Dying disc golf discs with shaving cream is one of the easiest methods of disc dying and can produce beautiful designs. That’s why we’re writing an article highlighting this specific method first. We previously wrote an article on the basics of how to dye a disc golf disc that’s worth reading, but that article discusses the setup of liquid dye mixtures. The disc golf disc shaving cream dye process is dry and more about patience than the correct mixture.
What is A Disc Golf Shaving Cream Dye?
Maybe you’re not familiar with dying a disc with shaving cream. The general idea is using shaving cream to hold dye in place so that it has time to set into the disc’s plastic. This has the potential to produce unique patterns and mix different colors. Here are a few examples of shaving cream disc dye jobs that we have recently completed.
Benefits of Dying a Disc with Shaving Cream
The shaving cream dye is one of the first dye methods that we experimented with, mostly because it’s quite simple once you have your process. It’s also inexpensive because all you really need is shaving cream, a small amount of dye, and a disc. You’ll probably be able to dye at least 15-20 discs with a single pack of dye, although you’ll definitely get better results if you use multiple colors.
To keep costs down, we like to purchase X-out and misprint discs from Infinite Discs, they’re less expensive and we often just remove the stamps for dying anyway.
The shaving cream dye method can also produce some amazing designs even if you aren’t a pro. You can easily create some great marble and splatter designs, or as you get better you can add patterns. You can even use the shaving cream dye as a base to combine with other dying methods.
Compared to other disc golf dying methods, the shaving cream dye is also relatively less messy. You can just use dry powdered dye without mixing with water or acetone. Dry dye and shaving cream still have the potential to make a mess, but I’ve found it easier to control than other methods. If you like the stamp on a disc, you can use the shaving cream dye method and it won’t affect the stamp. The stamp won’t soak up the dye so you can have both a cool dye pattern and the stamp you like.
How To Dye A Disc with Shaving Cream
There are only a few steps to dying a disc with shaving cream, but there are a number of things that are very helpful to know so be sure to read beyond the overview steps!
- Fill a base with shaving cream. Ultimate discs work great, pie tins work but may need to be flattened, or you can just use a plate.
- Smooth out the shaving cream and sprinkle powdered dye on top.
- Place your disc top down on the shaving cream and give it a slight twist.
- Let the disc set on the die for 24-36 hours then rinse off all shaving cream and dye.
Sounds simple right? Well, yes, it is simple but it is also easy to end up with a bad dye job if you don’t consider each step.
Shaving Cream Disc Dying Considerations
First, choose your dye. I prefer iDye Poly from Jacquard Products. It’s inexpensive and works well, but make sure you use Poly which is made specifically for plastic otherwise it may not stick at all!
One of the largest factors in achieving a great shaving cream disc golf dye is applying the dye correctly. If you just dump dye onto the shaving cream, you’ll likely be disappointed with the results. I’ve found the best results come from sprinkling the dye on the shaving cream very lightly. The dye will soak up moisture from the shaving cream and then start to dissolve and spread, and the spreading allows you to dye a large area of the disc without using much dye. If you use too much dye, some areas may not soak up moisture and you’ll be left with small pockets of undyed disc that don’t look natural. You may also end up with large blobs of color and no real design.
You should also carefully consider your colors. Dye often doesn’t transfer to the disc the same as the color you see on the package. Green is especially tricky because it is sometimes not just true green, but a mix of multiple colors such as yellow, blue, brown, and others. While that may turn out just fine on clothing, it can result in specks of different colors on the disc. It’s a great idea to test your dye on a misprint or water disc fist.
As mentioned above, you have options for a shaving cream base. In the video embedded below, Mother Huckin Chucker suggests using an Ultimate disc. This is convenient because it’s large enough for the disc golf disc to fit and the sides will hold the shaving cream inside helping to contain the mess. I usually use a flattened pie tin because I can adjust the height of the sides however I find appropriate. When dying putters, I like to make sure the dye is spread all the way down the blunt nose so it looks more complete, but on drivers I don’t worry about the rim since the nose is usually sharp.
After you have placed the disc on the shaving cream with dye, consider twisting the disc a little as Mother Huckin Chucker suggests, or even picking the disc up and placing it back down. Since the dye is a powdered solid, it often leaves a speckled pattern. This pattern can be neat on it’s own, but if you’re looking for a smoother or marbled pattern then the twist or resetting the disc will help spread the dye and smooth the pattern.
Patterns can be difficult using this method since the dye spreads out as it dissolves. As you become better, you’ll be able to figure out what types of patterns work well and which don’t. I’d recommend first testing without specific patterns to get a feel for how the dye behaves then slowly moving into basic patterns. You can see by the images that some basic patterns work quite well, but also depend heavily on the color combinations.
Dark colors soak into the disc much more quickly. When using a combination of light and dark colors you will often realize better results if you first add the light color (and let set for around 36 hours) then repeat the process with dark colors (let set for around 24 hours). Of course, this process makes patterns difficult since you’re doing multiple layers, but you’ll learn the best methods for your needs.
In the first “How to Dye a Disc Golf Disc” article I covered the different types of plastic and how they hold dye. This method is a little different. Base plastic doesn’t like to hold dye without acetone, so if you get the dye to stick, it will likely be very light and will fade quickly. Champion/Elite Z/Lucid or other similar plastic usually requires longer to soak in the dye; I like to go about 36 hours especially for light colors. I’ve found that translucent Trilogy plastic (Lucid, VIP, Opto) hold the best shaving cream dyes for this type of plastic producing the best colors and leaving a nice shine on top of the dye for a professional look. Star/ESP type plastics will soak up dye more quickly than other plastics and they resulting color is typically brighter and more pure, but as I mentioned in the first article, these will eventually fade and bleed.
One time I ran out of shaving cream so I used shaving gel that I found in the back of my closet. The results came out the same, but I would still recommend shaving cream because it’s less expensive.
A word of advice from Mother Huckin Chucker, “Don’t be afraid to get crazy with your patterns!” Check out his Instagram feed to see some of his awesome designs.
Disc Golf Shaving Cream Dye Conclusion
I enjoy dying my disc golf discs with the shaving cream dye method. It’s relatively easy and inexpensive and I can produce great patterns on discs in a short amount of time. I’ve included a few additional images of successful shaving cream dyes that I’ve completed, but we’d love to see what you can do. We’re still learning and most of our designs are basic, we know there are some amazing results out there so please show us what you have!
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