Wickham loading issues

[Omp]

I feel a bit pathetic having to ask this question. It has such a good reputation that I am somewhat bewildered as to why I am struggling to get 3 passes out of a brush loaded with Wickhams.
I've tried boar, badger and synthetic brushes and I have also tried various levels of brush dryness/wetness and soap dryness/wetness and spent more time loading than I have nearly every other soap.
Am I missing something?
With the various Wickham samples I received, they were soft enough to smear on my face and I got copious lather. The English Lavender tub I have is a bit firmer though and however much I think I have loaded, I have run out of lather before the 3rd pass.

 

[cheesepiece]

Foolproof tip, and YMMV, I load on a boar for 120 swirls with the brush fully soaked and without any prior shaking or removal of water. Then switch to lather on the face. I have no trouble loading but on a fully luxurious Sunday shave I'll do the 120 swirls and offer to shave the dog with the remaining lather.

 

[jb74]

I've been using Wickham soaps all week and haven't had a single issue.

Do you face lather or bowl lather? Is the water in your area hard? How long do you load the brush for?

I don't pre-soak Wickhams too much in advance, just the slightest bit of water on it. I also rinse out any excess water from my brush. I then spend a good 10-12 seconds loading the brush before face lathering. For the third pass I usually squeeze the lather out of the brush and then apply by hand as a lot of lather can get caught up in the brush.

 

[Omp]

I've been using Wickham soaps all week and haven't had a single issue.

Do you face lather or bowl lather? Is the water in your area hard? How long do you load the brush for?

I don't pre-soak Wickhams too much in advance, just the slightest bit of water on it. I also rinse out any excess water from my brush. I then spend a good 10-12 seconds loading the brush before face lathering. For the third pass I usually squeeze the lather out of the brush and then apply by hand as a lot of lather can get caught up in the brush.

I face lather with soft water. This morning I loaded for about 45 seconds which is much more than I do with others.
I use your squeezing method for the last pass but, again, I rarely have to do this with other soaps/creams.
It sounds like wetter might be a bit better for the brush. A bit like building a fair bit of the lather on the soap before going to the face?

 

[jb74]

I have soft water also. 45 seconds sounds like a long time for Wickhams as I typically have plenty after 10-12.

I found the lather used to end up all over the place when I gave the puck a heavy soak and used a very wet brush, so started building it from a drier state and dipping the brush in the water as required when face lathering.

Do you just have the one Wickhams soap? I've 5-6 and have been using some of my early purchases this week, from when Darron first released the soaps last year (English Lavender, Southsea Spray and Club Cola), and all have performed consistently well.

You're definitely the first person I've seen mention issues lathering the soap as it has a reputation as being easy to lather.

 

[p.b]

Just because a soap works for most it doesn't mean that it'll work for everyone. I found Wickhams poor for slip despite its reputation for slickness (and I have a water softener, so very soft water.) If you've tried all the options of more water / more product it might "just not work" with your water.

 

[fly3k]

Just because a soap works for most it doesn't mean that it'll work for everyone. I found Wickhams poor for slip despite its reputation for slickness (and I have a water softener, so very soft water.) If you've tried all the options of more water / more product it might "just not work" with your water.

Pretty much this here in regards to slickness, but I have hard water. It's not one that leaves any residual slickness behind. I have found it needs loading as much as any other soap 30 to 45 seconds. If I scrimp any less than that I don't have enough for 3 passes. I have seen people say you need very little loading but assume it down to water hardness. It's a very soft soap so loads easily enough.

 

[jb74]

It's not one that leaves any residual slickness behind

I would agree with this, you can't do touches ups without lather when using Wickham, I mentioned this to Darron back in the initial testing stages.

it might "just not work"

I'd agree with this also. An example, for me, is Mitchell's Wool Fat. It just doesn't live up to the reputation it seems to have established on the forums.

 

[Omp]

I have 3 of the soaps but have only opened one and another 4 samples. Like I say, the samples seem fine.
I'll persevere for a few more shaves to see if I find the winning formula.

 

[Nico1970]

I've not had any problems producing a great lather with Wickham Soap using a damp badger brush, well loaded with product and then bowl lathering / adding small drops of water until the right consistency is established.

Whilst the Wickham soap is undoubtedly very good, I too don't believe it has the level of lubricity / moisturizing effect of the very best soaps (which are [IMHO and IME] Mickey Lee Soap and Soap Commander).

 

[fly3k]

It's not one that leaves any residual slickness behind

I would agree with this, you can't do touches ups without lather when using Wickham, I mentioned this to Darron back in the initial testing stages.

it might "just not work"

I'd agree with this also. An example, for me, is Mitchell's Wool Fat. It just doesn't live up to the reputation it seems to have established on the forums.

I know it's frowned upon not to re lather for touch ups but I think a lot of people do. Even the "gurus".

I'll get shot down no doubt but I do find I have a differing opinion on some soaps that are well loved MdC being one of them that also lacks slickness and really drys my skin out. Still all part of finding out what works for us I guess and the whole YMMV.

 

[Mike_B]

With Wickhams I go right to the dry tub but with quite a wet brush (let the excess water fall out then a couple of little shakes before loading) and I have plenty of lather for 3+ passes. Although when I first used it I encountered problems the same as you mention due to, to dry a brush. I also found that I get much more and better (slicker) lather by attacking the tub with the extra water than adding water to my face and I always load upside down for a few swirles just before taking the brush from the tub to allow any 'proto lather' and any water left to run into the brush. Hopefully that makes sense but it seems to work for me anyway.

I also have residual slickness left after the initial pass, although nothing compared to MWF which for me is the holy grail of slickness when you get it right but much more than I get from some other soaps or any of my creams.

P.S. I have very soft water from Ennerdale Water.

 

[Gairdner]

Wickham's simply leaps out of the tub onto my brush and I'm left squeezing a mountain of lather out of my brush to wash my face with. And that's after three or four passes! Must be the incredibly soft water here.