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Rud's Scores

I understand Rud uses price as a factor in his scoring. Does anyone know if he has a list that excludes price? I consider price when buying. However, I'd like to see scores based on pure performance, and then decide for myself what I'm willing to spend. I received Saponifico Varesino Dolomiti for father's day and used it last night. It's lower on his list than I would have expected, so I'd like to know how much it dropped based on price. I am into "buy American" more than ever these days, and fortunately there are a bunch high performance soaps on his list.
 
Maybe I don’t take in his reviews the same as you do. I feel like he provides the info of cost of entry for a product but I don’t feel as though the overall score is really impacted by price.

By that logic his score of 100 for DG milksteak should have corrected that base down to a 92 or 94. Especially when you compare it to price of A&E soaps pre and post Kaizen.

As for the SV, I agree with you, excellent soap, truly surprised it’s not rated higher. As always in this hobby even his reviews have to be taken as a YMMV situation.
 
Candidly, I’m not sure why you’re placing so much credibility on one man’s preferences and ‘ratings.’ I say buy some samples and judge for yourself.

Who says I'm placing "so much credibility on one man's preferences"? I don't do personal gurus. I've been wet shaving for about 6 years, and I'm guessing I've tried 50-75 soaps. I've never kept notes just, I'd buy that again or I wouldn't. In the 1st year or two I judged good or bad based on my lathering technique, and probably condemned a lot of good soaps. Now I customize it as the soap demands, so I have to re-try a bunch and a list can be a good starting place.
 
I don't know, because I don't really follow any of those guys on YouTube; however, why don't you write him an email and ask? I'm sure he'll respond and you will have a definite answer.
 

Hannah's Dad

I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
Who says I'm placing "so much credibility on one man's preferences"? I don't do personal gurus. I've been wet shaving for about 6 years, and I'm guessing I've tried 50-75 soaps. I've never kept notes just, I'd buy that again or I wouldn't. In the 1st year or two I judged good or bad based on my lathering technique, and probably condemned a lot of good soaps. Now I customize it as the soap demands, so I have to re-try a bunch and a list can be a good starting place.
Sounds like you’re on top of it. There are many great reviews and threads right here on B&B to help you narrow your choices.
 
I wouldnt get too hung up on it, personally. It is just his opinion after all. You may like a soap that he doesnt. YMMV.

It is like wine reviews. If someone have tried a few of the ones reviewers, he may get a better idea of how one's likes and tastes matches, and can be of help, not jut to purchase, but for avoid purchasing. For a completely novice person, it may be misleading.
 
I thought Ruds gave the score based on performance only. I don't really know how he scores it though.

As far as I know, Ruds has never released any of the details of is scoring system. In his videos, he mentions scent, but whether he likes a scent or not, that seems to have no affect on the score. He does consider primary and residual slickness and post shave feel. He does not typically talk about price, so I do not know if that enters into his scores in any way. Some of his top rated soaps are fairly expensive and some less so.

I have rated over 90 different soap bases using my own scoring system. In all but a few instances, my evaluations tend to agree with Ruds. But sometimes we do differ. I rate WSP Formula T significantly higher than he does. I rate B&M Glissant significantly lower. There are a few other differences, but those are the two where the discrepancies seem to be greatest. Since we tend to agree most of the time, I find Rud's Shave Scores to be helpful to me in determining which soaps to purchase and which to avoid. If your personal needs and preferences are not similar to his, then his system won't be helpful to you at all.

I know that Ruds puts a lot of value into post-shave feel, as do I. If he indicates that a post-shave product is needed, you know the shave score is going to take a hit. However, if you are someone who always uses a post shave balm or if you wash your face after shaving to remove all traces of the soap, then the post-shave conditioning properties of the soap may be meaningless to you.
 
As far as I know, Ruds has never released any of the details of is scoring system. In his videos, he mentions scent, but whether he likes a scent or not, that seems to have no affect on the score. He does consider primary and residual slickness and post shave feel. He does not typically talk about price, so I do not know if that enters into his scores in any way. Some of his top rated soaps are fairly expensive and some less so.

I have rated over 90 different soap bases using my own scoring system. In all but a few instances, my evaluations tend to agree with Ruds. But sometimes we do differ. I rate WSP Formula T significantly higher than he does. I rate B&M Glissant significantly lower. There are a few other differences, but those are the two where the discrepancies seem to be greatest. Since we tend to agree most of the time, I find Rud's Shave Scores to be helpful to me in determining which soaps to purchase and which to avoid. If your personal needs and preferences are not similar to his, then his system won't be helpful to you at all.

I know that Ruds puts a lot of value into post-shave feel, as do I. If he indicates that a post-shave product is needed, you know the shave score is going to take a hit. However, if you are someone who always uses a post shave balm or if you wash your face after shaving to remove all traces of the soap, then the post-shave conditioning properties of the soap may be meaningless to you.

Thanks, that was helpful.
 
Look, everyone has opinions. My take on Ruds (or any other reviewer) is very simplistic. If someone lathers like you do, and you agree closely on some items and don't disagree much on others, then the reviews are applicable to you.

In Ruds' case, for me, his lathers are too dry. I like a wet sheen, and don't like lather with the consistency of "Greek yogurt, Cool Whip or sour cream", so his Shavescore is completely meaningless to me. Plus he gives criminally low scores to a lot of soaps I respect (like Fine).
 
I unsubscribed from his channel because there's just no way anyone can objectively tell the difference of performance to such a minute level that a score can be +/- a few percentage points...unless their technique is sub par, in which case a soap base that is easier to work with may be perceived as "better" and given a higher rating!

Same thing with scent strength. How someone can give a strength rating in fractions is unbelievable!
I can bet they wouldn't be able to tell the difference so minutely in a blind test (exact same soap with +/- 10% scent concentration)!!
 
...I received Saponifico Varesino Dolomiti for father's day and used it last night. It's lower on his list than I would have expected, so I'd like to know how much it dropped based on price. I am into "buy American" more than ever these days, and fortunately there are a bunch high performance soaps on his list.
With the reviews I've seen, he mentions price, but I don't think the price goes into the rating.

Your scores will not align with his if you don't share his assumptions and biases. He assumes American artisan soaps are better and more advanced than others. He places a great weight on "residual slickness" and "post-shave feel". A good, mass-produced soap from outside the U.S. would be off in the weeds somewhere, if it appeared at all.
 
It is like wine reviews. If someone have tried a few of the ones reviewers, he may get a better idea of how one's likes and tastes matches, and can be of help, not jut to purchase, but for avoid purchasing. For a completely novice person, it may be misleading.
I personally dont trust any Youtube wetshaving reviewers because many of them get the gear for free and give everything a favorable review. Not to mention they act like every new thing is the best thing ever. I think that many of them fear that if they dont like something and give it a bad review, they wont get an offer to review anything else. For them, its smarter to just give everthing a good review so that they continue to get gear to try and can put out more videos and grow their channel.
I watch them purely for entertainment purposes.
 
His scores are highly subjective, keep that in mind. He's just another guy with his own preferences, just because someone "rates" something it doesn't mean the information is universally accepted as such, especially when no objective data is being presented.

His "top" choices will never go anywhere near my face because I have different requirements for a lather than he does.
 
I've seen both sides of the equation. Some give a positive review because they truly like it while others, they'll state the flaws and what should be fixed. In the end, people's reviews are subjective so just take it with a grain of salt.
 
I personally dont trust any Youtube wetshaving reviewers because many of them get the gear for free and give everything a favorable review. Not to mention they act like every new thing is the best thing ever. I think that many of them fear that if they dont like something and give it a bad review, they wont get an offer to review anything else. For them, its smarter to just give everthing a good review so that they continue to get gear to try and can put out more videos and grow their channel.
I watch them purely for entertainment purposes.

There are certainly some YouTube reviewers that do just as you said. They give products good reviews in hopes that suppliers will continue sending free stuff. I am sure Ruds does get some free stuff from suppliers, but a lot of it is sent to him for review by fellow shavers.

When Ruds reviews a product, he will tell it like he sees it. He has rated a number of products quite highly, even going beyond the 100 maximum of his scoring system. However, he has also given many soaps ratings well below average with the Col Conk glycerin soap bringing up the rear at a (presumably failing) score of 68. Yes, his shave scores are subjective. Yes, his ratings are based on his own criteria. But it would be unfair to accuse him of giving products positive reviews just so he can promote his channel. If Ruds reviews a poor quality product, the review is going to reflect that poor quality.

Ruds has given some below average scores to some famed products like Castle Forbes, Valobra, Haslinger, Razorock, and Fine Accoutrements. Even Saponificio Varesino beta 4.1 only managed to score an 85, which is average. Thus, do not accuse Ruds of giving everything a positive review.

Just to be clear, I have never met Ruds. I have never communicated with Ruds in any way. I do not consider him to be even an acquaintence, much less a frien. The only thing I know about him comes from his YouTube videos.
 
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