The Sudsy Soapery - Optimization Results, Review, Photos, Details

[ShavingByTheNumbers]

Theoretically, I agree with you. But based on my experience, if I over hydrate a lather, I have a hard time getting it back to a good place, even when adding more soap, which should do the trick.

I've not got at this scientifically, like you have , however, so it could just be my mind making connections that aren't really there

Based on my optimum lathers in the table, the optimum water-to-soap ratio is about 9. So, every extra 0.9 g of water goes with an extra 0.1 g of soap. If I add 10 drops of water, which could have a mass of about 0.9 g, I'd have to add only 0.1 g of soap, which is an amount that is tiny on the finger tip, to get the ratio back to what it should be. The water-to-soap ratio is especially sensitive to the amount of soap. When you add too much water, it is difficult to add the right amount of soap to get back to what you want. I hope that I explained that well. Did that make sense?

 

[ShavingByTheNumbers]

I find it works best when I shave in the shower, as opposed to the sink post shower. Due to that I am getting much more water. I also go at with the brush and soap lather is coming out of the jar quite a bit. I use this with my hand and massage it on my face so I know this helps the brush lather.

The shower shave is very slick. I think sudsy is thirsty and needs more water. We have hard water so maybe that's an issue.

On a side note, it used to irritate me, vanilla and almond, but stopped once I went to shower shaving. It really is really good soap.

I think that you're right about Sudsy being thirsty. It can handle water. More water increased the slickness past that of my optimum lather, but the cushion and post-shave deteriorated too much, which is why I have the optimum that I do for Sudsy.

 

[joeyboy]

I think that you're right about Sudsy being thirsty. It can handle water. More water increased the slickness past that of my optimum lather, but the cushion and post-shave deteriorated too much, which is why I have the optimum that I do for Sudsy.

Interesting, I didn't notice that. What I did notice was how much better sudsy is than DR Harris Windsor after not using that for a long time.

 

[Grundi]

Theoretically, I agree with you. But based on my experience, if I over hydrate a lather, I have a hard time getting it back to a good place, even when adding more soap, which should do the trick.

I've not got at this scientifically, like you have , however, so it could just be my mind making connections that aren't really there

+1. This is one of those situations where my head says one thing (that it shouldn't matter) but my experience says another (that too much initial water causing the lather to foam, and I can't get it back). But I do like @ShavingByTheNumbers approach...instead of being subjective, he does a controlled observation. I'm more of an intuitive, load and go, latherer. I'm very fascinated with this thread.

 

[ShavingByTheNumbers]

+1. This is one of those situations where my head says one thing (that it shouldn't matter) but my experience says another (that too much initial water causing the lather to foam, and I can't get it back). But I do like @ShavingByTheNumbers approach...instead of being subjective, he does a controlled observation. I'm more of an intuitive, load and go, latherer. I'm very fascinated with this thread.

I like my approach, too, but I'll modify it if I have to. (I hope I don't have to.) I'm going to start testing MWF soon, and that's probably the one soap that's really made me think that water-adding speed doesn't matter. In the past, it didn't seem to matter whether I tried adding water slowly. No matter what, the lather eventually got airy.

 

[joeyboy]

+1. This is one of those situations where my head says one thing (that it shouldn't matter) but my experience says another (that too much initial water causing the lather to foam, and I can't get it back). But I do like @ShavingByTheNumbers approach...instead of being subjective, he does a controlled observation. I'm more of an intuitive, load and go, latherer. I'm very fascinated with this thread.

To be honest, I don't really understand it. I mix my own e juice using a weighted scale as low 0.25% grams for some ingredients and understand relationships but his blew me away. I understand parts because I work in a clinical lab but just couldn't grasp it. I try to let go of my type A. It isn't easy.

 

[Grundi]

To be honest, I don't really understand it. I mix my own e juice using a weighted scale as low 0.25% grams for some ingredients and understand relationships but his blew me away. I understand parts because I work in a clinical lab but just couldn't grasp it. I try to let go of my type A. It isn't easy.

I have another "hobby" that I actually do something very similar...I reload ammunition (9mm and .40 S&W). I'm very meticulous in my approach, the recipe, the components, the brand of components, bullet weight versus powder charge, watching for any effect that a change may have on performance; so I can relate to what he's doing. What's odd is that as careful as I am with reloading, I just the opposite with shaving and lathering; so I should keep a journal for shaving but I just can't formalize my approach yet.

 

[ShavingByTheNumbers]

I haven't done a controlled study to test the difference between starting with all of the water in the bowl versus adding it slowly, but I hear what you guys are saying. . . . I'll run a little experiment and get back to you guys soon.

I ran that experiment. Take a look:

Experimental Evidence That Adding Water All at Once or Little by Little Makes Same Lather

 

[tclobaugh]

I have another "hobby" that I actually do something very similar...I reload ammunition (9mm and .40 S&W). I'm very meticulous in my approach, the recipe, the components, the brand of components, bullet weight versus powder charge, watching for any effect that a change may have on performance; so I can relate to what he's doing. What's odd is that as careful as I am with reloading, I just the opposite with shaving and lathering; so I should keep a journal for shaving but I just can't formalize my approach yet.

I think I would be a little more scientific if I was dealing with gunpowder instead of shaving soap. The end of result of getting it really wrong is much less dangerous

 

[tclobaugh]

I ran that experiment. Take a look:

Experimental Evidence That Adding Water All at Once or Little by Little Makes Same Lather

Interesting...

 

[qVAMPIREp]

I ran that experiment. Take a look:

Experimental Evidence That Adding Water All at Once or Little by Little Makes Same Lather

You are getting caught up on masses and not on how the final lather is actually produced. When you face lather you can just dip the tips of the brush and literally paint in the extra water. This is probably why most wet shavers end up face lathering and just dial it in on the fly.

 

[ShavingByTheNumbers]

You are getting caught up on masses and not on how the final lather is actually produced. When you face lather you can just dip the tips of the brush and literally paint in the extra water. This is probably why most wet shavers end up face lathering and just dial it in on the fly.

Water doesn't just keep separated from the lather, right? It gets mixed in and the lather reacts with it. You're right about dialing in soaps and most of us going to face lathering. I'm still bowl lathering, which helps with the experiments.

 

[qVAMPIREp]

Water doesn't just keep separated from the lather, right? It gets mixed in and the lather reacts with it. You're right about dialing in soaps and most of us going to face lathering. I'm still bowl lathering, which helps with the experiments.

Try "painting" in the extra water the next time you shave. Dip your brush about 1/2-3/4 inch into a mug of water and then paint the brush over your already lathered face. Just a little mixing and you get the yogurt super slick lather of your dreams. It's the best unkept secret of face lathering.

 

[ShavingByTheNumbers]

Try "painting" in the extra water the next time you shave. Dip your brush about 1/2-3/4 inch into a mug of water and then paint the brush over your already lathered face. Just a little mixing and you get the yogurt super slick lather of your dreams. It's the best unkept secret of face lathering.

When you say "a little mixing", do you mean that the painted-on water is mixed with the lather on your face to make a more hydrated lather?