Search found 51 matches

by FireDragon76
Tue Oct 22, 2019 9:42 am
Forum: Shaving Creams & Hard Soaps
Topic: Review - The Art of Shaving
Replies: 16
Views: 11030

Re: Review - The Art of Shaving

I just finished a full tub of Ocean Kelp cream and was very impressed with the product. It's the only North American lathering product I have used since C&E discontinued their sweet almond oil (which still sits in my craw - it was that good). AOS scents are very strong - so they can be a bit of...
by FireDragon76
Tue Oct 22, 2019 9:38 am
Forum: Shaving Creams & Hard Soaps
Topic: Col Conk Soap -- a plreasant surprise
Replies: 8
Views: 5505

Re: Col Conk Soap -- a plreasant surprise

I think the reason these soaps worked for me (though I haven't tried the Col Conk brand) is that I want maximal lubricity and minimal cushion. I normally make my lather on the wet side to get this combination of characteristics, which, in turn, works well with a mild razor. When I get more cushion,...
by FireDragon76
Tue Oct 22, 2019 9:34 am
Forum: Shaving Creams & Hard Soaps
Topic: Col Conk Soap -- a plreasant surprise
Replies: 8
Views: 5505

Re: Col Conk Soap -- a plreasant surprise

I've used Conk soap successfully about 20 some odd years ago. But since I've aged and gotten more sensitive I can't use it anymore. Tried it once in the last year (old cake from bygone days so may be a factor but seemed to be alright) and it caused a lot of irritation. It also lacked the cushion I ...
by FireDragon76
Tue Oct 22, 2019 9:30 am
Forum: Shaving Creams & Hard Soaps
Topic: Williams Mug Shaving Soap is still horrible
Replies: 29
Views: 24100

Re: Williams Mug Shaving Soap is still horrible

That's been my experience as well. If you use it daily such that it never dries out... it's not a problem to lather Williams. It's actually one of the best shaving soap values out there. Plus it foams in hard water... not many soaps can easily do that. Williams was my Sunday morning soap for several...
by FireDragon76
Thu Sep 19, 2019 11:27 am
Forum: General
Topic: Pre shave oil
Replies: 18
Views: 13152

Re: Pre shave oil

I hate to be a cynic but I fear its a way for vendors to make an extra chunk of change off newbs. Read these forums and count the numbers of recs they get from people not selling them. If you must have some; look at the ingredients: it's easily reproducible in any supermarket. They do seem to have ...
by FireDragon76
Mon Sep 16, 2019 4:40 pm
Forum: Colognes & Aftershaves
Topic: Vetiver
Replies: 36
Views: 26928

Re: Vetiver

Pure vetiver oil is inexpensive, and like patchouli, it doesn't necessarily need anything else with it. Good, quality vetiver has an earthy aroma similar to patchouli without the floral notes. I use it alot in an aromatherapy diffuser, and it's great for creating a meditative atmosphere.
by FireDragon76
Mon Sep 16, 2019 4:37 pm
Forum: Colognes & Aftershaves
Topic: Ambergirs sold for 11,000
Replies: 4
Views: 11221

Re: Ambergirs sold for 11,000

Not really surprising, that stuff has always been highly prized. What is surprising is the EU would still allow it's use. Whales aren't harmed in its production- it's usually nothing more than whale hairballs that wash up on the beach. There's so many synthetic substitutes now days like Ambroxan, t...
by FireDragon76
Mon Sep 16, 2019 4:32 pm
Forum: Colognes & Aftershaves
Topic: Alcohol based aftershave
Replies: 16
Views: 14545

Re: Alcohol based aftershave

Aqua Velva has some glycerin, but the Ice Sport would probably be something you would appreciate I found Adidas aftershaves to be very good for being alcohol based. Also, not all balms are alcohol-free. Afta has a slight alcohol burn to it, but it's mostly a balm. I use it alot just because it's a h...
by FireDragon76
Mon Sep 16, 2019 4:29 pm
Forum: Colognes & Aftershaves
Topic: Does witch hazel expire?
Replies: 9
Views: 27990

Re: Does witch hazel expire?

2 years over the expiration date should still be OK. There's nothing really in there to feed bacteria, and witch hazel doesn't exactly make a happy home for them, anyways.
by FireDragon76
Mon Sep 16, 2019 3:25 pm
Forum: Colognes & Aftershaves
Topic: Superior 70 mentholated
Replies: 16
Views: 17592

Re: Superior 70 mentholated

I live in an Hispanic neighborhood and I can buy this at any market around here for about $3 a bottle.

It's a very simple bay rum, so it won't have alot of silage. It's mostly used for skin irritation or on the hair. It's wonderful stuff, a natural aftershave or hair tonic.
by FireDragon76
Mon Sep 16, 2019 3:18 pm
Forum: Colognes & Aftershaves
Topic: canoe, revisited
Replies: 2
Views: 7306

canoe, revisited

I just tried a bit of an old bottle of Canoe. OMG is this stuff terribly, sickeningly sweet, even though I diluted it first and only used a tiny amount. What was I thinking when I used to wear this stuff years ago? It's very much an unrelenting assault of geraniol and tonquin, like a psychedelic ver...
by FireDragon76
Mon Sep 16, 2019 2:24 pm
Forum: Shaving Creams & Hard Soaps
Topic: The state of the current English Shaving soaps
Replies: 44
Views: 32783

Re: The state of the current English Shaving soaps

I've been underwhelmed by any of them I've tried.

Maybe years ago when there was not much out there besides drugstore offerings like Williams, but today there are so many other choices that cost less. Unless you are an Anglophile, there's no reason to buy them.
by FireDragon76
Mon Sep 16, 2019 2:21 pm
Forum: Shaving Creams & Hard Soaps
Topic: boars for soaps, synthetic/badger for cream?
Replies: 9
Views: 4907

boars for soaps, synthetic/badger for cream?

It does seem to be working that way in my experience, as a general rule.
by FireDragon76
Sat Sep 14, 2019 6:25 pm
Forum: Shaving Brushes
Topic: experience with vintage badger
Replies: 10
Views: 10228

Re: experience with vintage badger

Looks decent enough. I like the handle, it reminds me of the Vulfix line. Good luck with the reknotting. Chris Do you think it needs reknotting? The brush still seems to work OK- it actually lathers very well compared to the brushes I own, better at face lathering than synthetic brushes I have used...
by FireDragon76
Sat Sep 14, 2019 4:33 pm
Forum: Shaving Brushes
Topic: experience with vintage badger
Replies: 10
Views: 10228

Re: experience with vintage badger

Here's the picture of the brush. It's made in the US, "pure badger".

https://www.dropbox.com/s/04fj7iinowgmc ... 5.jpg?dl=0

Image
by FireDragon76
Sat Sep 14, 2019 6:29 am
Forum: Shaving Brushes
Topic: experience with vintage badger
Replies: 10
Views: 10228

experience with vintage badger

I picked up some vintage shaving brushes- I plan to get into refurbishing old brushes with new knots and selling them on eBay. And even though I have ethical objections to badger, I figured it was important to buy a few vintage ones to experiment with, to learn how badger feels. So, I got a beautifu...
by FireDragon76
Sat Sep 14, 2019 6:18 am
Forum: Shaving Creams & Hard Soaps
Topic: Col Conk revisit
Replies: 10
Views: 5496

Re: Col Conk revisit

What's interesting is watching the artisan soap market drift toward detergents (B&M, Saponifico Varesino) and huge amounts of glycerin (many, many examples). The goal seems to be both instantaneous surfactant/foaming effect and huge amounts of slickness, plus replacing the glycerin that occurs ...
by FireDragon76
Sat Sep 14, 2019 5:32 am
Forum: Shaving Creams & Hard Soaps
Topic: Williams Mug Shaving Soap is still horrible
Replies: 29
Views: 24100

Re: Williams Mug Shaving Soap is still horrible

At the risk of digressing: So many times have I heard, or have I thought to myself, how agreeable the old-fashioned soapy Williams scent is that it is really surprising that no soap maker (e.g. Haslinger) ever seems to have thought of producing a similarly smelling and sized shaving soap that works...
by FireDragon76
Sat Sep 14, 2019 5:30 am
Forum: Shaving Creams & Hard Soaps
Topic: Williams Mug Shaving Soap is still horrible
Replies: 29
Views: 24100

Re: Williams Mug Shaving Soap is still horrible

I've never had that much trouble. The secret is to hydrate a new puck for a long time, quite possibly overnight, ideally with distilled water. Eventually, the cake gets softer and it's easier to lather. As far as soaps go- I've used worse (I actually think Godrej, for instance, is far worse- it lath...
by FireDragon76
Sat Sep 14, 2019 2:19 am
Forum: Safety Razors & Blades
Topic: Titanium coated blades?
Replies: 4
Views: 5235

Re: Titanium coated blades?

I happened to look at the Qshave adjustable razor (Merkur Futur clone) web page at Ali Express today, and it mentioned that it came with a pack of five US-made titanium coated blades. Does anyone know who would be making these? My educated guess is Personna. And the first page I found when looking ...