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My Guess... 3017

My plan of using MdC Agrumes for a few weeks until the next 3017 victim was chosen has been derailed, but in a good way. My wife has several relatives that live in Michigan near the small town where Mama Bear soaps are currently produced. A member of our family is celebrating a birthday this week and the folks from Michigan sent us all a large gift box. Among other items were some Mama Bear shaving soaps. They are larger than samples but smaller than the full size pucks I've seen in the past. One of the scents is called Autumn Afternoon and while we are a few weeks away from Autumn here the scent was spot on perfect and I couldnt resist. Those of you unfamiliar with Mama Bear soaps, they are a classic melt and pour glycerin based soap like Col Conk...only way better than the Conk. As I always do with glycerin soaps I nuked the puck for 15 seconds and poured it into an Old Spice Mug.

First shave with MB Autumn Afternoon was this morning. I used a Simpson T3. I havent used a glycerin based soap in a while so I had to fiddle with the soap water ratio a bit. Once dialed in it produced that wonderful lather that only glycerin soaps can produce. Slick as anything I've ever used and the scent is perfect. This one will go fast but its a great change of pace and I'm looking forward to this 3017 effort.
 

strop

Now half as wise
Finished the QCS this morning.
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Managed to mash the remnants into the middle yesterday and left the lid off. The Essential Boar was up to the task this morning. Just enough soap, so nothing left for the Frankensoap tub.
As I was looking thru the stash I found the lemon AOS along with some lemon AS gel. Since that is also unobtanium, I thought the double 3017 would be appropriate in keeping with this years theme.
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We’ll see if I can continue the 3017, or go back to a modified form like I have the last couple of years. The SIM, O&C, and Tabac are all waiting in the wings. What a problem to have!😆
 
Though the stockpile is nowhere near finished (a few years of shaves are still in there), I’m getting to the point where I am hitting milestones. Over the weekend, I finished my last puck of Geo F. Trumper soap, the Violet puck in use since the Spring. Trumper soaps have proven to be mid-level or slightly better, depending on the brush I use, and pale in comparison to the cream versions. Though I can’t get 5+ months from a tub of cream, I can get 3 months of great performance and strong scent. That’s more than a fair trade for 2 fewer months. So I say farewell to Trumper soaps.

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My plan of using MdC Agrumes for a few weeks until the next 3017 victim was chosen has been derailed, but in a good way. My wife has several relatives that live in Michigan near the small town where Mama Bear soaps are currently produced. A member of our family is celebrating a birthday this week and the folks from Michigan sent us all a large gift box. Among other items were some Mama Bear shaving soaps. They are larger than samples but smaller than the full size pucks I've seen in the past. One of the scents is called Autumn Afternoon and while we are a few weeks away from Autumn here the scent was spot on perfect and I couldnt resist. Those of you unfamiliar with Mama Bear soaps, they are a classic melt and pour glycerin based soap like Col Conk...only way better than the Conk. As I always do with glycerin soaps I nuked the puck for 15 seconds and poured it into an Old Spice Mug.

First shave with MB Autumn Afternoon was this morning. I used a Simpson T3. I havent used a glycerin based soap in a while so I had to fiddle with the soap water ratio a bit. Once dialed in it produced that wonderful lather that only glycerin soaps can produce. Slick as anything I've ever used and the scent is perfect. This one will go fast but its a great change of pace and I'm looking forward to this 3017 effort.


3 shaves in with Mama Bear and it appears this soap and the Simpson synthetic are a match made in heaven.

My 2 previous 3017 victims were a pair of highly regarded creams, T&H Ultimate Comfort and Italian Palmolive. I enjoyed both immensely. As good as those creams are, these first 3 shaves with Mama Bear have been notably better. I was not expecting that result. I haven't used a glycerin based soap in a long time and always looked down on them with a bit of snobbery. I stand corrected and will not make that mistake again. These last 3 shaves have been outstanding.
 
3 shaves in with Mama Bear and it appears this soap and the Simpson synthetic are a match made in heaven.

My 2 previous 3017 victims were a pair of highly regarded creams, T&H Ultimate Comfort and Italian Palmolive. I enjoyed both immensely. As good as those creams are, these first 3 shaves with Mama Bear have been notably better. I was not expecting that result. I haven't used a glycerin based soap in a long time and always looked down on them with a bit of snobbery. I stand corrected and will not make that mistake again. These last 3 shaves have been outstanding.

I never understood the glycerin soap hate. Mama Bear and Charles at QED make/made excellent soaps with great scents that lather easily. I’ve used several over the years and liked them a lot. When I buy soap again, I’ll happily buy some Mama Bear again.
 
I never understood the glycerin soap hate. Mama Bear and Charles at QED make/made excellent soaps with great scents that lather easily. I’ve used several over the years and liked them a lot. When I buy soap again, I’ll happily buy some Mama Bear again.

I’m learning their is a lot to like about glycerin soap. Slickness is off the charts. Inexpensive. No bases or clays to interfere with or limit scents. I’m looking forward to exploring this avenue in coming years.
 

strop

Now half as wise
As expected, the tAOS is superb. No need to dial this one in. The AS gel is another story. Good lemon scent, but feels too thick going on. To be fair, I prefer the splash AS. so may just need to get used to it. Don't think I can 3017 this one however. In spite of the lemon scent, I think it will work better in the cooler drier months.
 
Still have a few shaves left on that home-made soap. Paper thin ring in the bottom, but it still lathers up well.

Need to decide what to use next, probably either the new batch of lemon scented soap that is unscented now, or the Bay Rum scented tallow base soap. Should last me about six months with the new lemon and most of a year with the Bay Rum. Takes very little soap for me to shave I guess, tend to use about 0.35 gr or so per shave.
 
It's been a while since I used Haslinger Coconut but I remember it smelling like almond, sort of like a half strength Cella. Not a bad scent at all.
 
Soap ring is breaking up, should be done in a week or so. Lotta shed badger hairs in there, may not be as much soap as it appears. From that cheapo badger knot I got from Penn State Industries a while back. Nice knot for a basic badger, but it sheds. Every example I have of it shed. Other than that, it's pretty nice for $11 or so.
 
Mama Bears is going great and not nearly as quickly as expected. It turns out I only need about 20 seconds of loading. I looked on MB's website. Instead of selling samples they now offer 1.5 ounce "mug pucks" for a few bucks which is what I have. A puck should provide a month or two of shaves. I think its a great idea. They do still offer larger 5 ounce pucks as well. I'm loving the clean feeling the glycerin leaves my face with and razor / brush clean up is quick as well. Of course their is little hydration but I have a number of good ASB's to handle that duty.

On a side note, the current effort is called Autumn Afternoon. I live in northern climates and Fall is quickly approaching. It was 42F here this morning. After a shave and coffee I went for a walk around the neighborhood and kept picking up hints of my shaving soap, which surprised me because I hadn't noticed it lingering past the shave before. Then I realzied I wasnt smelling the soap...it was the cool fresh morning air. It smelled just like the soap. Well done on the scent!

I'm quite smitten with this soap. I'll try to keep the fan boy posts to a minimum. :blush:
 
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