Cut Out the Artisan Crap...Soap is Soap!

[MichaelUK]

Enthusiast forums work the same for any subject:

"This is the best thing ever" / "This is total garbage - tried it once and threw it in the bin" / "used to hate this but i tried it again recently and its great" / "You're such a fool buying expensive products" / "You're such a fool buying budget products" / "this works exactly the same as XYZ product, but is much cheaper"

Overall, B&B seems to be a great place, from my limited time watching and participating. Lots of helpful folks and there is a wealth of knowledge and experience on here.

In terms of newbies, can i offer one piece of advice, that works well for any forum ?

Use the search function first, to avoid asking a question that has already been answered a thousand times (and i am guilty of this !)

Often Google works much better than the inbuilt forum search on many sites and you can quickly narrow the search by putting the search term in quotes, followed by the forum website.

So, for example, if you wanted to search just Badger & Blade for the term Shark blades, you use

"shark blades" site: www.badgerandblade.com

in Google to get a very focused and exact search, which might then help you compose a better newbie question on the forum itself.

 

[babydials]

I'm game. Name me an artisan soap that isn't super-fatted and/or heavily fragranced and I'd be willing to try once more. Just as long as it isn't Stirling, Mike's, or Mystic Water.

afterfeel and scent are two things that draw me to a soap but some artisans people put out unscented soaps. Have you considered any of these. Wickham's makes and unscented and their Club Cola is not an overpowering scent. Wholly Kaw makes a vegan unscented version of Bare Naked. I don't recall their Monaco Royale as being all that strong a scent (but its in with the Fall stuff in the back of the cabinet and I don't feel like searching to check). If your contact Ginger's Garden and tell the owner you want something scented lightly she would probably accomodate you and I don't recall my Havana Cognac tallow formula as being all that fatty (could have forgotten, again, in with the Fall stuff).

 

[BigD]

What are you we fighting about again?
With that said;
I like the mass produced stuff.
I also like the Artisan (smaller company) stuff.

Yesterday's Artisan is today's big company. Today's Artisan is tomorrow's big company.

Is soap, soap? Sure is. However, an "Artisan" can be more picky with how they make their product. Not so much with a bigger company. Where'd they source their ingredients? Don't really know with a bigger company.

Just my observation. No reason to get the torches and pitchforks. Just buy what you like and keep on moving.

 

[Rhody]

I think the definition set this pretty clear.

a person or company that makes a high-quality or distinctive product in small quantities, usually by hand or using traditional methods

Arko doesn't make their soap in their garage in small batches. Not saying that that is any better but artisan soaps are distinctive, in small scale, and they put in time to better their effort whether in scent or performance. Some like it and others don't. Seems pretty split in half.

Is there evidence of small shops like B&m or whoever actually referring to themselves as artisan?

 

[JCarr]

Wow. With so many things to be outraged about I don’t see how this makes it on anyone’s list.
I don’t see I individuals who prefer artisan soaps get bent out of shape because someone likes non artisan soap. Why is that?
It’s as if someone is mad about others feeling good? I don’t get it.

I have to share this story. I'll never forget walking into a Verizon phone store and asking if they had the latest BlackBerry...at the time, BlackBerry had made the jump to Android, but were still seling their own OS. I was thrilled to be getting a new BlackBerry! The salesperson in the store, a young gal, looked at me with animosity and told me they didn't sell BlackBerry phones. Every person in the store looked at me like I was whacked out of my mind and polluting the atmosphere of the establishment with my presence. I told the salesperson that Verizon did sell BlackBerry phones because I saw them available when I logged into the website with my Verizon account. She told me...and I'll never forget this..."You have to go home and order the phone online!" Not...let me see if I can order it for you...or let me take a look in the back...nope...just please leave and order it at home. In three days time after that store visit, my new BlackBerry was in my hand and I was on AT&T.

In the end...who cares what *&#%ing phone I use?!!!!! What's it to you?!!! This isn't the Civil War...it's a handset!!!

 

[babydials]

Is there evidence of small shops like B&m or whoever actually referring to themselves as artisan?

LatherBros, PAA (it's the second A), Shannon's, and more.

 

[musicman1951]

I’m really starting to get a little tired of all this artisan this...artisan that references. Soap is soap! A company that makes soap is a company that makes soap. Period!

Yes! I'm tired of all this bickering, too!!! Semantics, shemantics.

The only real problem is the people buying cheap crap and thinking it's as good as the quality stuff. Period!

 

[babydials]

Yes! I'm tired of all this bickering, too!!! Semantics, shemantics.

The only real problem is the people buying cheap crap and thinking it's as good as the quality stuff. Period!

Not into the bickering as well, can we just say that while all artisan soap is soap, but not all soap is artisan soap? I think we can all agree that some soaps are more enjoyable to use and less drying than other soaps and some of us like supporting small businesses, especially those run by fellow wet shavers.

 

[Zwiehander]

Whether its arko or the most limited production artisanal soap, use what you like and like what you use. We are talking about subjective preferences so there is no right and wrong answer.

 

[ouchyfoot]

Just treat everyone’s personal lather preferences with respect please.

 

[old_school]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but you can drive manual without a clutch. And I've done it, I drive a 1988 Toyota Corolla, no power steering, no AC, best car in the world. My clutch gave up at one point, but I was nowhere so I had to get back home. So I did, without a clutch. You stop the car, turn it off, put it in second gear and then turn it on. You put it in second so the car doesn't jump so much. Then you start to accelerate, and shift when needed. Each gear has it's golden point and you can shift without a clutch, IF you know your car well enough. So yeah, you can talk about double tripple and quadruple shifting all you want and try and educate me, still you can drive manual without a clutch

As I pointed out in 2.). Might have noticed the asterisks?

 

[Romanex01]

How dare you say these things that you say regarding artisan soaps. These are soap artists. Not corporate weasels. Shame on you.

 

[old_school]

In my world, double clutching is pumping the clutch mid-gear change. It's only neccesary on a vehicle with a basic / old / sticky gearbox.

+1 on clutchless gear changes - gently take up the slack on the next gear, come off the gas and an up-change should slide in nicely, a down-change will need a shove.

Btw, my only problem with "Artisan" is when its misused as a lazy marketing term.

You're right. I was shown double clutching and clutchless shifting by the same fellow at the same time and all these years didn't make the name distinction. Despite that fact it makes no sense to call clutchless shifting double clutching! Your're right. The two techniques require different names. I like your term clutchless. Thank you!

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Sorry to burst your bubble, but you can drive manual without a clutch. And I've done it, I drive a 1988 Toyota Corolla, no power steering, no AC, best car in the world. My clutch gave up at one point, but I was nowhere so I had to get back home. So I did, without a clutch. You stop the car, turn it off, put it in second gear and then turn it on. You put it in second so the car doesn't jump so much. Then you start to accelerate, and shift when needed. Each gear has it's golden point and you can shift without a clutch, IF you know your car well enough. So yeah, you can talk about double tripple and quadruple shifting all you want and try and educate me, still you can drive manual without a clutch

When I was in high school just about everybody I knew could shift without using the clutch. It was amazing when you first figured out just how to accomplish the shifts.

 

[Tedolph]

I’m really starting to get a little tired of all this artisan this...artisan that references. Soap is soap! Who decided to brand any soap newer than twenty years with the artisan brand? How do you differentiate non artisan from artisan? You can’t because there is no such thing. It’s soap! There is no such thing as artisan soap! There are new soap companies, and old soap companies and they all make soap. Some are thicker, some are thinner. Some smell good, some smell bad. Some people feel more secure buying soap in a drugstore, some buy it online. So let’s give up all this bickering over a non relevant label that somehow snuck into the industry...and means absolutely nothing. A company that makes soap is a company that makes soap. Period!

I am not going to say much because I usually get locked out of threads like this so read between the lines. I have been happily shaving for many years with VDH Deluxe (used to be called Surrey). If I want something with more fragrance I use Cella-an excellent performing soap. If I am feeling like a dandy it's Fine Accoutrements Soap and a matching A/S (Italian Citrus is a favorite). The VDH costs less than $5.00 per puck, sometimes much less. Cella would be the same if I would bite the bullet and buy the brick. Fine Accoutrements is a stretch at $9.00 per puck without the container but it lasts a long, long time so that is OK. Anybody who spends more than that is.......

And this is the point where I usually get locked out.

 

[Racquet]

How about you guy's just not liking what I like or disliking what I dislike, is that too difficult to understand?
Is that clear enough?

 

[babydials]

The VDH costs less than $5.00 per puck, sometimes much less. Cella would be the same if I would bite the bullet and buy the brick. Fine Accoutrements is a stretch at $9.00 per puck without the container but it lasts a long, long time so that is OK. Anybody who spends more than that is.......

Perhaps like me, sensitive to most triple milled soaps which are a great value but dry my skin. Or in love with a certain scent (though Fine makes some nice ones and is tallow triple milled). Or like to support local small businesses (B&M, CRSW, - and Catie's if I am including NJ). Or just don't have price as one of their decision making factors (wish this were the case with me). Or...

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

My favorite artisan soap just happens to be very inexpensive.

I apologize for contributing to a thread of this sort, but wish everyone, regardless of anything...

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[lancre]

The companies branded as Artisans are not small one man shops. They are all widely distributed and sold internationally. The fact that everyone on B&B owns these soaps shows that they are not small exclusive batch producers.

We've seen Rod's (Stirling) workshop video from when he opened his new store last year. Definitely in the artisan class. Minus the video, the same can be said of Mickey Lee (RIP), B&M, CRSW.

 

[BigJ]

Nothing else smells like Arko.

+3! Unique for sure!!