with tabac, with creams I usually use a bowl.

Don- I will try this out.

Thanks everyone I will update as the situation does. I will also try to take a photo.
Edit: I'm using a Shavemac Silvertip as it is the least floppy brush I have.

I have a theory about lather ...

While volumes of lather that look like a lemon-meringue pie look great in the mirror, and you usually see an inch or more on the man's face in a shaving commercial, remember this:

Any lather that doesn't come in direct contact with your skin is going to waste.

The important thing is ... HOW WELL DOES IT SHAVE?

IMHO, that's the only measurement to consider when comparing shaving products.