Magic Van Der Hagen Soap

[LiveOak]

I just finished a tub of TOBS that lasted since Christmas. I saw a thread here talking about Van Der Hagen soap and picked one up to tide me over until I got a new tub of TOBS. Boy was I surprised! I don't know exactly what it is, but my face steadfastly refused to bleed, even with a new blade. I do three passes and a fourth to clean up spots under my neck and no blood. This is rare for me, and I usually have to hold a cold rag on my neck for a good while after my shave to stop the bleeding.

At first I thought it was because my blade had seen three or four shaves and was not that sharp, but a new blade caused no change. I may have found my soap, and you can get a dozen cheap on Amazon.

 

[buyandhold2018]

For me, the first shave with a new blade is usually the worst one, except with the Feather blades.

Instead of holding a cold towel for the bleeding, you may want to try passing some Alum over your face, it will stop that bleeding pretty fast, unless you are talking about a large gash.

VdH is definitely on my list of soaps to try; it sounds like it's great stuff.

 

[LiveOak]

I don't have an alum block yet, but I do have a styptic stick which I hate. The alum block would be perfect for the minimal to no bleeding I have found with this soap. It was night and day from the TOBS.

 

[GoldenBacon]

I like VDH, cause you can melt it and add to it, to make whatever scent you like.

 

[superspot]

It just don't get any better

 

[bvance554]

Shaved with VDH this morning and once again left me wondering why I ever use anything else at all.

 

[Johhny Schleps]

VDH is a great soap and provides a great shave!

It's always in my rotation with back up pucks in the den.
( the Select and the Glycerin )

 

[iamyourfather]

VDH is a great soap and provides a great shave!

+1

For about $1.50, you can't beat it!

 

[gearhead]

This soap seems to be the Rodney Dangerfield of shaving soap. Maybe because it's so cheap. Maybe because it's from Texas instead of some royal sounding address in London. Maybe it's because the smell is pedestrian. I dunno. I do know that it WORKS better than the $30 bowl of DR Harris I have, and it doesn't leave my brush waxy and semi-water repellent like DR Harris.

 

[col conk]

This soap seems to be the Rodney Dangerfield of shaving soap. Maybe because it's so cheap. Maybe because it's from Texas instead of some royal sounding address in London. Maybe it's because the smell is pedestrian. I dunno. I do know that it WORKS better than the $30 bowl of DR Harris I have, and it doesn't leave my brush waxy and semi-water repellent like DR Harris.

Although I can not compare it to DR Harris (never tried DR), I agree with your reasoning on why its underrated.

 

[flcrx]

I like VDH, cause you can melt it and add to it, to make whatever scent you like.

Melting this soap, and add your favourite "scent" to it???? That sounds something for me.... can you explain a bit, how you would "melt" this????

thnxs in advance...

 

[Psicko]

I just bought my 1st puck of VDH, not sure which one. the one you get all walmart for $1.50. It is really good. Even more amazing if you add a dollop of bigelo(prorazo) shaving cream.

 

[col conk]

Melting this soap, and add your favourite "scent" to it???? That sounds something for me.... can you explain a bit, how you would "melt" this????

thnxs in advance...

1.Take your VDH puck and cut it into about 3/4” pieces .

2.Put the pieces into a soap bowel or ramekin and microwave in 10 second bursts until soap is melted. usually 20-30 seconds total.

3.Put in 1-2 tsp of a favorite cologne or aftershave . Stir

4.Let soap harden ( quicker if you put it in freezer ).

 

[fishbdew]

yep mix it with a dallop of bigelow and it turns it into one of the best lathers on the market. With far less of a impact on your wallet.

 

[planto]

I like VDH, cause you can melt it and add to it, to make whatever scent you like.

Would mixing tabac aftershave be ok or would the alcohol in it affect the soap?

 

[michiganlover]

Would mixing tabac aftershave be ok or would the alcohol in it affect the soap?

Those of us who re-scent VDH are re-scenting it with alcohol based splashes, and colognes. The alcohol will evaporate off into the air, and thus have no effect on the soap whatsoever.

 

[planto]

1.Take your VDH puck and cut it into about 3/4” pieces .

2.Put the pieces into a soap bowel or ramekin and microwave in 10 second bursts until soap is melted. usually 20-30 seconds total.

3.Put in 1-2 tsp of a favorite cologne or aftershave . Stir

4.Let soap harden ( quicker if you put it in freezer ).

Does this work with mwf or is there another way to soften it as i have a ramekin that would be perfect for it but it just doesn't fit it right.

 

[Geordon]

Does this work with mwf or is there another way to soften it as i have a ramekin that would be perfect for it but it just doesn't fit it right.

DO NOT MICROWAVE MWF. The only way that I know of to re-shape it is to mill it down (take a cheese grater to the puck) and mush it into the desired bowl. Adding a little water may help it reshape.

Rumor has it that microwaving any tallow-based (as opposed to vegetable-glycerin) will actually burn/ruin the soap. When in doubt, mill it out.

 

[goby]

instead of Castle Forbes or Acqua di Parma, I used VDH this morning.

wow, I am surprised. I was really a great shave!

 

[82R100]

Mitchell's is a triple milled tallow-based soap and absolutely shouldn't be heated. Use a cheese grater to either reduce it entirely to shavings or to make it smaller in the dimensions you need to.

- Chris