I find that when using a smaller brush I often have to go back to the soap after the second or third pass. If the lather evaporates from the brush or if I add too much water to the brush, I'll go back to the soap to balance it out.
Face lathering, and going back to the puck
- Thread starter kevo
- Start date
OK, one thing I've never quite understood here on the forum is the seeming idea that you create the lather once, and then proceed to use it throughout the rest of the shave.
Balderdash, I say!
Need more soap? Then by all means, get some more soap!
Lather a bit dry on pass #2? Then add some water, my dear friends!
Lather on your face getting thin halfway through the shave? Well, dagnabbit, put down the razor for a second, and grab that $$$ damn nice brush that you covet so much and put some more suds on your face! It's yet another opportunity to use that fine instrument for just what it was intended to be used for!
Your lather should be considered a living, organic part of the shave, interactive art that is created alongside and in concert with the removal of whiskers process. Not some sacred cow that once lathered needs to be put upon a pedastal and revered.
Balderdash, I say!
Need more soap? Then by all means, get some more soap!
Lather a bit dry on pass #2? Then add some water, my dear friends!
Lather on your face getting thin halfway through the shave? Well, dagnabbit, put down the razor for a second, and grab that $$$ damn nice brush that you covet so much and put some more suds on your face! It's yet another opportunity to use that fine instrument for just what it was intended to be used for!
Your lather should be considered a living, organic part of the shave, interactive art that is created alongside and in concert with the removal of whiskers process. Not some sacred cow that once lathered needs to be put upon a pedastal and revered.
Despite the above poster's vociferous protests, I load my humble boar brush at the beginning of the shave, shave 3 passes, and wash away the remaining perfectly good lather from my brush. I do this every day. Must be magic.
I always hit the puck before my 3rd pass.
J
Jarmo P
I used to rub the shave stick on 2nd and third pass, but after skipping rinsing my face between the passes I can get consistent lather without reloading my brush or applying the shave stick.
Despite the above poster's vociferous protests, I load my humble boar brush at the beginning of the shave, shave 3 passes, and wash away the remaining perfectly good lather from my brush. I do this every day. Must be magic.
All I'm saying is do what you need to to get great lather.
If you do it once, and everything is perfect, that's great. If you have to go back to the soap, the bowl, the scuttle, whatever, there's no shame in that either.
I'm usually able to get enough lather from soaps for 3-4 passes. But that's with my new brush. When I used to use a crappy boar brush, I would lather on top of the soap, and go in for a reload after the 2nd pass.
Reload causes a huge mess because the puck is dry, and you have to create the lather again. I usually create it in a separate bowl so I can go in there for extra if I need it.
Reload causes a huge mess because the puck is dry, and you have to create the lather again. I usually create it in a separate bowl so I can go in there for extra if I need it.
I've been face lathering for 12 years though only a member of this forum for six months. My soap pucks last a looooong time. 
But as many have written here already, it all goes back to the soap, the brush, the water, and what works for you.
Enjoy your shaves!
~Paul
But as many have written here already, it all goes back to the soap, the brush, the water, and what works for you.
Enjoy your shaves!
~Paul
I re-load after pass two to get extra cushion for passes 3-4
I am a relative newbie, but for me, the brush itself seems to make the most difference. My little Rooney special in pure will give me 3-passes with soaps or creams, while my Rooney 1/1 in finest rarely squeeks out a 3rd pass. I personally attribute this to the increased knot density; however, I am hoping the 1/1 looses it's lather hogging ability with time! 
Face lathering with my Omega boar brush and MWF, I get enough lather for 4 full passes, and usually have enough lather left in the brush for 2 more passes if I were so inclined. Even my cheap VDH boar brush (now that it's broken in) holds enough for 4 passes. With Tabac, I don't get quite so much volume, but it works well anyway.
Once I go puck I never go back.
I load the brush once and it usually has enough for 3 passes+ cleaning up.
This is an issue that I simply don't concern myself with. I go back to the puck as needed while face lathering up for the first pass, and as needed for the following passes.
But I only load up the brush with lather about halfway down the bristles. It's really very similar to working with a paint brush. A professional painter knows to dip the brush only halfway into the paint. Any farther in and that paint remains trapped in the brush, useless. It's the same with lather. And I never have to squeeze the brush to get the lather out of the base because it isn't there! I just more as needed.
But I only load up the brush with lather about halfway down the bristles. It's really very similar to working with a paint brush. A professional painter knows to dip the brush only halfway into the paint. Any farther in and that paint remains trapped in the brush, useless. It's the same with lather. And I never have to squeeze the brush to get the lather out of the base because it isn't there! I just more as needed.
I pretty much avoid all the mumbo gumbo ritual that a lot perform to get a good lather. I don't soak my soap to soften it. I do soak the brush and just let the water run out of it before I hit the mug. No squeezing or shaking of the brush. I work up some lather and then start working the brush on my face.
I just go back to mug however many times it takes to get a nice lather on my face. I even splash more water on my face between passes. Generally the brush has enough lather after getting a good lather worked up for the first pass for the second and a third if I do one.
I just go back to mug however many times it takes to get a nice lather on my face. I even splash more water on my face between passes. Generally the brush has enough lather after getting a good lather worked up for the first pass for the second and a third if I do one.
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