The Passing of Something Special

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!
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divotmax
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Location: West Texas

The Passing of Something Special

Post by divotmax »

Hi;

Well, today I used the very last bit of my remaining stock of Trumper's Limes cream. I had been using it sparingly for the last year and half or so, the second of two tubs I got more than a couple of years ago along with a tub of Coconut. Both of these were the older versions of the creams. The Limes cream was one of the first truly top level shaving creams I ever used, and was the one I used for comparison with other creams I might try. If they came close to the Limes, then they were decent creams. The Limes was also the one I used whenever I really wanted a special experience, and when I discovered the Moss Scuttle and could have a nice, rich warm Limes lather; well, it just doesn't get any better than that. This tub of Limes was also the one I compared side by side with the newer concoction from Trumper which they claim is no different than previous formulas. Some still claim that, even though the difference in color, scent, and texture is painfully obvious. Maybe the new version is not too bad, I got rid of it, but it certainly is not at the level of the old. There are certainly more excellent creams out there, and some come pretty close to providing the same special shaving experience that the old Trumper's Limes did, so it's not like one is left with no quality products. I probably won't get any more Trumper's creams, not after comparing both Limes and Coconut with their new offerings. I'll just let the last shave with the real stuff hang around as long as it can then go in peace.

BobS
BobS

Life is too short not to use a sharp blade and a good brush.
Rich53
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Post by Rich53 »

Hi Bob,
I feel your loss. I have enough cream left for one more shave of Taylors Avacado original formula and I can't bring myself to use it. Maybe Christmas morning....sighhhhhhhh. All of the reformulations almost make me wish I was just beginning.

regards,
Rich

Do not give up before the miracle happens.
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drmoss_ca
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Post by drmoss_ca »

For what it's worth, I think Taylor's the best of the reformulated creams. Their lemon and lime isn't as good as an original Trumper Limes, but it might just be the closest at a reasonable price. Perhaps I am biased by the fact that, at least, they were honest about the reformulation, whereas Trumper and Harris have denied that anything has happened. I am well aware of the concept of the Big Lie, and I'm not interested in swallowing it.
CF Limes is excellent but expensive, and if you haven't tried it, you should. Vulfix Sicilian Limes is as good as the reformulated Taylor cream, and if TBBS ever manage to make J.M.Fraser the way they used to, it will be just as good. I shall pass quickly over T&H West Indian Limes (a scent I didn't care for, even before T&H went the way of the rest of the Creighton clones). Salter Essential Lime ain't bad, but no better than the Taylor's.
I happen to have a 9/10 full tub of the original Trumper Limes. Would you like me to send it to you? Just PM me with your address. It should go without saying that no charge applies.

Chris
"Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse."
Pierre-Simon de Laplace
bernards66
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Post by bernards66 »

Bob, Sigh.....well, I hear you. As you know, I go way back with Trumper Limes as well. It was also the first really top shelf cream that I ever used ( successfully....I had some tubes of Harris's Arlington back then that I couldn't get the hang of ). This was in the '90s some time. And it was my favourite lime cream, except, possibly the Coate's. And speaking of Coate's, I'm into the same sort of thing; I actually have a fair amount of it still, but I rarely use it, because, when it's gone, it's GONE. So today, as far as lime shave creams go, I'm pretty well out of luck. Even if I discover that I'm okay with the newer Taylors, I never cared much for their lemon/lime scent. I'll probably try the repackaged Salters at some point, I guess.

The timing of your post is interesting for me, though, because today I dragged out that tube of Trumpers Violet from the back of the cupboard. I hadn't used it again, after I first got it a few months back. I don't really know WHAT to call this stuff. The scent is definately different, but it's in the older style tube, with the larger cap. The texture seems 'right', more or less. I used a fair amount, and that Kent BK4. And it worked fine...a very good shave, in fact. So, I don't know if this stuff is 'older' or 'newer' or what. But I'm glad I gave it another shot. I don't like the scent as well as the versions I've had in the past; this smells more like their Violet hard soap, but it's not bad. So, I'll get a few more good Trumper shaves at least ( chuckle ).
Regards,
Gordon
Gareth
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Post by Gareth »

bernards66 wrote: And speaking of Coate's, I'm into the same sort of thing; I actually have a fair amount of it still, but I rarely use it, because, when it's gone, it's GONE.
Gordon, I've wanted to ask this for a while, but there hasn't been a good opportunity.

What exactly happened to Coate's, and if anywhere, where can you still get it?
bernards66
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Post by bernards66 »

Gareth, Coate's is not being made anymore. It's possible that David Carter was not okay with what may have been happening at Creightons, and was casting about for another maker....who knows? They were saying for well over a year, that the cream was going to be "repackaged". Then that crisis with the Simpson brushes hit; the batch of bad cement and all that. Somewhere in that time period, I think, the decision was made to cut the shave cream end of the business loose permanently. David Carter never really liked being in the shave cream business anyway, I've heard. He more of less inherited it when Simpsons absorbed what was left of the old Coate's brush works. Some of the John Lewis stores in Britain may still have some around. I know that they did as of a few months ago.
Regards,
Gordon
divotmax
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Post by divotmax »

Chris;

You are more than generous, but I couldn't allow anyone to divest themselves of the last stash of a quality Trumper's cream; I do very much appreciate the offer though. I've pretty much just accepted the fact that, barring stumbling on a source somewhere, it is something of the past. I do have some CF lime, and as you noted it is both very good and very expensive. I also have some of the T&H West Indian Limes, and I am still trying to decide whether or not I like it. Same for the Salter's Sublime Citrus; haven't tried their Lime product. I will try the TOBS lime cream eventually. Actually, the more I use Fraser's the more I like it, both the scent and the performance.

Again, I sincerely appreciate your offer to share the Limes, but I'll just make the transition now and besides it will give me a chance to try some other products I haven't had a good excuse to try until now. I'm also working on the remnants of an old tub of Coconut, and will be sorry to see it gone since my experience with the cake frosting now marketed by Trumper's was much the same as the Limes.

BobS
BobS

Life is too short not to use a sharp blade and a good brush.
chuck in ny
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Post by chuck in ny »

you guys are making me feel good about ordering 3 jars of CF lime yesterday. it's basically an extravagance to use in between time with hard soap.
cheer up all, life goes on and the last chapter in shaving cream hasn't been written.
Mr. Igg
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Post by Mr. Igg »

drmoss_ca wrote:I happen to have a 9/10 full tub of the original Trumper Limes. Would you like me to send it to you? Just PM me with your address. It should go without saying that no charge applies.

Chris
I just have to say, "Bravo!" This is a great example of what makes this a great community, with which I'm proud to be associated! Chris, good on ya!
Bryan
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