Shaves per tub

[p.b]

Whilst I know I'm utterly profligate in the loading of my soaps and I like 26-28mm badgers the recent formulations are following in the footsteps of Grooming Department in creating a very dense lather which does not require a lot of water (see Ruds Shaves use of Declaration Grooming Milksteak). Other soaps that I've used over the last 10 years or so have not disappeared quite so quickly as these recent 'yogurty' formulations.

 

[donnie_arko]

Perhaps I am underestimating the number of shaves. Though the method I used on my last one was fairly wasteful of soap (but lots of good lather), because I was keen to move onto something else. I'm on the Arko now so not particularly worried about frugality...

I'm not a fan of 'loading soap like you hate it', not for the issue of frugality but I'm not a fan of having a lather that's too dense/thick/heavy or too much soap on the brush to begin with takes more time to build the lather, which is generally why I prefer using shaving sticks as I can see how much soap I am loading exactly and how much to load to build a lather with the consistency I like the most.

 

[Zwilling]

I'm not a fan of 'loading soap like you hate it', not for the issue of frugality but I'm not a fan of having a lather that's too dense/thick/heavy or too much soap on the brush to begin with takes more time to build the lather, which is generally why I prefer using shaving sticks as I can see how much soap I am loading exactly and how much to load to build a lather with the consistency I like the most.

I am increasingly of the same view! I have only been wet shaving for about 25 years but I'm still learning about soap. Long may it last.

 

[MPH]

Bet you have a pyramid to sharpen your blades.

I just had to Google that!

Some people really are insane! Lol.

 

[Merkurologist]

I think it also depends on the type brush and type of soap, a synthetic brush, in my experience needs less loading than a badger brush which in turns requires less loading than a boar brush.

Some soaps get used up quicker than others too, for instance, my PAA soaps go down faster than others and I'd probably get fewer shaves than with an OSP to mention one, on the other hand there are soaps that seem to last a very long time, MDC is an obvious one that comes to mind.

In any case, it's not important to me but I wish I didn't have to remember how much loading I need for every soap....I don't believe in the 30 seconds rule

 

[Steinmetzify]

Actually never finished one; only been doing this about 18-20 months and I bought a lot of soap lol

Recently started using the Marco method, thinking I’m going to go thru quite a few now.

 

[Chris]

I just had to Google that!

Some people really are insane! Lol.

It works best if you flip the blade after a shave to use the other edge.

 

[Nishy]

Tabac, MdC and MWF buy these 3 and you need not buy anymore, even if you started shaving at 13.

 

[p.b]

For reference I get about 30 shaves out of 125g of Eufros using the exact same loading method and brushes. Obviously I would get more if only using synthetic brushes or smaller brushes.

 

[ManicDee]

Yeah, I'll tell yeah, if I ever manage to finish one!

Seriously, I have collected over 60 soaps, pucks and creams. Including, the 1st tub of Tobs, that was first recommended to me over 3yrs ago on this forum .

 

[Matsilainen]

My tracking indicates that per shave, I use:
• ~2 g of soap when it’s a soft soap/croap
• 0.5–1 g of a hard/triple-milled soap.
Soaps (soft ones especially) lose some of their mass through evaporation, as time goes by. In any case, with that usage, a standard 110 g soap should yield at least 40–50 shaves. Take a 150 g Saponificio Varesino and it’s ~150–300 shaves…

 

[Ventastic]

My tracking indicates that per shave, I use:
• ~2 g of soap when it’s a soft soap/croap
• 0.5–1 g of a hard/triple-milled soap.
Soaps (soft ones especially) lose some of their mass through evaporation, as time goes by. In any case, with that usage, a standard 110 g soap should yield at least 40–50 shaves. Take a 150 g Saponificio Varesino and it’s ~150–300 shaves…

This mirrors my experience exactly.

 

[p.b]

My tracking indicates that per shave, I use:
• ~2 g of soap when it’s a soft soap/croap
• 0.5–1 g of a hard/triple-milled soap.
Soaps (soft ones especially) lose some of their mass through evaporation, as time goes by. In any case, with that usage, a standard 110 g soap should yield at least 40–50 shaves. Take a 150 g Saponificio Varesino and it’s ~150–300 shaves…

Do you use or have any data on these recent formulations?

 

[Chris]

For reference I get about 30 shaves out of 125g of Eufros using the exact same loading method and brushes. Obviously I would get more if only using synthetic brushes or smaller brushes.

Crikey! How many people are you shaving?

 

[Matsilainen]

Do you use or have any data on these recent formulations?

If you are referring to some of the latest soap bases, such as Milksteak, Siero, or Soft Heart Series, I have tracked them, as well (for the short while that I’ve used them). I’ll do bullet points again for clarity.
• I use natural hair and synthetic brushes. (Mostly badger, though.)
• Knot sizes vary between 24–30 mm. (Most often 26 mm.)
• I always use close to the same amount of soap, regardless of the type of brush.
• The tap water here is hard, but runs through a softener.
• I only do two-pass shaves.

With all of those soap bases, I can get a decent two-pass shave with 1.5 grams of soap, but I much prefer to use around 2 grams, as it improves the quality of the lather. I load the soaps from a steel bowl with a brush that has been squeezed fairly dry. While I eventually do add a few drops of water to the bowl, developing the lather continues on the face. I like to aim for a fairly shiny lather, but not one that is drippy.