Cold River Soap Works

[BPman]

Since the other two threads on this are two yrs. old I decided to start this one. As well, Cold River Soap Works now has a new improved "v.2" tallow version that I just bought. I had read many accolades by many that this is the ne plus ultra of American artisan shave soaps and quite frankly I have to agree now as well. It has everything, superb fragrance, lathers like a monster, cushion & glide. It did everything except shave itself. I will conclude in that I have never used a better soap. Only a paltry few are this good. Mike's Natural Soaps and the now defunct Strop Shoppe are two of those. Yes, it's that damn good.

[slackskin]

Too bad they don't have a Unscented version, i would jump on it.

[BPman]

Send him an e-mail, maybe he will.

[BPman]

After using this a few times I am still of the opinion that it is definitely top tier, but the tub is diminishing far more rapidly than any soap I have used and that's not even been ten shaves!! Yes, I "bloom" my shave soaps while I shower, but never have I had one disappear this quickly. Hmmm. At its price point (over $20 shipped) I won't be buying another. As an example, I have used the newest version of Omega shave soap at least 20 time and have even removed a good chunk for a friend to try, yet I have hardly put a dent into the tub!! It just seems the artisan soaps are not as dense as those made by big manufacturers. Oh well.

[CMur12]

After using this a few times I am still of the opinion that it is definitely top tier, but the tub is diminishing far more rapidly than any soap I have used and that's not even been ten shaves!! Yes, I "bloom" my shave soaps while I shower, but never have I had one disappear this quickly. Hmmm. At its price point (over $20 shipped) I won't be buying another. As an example, I have used the newest version of Omega shave soap at least 20 time and have even removed a good chunk for a friend to try, yet I have hardly put a dent into the tub!! It just seems the artisan soaps are not as dense as those made by big manufacturers. Oh well.

I think that this would depend on which artisan soap and which big manufacturer. If we are talking about triple-milled shaving soaps, it is probably true, but many shaving soaps by big manufacturers aren't triple-milled either. I may be less observant, but I haven't noticed any real difference in service life between my favorite artisan soaps and my favorite soaps by big manufacturers.

- Murray

[Shafer Springs]

It just seems the artisan soaps are not as dense as those made by big manufacturers. Oh well.

There's nothing inherent about small batch, handmade soaps that make them less dense or not last as long as commercial soaps. The same basic process is used in both -- combining sodium hydroxide and/or potassium hydroxide with vegetable oils and/or animal fats -- to make soap.

Soap makers have several different levers they can pull to produce different characteristics in the finished bar of soap they produce. That includes hardness, softness, lather, moisturizing, etc. The percentage of liquid used when mixing the lye solution and the amount of superfat can also impact how long a soap lasts.

That's the good news, as far as lots of options on the table for soap makers. The bad news is that to a large extent it's a zero sum game. If you maximize hardness and lather, you often lose a little cushion and glide. Amp up the slip and moisturizing power and you often have a softer soap that doesn't last as long.

Most soap makers aim for a balance of the above but you can find some on either end of the spectrum, as some folks enjoy using soaps on either end of the spectrum.

If you're most concerned with how long a shaving soap lasts, look for ones that have vegetable oils high in myristic, palmitic, and stearic acids such as coconut oil, palm oil, and palm kernel oil.

Shaving soaps that include significant amounts of other oils and butters such as castor oil, shea butter, kokum butter, olive oil, and avocado oil may offer more moisturizing and conditioning and glide but may also produce a softer soap that doesn't last as long as others.

[CMur12]

Shafer Springs, thanks for the benefit of your knowledge and expertise.

Please feel free to post about your business in the Shopping forum, which is for vendors.

- Murray

[Ouchmychin]

When I used the old version, I noticed that it was half way between a soap and a cream. It lathered well but I had to watch out that I didn't fill the brush with so much soap that I had to wash most of it down the drain after my shave. I think Gary posted that he squeezed the residue back on top of the puck to extend the useful life and still get that copious lather.

[brothers]

When I used the old version, I noticed that it was half way between a soap and a cream. It lathered well but I had to watch out that I didn't fill the brush with so much soap that I had to wash most of it down the drain after my shave. I think Gary posted that he squeezed the residue back on top of the puck to extend the useful life and still get that copious lather.

Quite possibly someone may have posted this, but in my case, I always limit my loading time to 10 or 15 seconds, then I rinse all of the leftover lather in the brush down the drain after the shave. It's just soapsuds. I've never had the pleasure of using CRSW shaving soaps. If I didn't already have too many soaps, I'd give it a try.

[Ouchmychin]

Sorry Gary, it was Bob that posted that stuff. I purchased several flavors and liked them all.