no more Coates

What is your opinion on fine shaving creams and hard soaps? Do you like Trumpers, Coates, Taylors, Truefitt & Hill? Post your reviews and opinions here!
LostInCincy
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Post by LostInCincy »

Dave,

Try D.R. Harris Lavender. It's probably the most similar, although I've heard T&H is great.
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Sfox7076
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Post by Sfox7076 »

Don't forget about Castle Forbes. Though I am not sure it's lubrication is the same.
"A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, a great deal of it is absolutely fatal" - Oscar Wilde
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Sam
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Post by Sam »

Lubrication for me is not usually a problem. I mean, Trumpers Coconut is slick, but I can not say that it is any slicker really than Taylors Rose. I do notice that Art of Shaving tends to make a more thick, dry lather comparatively, while I have no problems with Castle Forbes. Coates always did well and it just needed a bit more water than say Trumpers to get it just the same. Anyway, thanks to Shawn, I got a tub of Coates Sandalwood coming and sold my AOS. It'll probably be two years before I have to worry about replacing the Sandalwood, and there is always Trumpers if I have to.

Sam
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Nitrox
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Post by Nitrox »

This is sad indeed, Coates is my favourite cream. I've only had the pleasure of trying Tea Tree and Almond, oh well.......
Bruno

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shave every day and you'll always look keen."
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Sfox7076
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Post by Sfox7076 »

Has anyone else confirmed that Coates is done? And, yes, I have limited access to what I imagine is the last bit of Coates on the planet, save where ever else Gordon knows of. I have Lavender, Rose, Lime and Almond now. I really like the Rose, but haven't used the others.

Shawn
"A little sincerity is a dangerous thing, a great deal of it is absolutely fatal" - Oscar Wilde
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Sam
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Post by Sam »

Well, since they changed Taylor's rose, and now Coates is gone, and Truefitt stopped delivery of Rose in the US, wow, that leaves Trumpers. Lavendar, I have Castle Forbes, and Limes, same thing. Sandalwood, Ill probably refill with Trumpers cake soap. Almond and Coconut have not been a big hit with me (but have not tried DR Harris or Truefitt's). Im kinda paring down anyway to about 3 or 4 creams and a soap.
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Post by Bob »

I think you'll like the Lime, Shawn. It has a true lime scent to it, unlike some other creams that smell of lime candy or whatnot. I have a pot and a half of it left. When it comes time to replace it, I think I'll go to Castle Forbes.
--Bob--
bernards66
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Post by bernards66 »

Evening, Well, I think that Scott is right in that regard, and yes, the number of pots required for Creightons to do a production run is quite substantial I've been told, by someone who was considering doing one. The recent problems with the QC of their brushes is not so much "the straw that broke the camel's back", as it was symtomatic of a larger issue or problem in how the business was being run. That problem, per se, has been rectified I understand, but now there is the difficulty of damage control and getting everything moving in the right direction again. Apparently, the side-bar issue of the Coate's creams came to be seen as mainly a distraction at this point. As I just mentioned in another thread, I've known for a long time that David Carter was less then enthusiastic about being in the shaving cream business. I heard this dark news a little while ago, but was kind of waiting on some confirmation of some details from someone I know. But, yeah, this looks like curtains for Coate's, at least for the foreseeable future. I still have a fair amount, and am gathering in a bit more, but personally, I suppose, eventually, I will be using mainly Trumpers, as far as shaving creams go. And yeah! What IS all this bad ju-ju with my favourties of late; the old Taylor's Rose cream, Harris's A/S Milk, Vinolia bath soap, Wild Fern cologne splash, and now Coate's??! Do you suppose that if I start raving about the Gillette Fusion they'll take THAT off the market?
Regards,
Gordon
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Post by drmoss_ca »

Please try, Gordon!

Chris
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khari
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Post by khari »

bernards66 wrote:Do you suppose that if I start raving about the Gillette Fusion they'll take THAT off the market?
One can only hope...
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Sam
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Post by Sam »

Gordon: Do you think that the EU regulations which caused a change in Taylor's creams to a degree caught up with Coates? Also, it would seem that as long as Coates was profitable, he could perhaps contract with Andrew French of Castle Forbes, or even Robert of TGS and let them take a run at managing the Coates line. There is a lot to be said about doing things right, such as making the best brush you can, but only a few cognesceti would know Coates and Simpsons are tied in to one another, and heck, suppliers stateside could be limited to sort of build up the cachet.

How about you and I move to England and take it over? I know the wife of the goalkeeper for Man U, Tim Howard's wife - she is from Memphis and her father and my wife worked together.

Sam
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rustyblade
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Post by rustyblade »

Gordon,

My replacement Simpson's T4 is perfect. It shed about 10 bristles on initial use and none since. Fingers crossed as it is still early days. Being on the receiving end of Simpson's QC problems as of late wasn't a fun experience. I can understand if they want to focus on the brushes and get them right. Small firms run the way Simpson are don't scale up well to meet new demand. Finding skilled staff to make shave brushes (of all things!) cannot be easy and his current tradesmen are probably old as the hills as well (and as a result are probably pretty unhappy with the increased workload). From what I understand Mr. Carter is not a young man and probably doesn't want to see the Simpson's brand tarnished under his watch before he steps of this mortal plane (apologies for being so morbid).
Richard
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Post by bernards66 »

Richard, Glad to hear that the replacement T4 seems sound. David Carter is quite elderly, yes. And Simpsons is very much a private family affair with him, as well as somewhat of a personal 'hobby' as it were. He has every intention of passing it on to his descendents. There was a period where he was not there to oversee the details, and those left in charge rather made a hash of it. Carter himself is now back at the helm. I just don't think that he had the energy or the inclination to mess around with the Coate's situation under these circumstances. Understandable, but regrettable. I wish that Sam and I could take that operation over ( chuckle ), or Andrew French, or Lee Sabini for that matter. Someone already in the trade over there, with a little bit of extra capital probably could buy the rights to the brand and the formula, and commence production again at Creightons. That anyone will is doubtful. I can manage without the Coate's creams ( when I finally do run out ) but I'd certainly prefer not to have to.
Regards,
Gordon
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rustyblade
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Post by rustyblade »

Gordon, Lee Sabini would be a great fit (if the Coates brand was for sale, of course). Also, according to Robert at TGS, he does read this board from time to time. Wink, wink. Nudge...
Richard
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Post by northadams »

Well Gordon at least the Vermont Country store is still selling the Vinolia as of late. I will enjoy those last few tubes of the Coates limes more than usual I guess. Remember for anyone near east 65th street as of the 23rd there were still some lime tubes left.

Max
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Sam
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Post by Sam »

Richard, forget that. Push, push, harder, harder. LOL

Sam
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DEF
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Post by DEF »

I would think the tricky link in the chain would be the distribution/retail network. Anyone in men's grooming with robust existing distribution channels and a bit of extra capital to acquire the brand really should crunch a few numbers on this one.

Doug

PS: As for Simpsons, I love my Duke #3 Best. It is making me nervous, though, as it continues to drop a bristle every 2-3 shaves. I've had it about 2 months and am up to about a dozen bristles shed now. I save them all for possible future reference; now I just need to track down my receipt, which apparently I stored in such a safe place that I now can't find it.
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Sfox7076
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Post by Sfox7076 »

My passport is currently in that same safe place.

Shawn
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bernards66
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Post by bernards66 »

Max, Well, I'm not so sure about that. I did order the last of the Vinolia I had from The Vermont Country Store, but a member here recently posted that he tried to order some, and was told they didn't have any and they didn't know when/if they'd get any more. C-M was the importer of it, and if they dropped it, I suspect that will be it for VCS as well. Anyway, I have a thing about having to mail order bath soap. I don't like to, and I resist doing it, although I have on occasion. I don't mind doing that with something 'special', like when Floris Rose Geranium goes on sale, but to have to mail order ongoing for something that is used up so quickly, well, it ticks me off. I refuse to make it a habit to mail order marmalade, for the same reason.
Regards,
Gordon
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Post by northadams »

Gordon, Thanks for the heads up. We were going to take a drive down to the Vermont Country store this weekend for the Vinolia and other sundries. I think I may pick a new route now. BTW, I feel a bit disappointed as some others do about the Coates but I've been having one hell of a time rotating between MWF, Harris' Almond & Trumper Coconut soap of late and am enjoying them all. Thanks to Richard in Bolton...I am on a soap kick of late. I never had tried the Trumper Coconut but am really enjoying the lather even though it's not tallow based.

Max
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