Thanks guys! Always happy to shed some light on 'hidden gems" and bring some attention to many of the lesser known artisans.
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SHAVEWIZARD'S THOUGHTS
- Thread starter Shavewizard420
- Start date
Thanks guys! Always happy to shed some light on 'hidden gems" and bring some attention to many of the lesser known artisans.
1-23
Prep: Mickey Lee Sandalwood Pre Shave Butter
Razor: Fat Handle Tech
Blade: Pol-Silver
Brush: Yaqi Synthetic
Soap: Southern Witchcrafts- Autumn Ash
Post: CB LPV A/S
Very unusual shave early this morning. Had a hard time getting a good lather
this has happened before when using this pre shave butter, really liked this stuff at first but have heard other people having issues with this product. Even though i only used a small dab, it was all that was needed to effect lather stability. will have to go back and try the Van Yulay Spiced Mahogany again and see if the pre shave was to blame, in a way i hope so as the scent is very nice. Decided not to do a lather shot today since it wouldnt be a good representation of this product.
As for Autumn Ash.....OH MAN does this smell amazing, would put in up there with Storybook Soapworks Shaken as one of the best scents i have come across. Its like a mix of burnt syrup with spicy notes, just a beautiful addictive scent IMO.
Performance of SW is top notch and despite the lather issues it was still a decent shave. It seems whenever i mention blade longevity the blade starts to pull & tug on the next shave lol, anyways this blade seems to keep going and going. Have found blades to give the best shaves on the 3rd or 4th shave once they are a broken in a bit. Finished the shave with LPV aftershave, the soap burns my skin but no issues with the A/S plus it smells great and paired well with Autumn Ash. Hope everyone had a swell shave!
Prep: Mickey Lee Sandalwood Pre Shave Butter
Razor: Fat Handle Tech
Blade: Pol-Silver
Brush: Yaqi Synthetic
Soap: Southern Witchcrafts- Autumn Ash
Post: CB LPV A/S
Very unusual shave early this morning. Had a hard time getting a good lather
this has happened before when using this pre shave butter, really liked this stuff at first but have heard other people having issues with this product. Even though i only used a small dab, it was all that was needed to effect lather stability. will have to go back and try the Van Yulay Spiced Mahogany again and see if the pre shave was to blame, in a way i hope so as the scent is very nice. Decided not to do a lather shot today since it wouldnt be a good representation of this product.
As for Autumn Ash.....OH MAN does this smell amazing, would put in up there with Storybook Soapworks Shaken as one of the best scents i have come across. Its like a mix of burnt syrup with spicy notes, just a beautiful addictive scent IMO.
Performance of SW is top notch and despite the lather issues it was still a decent shave. It seems whenever i mention blade longevity the blade starts to pull & tug on the next shave lol, anyways this blade seems to keep going and going. Have found blades to give the best shaves on the 3rd or 4th shave once they are a broken in a bit. Finished the shave with LPV aftershave, the soap burns my skin but no issues with the A/S plus it smells great and paired well with Autumn Ash. Hope everyone had a swell shave!
1-21
Prep: Musgo Real Oakmoss
Razor: Fat Handle Tech
Blade: Pol-Silver
Brush: Yaqi Synthetic
Soap: I Coloniali
Post: PAA Sangre De Drago A/S
Had a decent shave with I Coloniali the other day. This was the most voluminous lather ive ever had with this soap, perhaps due to lathering in the bowl instead of the puck. Sad they discontinued this product, the price tag on the terra cotta bowl is expensive but the refill pucks were around $19 which is not too bad for a luxurious product of this caliber. Picked this up from BST a while back and have no regrets.
Scent of I Coloniali is a unique spicy scent, has a light menthol cooling that is not detected in the scent.
Performance is quite good but is different from most soaps when it comes to lather consistancy. The light menthol feels great without being overpowering, and is rare that it is not detectable in the scent. Shave went well and finished off with Sangre De Drago which smells amazing and complimented the I Coloniali quite well. Hope everyone had a A1 shave!
Prep: Musgo Real Oakmoss
Razor: Fat Handle Tech
Blade: Pol-Silver
Brush: Yaqi Synthetic
Soap: I Coloniali
Post: PAA Sangre De Drago A/S
Had a decent shave with I Coloniali the other day. This was the most voluminous lather ive ever had with this soap, perhaps due to lathering in the bowl instead of the puck. Sad they discontinued this product, the price tag on the terra cotta bowl is expensive but the refill pucks were around $19 which is not too bad for a luxurious product of this caliber. Picked this up from BST a while back and have no regrets.
Scent of I Coloniali is a unique spicy scent, has a light menthol cooling that is not detected in the scent.
Performance is quite good but is different from most soaps when it comes to lather consistancy. The light menthol feels great without being overpowering, and is rare that it is not detectable in the scent. Shave went well and finished off with Sangre De Drago which smells amazing and complimented the I Coloniali quite well. Hope everyone had a A1 shave!
SteveChuckFrank
Close Enough*
Nice couple of shaves Mr. Wizard!
A&E soaps are excellent, IMO. If you'd like to sample Which One's Pink?, message your address to me and I'll send you a chunk.
Thanks guys! Its an honor to be a part of this awesome community!
I really appreciate the offer Bruce, but i have more soaps than i know what to do with lol and am in the process of weeding out ones to get rid of. Plan on saving some for the PIF table at the next Maggard Meet, but so far have a overflowed box and am trying to figure out weather to do a large lot or piece them out individually, for as much gear i've bought into this hobby, im not experienced at selling gear.
Thank you anyways Bruce, your generosity helps make this one of the best communities to be a part of.
I had tickets for last year's meet, but school took priority. That'll be the case again this June. That PIF table sounds like an excellent idea, as long as people approach it honestly. I really like Maggard; they have great stuff at good prices, and their customer service is unmatched. They ship promptly, too, which I appreciate. If they're still doing the Meet-up in 2020, I'll be there.
I really appreciate the offer Bruce, but i have more soaps than i know what to do with lol and am in the process of weeding out ones to get rid of. Plan on saving some for the PIF table at the next Maggard Meet, but so far have a overflowed box and am trying to figure out weather to do a large lot or piece them out individually, for as much gear i've bought into this hobby, im not experienced at selling gear.
Thank you anyways Bruce, your generosity helps make this one of the best communities to be a part of.
1-24
Prep: Pre Shave Soap Mix
Razor: Gillette Fat Handle Tech
Blade: Pol-Silver
Brush: Yaqi Synthetic
Soap: QCS Rose Otto
Post: QCS Rose Otto Balm
Fantastic shave yesterday morning. This soap base from QCS is supurb IMO and offers loads of protection and slickness, residual slickness really stood out compaired to many other soaps. It's sad that Queen Charolette Soaps is no longer in business, but plenty of tubs still in circulation.
Scent of Rose Otto is a (obvious) bright Rose that is refreshing and quite potent for a Rose scent.
Lather from this soap holds a boatload of water and had that shiny quality of many Elite artisans. Lot of volume and density add to the so called "cushion" that helps protect from the blade. Managed a BBS although this blade is starting to tug & pull a bit, will use it again tomorrow then its time is up as it has lasted a long while and served its purpouse. Hope everyone had a swell shave!
1-25
Prep: pre shave soap mix
Razor: Gillette Fat Handle Tech
Blade: Pol-Silver
Brush: Yaqi Synthetic
Soap: Steambath Factory (Tiki)- Bloodbath
Post: Pinaud Whiskey Woods A/S
Started off with Van Yulay Spiced Mahogany but was having serious lather issues. I'm convinced this is some kind of a dud tub as Monica from VY makes decent products and have not had this issus with any of her other soaps. Lather was non existant at first then turned into a watery mess when a small amount of water was added. Too bad as the scent is decent, will PIF it so hopefully someone else may have better luck than i did (similar to modern Williams).
Anyways, pulled out the Bloodbath as Tiki soaps lather faster then pretty much any soap i have tried yet. Problem solved!
Scent of Bloodbath is a spicy Pumpkin coffee and has Dust as a scent note which is a bit unusual. One of the best pumpkin scents alomg with Soap Smooth.
Performance is great as with all Tiki soaps. Lather took water like a champ without turning to soup. Was not the closest shave but no nicks, accept for a little redness on neckline this was a decent shave. Little burn from the Whiskey Woods which smells much more modern than regular Clubman, perfect addition to the Clubman line. Hope everyone is doing well and getting the best shaves possible!
Prep: Pre Shave Soap Mix
Razor: Gillette Fat Handle Tech
Blade: Pol-Silver
Brush: Yaqi Synthetic
Soap: QCS Rose Otto
Post: QCS Rose Otto Balm
Fantastic shave yesterday morning. This soap base from QCS is supurb IMO and offers loads of protection and slickness, residual slickness really stood out compaired to many other soaps. It's sad that Queen Charolette Soaps is no longer in business, but plenty of tubs still in circulation.
Scent of Rose Otto is a (obvious) bright Rose that is refreshing and quite potent for a Rose scent.
Lather from this soap holds a boatload of water and had that shiny quality of many Elite artisans. Lot of volume and density add to the so called "cushion" that helps protect from the blade. Managed a BBS although this blade is starting to tug & pull a bit, will use it again tomorrow then its time is up as it has lasted a long while and served its purpouse. Hope everyone had a swell shave!
1-25
Prep: pre shave soap mix
Razor: Gillette Fat Handle Tech
Blade: Pol-Silver
Brush: Yaqi Synthetic
Soap: Steambath Factory (Tiki)- Bloodbath
Post: Pinaud Whiskey Woods A/S
Started off with Van Yulay Spiced Mahogany but was having serious lather issues. I'm convinced this is some kind of a dud tub as Monica from VY makes decent products and have not had this issus with any of her other soaps. Lather was non existant at first then turned into a watery mess when a small amount of water was added. Too bad as the scent is decent, will PIF it so hopefully someone else may have better luck than i did (similar to modern Williams).
Anyways, pulled out the Bloodbath as Tiki soaps lather faster then pretty much any soap i have tried yet. Problem solved!
Scent of Bloodbath is a spicy Pumpkin coffee and has Dust as a scent note which is a bit unusual. One of the best pumpkin scents alomg with Soap Smooth.
Performance is great as with all Tiki soaps. Lather took water like a champ without turning to soup. Was not the closest shave but no nicks, accept for a little redness on neckline this was a decent shave. Little burn from the Whiskey Woods which smells much more modern than regular Clubman, perfect addition to the Clubman line. Hope everyone is doing well and getting the best shaves possible!
Dave in KY
Shave Newbie
Nice call to switch out the soap. Nice stuff
Some nice shaves as of late Mr. Wizard...and a nice save as well!
This is my problem too! I think since I started doing this four years ago...I have only sold one set of soap and aftershave. And that was only because I didn't use it at all and didn't like the scent. Everything else that I wanted to get rid of was given away!
This is my problem too! I think since I started doing this four years ago...I have only sold one set of soap and aftershave. And that was only because I didn't use it at all and didn't like the scent. Everything else that I wanted to get rid of was given away!
Thanks Dave! Pretty much had to switch out the soap, the lack of lather would have caused some damage for sure hahaha.
I think people that get rid of soaps/aftershaves is mostly due to scent preference. Performance of most products these days is very good and not as pravelent as it used to be years back.
I only recall selling gear once or twice. One was a guy that bought a brush, 2 soaps & a A/S. The shipping costs is what makes it a bit confusing as it's much harder to estimate than i would have thought. The dude was really cool and threw me a few extra bucks to help cover shipping, but will be more careful in the future.
1-26
Prep: Pre shave soap mix
Razor: Wilkinson Sword Sticky
Blade: Gillette Black (1st shave)
Brush: Yaqi Synthetic
Soap: Murphy & Mcneil- Kell's
Post: Dragon Noir A/S, Stirling MITA WH
Heard about this artisan recently so decided to try a few samples (Kell's & ouroboros) have a good ingredient list and some interesting labels. The soap is a soft consistancy similar to DG at least in the sample form.
Scent of Kell's is a clean fresh scent that reminds me a lot of Wild West Pinkerton or SC Courage, once lathered it smelled a lot like Courage to my nose which is a good thing. Scent strength is about a 6.5/10 and not one you have to struggle to detect. Same goes for the Ouroboros which smells exactly like Reef Point Dragons Blood IMO.
Soap lathered well in the copper bowl with no issues. Lather has a light consistancy without being fluffy and did not have any heavy feeling during or after the shave, more on the milky side. Shave went well and so far so good. Little stinging from the Dragon Noir but thats to be expected, scents paired well together and am happy with the results. Hope y'all had a similar experience!
LOOK AT THAT WICKED LATHER!
Prep: Pre shave soap mix
Razor: Wilkinson Sword Sticky
Blade: Gillette Black (1st shave)
Brush: Yaqi Synthetic
Soap: Murphy & Mcneil- Kell's
Post: Dragon Noir A/S, Stirling MITA WH
Heard about this artisan recently so decided to try a few samples (Kell's & ouroboros) have a good ingredient list and some interesting labels. The soap is a soft consistancy similar to DG at least in the sample form.
Scent of Kell's is a clean fresh scent that reminds me a lot of Wild West Pinkerton or SC Courage, once lathered it smelled a lot like Courage to my nose which is a good thing. Scent strength is about a 6.5/10 and not one you have to struggle to detect. Same goes for the Ouroboros which smells exactly like Reef Point Dragons Blood IMO.
Soap lathered well in the copper bowl with no issues. Lather has a light consistancy without being fluffy and did not have any heavy feeling during or after the shave, more on the milky side. Shave went well and so far so good. Little stinging from the Dragon Noir but thats to be expected, scents paired well together and am happy with the results. Hope y'all had a similar experience!
LOOK AT THAT WICKED LATHER!
Thanks Douglas! QCS was quite popular a whie back and they got mostly positive reviews for both soap and their cream base (which many people say is more croap than cream). Was fornuate enough to pick up this set 2nd hand. Weighed the soap just for kicks since the puck fell from the tub and it still weighed more than 3.5 oz, so Matt must have had a heavy pour (just a simple observation).
If you like Rose scents shoot me a PM and i can send you a sample. Its one i should have sent to the Sample Library because it really is a great soap both scent and performance.
Murphy & McNeil started popping up on my Instagram and so I added them to my account! After March I intend to try their soaps. I absolutely love their Celtic graphics for their products and their website has an interesting concept as far as selling their products and also having a marketplace! Your review of the soap confirms that I just probably buy their soaps! Thanks!