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Life after Stirling?

Just had the best shave yet with a straight razor. A DFS, but not BBS. But is was luxurious and comfortable. Got as close to BBS as I've gotten with a straight. The shaving soap was Stirling Sheep--their unscented mutton tallow base. To me, it smells like farm fresh milk or cream, if you've ever smelled that. Not really a mutton scent. I got the best lather out of it I've ever had.

I can get scent from other sources--I see no need for a scented soap, and if I do, I'll just add some scent to it via oils.

So, I've decided I'll stick with this exclusively, and add scent either via essential oils or just using aftershave and/or cologne.

But, what do I do with all those other soaps--most of which are unused except for opening them to smell them, or some, like Cella, that I have a 1 kilo block and two unopened tubs of? I seriously have enough soaps to last me for the next 25 years.

I have lots of The Fat, which in my estimation, doesn't even compare to The Sheep. I'm not being facetious. I just don't see a reason to use anything else and don't see a need for my other soaps.

What do I do with them? Seems a shame to toss them... and they are taking up room...
 

Hannah's Dad

I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
Just had the best shave yet with a straight razor. A DFS, but not BBS. But is was luxurious and comfortable. Got as close to BBS as I've gotten with a straight. The shaving soap was Stirling Sheep--their unscented mutton tallow base. To me, it smells like farm fresh milk or cream, if you've ever smelled that. Not really a mutton scent. I got the best lather out of it I've ever had.

I can get scent from other sources--I see no need for a scented soap, and if I do, I'll just add some scent to it via oils.

So, I've decided I'll stick with this exclusively, and add scent either via essential oils or just using aftershave and/or cologne.

But, what do I do with all those other soaps--most of which are unused except for opening them to smell them, or some, like Cella, that I have a 1 kilo block and two unopened tubs of? I seriously have enough soaps to last me for the next 25 years.

I have lots of The Fat, which in my estimation, doesn't even compare to The Sheep. I'm not being facetious. I just don't see a reason to use anything else and don't see a need for my other soaps.

What do I do with them? Seems a shame to toss them... and they are taking up room...
You better buy some refills of Sheep while they exist. Stirling is not producing more mutton tallow soap till prices come down.
 
I couldn't agree more with the OP's sentiments in the first post. Two days ago, on another thread, I nominated Stirling's Sheep as my favorite soap for 2022. What I like about it is that it does everything in protecting the skin during the shave--no pre-shave prep, no post-shave treatment is really needed. I even like the mild barnyard smell when it comes down to it.

So sad that Stirling has decided to cull the mutton tallow herd as it were. I thought that's how they got their start, with a sheep-tallow bath soap. And now they're walking away from the root of their success? Suffice it to say that I just ordered a couple of Sheep pucks to keep me in the running for a while as my tub is starting to run thin...

P.S. Just read the above and Rod needs to raise prices as needed or start selling things in smaller quantities at the same price. Otherwise, the quality must inevitably go down across the board.
 
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I couldn't agree with the OP's sentiments in the first post. Two days ago, on another thread, I nominated Stirling's Sheep as my favorite soap for 2022. What I like about it is that it does everything in protecting the skin during the shave no pre-shave prep, no post-shave treatment is really needed. I even like the mild barnyard smell when it comes down to it.

So sad that Stirling has decided to cull the mutton tallow herd as it were. I thought that's how they got their start, with a sheep-tallow bath soap. And now they're walking away from the root of their success? Suffice it to say that I just ordered a couple of Sheep pucks to keep me in the running for a while as my tub is starting to run thin...

P.S. Just read the above and Rod needs to raise prices as needed or start selling things in smaller quantities at the same price.
Yes, voting with your dollars has to count for a company wanting to make a profit from what they are doing. I just voted as well that they keep it
 
Back to the OP's original question, BST or PIF.
I think just shipping, if I understand. I won't send anything that's actually been used.

I have:

Soaps/creams:

Truefitt & Hill: 1805
Taylor of Old Bond Street: Sandalwood Cream in a tub
Tabac both in the jar and a stick
Proraso White in a tub
Cella: 2 unopened tubs and a 1 kilo block
Cella Aloe: Tub
Proraso Geen: Tube
Proraso Red: Tube

DE Razor Blades (bought 100 5 blade packs--used a few packs) :

Voskhod
Derby
Shark Super chrome


There might be more. I'll have to take a proper inventory.
 
Somehow I thought that Stirling had sorted out their tallow supply issues. Guess not ☹️. I really hope they bring these soaps back. I’ve said it before in another thread, but if he raised the prices on the mutton offerings most people would happily continue to buy it. Myself included. I can’t count how many times I’ve posted here singing praises for Varen.
 
This is exciting. I got Sheep for Christmas (among a pile - literally - a pile of shaving related gifts). Can’t wait to try it now.

It was all about shaving and coffee this Christmas...
 
I wrote to Stirling last night to ask what was up with the lack of mutton-tallow soaps being available, and Rod replied to me today. Apparently, the reason is a bit more nuanced than not wanting to raise prices. He said that it was becoming more and more difficult for him to find sources of mutton tallow. I had thought that his source was in-house, but apparently, there it not enough there so he has to look elsewhere, and if it's not there, it's not there. He said that when he can find an outside source, he will reintroduce some mutton-tallow shaving and bath soaps.

Don't know, but my sense is that sheep-raising is not as developed in the United States as it may be in other countries. Perhaps it's even diminishing. Lamb meat I find in the local supermarkets in the Boston metro area usually comes from Australia or New Zealand.
 
When living in North America, I can imagine Stirling soaps (especially the mutton tallow base) being hard to beat value/quality wise. Really enjoyed using the Scots Pine Sheep!

In the EU the price between Stirling and other artisan brands is often only 2-4 euros.. As much as I enjoy using Stirling soaps, I do think other brands/bases perform better. (e.g. A&E K2E, B&M Omnibus, DG Milksteak, Løthur V2, Zingari Sego) It's a great adventure.. :cuppa:
 
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