Straights, cream, soap or irrelevant?

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Since my return to proper wet shaving I have been creams all the way. However the introduction of a straight has me thinking would a soap be preferable over a cream?

Or of course does it make no difference?
 
Since my return to proper wet shaving I have been creams all the way. However the introduction of a straight has me thinking would a soap be preferable over a cream?

Or of course does it make no difference?
For me - soaps. There's a tendency with creams not to work in enough water. The lather for straight shaving needs to be more hydrated than for DE. DE blades are generally coated with PTFE or similar you need to compensate for this.
 
I love TOBS for DE shaving but have not got a great shave from it with straights until recently. I used very very little and spent a lot more time working up a lather with more water and that worked.

A soap like Razorock is easier to get to the consistemcy that works for me.

YMMV
 
I prefer soaps, and tallow based soaps above all, that said i've had some perfectly acceptable shaves with creams and straights, but soaps are consistently better in my experience.
 
I shave daily with straight razors or shavettes using the very same soaps and creams that I used when shaving with safety razors creating the very same slick and thick lather in bowl (as a cut throat newbie I preferred Haslinger Honey because lather proved very long lasting - perfect for 30 min shaves)
 
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I shave daily with straight razors or shavettes using the very same soaps and creams that I used when shaving with safety razors creating the very same slick and thick lather in bowl (as a cut throat newbie I preferred Haslinger Honey because lather proved very long lasting - perfect for 30 min shaves)
I'm a recent convert to Haslinger Honey but I agree it is excellent.

For me, all I'm using now is soaps. No creams. The best creams can emulate the cushion of soaps, but the best soaps stand out above creams in terms of slickness. This is a big deal for straight shaving. It's important the razor glides.
 
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And I bowl lather because I like the control it gives me from shave to shave, goal is thick and slick, not thick and sticky, reached by adding water, more water, and then some (using a lightweight cheap melamin bowl so not to break anything in bathroom if I fumble and drop it)
 
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I recently started shaving straight and have found some issues with hydration. I suspect its because a shave is taking much longer as I adjust to the technique. I have used both creams and soaps with leaning towards soaps. Instead if face lathering I use a bowl and scuttle which keeps the lather moist. I then lather one side of face shave and then lather the second side. That seems to give me best results at moment as it prevents the lather drying out on my face. In terms of soaps I have found Tabac wickhams Fitjar and executive shaving to be really good.
 
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