Shaves per tub

Chibbs11

Veteran
I recently read about how few shaves people were getting out of tubs of some of the new artisan soaps. In particular, I was shocked when @p.b mentioned that his Zingariman Explorer cost him around £1 per shave. I thought it would be interesting to see how many shaves we are getting out of different soaps to allow people some kind of value judgement when considering particular soap purchases.

I know a 28mm brush vs a 22mm brush will use a lot more soap and anyone who does 3-4 passes will use more than a single pass guy. But I think caveating our usage with average brush size and typical passes could give an interesting view. The other obvious issue is I guess more of us keep buying extra soap rather than actually finish off a tub. :) i think I have only finished off 2 tubs in the last 5 years and bought shed loads of new soap!! But I am committed to using more of what I have already got, and I do keep a spreadsheet of usage.

So to start this off I have finished:-

OSP Bay Rum, mostly with a 24mm brush, 2 passes, and managed 96 shaves. @Chibbs11
P&B Star Noir, mostly with a 24mm brush, 2 passes, and managed 68 shaves. @Chibbs11
Proraso Green Tub, 24mm synth brush, 3 passes, greater than 100 shaves. @donnie_arko
Proraso red tub, 24mm brush, using the 'Marco method' mostly, about 70 shaves. @Zwilling
 
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sev-8

Forum GOD!
I find I always use about 1g of soap per shave with any soap. That's with a 24mm or 25mm synth and a 2 pass shave plus touch ups. Still haven't finished a tub, but I weigh each of them at the start so know how much I've used
 

Dr Watson

James
Depends on water hardness as well I find. For example here in West Sussex where the water is hard I have to use up to 3g of shaving cream per 3 passes and even then the final pass will be thin compared to the previous. Not measured soap usage but I have to load heavily for 60 seconds... When I lived in Cornwall which has super soft water I hardly needed any product.
 

Grarea

Forum Plod
Excellent.
I look forward to seeing this with people that have done this.
Personally, I am afraid I haven't a clue.
Don't think I have ever bought a brand new soap.
Sorry, nor do I count them.

Can anyone add the amount of shaves from a can of goo as well out of curiosity.
 

MPH

Forum GOD!
My soaps just last forever.... Even when I try to use them up. The first half of the tub goes quite quick, the next quarter takes a while, the last quarter is self replenishing and just doesn't run out....

Think I may have a magic bathroom........
 

Ventastic

Forum GOD!
In defence of Zingari, I just did a test with the following:
- a scale
- small spatula to scoop soap out of the soap tub
- 1.1 grams of Zingari Magician
- a small bowl in which to load my brush
- a 24mm 2bed synth brush

I hand lathered for about a minute and probably got enough lather for 3 passes. We do have very soft water here, but I think 2 grams is plenty regardless of the water. Even with 2g of soap, this tub should last 70 shaves.

I think when loading directly in the tub of these soft artisan soaps, we are seriously overloading our brushes. This also means we need to add alot of water and finding the right consistency takes ages.

Edit: good thread BTW
 
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SweeneyTodd

Forum GOD!
Very interesting topic.

As with others, my soaps, of whatever sort, seem to last forever. Even the minute sample sachets I've occasionally been sent gratis go for about three shaves. I shave daily, never less than 2 passes, and brushes range in size from about 22mm up to those monster synthetics. Most of the soap shelf contents are well-beyond those little "tub and 12M" icons.

I do try to finish them off, and have recently schooled myself to the "one in, one out" approach. The good thing is that I have never faced running out of soap of some description.
 

donnie_arko

Forum GOD!
I've never kept a record of how many shaves I get to per container/puck/stick of soap but even for a tub of Proraso, I think there's no chance I have used 2 grams of soap per shave! I'm coming to the end of my 150g tub of Proraso Green and I think I have used well over a 100 times and that's largely using a 24mm synth for at least 3 passes.

I have a stick of Tabac that I've used at least 50 times and it looks pretty much the same as it ever did.

(I have very hard water in South London as well)
 

vtmax

Forum GOD!
In defence of Zingari, I just did a test with the following:
- a scale
- small spatula to scoop soap out of the soap tub
- 1.1 grams of Zingari Magician
- a small bowl in which to load my brush
- a 24mm 2bed synth brush

I hand lathered for about a minute and probably got enough lather for 3 passes. We do have very soft water here, but I think 2 grams is plenty regardless of the water. Even with 2g of soap, this tub should last 70 shaves.

I think when loading directly in the tub of these soft artisan soaps, we are seriously overloading our brushes. This also means we need to add alot of water and finding the right consistency takes ages.

Edit: good thread BTW

Also, the 1st or 2nd batch of Zingari Sego was soft but has since been corrected in present batches and is firmer. Plenty of shaves from a Sego jar, especially for what Heather charges.

I lumped in Zingari Sego with DG Milksteak and WK Siero but I have changed my tune with use. I think it is right up there with the best soaps on the market (mostly European) being made today.
 

Electrif

SE la vie
My soaps just last forever.... Even when I try to use them up. The first half of the tub goes quite quick, the next quarter takes a while, the last quarter is self replenishing and just doesn't run out....

Think I may have a magic bathroom........
Bet you have a pyramid to sharpen your blades.😉
 

Zwilling

Kamisori shaver
I've never kept a record of how many shaves I get to per container/puck/stick of soap but even for a tub of Proraso, I think there's no chance I have used 2 grams of soap per shave! I'm coming to the end of my 150g tub of Proraso Green and I think I have used well over a 100 times and that's largely using a 24mm synth for at least 3 passes.
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...
 

DamianJ

Forum GOD!
I get around 90 to 100 shaves from a Wickham soap loading from the tub. More than happy with that. I do think that the temptation to load heavily, particularly with soft soaps with huge brushes leads to soaps being used quicker than needed. Then again I reckon most people have more soap than they know what to do with, so does it really matter? If the user is happy that's all that matters.
 
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