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Mea Culpa, Tabac

I want to try Tabac at some point. Though I'm still a complete noob (seven shaves in) and have only made a small dent in my current cream. The wife is also keeping a very close eye on what I spend on this new venture.

Perfectly understandable. These rabbit holes run deep!

I would suggest holding what you’re got for a bit, there’s plenty of time to wade in. I took it slow and started with samples to find the scent profiles that work for me. Unfortunately, I never found a Tabac sample. But it’s a great soap!

Oh, also beware the enablers, they will push you in the deep end :001_rolle
 
LOVE most of the things tabac does, but it could be a tad slicker.

The Shave stick and container is how shaving soaps should be packaged.
 
I’m debating it but with Cella, MWF and B&M on the shelf, I’m left wondering if it’s worth it to try Tabac when the scent seems polarizing. How does the post shave feel and moisturizing qualities stack up against the other tallow based soaps?
For me the Tabac post shave feel is comparable to Cella, but nothing I have used has a better post shave feel than MWF.
 
Recently bought a puck of Tabac and was fully prepared to dislike the scent given how polarizing it is, but I actually dig it. And I love the ceramic bowl. I test lathered the puck once and right away I knew I was working with a top notch soap. Will be shaving with it some time this week.
 
Recently bought a puck of Tabac and was fully prepared to dislike the scent given how polarizing it is, but I actually dig it. And I love the ceramic bowl. I test lathered the puck once and right away I knew I was working with a top notch soap. Will be shaving with it some time this week.

I was like you initially. I bought just the shave stick at first to guage my interest and immediately loved it. I shave with the shave stick almost everyday. Right now I'm mixing it with my mentholated soaps for the perfect summer blend shave.
 

Hannah's Dad

I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
I was like you initially. I bought just the shave stick at first to guage my interest and immediately loved it. I shave with the shave stick almost everyday. Right now I'm mixing it with my mentholated soaps for the perfect summer blend shave.
What a great idea!
 

Hannah's Dad

I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
It’s been a while since I’ve used Tabac. This morning, I combined a Declaration Grooming B9A+ knot brush (Blood of Kings) with a new refill puck of Tabac.

A quick load of the brush (30 seconds tops) produced 4 passes worth of the most incredible, slick, protective, stable and silky lather that I think I’ve ever had. Seriously. Sure, ‘post-shave’ might be a bit lacking compared to the trendy artisans; but there isn’t a product which exists that beats the shaving performance of Tabac. Simply incredible.
image.jpg
 
It’s been a while since I’ve used Tabac. This morning, I combined a Declaration Grooming B9A+ knot brush (Blood of Kings) with a new refill puck of Tabac.

A quick load of the brush (30 seconds tops) produced 4 passes worth of the most incredible, slick, protective, stable and silky lather that I think I’ve ever had. Seriously. Sure, ‘post-shave’ might be a bit lacking compared to the trendy artisans; but there isn’t a product which exists that beats the shaving performance of Tabac. Simply incredible.View attachment 1253531
I have never got around to trying Tabac in a puck but I love it in stick form. Such a great soap IMO.

My wife hates the smell and says it smells like her grandmother’s house (not purse though). 😂
 

Hannah's Dad

I Can See Better Than Bigfoot.
I have never got around to trying Tabac in a puck but I love it in stick form. Such a great soap IMO.

My wife hates the smell and says it smells like her grandmother’s house (not purse though). 😂
There‘s no doubt that the scent is polarizing. I wish someone in the artisan space would create a triple-milled soap like Tabac with a ‘safe’ scent profile. It would slay the market.
 
I have never got around to trying Tabac in a puck but I love it in stick form. Such a great soap IMO.

My wife hates the smell and says it smells like her grandmother’s house (not purse though). 😂
I decided to try the stick first as well because I wasn’t sure that I would like it. I have only used it once but it made a great lather and my wife likes the smell so that is a plus. I have used La Toja, Speick, PAA Diver Down and Tabac sticks so far and Tabac is the largest. I expect the Tabac Stick to last a long time. I have my first Injector razor arriving tomorrow and the Tabac will be on deck.
 
I have my first Injector razor arriving tomorrow and the Tabac will be on deck.

Agree with the praise for this soap. It's my clear favorite. And I use it every time I'm trying something new, as a control. That way if something isn't as good as I want, I know it's not the soap.

My goal is to find a few other things that perform as close as possible and make a relatively small rotation for the sake of having some variation. Tabac will be the main player, though, unless something else really surprises me.
 
I am currently on what will be a 14 day run with Tabac as my travel soap. A stick slice and a second slice cut I two fits well in an old 57 g container from TOBS Traditional (the container is the only thing I liked about that soap). At home the regular puck in the milk glass container is a regular part of my rotation.

I believe some of the old time favorites (assuming only those that have not been reformulated to their detriment) have been around so long for good reason.
 
There‘s no doubt that the scent is polarizing. I wish someone in the artisan space would create a triple-milled soap like Tabac with a ‘safe’ scent profile. It would slay the market.
Fine hard soaps are exactly this. I've been out of the loop for a while and it looks like they aren't making these anymore. That's a shame. There was also the famous Irish Moos, but that was a long time ago. Hopefully, someone picks it back up since there is obviously one artisan maker that pretty much nailed the Tabac formula.
 
M

mtcn77

Tabac has lots of volatile aromas, I wouldn't think they would be preserved for long smelling like real cinnamon, rose and a couple of other things.

I happen to think people have issues since the soap goes funky after being wet after a while. Happened to me with Arko, since then I never leave my brushes dry and don't ever get my soaps wet.

I take thin shavings and wet them with the hot brush. If you skive the soap thin enough(<0.1mm is sufficient) it doesn't have trouble dissolving, but again I have to emphasize the thickness of soap flakes - it has to be thin.
 
Forgive me, Tabac, for doubting your greatness. I had bumped you out of rotation in favor of the flavors of the day — GD, DG, B&M, Stirling, T&S — and other trendy soaps. But since I’ve been test driving some new razors, I’ve relied upon your quick lather and performance, and have come back to realizing that you are the greatest in my den. I’ve been guilty of saying such things as ‘Tabac is nowhere near as good as ____________.’ But I was mistaken.

Nothing beats your combination of slickness, cushion, volume, scent and post-shave conditioning. And your triple-milling will outlast any other soap, croap or cream around.

The artisans have been churning out great products, and my den is full of them. But I fear that I’ve wasted money and space.

My week with Tabac has been an epiphany.

Mea culpa, Tabac. Mea maxima culpa.

:a2:
Amen
 
M

mtcn77

I increased the amount I skive each shave, now almost 2x2cmx0.1mm flakes and I don't wet it any more than the water sogged brush takes up.
Last couple of shaves Tabac Original really demarcated its skin protection qualities on previously razorburned skin.
I still have Arko that I might compare it with, but the milky smell is much better than some unknown citrusy note.
 
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