Help lathering with Boar Brush

allawd · Mar 9, 2009

I've been doing the wet shaving for about a month and continually have problems building good lather using a Omega boar brush and Col Conk's Glycerine. I read the glycerine soap guide, which helped a lot. I can get a thick lather that is too dry/sticky or a slick lather that is thin. Also, the lather collects on the sides of the brush and bowl leaving the bristles comparitively bare. It doesn't seem to be loading on the brush. I have the same problem with creams.

How much pressure is used when swirling in bowl vs face? Could my bowl (standard rice bowl from Ikea) be too small?

Helpful tips would be appreciated.

I also have l'occitane soap in the mail. I'm hoping this helps.

masonjarjar · Mar 9, 2009

allawd said:
I've been doing the wet shaving for about a month and continually have problems building good lather using a Omega boar brush and Col Conk's Glycerine. I read the glycerine soap guide, which helped a lot. I can get a thick lather that is too dry/sticky or a slick lather that is thin. Also, the lather collects on the sides of the brush and bowl leaving the bristles comparitively bare. It doesn't seem to be loading on the brush. I have the same problem with creams.

How much pressure is used when swirling in bowl vs face? Could my bowl (standard rice bowl from Ikea) be too small?

Helpful tips would be appreciated.

I also have l'occitane soap in the mail. I'm hoping this helps.

Here is what I did when I had Conk's amber.. I melted it into a coffee mug. Let it harden. Then when you shower, fill the mug with pipin' hot water, throw your brush in there too. After you're done, dump out the water, shake out the brush and go to town on that soap. Make sure you "mash" the brush down as you swirl it. The method works for me with Conks (and Van Der Hagnen, which is also glycerin and performs the same). Or, you can melt it into a bowl, then you'll have a bigger surface on which to lather your brush. Is your brush new? It might need some "break in" time. I know every boar brush I've owned has taken a week to start working well.

gone down south · Mar 9, 2009

Good tips here .... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIsj58fqVjY

Aaron622 · Mar 9, 2009

gone down south said:
Good tips here .... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIsj58fqVjY

+1 This is how to do it.

masonjarjar · Mar 9, 2009

Now I want a Omega Professiona!! :w00t:

allawd · Mar 11, 2009

So my solution came in the mail yesterday. L'Occitane CADE shave soap. Amazing improvement over the Col Conks and Honeybee soaps that I had tried. This worked just like in the video for 1/10 the effort I had been using on the glycerine soaps.

I had an "ahhh, this is what face lathering is moment." :biggrin:

masonjarjar said:
Now I want a Omega Professiona!!

They do take a while to break-in. After 2 weeks it's really starting to soften up a lot.

The Real McCoy · Mar 11, 2009

With boar brushes I've found it easiest to lather right on the face. After all, that's what Boar is all about- scrubby lathering. Leave the warm bowl lather-ers for the super badger pansies :wink:

MikeLip · Mar 11, 2009

The Real McCoy said:
With boar brushes I've found it easiest to lather right on the face. After all, that's what Boar is all about- scrubby lathering. Leave the warm bowl lather-ers for the super badger pansies

Yup. Boar does not hold lather like badger does. Anyway, Conk soaps are not the best latherers out there. I mean they are OK, but there are a lot better. I think you found that out! :biggrin:

A3M0N · Mar 11, 2009

This may or may not be related to this thread, so I'm sorry if I'm threadjacking here.

I have a boar brush, and hard water, so I do most of my lathering on the soap. When I'm finishing up lathering on my face lather just flings off my brush in clumps. Is this becase its too hydrated? Just right? Any thoughts?

Thanks.

MikeLip · Mar 11, 2009

A3M0N said:
This may or may not be related to this thread, so I'm sorry if I'm threadjacking here.

I have a boar brush, and hard water, so I do most of my lathering on the soap. When I'm finishing up lathering on my face lather just flings off my brush in clumps. Is this becase its too hydrated? Just right? Any thoughts?

Thanks.

Boar isn't noted for it's ability to hold water. I'd just lather up a bit less and not try to raise enough lather for 3 passes all in one go. I don't mind going back to the mug for a refill.

Gilgamesh2003 · Mar 11, 2009

gone down south said:
Good tips here .... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIsj58fqVjY

This is totally amazing - what he says really makes sense. You want to turn the soap into a cream in the brush, and you should discard the foam that comes off the soap when you first start loading the brush. I think I've been shaving so far with mostly foam rather than good, thick lather - off to the bathroom to try this out!

Alacrity59 · Mar 11, 2009

masonjarjar said:
Now I want a Omega Professiona!!

And go for the Omega shave soap in the black bowl as well. Even more menthol coolness than Prorazo.

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Help lathering with Boar Brush

allawd

masonjarjar

gone down south

Aaron622

masonjarjar

allawd

The Real McCoy

MikeLip

A3M0N

MikeLip

Gilgamesh2003

Alacrity59

Wanting for wisdom

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