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DR Harris Lavender Shaving Soap Discussion Thread

Joel, I have to disagree with you on this one. Admittedly, the price is steep, but the soap is second to none. No soap I have ever used has come even close to providing the level of quality lather that I can get from D.R. Harris. There are other good soaps out there...QED, T&H (I'm not a fan of Tabac). But none in my opinion are as good as D.R. Harris. It's well worth the money in my opinion.
 
Joel, I have to disagree with you on this one. Admittedly, the price is steep, but the soap is second to none. No soap I have ever used has come even close to providing the level of quality lather that I can get from D.R. Harris. There are other good soaps out there...QED, T&H (I'm not a fan of Tabac). But none in my opinion are as good as D.R. Harris. It's well worth the money in my opinion.

+1 - you can add me to that list! This stuff is magic and worth spending that little extra for! it it triple milled which does give that extra essance but due that triple milled process comes in the extra ££$$

i want a soap to do it job and maybe provide a little scent but most soap may smell great but don't do what they say on the bowl

D R Harris does! :cool:
 
I haven't used this soap, but after your postings on just how far you're willing to go for a quality soap, I'm a little surprised at the "not worth the money" rating. FWIW, I'd bet when you compare in terms of price per shave, the Harris will come out to be a better value than the QED. It will never beat Tabac, but I've been less and less impressed with the Tabac as time goes on.
 
I haven’t used Tabac yet though it’s my list....I guess DR Harris like any other soap is down to personal taste.

I have to date tried the following:

Taylor of bond street sandalwood: takes a little to get used to the smell but your will be surprised just how much lather it generates from a tiny amount of cream.

Taylor of Bond Street St James Shaving Cream: very present smell and like the sandalwood produces loads of lather from a tiny amount.

G F Thumper Violet: great smell, love the violet colour and gives just the right amount lather needed for a shave.

C&W Sandalwood soap and cream - both smell fantastic however they do need a little bit of work to produce the lather. Both also leave you face smooth and soft, needless to say that rest do as well.

Then we come to DR Harris Lavender – I think it’s the best balance of the above. I have to say that I expected it to provide a more of smell but with the lavender it’s a little on the dull side. It lather up well and it carries on providing and should last a long time.

The one bad news is that every one of the above has resulted in my face reacting expect D R Harris. I nailed it down to shaving creams being the issue not shaving soaps. However saying that I am using D R Harris Almond cream at the moment and I have not had any problems. Which bring me back to my initial point, quality!

It might be the case that for the extra cost ones pays for D R Harris you get a product which is far better made then the rest who might use common ingredients and aren’t as selective. I don’t mind paying for D R Harris products as I know they will last and provide me with what I want (though I think their soap are better then their creams).
 
I haven't used this soap, but after your postings on just how far you're willing to go for a quality soap, I'm a little surprised at the "not worth the money" rating. FWIW, I'd bet when you compare in terms of price per shave, the Harris will come out to be a better value than the QED. It will never beat Tabac, but I've been less and less impressed with the Tabac as time goes on.

I guess we can agree to disagree.... for the cost of 3.4 oz of Harris and it's annoying wooden bowl, you can get about 15oz of QED in more practical plastic tubs. At least for me personally - 15oz of Glycerine/QED soap will last longer than 3.4 oz of triple milled soap. A triple milled soap will last me about a year with daily use.... one tob of QED (the QED tubs are 47% larger) will last me at least 6 months, and at 1/3 of the cost, and providing superior lubrication, moisturization and closeness to the Harris to me personally, they offer a superior value.

DR Harris IS very good shaving soap, however there ARE better soaps out there - for instance Truefitt & Hill (which also has a MUCH nicer lavender scent than the DR Harris) is quite a but less expensive for refills (I hate those wooden bowls, and go out of my way not to use them) than Harris - and in my opinion, T&H is about the best triple milled shaving soap out there.

Most of us have different water conditions, shave with different types/styles of razors, and so on and so forth - so we WILL disagree on things for sure - however for those fellas who have only tried 4-5 shaving creams & soaps, you may want to continue your search, as while again, Harris is great stuff... it isn't the best.
 
I guess we can agree to disagree.... for the cost of 3.4 oz of Harris and it's annoying wooden bowl, you can get about 15oz of QED in more practical plastic tubs. At least for me personally - 15oz of Glycerine/QED soap will last longer than 3.4 oz of triple milled soap. A triple milled soap will last me about a year with daily use.... one tob of QED (the QED tubs are 47% larger) will last me at least 6 months, and at 1/3 of the cost, and providing superior lubrication, moisturization and closeness to the Harris to me personally, they offer a superior value.
.

I think you mean 5oz tubs, not 15 oz. Also, I think the value of the Harris goes down when you buy it from a US retailer, much like MWF. The Gentlemans Shop offers Harris refills for $14, which is 2 bucks more than the QED soap. Of course, you must add shipping onto that, but if you pool your orders this isn't such a disaster.
 
I think you mean 5oz tubs, not 15 oz. Also, I think the value of the Harris goes down when you buy it from a US retailer, much like MWF. The Gentlemans Shop offers Harris refills for $14, which is 2 bucks more than the QED soap. Of course, you must add shipping onto that, but if you pool your orders this isn't such a disaster.

No - I mean 15oz. A cake of harris soap in it's wooden bowl is about $35 - which is the cost of three 5oz cakes of QED - Ergo 15oz vs 3.4oz.

It's only "fair" to compare the cost of the Harris with bowl, as all three tubs of QED would have plastic tubs/bowls.
 
Indeed, you are in fact forced to buy the tub when you buy the QEDman.

So, in tub Harris from the Gentleman's shop: $24 + $15 shipping to US, gets you one year of shaves. $39/year

QEDman tub: $12+$7 shipping, for 6 months of shaves. $38/year

Looks very close to a push to me.
 
It's only "fair" to compare the cost of the Harris with bowl, as all three tubs of QED would have plastic tubs/bowls.
But you don't use them. Why bump up the comparison price by adding something you're not going to use (and presumably wouldn't buy)?
 
But you don't use them. Why bump up the comparison price by adding something you're not going to use (and presumably wouldn't buy)?

We could argue endlessly about tidbits and really lose the value of the review, or we can focus on the review, and it's intention.

Most fellas do not buy merely shaving soap refills, as how many containers does one reasonably stand to have to find/create/use? If we ONLY reviewed refills, we would waste a lot of fellas time, as most guys still use the wood bowls, and/or do not care to find a more suitable container for every shaving soap they purchase, that's just silly.

I DO use wood bowls - however I do not like them, and I go out of my way to buy shaving "refills" when I can, however I often am stuck buying the wood bowls, as buying a suitable bowl for a shaving soap refill, often tends to be more of a hassle, be more expensive than the wood bowl, and take up quite a bit more space.

Again - we could argue tirelessly about nit picky stuff, but it's moot, and a waste of time. QED soap comes in a tub.... comparing it to other soaps that are merely refills is a waste of time, as they are NOT like for like, as noone is going to lather a puck of soap in their hand, and let it dry on the counter.

I don't see the sense in arguing back and forth over these tiny little details, but it appears as though a few of you really want to break my balls here.

I'm merely creating a review, and responding to questions/comments accordingly. Everyone has a right to their own opinion, and that's fine and dandy, however when someone (ScottS) who has NOT used the soap in question (which is reflected in his post) and makes an incorrect statement (anyone can go to QEDUSA.com and see a 5oz tub of soap for $12, and go to vintage blade, or knox cigar or the like and see DR Harris for $35 for a cake in a bowl and logically see you can get 15 oz of soap, versus 3.4 oz of soap) it should be corrected, as someone who hasn't used the product, and isn't able to the math accordingly, or judge the longevity of said product (considering he hasn't used it) should be corrected.

Beating around the bush, adding multiple shipping charges into the QED soap, and so on and so forth is just an annoyance and a waste of time.

Try both of the soaps for an extended period of time, then tell me it's a wash.
 
I'm merely creating a review, and responding to questions/comments accordingly. Everyone has a right to their own opinion, and that's fine and dandy, however when someone (ScottS) who has NOT used the soap in question (which is reflected in his post) and makes an incorrect statement (anyone can go to QEDUSA.com and see a 5oz tub of soap for $12, and go to vintage blade, or knox cigar or the like and see DR Harris for $35 for a cake in a bowl and logically see you can get 15 oz of soap, versus 3.4 oz of soap) it should be corrected, as someone who hasn't used the product, and isn't able to the math accordingly, or judge the longevity of said product (considering he hasn't used it) should be corrected.

Beating around the bush, adding multiple shipping charges into the QED soap, and so on and so forth is just an annoyance and a waste of time.

Try both of the soaps for an extended period of time, then tell me it's a wash.

Everyone has a right to their own opinion, and that's fine and dandy, however when someone (ScottS) who has NOT used the soap in question (which is reflected in his post) and makes an incorrect statement (anyone can go to QEDUSA.com and see a 5oz tub of soap for $12, and go to vintage blade, or knox cigar or the like and see DR Harris for $35 for a cake in a bowl and logically see you can get 15 oz of soap, versus 3.4 oz of soap) it should be corrected, as someone who hasn't used the product, and isn't able to the math accordingly, or judge the longevity of said product (considering he hasn't used it) should be corrected.

My mistake was thinking you were talking about a 15oz tub of QED, when I obviously knew that one tub was $12. That said, I was using YOUR numbers for the longevity of the soap--which I assume are the numbers you were using to say that QED is a better value--as I have no reason whatsoever to assume you're wrong, and your numbers as agree with my general experience of milled vs glycerin soaps. Sure, you can go to knox and pay too much, just like you can go to a US vendor and pay 60+ bucks for Mitchell's Woolfat in the dish, but you'd have to not care very much about what you're paying to do the latter when you can pay 30 bucks from CarbolicSoap. We seem to have some crazy US distributors (NOT talking about our retailers, who are forced to do business with the distributors) who seem to feel that they can charge what they want, but that doesn't mean we have to give them our business. Of course, the Harris soap isn't as dramatically jacked up in the US as the Woolfat-- 40% instead of 100%

So, you said
Overall.... good stuff, but not worth the $. For the $, QED, Tabac, etc are a better value.

I agree that Tabac is a better value--but I suspect, from 90% of the rave Harris reviews by people whos other opinions I largely agree with, and my own opinion of Tabac as compared to some other soaps, that its not as good a soap. T&H, in fact, is about the same value as Harris, as Knox sells the refills of Harris at the same price Classic sell T&H refills for (wrong again??). I simply disagree that QED is a better value in terms of cost per shave. You can get the Harris at $24 a bowl from the Gentlemans shop , and even with shipping, its about the same value as QED-- and the refills are an even better value, as is buying multiple bowls. If you must buy in the US, you can get fine value if you don't buy the wooden bowl. I simply did not add multiple shipping charges to the QED. I selected some product of comparable size and value (you can't buy QEDman soap via a web shopping cart, so far as I can find), and clicked Checkout to find the shipping cost, which came to $6.95, which is about what I paid for my last QED shipment.

You're not quite on, there, about the value thing, and I'll correct it. This is how misperceptions about price get started. How many people do you think won't try AOS cream ($4.15/oz from AOS), when they'll gladly buy T&H cream ($4.65/oz from classicshaving)?
 
My mistake was thinking you were talking about a 15oz tub of QED, when I obviously knew that one tub was $12. That said, I was using YOUR numbers for the longevity of the soap--which I assume are the numbers you were using to say that QED is a better value--as I have no reason whatsoever to assume you're wrong, and your numbers as agree with my general experience of milled vs glycerin soaps. Sure, you can go to knox and pay too much, just like you can go to a US vendor and pay 60+ bucks for Mitchell's Woolfat in the dish, but you'd have to not care very much about what you're paying to do the latter when you can pay 30 bucks from CarbolicSoap. We seem to have some crazy US distributors (NOT talking about our retailers, who are forced to do business with the distributors) who seem to feel that they can charge what they want, but that doesn't mean we have to give them our business. Of course, the Harris soap isn't as dramatically jacked up in the US as the Woolfat-- 40% instead of 100%

So, you said


I agree that Tabac is a better value--but I suspect, from 90% of the rave Harris reviews by people whos other opinions I largely agree with, and my own opinion of Tabac as compared to some other soaps, that its not as good a soap. T&H, in fact, is about the same value as Harris, as Knox sells the refills of Harris at the same price Classic sell T&H refills for (wrong again??). I simply disagree that QED is a better value in terms of cost per shave. You can get the Harris at $24 a bowl from the Gentlemans shop , and even with shipping, its about the same value as QED-- and the refills are an even better value, as is buying multiple bowls. If you must buy in the US, you can get fine value if you don't buy the wooden bowl. I simply did not add multiple shipping charges to the QED. I selected some product of comparable size and value (you can't buy QEDman soap via a web shopping cart, so far as I can find), and clicked Checkout to find the shipping cost, which came to $6.95, which is about what I paid for my last QED shipment.

You're not quite on, there, about the value thing, and I'll correct it. This is how misperceptions about price get started. How many people do you think won't try AOS cream ($4.15/oz from AOS), when they'll gladly buy T&H cream ($4.65/oz from classicshaving)?

Some people just don't get it....
 
I get it just fine. You made a statement I politely disagreed with, and provided numbers to back up my opinion. Then you kept changing terms until you were right and I was wrong.

The last time I checked this was a shaving forum, not a debate forum. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and Joel feels QED is a better value. If you feel differently, I don't see a problem. Actually, I don't believe you have tried it, so give it a shot and see what you think. I like both products and there will always be room in my shaving cabinet for both of them.
 
The last time I checked this was a shaving forum, not a debate forum. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion and Joel feels QED is a better value. If you feel differently, I don't see a problem. Actually, I don't believe you have tried it, so give it a shot and see what you think. I like both products and there will always be room in my shaving cabinet for both of them.

+1 i agree with boboakalfb, everyone to their own. my comments above were based on a what i have experienced and learnt since i have been wet shaving. Advance users like Joel and SoctS maybe have years on me and thus feel different to what’s a good value what’s not. I have tired QED (not sure if you can buy em in the UK) but i have read that quite a few people use it. D R Harris is a luxury soap and shall always be a luxury, as Joel mention plenty more soaps in the sea that give more.
 
Folks - Quick question on the Harris Lavender - does it perform similarly to the Arlington? I.E. Are the Harris soaps identical with the exception of scent as many vendors are?
 
Folks - Quick question on the Harris Lavender - does it perform similarly to the Arlington? I.E. Are the Harris soaps identical with the exception of scent as many vendors are?

I haven't noticed a difference between the Arlington, Marlborough and Lavender. They all work very well for me.
 
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