Moving back to Hard Soaps

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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pausted
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Moving back to Hard Soaps

Post by pausted »

After a long while of primarily using creams and artisan soft soaps, I decided to move back to the classic hard soaps. I looked in my cabinet to see what I had available and found: a new puck of Kent soap which, as you know, is rebranded Wool Fat, a new puck of AOS tallow sandalwood, a very slightly used puck of Taylor lavender (the pre-reformulation version), and a used puck of Tabac.

Wanting to have a total of seven in order to have a weekly rotation, I bought three soaps that I have been wanting to try: Harris Arlington (the new formula), Lea Classic, and C&E Moroccan Myrrh. I had no doubt that the Harris would be great but I didn't know for sure about the other two. I didn't need to be concerned. Both soaps lather readily and provide excellent shaves.

So now I have my seven day rotation. It occurs to me that if I use each of these soaps 52 times a year, they will certainly outlast me! :D

This is a fun hobby!
Best regards,

Basil
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drmoss_ca
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Re: Moving back to Hard Soaps

Post by drmoss_ca »

Sounds like you have chosen seven very reliable soaps! I like them all.
"Je n'ai pas besoin de cette hypothèse."
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brothers
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Re: Moving back to Hard Soaps

Post by brothers »

Basil, that's an impressive group of soaps you have!
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
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fallingwickets
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Re: Moving back to Hard Soaps

Post by fallingwickets »

Hi Basil, nice picks on the soap. do you rotate brushes and razors or just the soap?

clive
de gustibus non est disputandum
pausted
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Re: Moving back to Hard Soaps

Post by pausted »

Thanks, Guys. Clive, most of the time I use my General razor with either a Kai Original or Feather Pro blade. Occasionally I will use a DE just for the sake of variety. For brushes, I use whatever grabs me at the time. I have badger, boar, mixed badger/boar and synthetic brushes. No particular rotation. Lately I have been using my Semogue Caravela Mistura Taj Resin mixed hair brush. I like it a lot. In fact I just ordered another one with the butterscotch handle. Should receive it in a few days. I expect that I will use them a lot.
Best regards,

Basil
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fallingwickets
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Re: Moving back to Hard Soaps

Post by fallingwickets »

sometimes i think that certain brushes/razor/ blade combo's work better than others with a particular cream or soap. Im a fan of fidelity though so too lazy to put my theory to a test :D :D

clive
de gustibus non est disputandum
pausted
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Re: Moving back to Hard Soaps

Post by pausted »

I can appreciate fidelity but I can't seem to do it. Gotta have variety. In shaving, that is. :D
Best regards,

Basil
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Sam
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Re: Moving back to Hard Soaps

Post by Sam »

I went in the opposite direction. I first used the English/British creams and fell in love. Then tried Joris soap, Trumpers, etc. Then the home-made stuff. The the Shave stick from QED which I loved. But I drifted back to creams and I have an artisanal soap that my daughter got me that, well, I had some Truefit lavendar cream that was getting harder and I just ladled it out of the Truefit container onto of the soap (which is in a mug) and use it that way. I have two Trumper creams, and then a tube of Musgo I take on trips with a cheap badger brush. I need to re-visit the QED shave soaps. Slick as goose snot as I remember
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TRBeck
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Re: Moving back to Hard Soaps

Post by TRBeck »

I too have returned to mostly hard soaps. I like my homemade stuff just fine, but something about pucks of hard soap just suits me.

Right now it's Salter, Harris, Fine Accoutrements, and the last of my old AOS.

I don't mind sticks, either, and have Speick and Palmolive and Arko, but they've fallen out of the rotation lately.

Interestingly, I've come full circle on creams, too, favoring TOBS, Harris, St. James of London, and the stuff Bullgoose had made by Creighton's.

Soft soaps are easy to use, and I get good lather from many of them, but I guess maybe I'm just coming back round to the stuff I used when I got into the hobby.
Regards,
Tim

Why should we not meet, not always as dyspeptics, to tell our bad dreams, but sometimes as eupeptics, to congratulate each other on the ever-glorious morning? - Henry David Thoreau
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