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Best performing / most protective shape soap?

Stirling is hard to beat. Load it longer and then gradually add a little water at a time while building your lather. I find it really slick and protective.

D.R. Harris soaps, Mitchell's Wool Fat, PDP 66 are all good soaps.
 
Look at the Sir Hare though it works better with a big honing shave brush. It works even better with the shave bowl.
 

Best performing / most protective shape soap?​


Seeing that most shave soaps are round, I find the round ones work best for me.

Just having fun with ya...

In all sincerity, and in no specific order, MWF, Tabac, Arko, and LaToja are my best.
 
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musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
MdC and SV are top shelf, but the SV is quite expensive and MdC is probably a little more expensive than Stirling in use. I've been use Canada Soap for the past three weeks and it's very similar to MdC at a cheaper price, but the puck is a little smaller.

I strongly suspect you need to experiment a little more with the Stirling - a fine soap. I would do a test lather with what you consider a ridiculously overloaded brush full of soap. Keep adding water until you're happy. I think that at some point in this process you will be very happy (and possibly have more lather than you need for a shave), and that should at least tell you if the problem is not enough soap.
 
Cyril Salter lime or rose shave cream. Excellent, comes in a tub of 5.8 ounces, so not really expensive, last at least 6 months. One of my favorites, makes abundant lather easily, especially with a synthetic brush, Fendrihan or Omega.
 
Bingo. IMO one of the best tallow soap base on the market. What makes it special is that it is available and reasonably priced.
Re: MacDuff's. The unscented is out of stock so I've got the site bookmarked. It's got more ingredients than I'm usually comfortable with, but I'm intrigued, so thanks for that.
 
If you like Sterling I'd stick with it. Try adding more water and be sure not to over whip/agitate the soap. A well hydrated, somewhat thinner lather (as opposed to a photogenic thick Santa Claus lather) often performs better and has more glide and slickness.
 
Re: MacDuff's. The unscented is out of stock so I've got the site bookmarked. It's got more ingredients than I'm usually comfortable with, but I'm intrigued, so thanks for that.
Some of the cabin series soaps use only EOs, so that may be worth a try. Just make sure top read carefully. Alternatively, email Sean. He was happy to answer all my questions last year.
 
I will agree with some others here regarding Canada and MdC based on some (very) recent experience. Top shelf.

That said, Stirling's reputation is...well, sterling. I believe that with a bit of experimenting you'd find it much improved.

IME, poor lathers have usually been the result of too little soap, too little water, or sometimes...both.

Every soap really does have it's own sweet spot and it can take anywhere from one shave to dozens to locate it.

Good luck!
 
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