BPman wrote:I can't get this stick to lather worth a damn with animal hair or synthetic. Personally, I think it's overrated. The cushion & glide is lacking as well. Hell, cheap Arko shames this!!
I am surprised, as this is not my observation.
For the last few months, I have used Valobra in one form or the another (semi-hard soap, hard soap in blue tub, or stick) more than any other shaving soap, as I have always been very fond of Valobra.
On my last trip to Europe I even picked up a 1kg brick of Valobra semi-hard shaving soap that until then I didn't know existed.
Although I don't use sticks as much as I used to and my half-used Valobra stick has been sitting in my cabinet for quite some time, your comment prompted me to try the stick this morning and I had no problems getting a creamy, well lubricating lather and excellent shave.
From my own experience, Valobra sticks seem to have a long shelf life and I would have no problems ordering more than one, if shipping costs for a single stick became an issue.
As for alternatives; for much repeated reasons I don't care for Arko and much rather use Palmolive, D.R. Harris or La Toja sticks.
B.
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.
Bertrand Russell
Great lather!! Lest anyone think I am a rookie with shave sticks, I have used them for years and never had any problem like I had with this one except for the wretched reformulated Erasmic stick. 