Items I've Bought That I Probably Won't Buy Again

[njpaddy]

Creams:
Mostly a soap user now, so all of my former creams are out:
TOBS – (except maybe Coconut or Rose); Salter; EJ; Castle Forbes; Vintage Blades; Harris; Acca Kappa 1860; Trumpers (except maybe coconut); Simpson; AOS; Prorasso; Tabac. I plan on T&H Rose as my only cream when my TOBS Rose is gone.

Soaps:
All shave sticks and soft soaps I've had are out. Sticking with only hard soaps made by Harris, GFT (Rose only) and Ogallala. However some Mike’s samples are on the way to try for the first time.

Aftershaves:
All balms are out. Aqua Velva, Clubman VIBR, Tabac, Irisch Moos, Masters are out. Sticking with only with aftershaves that don’t hang around for hours, Captain’s Choice, Ogallala & Superior 70.

Other:
Alum block is out. Sticking with powdered alum for nicks.

 

[Nick Danger]

Cremo shave cream--slick but messy and still get razor burn and gunky razor to clean
Alum block--my dry skin just can't take it
Pre-shave oil or cream--conditioner in the shower works as well or better for me, and no gunk on razor
Long loft brushes--love my Omega 48 but can't face lather
Merkur razors--fit and finish is subpar for the price, and I'm afraid the head will flake and melt
Slant razors--will sell my Merkur 39C, turning and adjusting my Black Beauty works as well for me
Lubriderm Men's 3-in-1 lotion--burns and turns my face red. BAD
Hot towel prep--I learned that warm tap water, conditioner and 3 minutes soften just as well
Lather bowls--I learned that I prefer face or palm lathering

My experience with just about everything in this post was the same.

In particular, I was pleased to read that I'm not the only one who didn't like his slant razor.

Pre-shave oils and creams were a waste of money for me.

Alum was not good at all for my face.

The only place we disagree is over lathering bowls, but I'm not a face latherer. I love my custom Dirty Bird bowl.

Well, I like my SOC boar too, which is a pretty high loft brush, but that has more to do with my bowl vs. face lathering.

Nick

 

[GuyW]

VDH boar brush
Parker razors
Rapira, shark, blades
Aqua Velva A/S: too many overdoses

 

[WindyShaver]

tabac shave stick- can't get a good

Tabac ss was my first soap, and I could not get it to work with my sensitive skin via face lather. Then I grated it to a bowl and it is now amazing. I load the brush and bowl lather. You may like it this way. It's a wonderful soap.

 

[Mad Hatter]

I haven't tried too many different things but one that I won't be buying again is shark blades. For some reason they like to take my face off while I'm shaving. Wilkerson swords work much better for me. I also won't buy the Pinaud Clubman aftershave again as my girlfriend absolutely hates it.

 

[duckdown]

Only been at this hobby for a while now, but I can definitely add:

Derby Blades
Wilkinson Sword Blades
DR Harris Marlborough (Don't know if I got a bad batch or what, but there's almost zero scent. Lather and performance is fine, but I prefer something with a pleasing aroma)
Col. Conk Bay Rum (Boring scent, mediocre performing)

I'm sure I'm missing something, let me think about it

 

[Talisker 13]

Merkur blades. For now but my den is not huge.

 

[VerbaVolant]

My open list:

Soaps/Creams:
Wilkinson Shave Stick
DR Harris Lavender Shave Stick
Erasmic Stick
Erasmic Cream
Irisch Moos stick
J.M Fraser's


Brushes:
SOC Boar
any Simpson

Blades:
Merkur, Timor, Bolzano, Derby, Blue Bird, Treet, Asco

Razors:
Merkur (any of them, actually any made in Solingen)
any razor made of Zamak (Zinc alloy)

AS:
Booster
AV
Lubriderm

 

[maich]

Baxter of California Super Close Shave Formula. I use their asb, pomade, shampoo and body wash daily. Their cream is just bad : (

 

[Merkur25]

I never bought it but it was given to me and I will never use it ever again.

That product was Arko....

 

[mistercitizen]

Addition: Barrister & Mann shave soap.

Ben

 

[DirtDiver]

My turn:


Arko - great performer, didn't like the scent or the guy smiling at me on the wrapper.

LOL

 

[treewhale]

Badger Brushes. I'm sticking with boar - the value for money is just totally out of proportion.

Lord Platinum and Derby blades - beat the hell out of my face.

Arko - great performance, but I can't get over the smell.

Anything lime - I have tried and tried to enjoy lime shaving creams and soaps, but they just remind me of cheap jello and cleaning products.

TOBS Shaving Shop - the worst scent in wetshaving. Seriously. To me, it smelled like an old badly cleaned men's room.

 

[HUF]

No Merkurs. No Arko. These two even sound similar.

 

[DirtDiver]

Ill never buy another pack of Derbys.
Castle Forbes Lime, thought it would be a fresh citrus... smells like this

Arko, great performer... stinks up the place.

Parker Shavette... Just useless for me. I'd much rather a real straight.

 

[Allegrabene]

Merkur, feather, wilkinson sword, lord, Bic chrome - blades that just don't agree with me or that I can't be bothered with

The Veg, Clubman Vanilla, VIBR, Lime Sec, 4711, Florida water - aftershaves (not especially fond enough of any of these to merit keeping them around and blocking a spot for a new scent I want to try)

Portland General Store Soap (whiskey)- I actually like this soap in terms of performance and the scent is ok but I can find fragrances I like better with soap that's far less expensive

VDH, col conk soaps are done for me as well.

Mama Bears Dublin Tweed - great performer, nice scent but would like to move on and try a different scent now

Lucky tiger - great product but I need to feel the burn and I like a little scent left over as well

TOBS Shaving Shop - really like the scent and the performance is pretty good but I'd like to replace it with grapefruit

Pre shave oil is a waste of money

everything else will be replaced, maybe not right away but I will get it again

 

[Heron]

I'm only three months in but here's my list so far:
Lord blades
Personna blades
Mama Bear's soap
Ogallala shave soap, cologne, and aftershave. I like the shampoo bar, though.
any melt and pour soap
Florida Water
Tabac soap
alum block
Dove ASB is fine but I prefer Nivea.

 

[foxtrot]

No more...

Aftershave: Lilac vegetal (needs no introduction)
Blades: Derby

...for me.
Everything else- so far, so good.

 

[EloquentRune]

Colonel Conk Shaving Soap - not a bad product, but not anything that excites me like other products do
Shea Moisture African Black Soap Shave Butter Shave Cream - Horrible scent, zero lather, just not good at all
Shea Moisture Pure Badger Brush - Good brush for the $8 price, but it is has no density and rather prickly for a badger brush
Merkur blades - I don't hate these... However, they are just beyond over priced for what they are, I can get derby extra or Wilkinson sword for less than a 3rd of the price and have just as good a shave as I can with Merkur blades.

 

[5savages]

Pre-shave oil - I can tell difference in my shave whether I use it or not.