I noticed a huge shift in topics of discussion also . I have never tried an artisan soap . I use the classics , Tabac , Palmolive, Arko , Proraso , Vintage OS , DR Harris , Cella . When I first joined B and B , Derby was a highly respected blade here , which I enjoy using .
Artisan rant
- Thread starter samhain666
- Start date
Engineer or IT?
Full disclosure. I’m a biology major working in IT.
Full disclosure. I’m a marketing major working in IT.
$100CAD for a jar of MdC is a lot, no question. The upside is, apparently, exemplary performance and great scent. Its also for a 200g jar, which is a lot of soap. Not to mention its very hard and will last a long time.
I bought a jar of MdC from their website for $66 delivered in 5 days...to Wisconsin.
I bought a jar of MdC from their website for $66 delivered in 5 days...to Wisconsin.
$66usd is roughly $100cad, especislly if duty/taxes are added when it lands here.
I paid $12cad for @ pound of JM Fraser's last year, locally and it shaved better than MdC. No fancy jar, no fancy label, but it'd made in Canada, so that's something.
There are many types of wet shavers in this forum and we all have different opinions. Some will chase after the next and the greatest thing out there while others will stick to the classics. I also do get annoyed when people say that this new soap is better than anything out there; it might be true but we have plenty of soaps that we get great results with.
I think this tension will always be there in wet shaving. I tend not to get on one side because I know both sides can be true. I've tried some newer soaps and I really enjoyed it. Some of the classics are great as well. All I know is that we have our preferences and we can acknowledge what others say and don't have to follow after the trend.
I think this tension will always be there in wet shaving. I tend not to get on one side because I know both sides can be true. I've tried some newer soaps and I really enjoyed it. Some of the classics are great as well. All I know is that we have our preferences and we can acknowledge what others say and don't have to follow after the trend.
I assume that was $66USD. At todays exchange rate thats $86.77CAD. Shipping is usually much more expensive when a border crossing is involved. Either way its close enough to $100CAD/jar by the time it gets here to not matter much.
I'm in London Ontario, but ordering from either the US or the UK I've not had any duties or taxes attached to any order. If I was to buy from Italian Barber for example, because they're based in Aurora Ontario, about a two hour drive from me, I'd need to pay 13% tax on the entire order, shipping included, which would make the shipping cost alone around $15CAD. If I could drive there to actually shop or even pick up an order, they'd get the majority of my business.
Theres a nice shave shop in Stratford Ontario, about a 35 minute drive for me, and I've shopped there several times. He's a nice guy, and usually has some very nice examples of vintage razors in his shop for sale along with a pretty good selection of blades.
The Artful Badger.
Shipping costs in Canada are high. I paid almost $20CAD to send a small cigarette tin with 50 Polsilver blades and two Gillette razors in it to Alberta. If I was to send that same package across the border into the US, the price would almost double making it barely worthwhile.
Maggard is about a three hour drive for me. By the time I factor in fuel, border crossing and any duties I'd need to pay at the border, I'd much rather spend the $5CAD to have it shipped even if it takes 18-20 days to get here, which has been the typical time frame for their inexpensive international shipping option.
I grabbed some Nuavia from Connaught last month before the change to the boring, smaller glass containers. Only tried the Verde for now but love all of their scents, and the performance is astounding.
For samples, you might keep this site in mind.
Home - ShaveDash.com - https://shavedash.com/
Products - ShaveDash.com - https://shavedash.com/products/
Home - ShaveDash.com - https://shavedash.com/
Products - ShaveDash.com - https://shavedash.com/products/
Flintstone65
Imagining solutions for imaginary problems
My take away is that I've absolutely got to find a soap with "Unicorn Farts"!!! 
You might want to check out Humphrey's Handmade on Etsy. I’ve never tried em but ya never know. lolMy take away is that I've absolutely got to find a soap with "Unicorn Farts"!!!
I'm surprised no one else caught this--the OP stated we have everything, scentwise, execpt unicorn farts. I take infantile delight in bursting the bubble, because we do actually have such a soap . . .
Now we have everything
Now we have everything
I'm surprised no one else caught this--the OP stated we have everything, scentwise, execpt unicorn farts. I take infantile delight in bursting the bubble, because we do actually have such a soap . . .
View attachment 1056013
Now we have everything
Been meaning to get another Van Yulay ... Seriously! Their Christmas gingerbread soap was excellent!
AA
I'm surprised no one else caught this--the OP stated we have everything, scentwise, execpt unicorn farts. I take infantile delight in bursting the bubble, because we do actually have such a soap . . .
View attachment 1056013
Now we have everything
Ok, they have Unicorn Farts, but how about Bull Milk?
I knew I saw it somewhere!I'm surprised no one else caught this--the OP stated we have everything, scentwise, execpt unicorn farts. I take infantile delight in bursting the bubble, because we do actually have such a soap . . .
View attachment 1056013
Now we have everything
Not only do that have Unicorn Farts, they also have Unicorn Tears lol.
UNICORN TEARS Soap | Cherry Coconut Buttercream Scent | Shave & Shampoo Soap | Unicorn Soap - https://www.humphreyshandmade.com/products/unicorn-tears-soap-cherry-coconut-buttercream-shave-shampoo-soap-round-purple-puck-magical-scent-all-in-one-unicorn-soap
The pièce de résistance however may be Zombie Farts! lol
ZOMBIE FARTS Soap | Vanilla Scent | Shave & Shampoo Bar | Zombie Soap | Horror - https://www.humphreyshandmade.com/products/zombie-farts-soap-vanilla-shave-shampoo-soap-round-green-puck-vanilla-scent-all-in-one-zombie-soap-horror-undead-scary-creepy-funny
I havent tried them either, but I did look into them and decided I was too cheap to pay $13.50CAD shipping for a $6 and change puck of soap!
UNICORN TEARS Soap | Cherry Coconut Buttercream Scent | Shave & Shampoo Soap | Unicorn Soap - https://www.humphreyshandmade.com/products/unicorn-tears-soap-cherry-coconut-buttercream-shave-shampoo-soap-round-purple-puck-magical-scent-all-in-one-unicorn-soap
The pièce de résistance however may be Zombie Farts! lol
ZOMBIE FARTS Soap | Vanilla Scent | Shave & Shampoo Bar | Zombie Soap | Horror - https://www.humphreyshandmade.com/products/zombie-farts-soap-vanilla-shave-shampoo-soap-round-green-puck-vanilla-scent-all-in-one-zombie-soap-horror-undead-scary-creepy-funny
I havent tried them either, but I did look into them and decided I was too cheap to pay $13.50CAD shipping for a $6 and change puck of soap!
Great rant! I've gone full circle--started with mass produced brands, went full in on artisans, and am back to mass produced brands. To be fair, some of the artisan soaps/croaps work really well and a tub of Stirling, despite being soft, lasts a long time. However, I've had some artisan soap go rancid and understand why--things like olive oil, avocado, various vegetable oils, etc. will eventually go rancid (especially in the Southern US where summers are hot and humid). I'm back to mostly using hard soaps like PdP and Tabac, and Proraso cream. It's all good stuff.
When shavekind gets to this level of development, someone hit up my inbox
Someone review this soap!I'm surprised no one else caught this--the OP stated we have everything, scentwise, execpt unicorn farts. I take infantile delight in bursting the bubble, because we do actually have such a soap . . .
View attachment 1056013
Now we have everything
The metric system, I am given to understand, remains strangely popular among nations that have not yet planted a flag on the moon.
Everyone has their eccentricities, I guess. Napoleon was a critic of metric. He said, "It addles the mind."
I've said it before. I'm just not "artisinal". I like stuff I can buy readily at Walmart, Kroger, Burlington, Marshalls, and T.J. Maxx. The Shaving-Industrial Complex.
Those creams and soaps. All tested on laboratory chimpanzees. I assure you, that artisanal stuff wasn't tested on chimpanzees. My stuff? Chimpanzees.
Seriously though, I do admire small businesses and the entrepreneurial spirit. I just don't have the cash to make those products routine. Too much a roll of the dice.
Everyone has their eccentricities, I guess. Napoleon was a critic of metric. He said, "It addles the mind."
I've said it before. I'm just not "artisinal". I like stuff I can buy readily at Walmart, Kroger, Burlington, Marshalls, and T.J. Maxx. The Shaving-Industrial Complex.
Those creams and soaps. All tested on laboratory chimpanzees. I assure you, that artisanal stuff wasn't tested on chimpanzees. My stuff? Chimpanzees.
Seriously though, I do admire small businesses and the entrepreneurial spirit. I just don't have the cash to make those products routine. Too much a roll of the dice.
