Making lather in a shaving bowl

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2
hi all I'm after some advice.

I've been wet shaving for years and with brush and soap for about a year, DE for 3 months or so. I have had no problem getting a lather with my Taylor of old Bond Street sandalwood hard soap and my old boar hair brush and hand lathering.

For Christmas my better half bought me an Edwin Jagger bulldog bowl and tradional shaving pure badger brush. My first attempts with the new brush and bowl combo were a disaster and I had to go back to the old brush and hand lathering.

I have figured out from reading a few posts that I was using to much water with the badger brush and can now hand lather with it, but still fail if I try the bowl.

Anyone have any advice?!

Thanks in advance!!
 
Hi tom, i am by no means an expert but have you tried face lathering.
i bowl lathered for years untill i tried face lathering, so much easier
as you can feel as well as see if the lather is too dry or too wet,
give it a try. nothing to lose
 
hi all I'm after some advice.

I've been wet shaving for years and with brush and soap for about a year, DE for 3 months or so. I have had no problem getting a lather with my Taylor of old Bond Street sandalwood hard soap and my old boar hair brush and hand lathering.

For Christmas my better half bought me an Edwin Jagger bulldog bowl and tradional shaving pure badger brush. My first attempts with the new brush and bowl combo were a disaster and I had to go back to the old brush and hand lathering.

I have figured out from reading a few posts that I was using to much water with the badger brush and can now hand lather with it, but still fail if I try the bowl.

Anyone have any advice?!

Thanks in advance!!
Your brush shouldn't be too wet, load the soap 'till your wrist hurts then start hammering the bowl with the loaded brush, slowly add more water- a few drops at a time. That's it.
 
Sorry for last reply, an answer to a question that was not asked.
Tobs sandalwood was my first cream i used and when i started
i used too much cream. used a teaspoon worth in a bowl.
still got a great shave.But loads left over when i was finished.
then i started using less and less soap, until i got it just right
maybe try using loads of soap on brush, then cut back a bit at a time
when you have it right
edit just as shave to the grave just said. doh:oops:
 
Thanks guys!

I think I have not been getting enough soap onto my brush from what you guys have said. I was loading for about 30s.

Also do I need to soften the soap? I have been putting a little hot water on it whilst I shower but have seen some people put it in a sink of water.
 
I have a TOBS Sandalwood hard soap in a tub.
Sometimes I bloom it a bit with water and then use a drier synthetic brush, but sometimes I do not bloom it and use a wet brush.
Don't have a badger but with a boar (which I soak before loading) - I squeeze most of the water from it, just to keep it damp and start loading for 30-40sec. When I load it i transfer it to a bowl (i wash my bowl before use, and do not dry it, just to keep it a bit wet also) and start whipping the cream :D I add water bit by bit, as needed.
 
Thanks guys!

I think I have not been getting enough soap onto my brush from what you guys have said. I was loading for about 30s.

Also do I need to soften the soap? I have been putting a little hot water on it whilst I shower but have seen some people put it in a sink of water.

@chris.hale has a point here. I have a strict procedure of putting a bit of water on a hard soap a few minutes before lathering. I do this to ensure the best loading experience. Sometimes I forget to put the water on, and get exactly the same results.
 
hi all I'm after some advice.

I've been wet shaving for years and with brush and soap for about a year, DE for 3 months or so. I have had no problem getting a lather with my Taylor of old Bond Street sandalwood hard soap and my old boar hair brush and hand lathering.

For Christmas my better half bought me an Edwin Jagger bulldog bowl and tradional shaving pure badger brush. My first attempts with the new brush and bowl combo were a disaster and I had to go back to the old brush and hand lathering.

I have figured out from reading a few posts that I was using to much water with the badger brush and can now hand lather with it, but still fail if I try the bowl.

Anyone have any advice?!

Thanks in advance!!

I prefer to bowl lather purely because I can see at what stage the lather is at, before I then add it to my face.
After soaking your badger brush, give a couple of little shakes to remove a bit of water, and it should be then ready for you to start bowl lathering.

If you are loading plenty of soap into the brush, and then failing to get a lather with your bowl, then I can only think that you bowl is the cause. I have read posts elsewhere, that some people can struggle with lather or reduced lather with bowls which are completely smooth inside (i.e they don't have a grooved bottom to help with lather build-up).
 
Soap is cheap so load up your badger brush and keep at it and it will come, get plenty of soap it to your brush and give the brush a good flick to get the excess water from it. Only add a couple of drops of water at a time as you build your lather. A ridged bowl make's it easier but is not absolutely necessary .
Good luck ,you can do it! :) P.
 
All good advise given above but here's a little tip I seem to recall getting from Youtube, lather up in a bowl as described then add a tiny squirt of glycerine to it. A couple of whips with the brush and Bob's your uncle, instant super lather! A 500ml dispenser bottle cost me around four quid from evilbay and it'll last me forever. It may be a bit overkill but it works for me!
 
Not the answer you want, but ditch the bowl. I bought a nice Steve (surname evades me now but began with a W, maybe Woodhouse/head?) suribachi a few years back. Looked lovely, but just didn't do it for me. Struggled to get a good lather and when I did it just sat in the bowl, and I ended up rather painting it on than really scrubbing it in to lift the hairs. So I felt that this was really inferior to face lathering.

I'd suggest if you want to use the bowl, soak the brush and maybe a very thin layer of hot water over the top of the soap. Shake the brush and squeeze it to get most of the moisture out, and really go to town on the soap. Loads of soap. Then very gradually add water as you work it in the bowl. You can always add more water but you can't suck it out again.

Some people, depending on the bowl, leave the bowl in a sink of hot water to keep the lather warm almost like using a scuttle but this was something that never bothered me. Good luck.
 
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