#1
Not sure if this should be in brushes or soaps since it encompasses both, I put it here.

Many time when reading reviews, I read where people say ...

"I got enough lather for three passes plus touchup and all this lather left over" or something similar.

So what's the point of this? The amount of lather left over is entirely dependent upon brush size, brush density, amount of soap/cream used, the efficiency of the soap/cream, and probably something else inherent in the soap/cream.

All this tells me is that the user, the person making the lather, threw away money .... flush down the sink. Am I missing something? Are these people proud they had left over lather? Do you figure it out and make just enough lather or routinely throw money away?  Whats going on? I try to make exactly as much lather as I need plus a margin of error - no more, no less.

thanks
#2

Member
Austin, TX
I can tell by the loading process [feel, consistency, etc.] when I have a sufficient load. During the week this is a three pass shave with a squeeze that I then use for touch ups, typically around my adam's apple etc. Weekends, it's a four pass shave if I have time.

I am not miserly with my soaps by any stretch but I have developed a fairly good feel for when enough is enough, independent of the soap used. Then again, I'd rather somebody load too much and throw those pennies down the drain than wonder why they don't get a good lather based on insufficient loading.

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Kevin
#3

Veni, vidi, vici
Vault 111
(This post was last modified: 07-15-2016, 12:56 AM by primotenore.)
Sorry grim , but I am one of those wasters. I don't brag about losing money, rather I brag about the great shave I got with a plethora of lather.  Big Grin
BTW, this morning I had enough lather for three passes and plenty left over for a thorough touch-up.

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~~~~
Primo
Shaving since 1971; enjoying my shaves since 2014
A che bel vivere, che bel piacere, per un barbiere di qualità! Happy2
#4

Member
Las Vegas, NV, USA
When it’s a first-time review, I can somewhat understand such expressions as “lather explosion” or “enough lather to shave the whole neighborhood”. I think the idea is to indicate that the soap in question is easy to lather.

In everyday use, it may be nice to have a little too much than too little lather. But I would imagine that not many of us are lathering insanely excessive amounts. Those “enough lather for days” statements are probably most frequently first-use expressions. (I could be wrong, of course.)

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Whenever I go to shave, I assume there’s someone else on the planet shaving, so I say “I’m gonna go shave, too.”
– Mitch Hedberg
#5
(This post was last modified: 07-15-2016, 01:25 AM by Hobbyist.)
(07-15-2016, 12:55 AM)primotenore Wrote: Sorry grim , but I am one of those wasters. I don't brag about losing money, rather I brag about the great shave I got with a plethora of lather.  Big Grin
BTW, this morning I had enough lather for three passes and plenty left over for a thorough touch-up.

I'm one too, except I never talk about it. I load heavy always because the soaps I use tend to lather better that way. With 15 full size soaps in rotation I don't see the need to save lather. Some people try to conserve and more power to them. Heck, some even leave the old lather in the tub to reuse the next shave.

Personally I try not to care what others choose to do in their shaving ritual. If there is something I can learn then I am grateful to them sharing, but I'm not about to criticize someone for the amount of suds they like to build, or how often they change their blades, etc.

One more thing. I think a lot of people under load and it may be why so many claim very good soaps for most are not good performers for them.

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#6

Vintage Razor Fan
Southwestern NY
(This post was last modified: 07-15-2016, 01:26 AM by Blade4vor.)
(07-15-2016, 01:13 AM)Matsilainen Wrote: When it’s a first-time review, I can somewhat understand such expressions as “lather explosion” or “enough lather to shave the whole neighborhood”. I think the idea is to indicate that the soap in question is easy to lather.

In everyday use, it may be nice to have a little too much than too little lather. But I would imagine that not many of us are lathering insanely excessive amounts. Those “enough lather for days” statements are probably most frequently first-use expressions. (I could be wrong, of course.)

I agree with all of the responses, so far.  But, I look at these statements in reviews about abundant lather the same way as Matthew( Matsilainen).  I read that as ease of lathering or surprise at ease of lathering.

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-Rob
#7

Member
Atlanta, GA
(07-15-2016, 01:16 AM)Hobbyist Wrote:
(07-15-2016, 12:55 AM)primotenore Wrote: Sorry grim , but I am one of those wasters. I don't brag about losing money, rather I brag about the great shave I got with a plethora of lather.  Big Grin
BTW, this morning I had enough lather for three passes and plenty left over for a thorough touch-up.

I'm one too, except I never talk about it. I load heavy always because the soaps I use tend to lather better that way. With 15 full size soaps in rotation I don't see the need to save lather. Some people try to conserve and more power to them. Heck, some even leave the old lather in the tub to reuse the next shave.

Personally I try not to care what others choose to do in their shaving ritual. If there is something I can learn then I am grateful to them sharing, but I'm not about to criticize someone for the amount of suds they like to build, or how often they change their blades, etc.

One more thing. I think a lot of people under load and it may be why so many claim very good soaps for most are not good performers for them.

I am with you guys. I don't talk about it but I load soaps like each shave will be my last. I am not trying to be wasteful but I do enjoy my shaves.

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Clint
#8
(07-15-2016, 01:25 AM)Blade4vor Wrote:
(07-15-2016, 01:13 AM)Matsilainen Wrote: When it’s a first-time review, I can somewhat understand such expressions as “lather explosion” or “enough lather to shave the whole neighborhood”. I think the idea is to indicate that the soap in question is easy to lather.

In everyday use, it may be nice to have a little too much than too little lather. But I would imagine that not many of us are lathering insanely excessive amounts. Those “enough lather for days” statements are probably most frequently first-use expressions. (I could be wrong, of course.)

I agree with all of the responses, so far.  But, I look at these statements in reviews about abundant lather the same way as Matthew( Matsilainen).  I read that as ease of lathering or surprise at ease of lathering.

I load heavy but still only end up with enough for 3 to 4 passes if I squeeze the remaining lather out of the brush. One other reason I do this besides ease of lather building with plenty of soap is because I never know for certain how many passes I will do. I typically do 2.5 passes, meaning 2 full and one partial for WTG on my neck. Then other times if the shave didn't go as well as I hoped, perhaps due to a blade that needed changed, I may do 3 full passes. And finally, there are those rare occasions when I may do a 3 pass plus a touchup.

One other factor which Grim did mention is that my smallest brushes are 24mm and my favorite brush is a 26mm. Those brushes can all hold a nice amount of lather.

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#9

Member
Atlanta, GA
Hobbyist Excellent points. I too never know if I will end up with 2 passes plus touch ups or 3 with touch ups. All but a couple of my brushes are above 24mm and when correctly loaded they hold a tremendous amount of lather.

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Clint
#10
(This post was last modified: 07-15-2016, 02:42 AM by grim.)
I'm not criticizing anyone for wasting lather. Not an issue. If I don't like something I just toss it so its not like I can criticize anyone for that.

Its more like I was reading this http://damnfineshave.com/thread-done-and...e-finished and it appears few people have finished anything. OK, then I read this http://knightmare1015.blogspot.com/2016/...edium=feed

How is it possible to go through 20 soaps in 6 months? That is how I read this. The author talks about burning through a pound of soap. Huh How is that possible? 20 in 6 months? Or am I reading this wrong? The author even admits it will drive people crazy? I dont see how it possible. The 3 passes plus touchup thing is common. But I assume of course everyone does that. Sorry I should have led with the blog entry because thats my real question.

my bad.

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