Lathering - which method?

Fido

Fido

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Location
New Forest, England.
Vulfix tell us that the "correct" use of a shaving brush is to build lather in painting motions to prolong the life of our brushes.

Here are two very different approaches to lathering by a master barber and a master enthusiast:

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Two very different approaches. Note how little lather is used by Robert and how much by Mantic. Clearly, both methods work. And each of us has our own variations and make our own rules.

Perhaps Vulfix should put some videos on their website.
 
I think the lathering method's they employ reflect their beard types.

Mantic seems to me to have a much courser denser beard and I'm not convinced Robert is even generating lather as such. It's not a criticism but it seems he can certainly shave adequately with some pre-shave and moistened cream, fair enough but if I used his method verbatim it would just hurt and thanks to Henk we now know about pre shave products and their viability.
 
Yeah I think you are right, we do adapt to suit our own preferences and beard types. I do a bit of both, couple of swirls in the tub and that goes straight on the face and sits there while I go and make the shave grade lather. This is usually applied via some swirling on the lower neck and cheeks but also with some straight lines at the edges and top lip/chin areas. My lather (usually) ends up somewhere between Roberts and Mantics but my beard is not overly heavy or wiry.

I have always stuck to the rule of doing what I enjoy and this is usually the same as what works (i.e. I enjoyed the shave because it worked well) but I don't get hung up on it. Lathering is a fluid thing for me and I sometimes go back and pick up more soap sometimes not, only when it "feels right" do I take the razors to my face.
 
Bit of both here too, I basically face lather which means swirl until a good lather is achieved then paint on all. What's the worry about wearing out a brush? Surely thats just creating an excuse to buy a new one!
 
Face lather with both creams and soaps, swirling like a mad man really working the brush and end up looking like i've been hit in the face with a lather bomb.

As well as the walls to either side and behind me, the ceiling and the floor under the sink. If your gonna make lather, make lather :lol:

Smashed the granny out of my EJ brush in the first year and its still doing fine, same with the Duke.
 
Agree more with Mantic, but Robert is right in the paintbrush-only motions for the brush (I've heard most barbers give this advice).
Good reminder, Fido, Robert's lather would feel too little for me, but certainly not wrong - viewing again his video from time to time is good, very good.
 
Fido said:
Vulfix tell us that the "correct" use of a shaving brush is to build lather in painting motions to prolong the life of our brushes.

Here are two very different approaches to lathering by a master barber and a master enthusiast:

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKg5r_JkgQA&feature=player_embedded" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YKg5r_Jk ... r_embedded</a><!-- m -->

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd7Aj9vwrtc" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dd7Aj9vwrtc</a><!-- m -->

Two very different approaches. Note how little lather is used by Robert and how much by Mantic. Clearly, both methods work. And each of us has our own variations and make our own rules.

Perhaps Vulfix should put some videos on their website.
Click to expand...


No insult but I cannot agree with robert's method,the lather dosen't get hydrated enough,it's very thin and weak too(if you can call that lather!),besides if you lather in a bowl you have to move the brush in circules to generate lather(this can shorten the life of your brush in the same way?) so I can't see circular motion on face doing any harm if you think circular bowl motions are ok,anyone generates lather in a bowl using just paint motion????
 
Face lather, soaps and creams. More mantics method than roberts works for me. I do a final paint with the lather before the razor hits my face. As with others, I dont worrry about it regarding brush life. If my brushed start shedding significantly, then I might see the sense in paint brush only, but my 2 band bushes ( fido and neo custom) hae never lost a hair, and fido slivertip after its initial break in has stopped as well. All brilliant brushes, all used face lathering, mostly swirling.
 
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