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B&M vs Stirling vs Fine vs others

I’ve been using creams exclusively for the past 10+ years DE shaving. Proraso, Trumpers, and TOBS. I want to try soaps and I’m looking for something a step up in performance from what I’ve used before, particularly slickness and post shave. How do you rank the aforementioned soaps in terms of latherability, slickness, cushion, post shave… how do they compare to something like MWF or Tabac. And lastly, what are your favourite scents. Consider currently available options. Thanks for your input
 

JCarr

More Deep Thoughts than Jack Handy
Stirling Mutton Tallow soaps are an excellent choice. In my opinion, Varen and Glastonbury are the two best scents they offer in that formula...Electric Sheep is ok scent wise. I haven't tried Barrister and Mann's new Omnibus base yet, but own a puck of it in their Chyprus scent. Will get to it sooner or later. Fine soaps are good, but the Stirling Mutton Tallow are a real eye opener in my book.

As was suggested by @MrSpeedy , Mike's Natural Soaps are very good performance wise and all their scents are excellent.

One other soap to consider...Moon Soaps. They're tallow based with additional slickeners...pretty good performance.

Not sure why you were high on creams, but have you tried Captain's Choice shave creams yet...or Alexander Simpson's shave cream? Both are good performers.
 
Stirling is above any of the other soaps you mentioned. It's a top-tier soap. I really like their Barbershop. You should also look at Mike's - it's as good as Stirling, if not better. Try the Orange, Cedarwood, and Black Pepper. It's my all-time favorite shaving soap scent.
Have you tried the B&M omnibus base? I’ve seen several reviews claiming it’s the best soap they’ve used. Is it not on par with Stirling in your opinion?
 
Not sure why you were high on creams, but have you tried Captain's Choice shave creams yet...or Alexander Simpson's shave cream? Both are good performers.
No particular reason why I’ve been using creams, I just fell into a routine that worked fine and I stuck with it. I’ve recently rediscovered my interest in shaving as a hobby, hence I’m looking to try new things and elevate the experience.
 
B&M has been making my favorite soaps usually with their seasonal and store exclusive scents. Ominbus is good. I scoop it to my bowl. Stirling was the first artisan I tried in 2016 shortly followed by B&M. I have zero Stirling soaps now and many in B&M from various soap bases. I have the new Fine base. It is good but I preferred the classic soap that is Tabac tallow like.
 
Stirling Mutton is great if you like the scents. I don’t like them so get samples first. i haven’t tried B&M.
 
One of the many nice things about Stirling is their large sample pucks. Each one can get you many shaves. Go load up on samples and see what you like. B&M boasts the superior performance in my opinion, and I have yet to try Omnibus.
 
I really only use Stirling nowadays and would recommend giving them a shot. The sample pucks are very generous. I think the mutton base edges out their beef base a little bit, but the beef has more scents due to mutton having a little bit of a funk to it. Great value too, but get in before the price increases due to tallow becoming more expensive.

Have not tried the others and avoiding that rabbit hole.
 

JCarr

More Deep Thoughts than Jack Handy
Barrister and Mann Omnibus base is right up there with Stirling mutton tallow soaps...very slick...excellent performance. Thanks for the heads up!

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I started using Stirling soaps almost 5yrs ago and exclusively for 3+yrs and they have given me no reason to look elsewhere because hands down its the best performing soap on the market at its price point and no one comes close!! The sample pucks alone yield 30+ 2.5 pass shaves for me which works out to about $0.13 /shave...

That being said and having never trying any B&M soap, I was under the impression from the early reviews when it was released that Omnibus was much more of a croap much like Proraso and most of the faithful B&M users didn't care for that.... Maybe I need to go back and read some of the reviews but I believe once I read that, if thats what I actually read, I stopped following any threads about Omnibus.

As far as Fine, another soap I've never used either, they changed the formula a year ago I think and discontinued scents and they're faithful was none too pleased either...
 
Stirling stands at the top for me. Just shaved with the Orange Chill this morning and it provided an excellent lather.

I've tried Fine's hard puck and it works well. Not as moisturizing as Stirling in my case.

I've also lathered B&M Omnibus. It seems to take more soap to work with and it was not the easiest to lather up. I'm sure it'll provide a good lather but so far, I prefer Stirling.

I tried MWF and Tabac as well. My current MWF puck lathers nicely but I had a dud before. I find Stirling more moisturizing than MWF. Tabac irritated my skin (probably the strong frag) so I had to let it go. It lathered up beautifully though
 
I started using Stirling soaps almost 5yrs ago and exclusively for 3+yrs and they have given me no reason to look elsewhere because hands down its the best performing soap on the market at its price point and no one comes close!! The sample pucks alone yield 30+ 2.5 pass shaves for me which works out to about $0.13 /shave...

That being said and having never trying any B&M soap, I was under the impression from the early reviews when it was released that Omnibus was much more of a croap much like Proraso and most of the faithful B&M users didn't care for that.... Maybe I need to go back and read some of the reviews but I believe once I read that, if thats what I actually read, I stopped following any threads about Omnibus.

As far as Fine, another soap I've never used either, they changed the formula a year ago I think and discontinued scents and they're faithful was none too pleased either...

I am a big Stirling fan. I didn't find the B&M Omni base softer than PAA offerings and both faster to load than Stirling. I don't think I've read a negative review of Omni on the forum, but I could have missed them.

I noticed we use different words to describe the same thing so things like residual slickness might be a positive or a negative depending on whether you refer to it as slickness on your face while shaving that can be used for touchups without adding more soap or slickness on your face you can't wash off when you're done shaving.
 
Barrister and Mann polarises me. I like the full measure of men and terror and absolutely find eigengrau traumatic disgusting since it reminds me strongly of a blocked pond filter and koi herpes….
But lather and shave wise great soaps!

Now stirling, I have lots of them and I highly recommend a huge sample box of them. For me stirling excels in glacials (menthol) and in the mutton tallow base. Affordable performance punching above its price tag.

Fine, I have only had hard puck fine which is not the current soft one, but very very good soap.

Tabac has been reformulated and the old was great in all respects even the granny handbag scent.

Something like arko should also be here king of price performance anyhow you look at it. Just like tabac not everybody’s scent.

I would recommend Ariana and Evans, love that amber rose. More complex and nicely balanced.

Declaration grooming is no slouch either with santal rose

Nor is Phoenix artisan acroutements if you like it strong.

If you are from holland, try scheermonnik.
 
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