2024 Reflection - Lathering. I thought I knew how to until I watched this.

[Golden_Edge]

'I thought I knew how to until I watched this.'. That sounds like one of those click bait Youtube videos. Not intentional.

Couple months ago, I bought some Stirling samplers. I'd cut a piece, press it in a bowl and start lathering. The lather was good. I just had higher expectation; likely due to everything I had read about them. Lurking B&B, I wanted to find out more. There was more than enough info to confirm that my expectation vs my reality didn't match. Meaning one thing: I was in fault.

I kept looking and stumbled (by luck/coincidence or thanks to Google's algorithm), on Rod's lathering video:

It was everything written in B&B posts but in one video. Off to test the lather. Eureka moment. Boy to Man Rite of Passage passed.

This made me realize something else: I discredited many soaps and creams (AdP for instance) in the past due to my improper technique. I will have to re-try many of them.

Moral of my story: don't think you know until you know.

Moral of the shaving story: whether you bowl or face lather, go slow. Load and add water as you go. It takes few minutes? Five minutes? So be it, you will be rewarded with the soap/cream's true characteristics (assuming they exist in the first place).

 

[BigJ]

Great point!! For me, that is there is always something more to learn!!

 

[Phoenixkh]

This is how I learned how to bowl lather.... I don't like using a brush in the soap tub as I like to keep them pristine... So I'm a scoop and smear guy.... This video is what I watched in the first few weeks of my shaving journey..... I didn't have a CaYuen bowl until much later, but I still used this method.

I don't face lather due to a skin condition that prohibits it for me..... It is a lot easier, but I tried it a few times, hoping I wouldn't get brush burn, red face.... Whatever you prefer to call it.

As the old saying goes, there is more than one way to skin a cat. <eg>

 

[m949]

This is how I learned how to bowl lather.... I don't like using a brush in the soap tub as I like to keep them pristine... So I'm a scoop and smear guy.... This video is what I watched in the first few weeks of my shaving journey..... I didn't have a CaYuen bowl until much later, but I still used this method.

This video is extremely helpful. In fact, after watching it I decided to try his method out today.

I also bowl lather and prefer to scoop my soaps if possible. I use a little steel cosmetic spoon. I never had the idea of flattening and spreading out the soap slivers in my bowl. I always ended up with chunks of soap in my brush and more often than not in the lather on my face. Many times I had pieces of soap left over. Spreading out the scooped soap in the bowl really addresses all these problems.

The advice on brush pressure during lathering and hydration in both videos was also very eye- opening. Needless to say that I had a fantastic lather today using the knowledge from both resources.

Thanks @Phoenixkh and @Golden_Edge for sharing these informative videos with us. I've learnt a lot from both of them and elevated my lathering to the next level as a result. I got a better structured lather and no more trouble with un-lathered pieces of soap in my bowl (and on my face).

 

[Jay S]

'I thought I knew how to until I watched this.'. That sounds like one of those click bait Youtube videos. Not intentional.

Couple months ago, I bought some Stirling samplers. I'd cut a piece, press it in a bowl and start lathering. The lather was good. I just had higher expectation; likely due to everything I had read about them. Lurking B&B, I wanted to find out more. There was more than enough info to confirm that my expectation vs my reality didn't match. Meaning one thing: I was in fault.

I kept looking and stumbled (by luck/coincidence or thanks to Google's algorithm), on Rod's lathering video:

It was everything written in B&B posts but in one video. Off to test the lather. Eureka moment. Boy to Man Rite of Passage passed.

This made me realize something else: I discredited many soaps and creams (AdP for instance) in the past due to my improper technique. I will have to re-try many of them.

Moral of my story: don't think you know until you know.

Moral of the shaving story: whether you bowl or face lather, go slow. Load and add water as you go. It takes few minutes? Five minutes? So be it, you will be rewarded with the soap/cream's true characteristics (assuming they exist in the first place).

Other than load and add water as you go.....was there anything else in particular that became and 'A-ha' moment?

 

[Big Jim]

'I thought I knew how to until I watched this.'. That sounds like one of those click bait Youtube videos. Not intentional.

Couple months ago, I bought some Stirling samplers. I'd cut a piece, press it in a bowl and start lathering. The lather was good. I just had higher expectation; likely due to everything I had read about them. Lurking B&B, I wanted to find out more. There was more than enough info to confirm that my expectation vs my reality didn't match. Meaning one thing: I was in fault.

I kept looking and stumbled (by luck/coincidence or thanks to Google's algorithm), on Rod's lathering video:

It was everything written in B&B posts but in one video. Off to test the lather. Eureka moment. Boy to Man Rite of Passage passed.

This made me realize something else: I discredited many soaps and creams (AdP for instance) in the past due to my improper technique. I will have to re-try many of them.

Moral of my story: don't think you know until you know.

Moral of the shaving story: whether you bowl or face lather, go slow. Load and add water as you go. It takes few minutes? Five minutes? So be it, you will be rewarded with the soap/cream's true characteristics (assuming they exist in the first place).

This is a great video. I found it helpful when I ran across it a few months ago although it was pretty much how it did it anyway. Most of the time, I'm a mug latherer, but I'm not afraid to move to a bowl when I see it would be helpful, or when lathering creams. Basically, when lather doesn't seem to be building well in the mug, I'll move to the bowl where I can better control the soap to water ratio need at the moment.

 

[Golden_Edge]

Other than load and add water as you go.....was there anything else in particular that became and 'A-ha' moment?

I would say to use enough soap/cream. A tiny amount of cream can yield a voluminous lather but it doesn't mean it's the right type of lather. In the case of British soaps, like D.R. Harris of instance, make sure to load, load, load and then build up with water. Most soaps/creams share similarities in lather preparation but also have differences.

 

[Jamolay]

Other than load and add water as you go.....was there anything else in particular that became and 'A-ha' moment?

I agree that after watching, I learned to worry less about how much I load and to be less aggressive whipping. The lighter touch made a big difference and is a lot easier. I was trying to force it before, I think.

 

[MaineYooper]

Thanks to @Golden_Edge and @Phoenixkh for sharing the videos. I used parts from each this morning as I built my lather in a bowl. Copious and creamy lather and a wonderful shave!

 

[Relitaliano]

This is how I learned how to bowl lather.... I don't like using a brush in the soap tub as I like to keep them pristine... So I'm a scoop and smear guy.... This video is what I watched in the first few weeks of my shaving journey..... I didn't have a CaYuen bowl until much later, but I still used this method.

I don't face lather due to a skin condition that prohibits it for me..... It is a lot easier, but I tried it a few times, hoping I wouldn't get brush burn, red face.... Whatever you prefer to call it.

As the old saying goes, there is more than one way to skin a cat. <eg>

Using Sergio’s method…How many ml of water would you add to 1/4 soap scooped in a bowl for a properly hydrated lather?

This is exactly the “sour cream” consistency of lather I am trying to achieve, for a low structure, skin protective, slick lather!

 

[Guido75]

Thanks for sharing @Golden_Edge. My method comes close to that of Ron with the smearing of the soap across my bowl from Serge (if I bowl lather). I am going to give Ron’s lathering method another go with my Manchurian. I noticed he switched brushes from synthetic to badger for bowl lathering versus face lathering. That is my experience too: badger brushes are less suitable for bowl lathering. At least in my hands with my technique. So let’s see where I can improve!

Thanks,

Guido

 

[tropic]

My Stirling Cliff notes: add water as fast as you like, stop before it begins to blow up, take fifteen seconds to mercilessly beat it into a uniform consistency before it has enough water to ship evil bubbles, and then you're just a bit of water and some agitation away from any stlye of lather you like.

A bit low-brow, but it works for me. YMMV.

 

[Leverspro]

Great videos.
I've been scooping and pressing a very thin layer of soap in my bowl for years now. Works great. I forget who I got the spritzer bottle tip from but it works so much better than trying to drizzle water in from the tap.

 

[The Blackadder]

I also use a similar method of scooping and pressing with croaps. How do you guys do it with hard soaps? I personally use a knife to cut “mini slices” which then I press into the bowl

 

[tropic]

I also use a similar method of scooping and pressing with croaps. How do you guys do it with hard soaps? I personally use a knife to cut “mini slices” which then I press into the bowl

I'd love to know, too. I'm currently using this. It'll chew up a puck in less than 60 seconds and keep the shavings handy for you, but there's probably a better way. I'm lying, of course... but if TRC offered a dosing spoon shaped like a cheese slicer, I'd probably buy it.

 

[Blade_Runner37C]

Well he used about a gallon more water than I do. I guess I've been skimping on the water quite a bit.

 

[jaketparker]

Well he used about a gallon more water than I do. I guess I've been skimping on the water quite a bit.

I'm the same, but I don't think there is a wrong way of going about it. All preference really and I don't really notice a difference in the performance.

 

[Phoenixkh]

Using Sergio’s method…How many ml of water would you add to 1/4 soap scooped in a bowl for a properly hydrated lather?

This is exactly the “sour cream” consistency of lather I am trying to achieve, for a low structure, skin protective, slick lather!

I don't weigh out the water. I'm pretty familiar with all my soaps, as I don't have many. I usually use 4 to 6 squirts from my misting bottle, then smear the soap thin into the grooves of my CaYuen large shaving bowl.... I let it float in a hot sink full of water while I shower.... brush on my pre-shave, then make the lather. I usually have to add a few more squirts from the mister to get the lather where I want it.... I prefer it on the wetter side, so it's still lather and not soup.. but wet enough so my razors glide easily.

 

[Leverspro]

I also use a similar method of scooping and pressing with croaps. How do you guys do it with hard soaps? I personally use a knife to cut “mini slices” which then I press into the bowl

I use the same tool to get soap out of any tub, hard or soft, which is the "wrong" end of a measuring spoon. If the soap is hard it scrapes up into thin curls that I press into a bowl the same way I would use a croap.

 

[Wgg2017]

That is my experience too: badger brushes are less suitable for bowl lathering. At least in my hands with my technique.

I always have to use much more soap when bowl lathering with a badger brush than what I need with a synthetic brush. Other than that, the lather turns out the same. Do you have problems with a bowl/badger other than just having to use more soap?

I use the same tool to get soap out of any tub, hard or soft, which is the "wrong" end of a measuring spoon. If the soap is hard it scrapes up into thin curls that I press into a bowl the same way I would use a croap.

This is a great idea that I’m going try out. Until now I was resigned to using a brush directly on the hard soaps.