I've come to the conclusion that old soaps/creams are just that old news and thank you and good luck out with the old and in with the new thoughtst
Artisan's Vs traditional
- Thread starter Jim cunningham
- Start date
I definitely love the latest & best of the artisan soaps, especially the big 3 in my opinion- A&E, WK, & B&M. But I also love me some traditional soaps to add variety & performance is also no slouch--Tabac, Haslinger, Fine Accoutrements.
I know that I have done exactly what you are describing and no longer have any classics in my den. If the artisans disappear someday we will have no choice but to go back, but for now I keep GD, Tallow +Steel, B&M, and Chiseled Face in my den. I donated my Tabac, TOBS, and Colonel Conk to a friend whom I started in wet shaving and is now addicted to this life. I was sad to see them go, but for one reason or another they didn't stack up. Usually it was in the scent or facial dryness after the shave categories that they failed me, not really in the performance areas. Now that there are so many great artisans that can just dominate in all of my personal categories of importance, the old work horses have just been collecting dust and taking up space. So I did what any true wet shaver would do and I paid them forward free of charge to drag yet another man into the wet shaving void. "First one is always on the house," that's how I lure them in. Now I have yet another soul to have endless talks with about all of the nuances and preferences that come along with this lifestyle. But, I digress, only a wee bit though. Remeber, one will never convince most men who love their tried and true soap to ever change, and you shouldn't. Why you ask? Because personal tastes and differences in all of us humans are what make B&B so great. All of the differences in opinon, strong allegiances, and what some would call blasphemy and others would call elysium are what make the wet shaving world and B&B what they are. What are they you ask? Pure awesomeness, that's what they are. B&B is a place for me to sit back and watch the drama unfold with no one the wiser that I am there. It is a place where I can actively debate. It is a place where I can share my thoughts. Most importantly it is a brotherhood filled with information and experiences from every day people like you and I. That my friend you can not debate. It always ends with YMMV and to each thier own. **hops of the soapbox** Happy shaves. Cheers!
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The oldies are slowly disappearing from my den.
The good artisan stuff is easy enough for my 2 year old to build a shavable lather. It also allows me to shave with inferior blades without grinding my face. Finally, it leaves my face feeling great.
The only thing I use regularly that would be a traditional non artisan would be tcheon fung sing. They’ve been making soap since 1945.
The good artisan stuff is easy enough for my 2 year old to build a shavable lather. It also allows me to shave with inferior blades without grinding my face. Finally, it leaves my face feeling great.
The only thing I use regularly that would be a traditional non artisan would be tcheon fung sing. They’ve been making soap since 1945.
The only soaps that I use consistently are traditional. Williams, VDH Luxury, PdP, and Cade. I can shave with any blade without issues with them. DE, SE, and SR, except for the blasted toe. 
I do like trying various scents, but don't want to spend money to blindly try a scent.
Old news? I watch TV for the news. I shave with lather, not news.
I do like trying various scents, but don't want to spend money to blindly try a scent.
Old news? I watch TV for the news. I shave with lather, not news.
Love the artisans BUT just had two superb back-to-back shaves with MWF. As good as any of the artisans IMHO and better than some too! The shelf space will be shared!
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I use the soaps I like, whether they're old, new, artisan, traditional, mass market. What works, works.
I personally don't mind who makes the soap that I use as long as it works for me. Some artisans make great soap others do not. As always YMMV.
Saying traditional or "old" shaving soaps are old news is going a bit far in my opinion. Those classic soaps like Tabac, Arko, Williams, Palmolive, etc. have been around for generations for a reason. If they weren't good, they would have died off long ago because of lack of sales. They are proven to work for many people, are easy to use, and last forever.
Artisan soaps do have their place, but there are many artisan soaps that fail because of lack of interest, crappy formula, or a saturation of the market. Artisan is the new trend for everything, and people tend to be willing to pay more if the label has the word "artisan" on it, or it is claimed to be made by hand. To me a lot of the artisan soaps are very intimidating for those just getting into traditional or older styles of shaving. The price alone scares a lot of people away. Along with price, the technique required to get a good lather doesn't always come easily with artisan soaps, unlike their traditional counterparts. I didn't get into artisan soaps until recently, and have been struggling with some to create a really good lather consistently, unlike with my traditional soaps.
There will always be a place for both traditional and artisan soaps. Traditional soaps started out small and grew into massive operations and as some artisans find their place, they have grown into larger and larger operations teetering on the edge of mass market and will one day fall into the category of "old school".
Artisan soaps do have their place, but there are many artisan soaps that fail because of lack of interest, crappy formula, or a saturation of the market. Artisan is the new trend for everything, and people tend to be willing to pay more if the label has the word "artisan" on it, or it is claimed to be made by hand. To me a lot of the artisan soaps are very intimidating for those just getting into traditional or older styles of shaving. The price alone scares a lot of people away. Along with price, the technique required to get a good lather doesn't always come easily with artisan soaps, unlike their traditional counterparts. I didn't get into artisan soaps until recently, and have been struggling with some to create a really good lather consistently, unlike with my traditional soaps.
There will always be a place for both traditional and artisan soaps. Traditional soaps started out small and grew into massive operations and as some artisans find their place, they have grown into larger and larger operations teetering on the edge of mass market and will one day fall into the category of "old school".
Artisanal soaps are good-but in my opinion they don’t quite match the performance of Art of shaving, tabac , .Artisanal soaps these days are more like croaps - and their performance is highly dependent on how fast they “melt”
+1! Fortunately, we have lots of room for traditional classics and artisan soaps and products!!
The more the merrier IMHO!! Let the market decide!
I prefer Proraso and Barbasol. Traditional for me, thanks.
I skipped right past all of the old traditional soaps and only have so-called artisan soaps in my den with one notable exception, Saponificio Varesino Opuntia. What a great soap that is! Years ago I only wet-shaved with Williams using carts--those days are gone forever. For now, I am very happy using A&E, Declaration Grooming, Grooming Dept, Tallow & Steel, Noble Otter, CBL and Lisa's, among others using my collection of DEs. One day perhaps I will try MWF, Tabac etc. For now, I have enough artisan soaps to last me for a long while.
I will always have Tabac, SV and Haslinger in my rotation.
I’ll have some new stuff too.
I’ll have some new stuff too.
And soon you'll come to the conclusion that you were wrong.
Take this as a "tongue in cheek" comment, you know what suits you the best, but I find that this is too generic of a statement.
As others have mentioned they are great and those "less great" soaps in both categories.
I tried lots of new artisans, yet I keep going back and using traditional ones more often. (MdC, MWF, Tabac, D.R. Harris, Speick, Castle Forbes, Haslinger - to name a few). They have stayed in business for so long for a reason, and lots of them are working hard to keep their formulas current.
Of course, this is totally YMMV thing, depending on your taste, preferences and your skin.
After 47 years I guess my time is up!? 
+1And soon you'll come to the conclusion that you were wrong.
Take this as a "tongue in cheek" comment, you know what suits you the best, but I find that this is too generic of a statement.
As others have mentioned they are great and those "less great" soaps in both categories.
I tried lots of new artisans, yet I keep going back and using traditional ones more often. (MdC, MWF, Tabac, D.R. Harris, Speick, Castle Forbes, Haslinger - to name a few). They have stayed in business for so long for a reason, and lots of them are working hard to keep their formulas current.
Of course, this is totally YMMV thing, depending on your taste, preferences and your skin.
Tried different artisans now and then. None that I would replenish.
For me the the traditional win on scent, lather, performance.
Stick with, and replenish my Tabac, GFT, Truefitt & Hill, Arko, and Proraso.
They work so well for me.
For me the the traditional win on scent, lather, performance.
Stick with, and replenish my Tabac, GFT, Truefitt & Hill, Arko, and Proraso.
They work so well for me.
Honestly many of my oldies are gethering dust in my den. I like it that they are there, but mostly for my collection and the occasional themed shave. I enjoy artisan soaps more, in terms of conditioning and post shave feel. At this point there's so many good soaps, might as well get one that has a good skin care bonus.
My favorites are all in the traditional category.
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