Help me with this Lathering Concern

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sean mac
Posts: 260
Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2005 8:51 pm
Location: western New York

Help me with this Lathering Concern

Post by sean mac »

Help me understand what is happening, please.

For my daily shave I use some variety of shave soap (for the last few days T & H Luxury shave soap) and a Rooney Super Badger brush (Style 3 / Size 1, I believe). I put a bit of water on the soap and let it sit while I take a shower. When its time to shave, I dump the water, let the brush soak in warm water for a minute or so, pick up the brush, let the water drip, give a shake or two and then start twirling my brush on top of the soap. After 50 - 75 twirls I'm ready to go.

This process tends to produce a pretty decent lather and a good first pass. Then I dip the tip of the brush into the water, give it another 20 or so twirls around the soap, and produce a much thicker lather for pass #2. This routine has worked, no real problems. I do wish I could get lather as thick for pass #1 as I do for pass #2.

Yesterday, just for fun, I decided to try a different brush, a cheap AOS brush that I got in a sample pack that I was given a year or so ago, as seen here: http://www.theartofshaving.com/shop/product/98034/20

Well, much to my surprise, that cheap little AOS brush produced a much thicker lather much more quickly than my Rooney. The same thing happened today.

Can anyone explain what may account for getting better lather with this AOS brush than I did with my Rooney. More importantly, what lesson should I take from this that can help me to produce a thicker lather with the Rooney -- which is a brush that I much prefer to use.

Thanks for your help.

Sean
Produce great people, the rest follows.
- Elbert Hubbard
bernards66
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Post by bernards66 »

Sean, Those Rooney Supers are often very dense knots and don't have much 'flow through' so a lot of lather winds up getting held in the core of the knot. If you give the brush a squeeze at it's base a lot of that trapped lather will likely rise to the crown of the brush. Very dense brushes also can retain water, not releasing it easily on to the surface of the soap. As to how to avoid the whole issue, I'm not sure that one can entirely with brushes that are past a certain point in denseness. I also suspect that not having really good shaving water accentuates the problem. Personally, with hard soaps, I get my best lathers using brushes of only moderate density.
Regards,
Gordon
marsos52
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Post by marsos52 »

this isnt going to help you with your situation..

but for me..its the exact opposite,,,when i try using a less dense brush.
i can never get my lather to stay the same through my entire shave..

and many times i need the reload my brush during my shave. amd that just drives me crazy

for this reason i only use ronneys, because i love the density of there brushes..i load once and im good for the whole shave and even longer..

i have never needed to squeeze my knot either,, maybe rooneys were made for me...i dont know,, i know my water is hard,, i use soaps and creams,, and for the most part i prepare my lather making about the same as others explain how they do it..

i do think i use less water than others,, i run hot/warm water into my brush and shake/flick the brush about 3 times..till no water is coming from the brush, then i load the brush,,and few swirls and i paint across the puck,, then i make the lather in my mug/scuttle, if and when i feel i need a bit more water i add just one drop from wetting my finger
and that mostly makes my a nice thick and workable lather

you can pm me for my address to send your rooneys to me
haha

marc
sean mac
Posts: 260
Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2005 8:51 pm
Location: western New York

Post by sean mac »

I don't know what this means, but prior to today's shave I gave my brush a good hard squeeze. This meant that the brush was much dryer than is typically the case when I started to work the soap. The result -- a nice thick lather.

I'll try the same technique tomorrow to see what happens. I hope that this is the answer to my problem.

Sean
Produce great people, the rest follows.
- Elbert Hubbard
bernards66
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Post by bernards66 »

Sean, Okay, try it a few more times and see if that does the trick. Generally, too much water in a brush will result in a thin lather.
Regards,
Gordon
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jww
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Post by jww »

I am a bit of a "knot squeezer" myself -- particularly with my badger brushes, but not with my boars.

When I started out, I tended to go with a brush that erred on the side of less water and added as I went along. It was far easier to control water content that way for me. Over time I just figured it out and now get great lather no matter what.
Wendell

Resident Wool Fat Evangelist & anglophile. Have you hugged a sheep today?
sean mac
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Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2005 8:51 pm
Location: western New York

Post by sean mac »

Gordon / Wendell,

Thanks for your responses. I've been shaving with this brush for several years and thought that I had things figured out. However, in the past I've typically used either a cream or an Art of Shaving soap. My technique was fine.
Recently, however, I've been using Trumper's sandalwood soap and T & H Luxury soap. I've not been doing so well with these soaps. This led to the experiment to try a different brush.

Fortunately, I've had two days of good lather after giving the brush a squeeze. I'll try again tomorrow and hope to hit the trifecta.

I've got two pucks of D.R. Harris soap heading my way. Any advice on how I should handle these?
Produce great people, the rest follows.
- Elbert Hubbard
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jww
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Post by jww »

sean mac wrote:...
I've got two pucks of D.R. Harris soap heading my way. Any advice on how I should handle these?
Lovingly and with undying respect. Other than that enjoy using them? Which scents are coming to you?
Wendell

Resident Wool Fat Evangelist & anglophile. Have you hugged a sheep today?
sean mac
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Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2005 8:51 pm
Location: western New York

Post by sean mac »

Lovingly and with undying respect
No doubt that will be the case!

I decided to go with Arlington and Almond. If all goes well the pair should arrive in time for me to enjoy them this weekend.
Produce great people, the rest follows.
- Elbert Hubbard
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Lindy
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Post by Lindy »

I just heard about squeezing the knot about a week ago and I am amazed at the results! I have a badger which I totally love, and now I love it more... :D
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