I actually was shaving at the time of the solstice this morning: 7:59am PST. And of course I used Phoenix Artisan’s Solstice shaving soap, whose fragrance I like a lot. This Kokum-butter formula antedates the appearance of the CK-6 line, and now you can get a CK-6 version of Solstice. The brush, Solar Flare, is also from PA, and it has a very nice knot: fine bristles densely packed with a good (high) loft, making it feel both soft and resilient and very pleasant on the face.
After I wet the knot under the hot-water tap, I shook the brush hard over the sink, five times, to remove as much water as possible. When I then started brushing the puck, I was surprised to see that the brush was immediately being loaded with soap. I added one tiny amount of water, and with that I completed the loading.
Certainly the Kokum-butter formula is good, but I thought something else was at work. Then it struck me: the knot itself — densely packed, extremely fine synthetic bristles with a long loft — play a large role in the loading. It was not just a matter of the soap. The same soap will, I bet, load differently in different brushes. The Solar Flare knot is eager for soap; a brand-new boar knot shows much less fondness.
So my observations about brush loading should take into account all the players: the soap, the brush, and, of course, the water (the degree of its hardness). I imagine another factor is how experienced the shaver is and the degree to which he’s paying attentioin.
At any rate, the brush was quickly loaded, and I also noted in working up the lather that a single addition of water was enough to bring forth the full lather, with a great consistency and fragrance.
iKon’s Shavecraft #101 is a superb razor, and once again it performed magnificently. Three passes to perfection, then a splash of Solstice (with a squirt of Hydrating Gel added) and we now shall enjoy for a while the gradual lengthening of daylight hours — at least up here. Readers south of the Equator will, of course, see their daylight hours dwindle, little by little, as they descend into the darkness of June.