Personal Shaving info and top 10 list

Hi there. As you can see by the majority of my posts, I really enjoy shaving the old way and I have shunned the modern multi-bladed razors and electrics. There are two reasons that I switched to this. One was money and the other was the constant irritation I would get on my neck area. I was a once a week shaver because the redness and bumps were so bad but after switching I can shave every day and get much better results and spend a lot less money. I started this little hobby of mine in June of 2012 and many of the soaps I still have. That’s the beauty of this. If I used canned goop and shaved every day it would last a month or less and the same can be said of cartridges, but these soaps (except tubed creams) last a good deal longer and some are only a couple of dollars (Van der Hagen, Williams). Also blades are cheap. A box of 100 Derby Extras is only 9 dollars and you can get about 4 to 5 shaves with each. So 9 dollars of blades can last nearly 2 years. The razor will last a life time and potentially so can the brush.

When I started I was still experimenting on what gave me the best shave. I would use hair conditioner on my face in the shower to soften the hairs. Then I simply showered and shaved. Currently the soaps are so good and I lather it in for a longer time period that I shave before getting in the shower. So far it is working fine unless I get to aggressive. I no longer pursue a baby butt smooth shave each time. What I go for is a shave that gives the appearance of a BBS shave.

Most of the products I use are cheap. I do have a few expensive products like the silvertips, but they were gifted to me. Some of my gear is old and I’m talking 100 years (Ever-Ready 1912) and some is brand spanking new (Merkur’s). I’ve had a few razors, one (straight razor) of which I think may have been from the 1800’s that I have given away for nothing because others have done the same for me. We call this PIFfing. Pay it forward. Most stuff I have piffed, or simply given away with no conditions was piffed to me. One of the last things I gave away was a 1945 Gillette Contract Tech razor that I bought at an antique store. Excellent mild razor but it just didn’t work for me. Another was a 1970’s or early 80’s Schick Injector that I bought new in Box. Just gave it away.

There are a couple things that I find hard to control. I love brushes. Vintage and new. I do not care for the cream colored beehives but I like brushes that have at least 2 colors or comfortable finger grips. I’m a sucker for an attractive brush and the only thing that keeps me in check is the price. I am seeing a lot of custom jobs done by small business owners and the handles look fantastic, but the 80 to 150 dollar price tag keeps me away. Sigh. The other thing is scent. This is why I have more than one Soap Commander and other soaps. All four Soap Commander soaps perform the same, but the scent is so intoxicating that I got to have more. Same goes for aftershaves. I love to smell great!

 Revised June 2015

Samples on Hand

• Stirling Soap – Hot Apple Cider
• Synergy/PAA – Steeplechase Sport
• RazoRock – XX
• Barbiere Di Figaro – Exclusivo

Soaps on Hand

• Arko
• Art of Shaving – Ocean Kelp
• Boots
• Cella
• Classic Shaving – Lime and Coconut
• C. O. Bigelow
• George F. Trumper – Lime
• Ginger’s Garden – Suede
• Institut Karite
• J. M. Frasers
• King R. Emporium
• Klar Kabinett
• Maggard Razors – Lime and Bergamot
• Old Spice
• Omega
• Provence Sante’
• QED Essentials – Pine and Cedar
• RazorRock – Zi’ Peppino
• Reef Point Soaps – Peerless
• Reef Point Soaps – Sublime
• Shaving Yeti – Columbian Necktie
• Shaving Yeti – Dr. Yeti’s Magic Elixir
• Shaving Yeti – Shore Leave
• Shaving Yeti – Yeti Snot
• Soap Commander – Courage
• Soap Commander – Refreshment
• Soap Commander – Resolution
• Soap Commander – Respect
• Speick
• Stirling Soaps – Bonaparte
• Stirling Soaps – Ozark Mountain
• Stirling Soaps – Stirling Clubman
• Stirling Soaps – Stirling Spice
• Stirling Soaps – Texas on Fire
• Straight Razor Designs – Frankincense
• Synergy – Cavendish
• Synergy – Chocolate Bourbon
• Tabac
• Tcheon Fung Sing – Esotiche
• The Body Shop – Maca Root
• Tiki Bar Soap – Iced Mint
• Tiki Bar Soap – Redwood
• Tiki Bar Soap – Set Sail
• Van der Hagen – Deluxe
• Van der Hagen – Luxury
• Williams Mug Soap (vintage)
• Williams Mug Soap (modern)
• Yardley Gold

Top Ten based on scent (changes on new stock in or the season)

• RazoRock -XX
• Soap Commander – Respect
• Synergy (now PAA) Cavendish
• Ginger’s Garden – Suede
• Stirling Soap Co. – Ozark Mountain
• Classic Shaving – Lime and Coconut
• Tabac
• George F. Trumpers – Lime
• Maggard Razors – Lime & Bergamot
• Reef Point Soaps – Sublime

Top Ten based on performance

• Klar Kabinett (the old brick form)
• Ginger’s Garden – Suede (tallow)
• Tiki Bar Soap (tallow formula)
• Phoenix Artisan Accoutrements (formally HTGAM/Synergy) – Steeplechase Sport (2.0 formula)
• RazoRock – XX
• Soap Commander (Any scent)
• Reef Point Soaps (tallow)
• Tabac
• Williams Mug Soap (vintage only)
• Stirling Soap Co.

Revised January 2015

Samples on Hand

• Stirling Soaps – Hot Apple Cider
• Synergy – Steeplechase Sport
• Soap Commander – Cracklin’ Birch
• Soap Commander – Thanksliving
• RazoRock – XX
• Barbiere Di Figaro – Esclusivo

Soaps on Hand

• Arko
• Art of Shaving – Ocean Kelp
• Boots
• Cella
• Classic Shaving – Lime and Coconut
• C. O. Bigelow
• George F. Trumper – Lime
• Ginger’s Garden – Suede
• Godrej
• Green Mountain Soaps – Lime Vetiver
• Institut Karite
• J. M. Frasers
• King R. Emporium
• Klar Kabinett
• Maggard Razors – Lime and Bergamot
• Omega
• Provence Sante’
• QED Essentials – Pine and Cedar
• RazorRock – Zi’ Peppino
• Reef Point Soaps – Peerless
• Reef Point Soaps – Sublime
• Shaving Yeti – Columbian Necktie
• Shaving Yeti – Dr. Yeti’s Magic Elixir
• Shaving Yeti – Shore Leave
• Shaving Yeti – Yeti Snot
• Soap Commander – Courage
• Soap Commander – Refreshment
• Soap Commander – Resolution
• Soap Commander – Respect
• Speick
• Stirling Soaps – Bonaparte
• Stirling Soaps – Ozark Mountain
• Stirling Soaps – Stirling Clubman
• Stirling Soaps – Stirling Spice
• Stirling Soaps – Texas on Fire
• Straight Razor Designs – Frankincense
• Synergy – Cavendish
• Synergy – Chocolate Bourbon
• Tabac
• Tcheon Fung Sing – Esotiche
• The Body Shop – Maca Root
• Tiki Bar Soap – Iced Mint
• Tiki Bar Soap – Redwood
• Tiki Bar Soap – Set Sail
• Van der Hagen – Deluxe
• Van der Hagen – Luxury
• Williams Mug Soap (vintage)
• Yardley Gold

Top Ten Soaps based on Scent

• RazoRock XX
• Soap Commander Respect
• Synergy – Cavendish
• Ginger’s Garden – Suede
• Tiki Bar Soap – Redwood
• Tabac
• George F. Trumper – Lime
• Straight Razor Designs – Frankicense
• Soap Commander – Cracklin’ Birch
• Stirling Soaps – Ozark Mountain

Top Ten Soaps based on Performance (Some of these have not been used yet so I will list just the brand name and not the scent)

• RazoRock
• Soap Commander
• Ginger’s Garden
• Stirling Soaps
• Tiki Bar Soap
• Godrej (For the simple fact that every shave is awesome but the lather sucks)
• Synergy
• Reef Point Soaps
• Van der Hagen Deluxe
• C. O. Bigelow or Omega (They are identical)

Original List ~ April 2014

Though my shaving soap exposure can be called quite limited by some of the others out there, it’s still impressive to me. I have used or tried about 35+ soaps. Let’s break it down.

Soaps used and no longer on hand

• L’occitane Cade (given away – made my face burn)
• Williams Mug Soap
• The Strop Shoppe – Black Tie (sample)
• Martin De Candre – Original (sample)
• La Toja – (cream/sample)
• Tabac – (cream/sample)
• Irisch Moos – (cream/sample)
• Proraso – Green (sample)
• Proraso – Blue (sample)
• Proraso – Red (sample)
• Mama Bears – Various samples ( gave a large portion of this away)
• Palmolive – Lemon (gave away after a few uses)

Soaps on hand

• Martin De Candre – Fougere (sample)
• Klar Kabinett – large sample
• Sultans – Lavender (Have not used yet)
• Arko
• Speick (hard shaving stick)
• Tabac (soft soap version)
• Cella
• Kiss My Face – Cool Mint
• J. M. Fraser’s
• Art of Shaving – Ocean Kelp (croap version)
• Shaving Yeti – Dr. Yeti’s Magic Elixir
• Shaving Yeti – Yeti Snot
• Shaving Yeti – Columbian Necktie
• Shaving Yeti – Shore Leave
• Green Mountain Soap – Lime/Vetiver
• Tiki Bar Soap – Set Sail – Vegan formula
• HTGAM Synergy – Cavendish
• C. O. Bigelow
• Omega
• Godrej – (puck)
• Tcheon Fung Sing – Freschezza Polare
• Tcheon Fung Sing – Esotiche
• B.D.F. – Esclusivo
• The Body Shop – Maca Root
• Van der Hagen – Deluxe
• Van der Hagen – Luxury (Have not used yet)
• Straight Razor Designs – Frankincense
• Queen Charolette – Vostok (sample)
• Wickham Soap Co. – Southsea Spray (sample – have not used yet)
• Wickham Soap Co. – Garden Mint (sample)
• Taylor of Bond Street – Mr. Taylor (sample)
• Mama Bear – (about 5 samples in waiting)
• Boots shave stick
• Mystery soap – (a name has not been released for this and it may not be in it’s final stage of development)

Let’s work on some Top Ten lists. Likely to change as new things come my way

Top Ten performing soaps (no particular order):

• HTGAM Synergy – Cavendish
• Tiki Bar Soap – Set Sail
• Mystery Soap – (Cool Water cologne scented) (will link once finalized)
• Godrej (puck) – Not the best lather but every shave with this has been perfect for some reason
• Tcheon Fung Sing – Freschezza Polare
• Speick
• Martin de Candre – Original
• Martin de Candre – Fougere
• Art of Shaving – Ocean Kelp
• Klar Kabinett

Top Ten soaps based on scent:

• HTGAM Synergy – Cavendish
• Tiki Bar Soap – Set Sail
• Speick
• Tabac
• Art of Shaving – Ocean Kelp
• Straight Razor Designs – Frankincense
• Wickham Soap Co. – Garden Mint
• Shaving Yeti – Shore Leave
• Shaving Yeti – Columbian Necktie
• J. M. Fraser’s
• (honorable mention – Mama Bears – A large selection of scents that are incredible to the senses. Honestly I could fill up at top 30 with just their scents. The ones I gave away where food scents like creme brule and such which I don’t enjoy shaving with but the scents were spot on. The ones I used I can’t remember the names. )