Looking for fellow Canadians

[Beefdrippings]

Thanks @B_R_A_D
I just made my first order through TOTC. They had Southern Witchuals in stock and I couldn’t resist giving some of their stuff a whirl.

I get most of my orders through Top of the Chain in Ontario then Stonefield in Winnipeg depending on what I’m ordering as Stonefield doesn’t carry all of the artisan brands. Top of the Chain takes like 2 weeks+ to get to Alberta with CP, Stonefield uses Purolator and get it within a few days. Top of the Chain has the best selection by far and a lot of Artisans use Top of the Chain when they do drops. Jonathan at Stonefield has great service, will order in products for you if he doesn’t have them, always includes a handwritten note and I like to support him as this is his part time gig when he is not flying. I’ve used Fendrihan once and had good service, same as Top of the Chain, took 2 weeks to get it. Haven’t used Italian Barber as they are always sold out of anything I like.

For blades, I do Wish4Blades on Amazon like SharpieB said above or Razor Blades Club if I want samplers. Razor Blades Clubs comes from Germany so takes like a month to get here.

If you want samples of soaps or creams, Maggards in the US has most of the regular rotations of the most commons brands and they have cheap international shipping, it takes like a month to get it though. Shavedash in Ireland is great for samples because he has lots of the limited editions or seasonal soaps you can’t get from Maggards. I did a recent order, just after Xmas and it cost $8 (Cdn) for shipping and I got it from Northern Ireland in 6 days.

I’ve made a quite a few orders from the US in last few months and have not paid any duty once with USPS / CP but used courier twice and was charged duty and brokerage fee both times so if you aren’t in a rush and can wait, USPS is the much cheaper option.

Hope this helps

 

[B_R_A_D]

Thanks @B_R_A_D
I just made my first order through TOTC. They had Southern Witchuals in stock and I couldn’t resist giving some of their stuff a whirl.

No problem, glad I could help

I’ve been planning on trying Southern Witchcrafts one day but am undecided what scent to get. I really want to try Gravefruit but it seems to sellout the second it gets released. Which one did you order?

 

[Beefdrippings]

I got Lycanthropy after shave, Valley of Ashes after shave, and Valley of Ashes soap. I’m looking forward to trying them. I’m happy with my Proraso white soap and EJ Aloe cream but a little bored. Still new at this.

No problem, glad I could help

I’ve been planning on trying Southern Witchcrafts one day but am undecided what scent to get. I really want to try Gravefruit but it seems to sellout the second it gets released. Which one did you order?

 

[B_R_A_D]

I got Lycanthropy after shave, Valley of Ashes after shave, and Valley of Ashes soap. I’m looking forward to trying them. I’m happy with my Proraso white soap and EJ Aloe cream but a little bored. Still new at this.

You will have to let me know how those ones are. The Valley of Ashes sounds really unique

 

[Beefdrippings]

Will do. I think Maggard has the sampler pack in stock but I’m not so sure Valley of Ashes is included

You will have to let me know how those ones are. The Valley of Ashes sounds really unique

 

[Senate515]

I am avoiding UPS cross border, at Christmas I got $165 gift and UPS charged me $80 to get it across the border, Carmine at Top of the chain is a stand up guy that is ever increasing his selection. Jonathan at Stonefield is good he isn’t dealing with as much stock and tends to run out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[B_R_A_D]

Carmine has been great to deal with. I’ve asked him to order in one or two items from companies they sell but he doesn’t stock so I don’t have to get it shipped from the states. Takes a little longer but saves me the shipping and chance of paying duties and I get other stuff from him so it’s a win for him too

 

[Beefdrippings]

Well, day 5 of being told by UPS to wait 24hrs. Which means next week. I can’t believe I slipped up and made such a rookie mistake. Can I blame RAD??
Anyway, I’m starting to doubt whether I’ll ever see this package, therefore I’ve bought another. I ordered a Game Changer .68P w/UFO handle. It was a toss up between that or the HD, the others I liked were out of stock.I wanted something in stainless and I wanted to try the BBS, mostly based on its somewhat funky design.However, I went with the GC because of the interchangeability of the plates.

 

[hangblague]

TOTC earned my loyalty by throwing in with my order a single package of Rockets (those little candies that everyone gets at Hallowe'en). That's all it takes for me.

 

[Beefdrippings]

smells like...ash. Tbh at first I thought I’d be getting rid of it right away but it grew on me fast. I actually like it now, and the soap makes a really rich and creamy lather. It really does smell like your clothes smell after you’ve been sitting around a fire.

You will have to let me know how those ones are. The Valley of Ashes sounds really unique

 

[B_R_A_D]

smells like...ash. Tbh at first I thought I’d be getting rid of it right away but it grew on me fast. I actually like it now, and the soap makes a really rich and creamy lather. It really does smell like your clothes smell after you’ve been sitting around a fire.

I’m glad it grew on you and you are enjoying it. It’s like some other soaps like Roam, Midnight Stag, etc, you either hate it or love it’s unique scent

 

[Beefdrippings]

I don’t know if the scent diminished after opening, my nose got accustomed to it or both, but I had quite a strong reaction when I first opened it. I could smell it across my apartment the next day. I’m impressed by the lather of nothing else. I’d try more of their stuff.

I’m glad it grew on you and you are enjoying it. It’s like some other soaps like Roam, Midnight Stag, etc, you either hate it or love it’s unique scent

 

[kohalajohn]

No extra storage fees, just the yearly fee,which is like $30 or something. They say they’ll hold everyone’s packages until three months after the border opens, so that’s nice of them.

Im about 45mins from the border so we shop down there a lot. Make an afternoon of picking up mail and getting groceries. Or pick up mail on the way to visiting friends in Seattle or Portland.

Sounds like it’s gonna be awhile

Hey, sounds like you're in Vancouver?

 

[Beefdrippings]

indeed I am

Hey, sounds like you're in Vancouver?

 

[kohalajohn]

Yes, we do the same thing with a locker in Blaine. Can't wait to be able to use it again.

 

[linty1]

Just rediscovered this thread after a long time, glad to see ppl enjoying their goods, I also just place and received some soaps from totc about two weeks ago and received quickly. Just wanted to point out Westcoast Shaving now ships to Canada for $9.99 flat fee, and free over $100. You still have to pay for any customs/duties, if they apply (not sure).

 

[Beefdrippings]

I have a LOT of packages waiting for me. Including some vintage Gillettes and a Timeless aluminum. Gonna need the weekend away to avoid duty.

Yes, we do the same thing with a locker in Blaine. Can't wait to be able to use it again.

 

[B_R_A_D]

Just a heads up, from our previous conversation above about customs / duties and CP hadn’t been charging them, probably because they were so overwhelmed the last year. Well, my wife received two packages this past week with the USPS economy shipping from the US, the one that takes like a month and she got hit with customs / duties on both. Neither were expensive, one’s value was $80 and other was $30. It wasn’t a ton of money but just a heads up incase you make big purchases, it may make it through but you may get stung.

 

[linty1]

Carmine has been great to deal with. I’ve asked him to order in one or two items from companies they sell but he doesn’t stock so I don’t have to get it shipped from the states. Takes a little longer but saves me the shipping and chance of paying duties and I get other stuff from him so it’s a win for him too

Did you just email him via his top of the chain email? And agreed, I understand why duties and taxes exist, but its tough to get anything when it doubles the price of the item. Oh and its in US dollars.

Also I dislike ebay's "Global Shipping program" for the exact same reason.

 

[B_R_A_D]

Did you just email him via his top of the chain email? And agreed, I understand why duties and taxes exist, but its tough to get anything when it doubles the price of the item. Oh and its in US dollars.

Also I dislike ebay's "Global Shipping program" for the exact same reason.

Yeah, I did it twice. I just emailed the ToTC email and asked him when he was doing his next order from PAA and Stirling, could he order in these specific items that he didn’t have on the site. I had a few other things in my order. He got back to me a few days later and said he could, just had to wait 2 or so weeks for his order to get in the he had to send it to me, no biggie as I was ordering other stuff from him anyways