Ode to Artisans of bygone Days

[steelhead52]

This week a couple of artisans no longer producing soaps came up in my rotation and caused me to wax nostalgic. First up was Reef Point Submariner. Reef Point made a very nice and long lasting soap, but what set this artisan apart for me were his unique scents. Submariner was truly a great scent and I will really miss this scent when gone. Next up was Strop Shoppe Baker Street special edition. Not only was this a great scent, but the soap seemed to me unique in feel among tallow soaps. It lathered extremely easily, but the lather was somehow different than most artisan tallow soaps. It seemed lighter more like a vegan soap lather but very creamy, and yet provided excellent glide and protection. I really miss this soap and am very thankful Stirling has picked up the Baker Street scent for one of their aftershaves.

I know there are many excellent artisans out there today yet I was wondering if there are artisans no longer in business that some of you guys really miss and why?

 

[AZBronco]

Stirling is making the Baker Street scent in a soap, too--not just after shave.

 

[evnpar]

Strop Shoppe -- fortunately, I still have several pucks.
Tim's Soaps --- I also have a few of these.
Obsessive Soap Perfectionist -- recently closed -- I enjoyed his soaps, but liked his creams even more.
Country Club for Men
Mikey Lee Soapworks

 

[rudyt]

I miss De Luxe Shaving - a Canadian artisan from Toronto. They had Rockers, a leather and raspberry scent, and 13, a wonderfully dark scent that I preferred over B&M Hallows.

It was a sad day when I heard Mickey Lee Soap Works was closing shop.

 

[steelhead52]

Strop Shoppe -- fortunately, I still have several pucks.
Tim's Soaps --- I also have a few of these.
Obsessive Soap Perfectionist -- recently closed -- I enjoyed his soaps, but liked his creams even more.
Country Club for Men
Mikey Lee Soapworks

OSP, Yep I'm still working on Sandalwood. OSP reminded me a lot of the old T&S formula. Very enjoyable.

 

[steelhead52]

I miss De Luxe Shaving - a Canadian artisan from Toronto. They had Rockers, a leather and raspberry scent, and 13, a wonderfully dark scent that I preferred over B&M Hallows.

It was a sad day when I heard Mickey Lee Soap Works was closing shop.

Leather and Raspberry, now that's one I wish I could have tried. And yes Mickey Lee - Drunken Goat is sure a missed scent.

I was also thinking about Valobra. First the AOS Sandalwood that they made, and now with Proraso purchasing them, it seems that the classic C&S scents as well as the great Valobra performance is history.

 

[imatabor]

Honeybee soaps from Sue. A fine soap from a fine lady. Sadly missed.

 

[geneaut]

I got a few pucks from Prairie Creations that I really liked. I know the owner rubbed some people the wrong way but she always treated me fairly when I dealt with her, and the Canoe scented soap was delicious.

 

[TheVez2]

Saint Charles Shave - Will dearly miss the Fairway scent when I run out.
Honeybee Soaps - Like Mama Bears... only better.
Queen Charlotte Soaps
Jeeves of Hudson Street - Conservatory/Mountain Rain is still one of the best scents ever.


Luckily I have a stockpile of all of the above except for QCS....

 

[kingfisher]

Another vote for each of the following:

Country Club for Men--one of the best non-tallow soaps I ever tried; Orange Blossom was a great scent
Obsessive Soap Perfectionist--sold soap with good scents
Jeeves of Hudson Street--his cherry blossom soap was fantastic
Saint Charles Shave--another fan of Fairway; smelled like fresh-cut grass (but was really the green tops of carrots)

 

[beginish]

Honeybee soaps from Sue. A fine soap from a fine lady. Sadly missed.

May Sue rest in peace.

Saint Charles Shave - Will dearly miss the Fairway scent when I run out.

*snip*

Luckily I have a stockpile of all of the above except for QCS....

*snip*

Saint Charles Shave--another fan of Fairway; smelled like fresh-cut grass (but was really the green tops of carrots)

I'm with both of you on Saint Charles Shave. Fairway was fantastic, and I have always been a huge fan of 'Refined.' For my money, no one could touch Sue and Wendy for the quality of their aftershaves regardless of the scent you chose. I still have one cake of the Refined soap left.

I will also put in a plug for Charles at QED. His QEDMan soaps had some of the most fantastic scents. They were glycerin based, and folks would slag off on all glycerin soaps as 'melt and pour,' but they lathered like crazy and smelled fantastic. I have one 'Rosie' shave stick left, and I always take it with me on travel, which is rare enough that it should last a good long time.

 

[rudyt]

I was also thinking about Valobra. First the AOS Sandalwood that they made, and now with Proraso purchasing them, it seems that the classic C&S scents as well as the great Valobra performance is history.

I hope you're just assuming Valobra is history and it's not official. If it's really gone, that would make me (and a lot of people) very sad.

 

[shavefan]

Leather and Raspberry, now that's one I wish I could have tried. And yes Mickey Lee - Drunken Goat is sure a missed scent.

I was also thinking about Valobra. First the AOS Sandalwood that they made, and now with Proraso purchasing them, it seems that the classic C&S scents as well as the great Valobra performance is history.

I hope you're just assuming Valobra is history and it's not official. If it's really gone, that would make me (and a lot of people) very sad.

Yes. I haven't heard any news regarding Valobra. What's the skinny?

 

[steelhead52]

I hope you're just assuming Valobra is history and it's not official. If it's really gone, that would make me (and a lot of people) very sad.

Absolutely an assumption. I was worried about Valobra after AOS dropped them and went vegan. I haven't purchased an AOS product since. Now with them being purchased by Proraso, I have my concerns. I don't know anything about the purchase and what was the business model for Proraso. At first I was concerned about a European type reformulation (eliminating tallow). Now I wonder if we will see the hard soap again. I haven't seen any news even on Euro forums. So in essence, I know nothing.

 

[rudyt]

Yes. I haven't heard any news regarding Valobra. What's the skinny?

I haven't heard anything official since Proraso bought Valobra. Lots of doom and gloom predictions about Proraso either killing it off or reformulating, but thankfully, nothing officiak from Proraso.

 

[buyandhold2018]

So many great artisans products these days I don't miss anything from the past. TIM'S peach soap was a favorite though.

Sent from my LG-H873 using Tapatalk

 

[x79ftw]

I hope you're just assuming Valobra is history and it's not official. If it's really gone, that would make me (and a lot of people) very sad.

I asked Czech & Speake about this and i got this reply:

"Thank you for your email and your interest in Czech & Speake.



The soaps that we are currently selling are made by Valobra. The factory completed very large orders for us in their final months of production.

Next year, when stocks run low, we will be sourcing a new manufacturer.



Kind regards,

Christopher"


I also emailed Gifts & Care asking when they were going to restock on Valobra products and they said they were unable to get in contact with them.

I wonder who they will choose to produce their new soaps, i sure hope its not Soap Works. After i received that email i ordered 10 pucks each of Oxford & Cambridge, No.88 and Valobra Unscented.

 

[M14Shooter]

I really miss Reef Points Soaps.Glad I have 6 tubs .Absolutely love Test Depth and Admiralty .Also miss Mickey's Lees Soaps.

 

[rudyt]

The soaps that we are currently selling are made by Valobra. The factory completed very large orders for us in their final months of production

Next year, when stocks run low, we will be sourcing a new manufacturer.

Thanks for the bad news. Time to stock up on a large order of No.88

 

[TheVez2]

I have always been a huge fan of 'Refined.'

Oh yes! Refined is fantastic. I wish I had that in an AS and EdT. It is the same scent that was used by Gentlemen's Best for their Signature Series. (If any of you remember that line).