Review (2/5): second puck not so great
I am not the best "latherer" , however I have no trouble getting a great and very slick lather with this soap with very hard water. One way is to 'Bloom" the puck, and then load up the brush for at least a minute with a fairly "dry" brush, squeeze out the soap into the bowl, and load the brush again. Possibly a better way is to simply scrape off some soap with a small spoon, and then press it into the bowl for lathering. I also use critic acid sometimes, but I am not sure that really does anything. The lather is plenty thick and very slick with the best after shave feel. I have about a dozen soaps, some soft, but mostly hard. I think this one is the best, and I especially like the scent, which is to my nose subtle and mild.
That was the first puck. I used it up in a little over a year and a half, and ordered a replacement. It is like a different soap. The lather is thin and dissipates extremely quickly, so I have to relather 2- 3 times for one pass. I used the same techniques as with the first puck, then tried everything else. Nothing worked. I am using it as a pre shave, and it works well for that. I will not buy it again. very disappointed.