Shave Sticks Review Project

[Luc]

Wiki Page With Ratings: Shave_Sticks_Review_Project - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/wiki/Shave_Sticks_Review_Project

I got this mild (yes mild) obsession with Shaving Sticks. Some love them, some hate them, some find them okay (all those feelings are all right). I'm not here to convince anyone to buy a product over another. I'm here to share that experience that I got that will, hopefully, be beneficial to the others.

I am not an expert, I'm an enthusiast. Keep in mind that my opinion could be completely different than yours, and that's great I reckon!

So, back to the shave sticks. They are discussed here and there, sometimes, someone even asks for a sub-forum about them. A shaving stick is like a shaving soap puck, the shape is different and that's all. The texture or density of the product would qualify it as a shave soap so it makes sense that we keep them together.

A shaving stick is mostly used to face lather. Many use them to travel only. I use a shave stick while I'm not traveling. I face lather regardless if it's a shave stick, soap or even shave cream. In the end, I use a shave stick because I prefer using a shave stick.

Keeping this in mind, anyone could transform a shave stick to a puck or a puck to a shave stick if they want to. What I would like to do today is start a project where I will review all my shave sticks and compare them one to another. I will then prepare my shave soaps and turn them into sticks to review them. If anyone has comments or suggestions, please share.

I reviewed, not too long ago, all Turkish shave sticks. That was a great little journey and I would do it again if I had to. I discovered some nice products but even after a week of usage, I know if I would like this product or not, I won't review it yet. I think I need to use those on a longer term type of thing to get a big overall view before I actually enter them in the review system. If someone uses a product 2-3 times and review it, it's no good IMO. What you will get is the "first impression". This is what I'm trying to avoid. I give my firsts impressions but I will continue to use the product until there's almost none left. That way, it will ensure a better review.

What do I have? I will try to go through the following products. Not in that order in particular. I will use the product to the end and then review here and create a review in the review system if necessary. Some of those I already reviewed but going back to old products could change my perception on how I see it...

The List

• Elvado Key Lime Shave Stick - Link
• Wilkinson Sword Shave Stick - Link
• Tabac Shaving Stick - Link
• Speick Shaving Stick - Link
• D.R. Harris Arlington Shaving Stick - Link
• TOBS Sandalwood Shaving Stick - Link
• Valobra Shaving Stick - Link
• Camelot Classic Shaving Stick - Link
• GZD Berber Shaving Stick - Link
• Arko Shaving Stick - Link
• Mitchell's Wool Fat/Kent Shaving Soap - Link
• Derby Shaving Stick - Link
• Vie Long Shave Stick - Link
• Proraso Eucalyptus Shaving Soap as a shave stick - Link
• Palmolive EU Shaving Stick - Link
• Lea Shaving Stick - Link
• Master Shave Stick - Link
• Blueness Shaving Stick - Link
• De Vergulde Hand Shaving Stick - Link
• Barbus shaving soap - Link
• Palmolive OZ Shaving Stick - Link
• La Toja Shaving Stick - Link
• Boots Shaving Stick Refill - Link
• Tweex Shaving Stick - Link
• Monsavon Bol à Raser - Link
• Erasmic Shaving Stick - Red packaging - Link
• Wilkinson Sword Shave Stick - Green (Vintage) - Link
• Sir Irisch Moos Shave Stick - Link
• Vintage Palmolive Shave Stick (Oz) - Link - Link 2
• Chicman Shaving Stick - Link
• Saffhayat Shave Stick - Link
• SAB Shave Stick - Link
• Duo Shave Stick - Link
• Erasmic Shaving Stick - Black packaging - Link

I probably have enough soaps (I didn't put the shave creams) for a few years...

So, a few links to help you further

• The Interactive Guide to Lathering
• How to use a Shave Stick
• How to create a shave stick
• Use a left over shave stick with a new shave stick (procedure on using all that shave stick)

EDIT: Taking advantage of the hashtag feature
#ShaveSticks #ShaveStick #Review

 

[Mick]

I am with you as far as enjoying shave sticks. I find that I use them more than cream or bowl soaps.

This is going to be a very interesting and informative thread and I will keep an eye on it!

 

[ia_james]

It's going to be 2015 by the time you get through all those triple milled sticks on there.

 

[Luc]

It's going to be 2015 by the time you get through all those triple milled sticks on there.

Yup, it's going to be a long journey...

 

[Woodash]

IMO - Valobra needs to be on your list...

 

[Loric]

Luc, if you did not have an awesome custom title already, you should get one for the shave stick thing. Thanks for all the awesome research into shave sticks!

 

[jmg]

IMO - Valobra needs to be on your list...

+1

 

[jva59]

IMO - Valobra needs to be on your list...

And perhaps D R Harris sticks?? Look forward to the results of your inquiry!

 

[Luc]

IMO - Valobra needs to be on your list...

At the moment, I do not own a Valbora stick. It's not in my immediate plans to get one but I might when I can thin that den a bit.

And perhaps D R Harris sticks?? Look forward to the results of your inquiry!

Same goes for the Valbora stick... After that, well, there would be the Tabac, Erasmic, Boot, Lea/Bea, etc...

I will see what I can do but right now, I don't plan to buy those yet... I will however do my best to review as much as I can.

 

[Mike Schutz]

I currently use sticks about a third of the time. I'm looking forward to following Luc's thread. Only one of my current sticks (LaToja) is on his list. I hope to learn alot and will give my two cents worth when appropriate.

 

[Cynomys]

It's going to be 2015 by the time you get through all those triple milled sticks on there.

I think it's going to take a good bit longer than that. Unless he eats the stuff..

 

[JeffJ]

Great idea Luc!

I am mostly using sticks these days. For me it is perfect for face lathering and saves the mess and waste of loading the brush on the puck. La Toja and Palmolive EU travel with me and Muhle Sea Buckthorn, Provence Sante Green Tea, and P160 have been converted to sticks. Thinking about converting my DRH and AOS pucks.

The use it all the way through to the end approach is a good way to really learn a soap. Enjoy the journey.

 

[Luc]

I think it's going to take a good bit longer than that. Unless he eats the stuff..

I'm not in any rush...

Great idea Luc!

I am mostly using sticks these days. For me it is perfect for face lathering and saves the mess and waste of loading the brush on the puck. La Toja and Palmolive EU travel with me and Muhle Sea Buckthorn, Provence Sante Green Tea, and P160 have been converted to sticks. Thinking about converting my DRH and AOS pucks.

The use it all the way through to the end approach is a good way to really learn a soap. Enjoy the journey.

I reckon it will give me a very good idea on how good or bad the soap is... I just find the shave sticks easier from my point of view...

 

[Luc]

First shave started with Sir Irisch Moos. I decided to go with this one as it's a classic in the shave sticks that was discontinued not too long ago. I'm a huge fan of the scent in the stick but surprisingly, not that much in the AS, I find they overdid it...

First shave went really well, the built-in stick holder system is nice. I will report back later on this one as this is only a quick note...

 

[Griffo]

A great endevour. I salute you. I enjoy my Palmolive and Boots soap sticks and I'm looking at adding others (those 2 are just so cheap in the UK) as well so I'll follow this with interest (you do need a Valobro though if their wonderful soap bars are anything to go by).

 

[Luc]

First review coming up with pictures tomorrow!

 

[Luc]

This one is a classic by any standards and was discontinued not too long ago in 2011. It's a real shame as the scent is a killer! The scent is close to juniper berries and you can get that fresh pine scent too! This goes in the Green fragrances. So, if you're a fan of fougères, pine, green plant type of scent, this one is for you.


I got to say that I found the aftershave overpowering but the shave stick, is perfect.

It's a great product, easy to lather, comes with his own container. The only thing, with time, that container becomes useless. There's no screw treads, lock or anything. It's a tube in a tube that you push from under and that's it. When the stick is new, no issues. As you use the shave stick, both tubes get used and the consequence is that when you are pressing the shave stick on your face, it can easily fall at the bottom of the tube. I have to push the shave stick while I apply the product which is semi-annoying. I mean, I'm happy that I have a container. It reminds me of a deodorant container. But, it's not perfect, I can't lock it in place... The only stopper is at the bottom of the bigger cylinder preventing the stick from falling out of the container. Overall, it's a cheap container that does the work. I mean, between that and nothing, it's better that container. I won't be reusing that container for my other soaps.


I know, I'm difficult about my shave stick containers...


Other than that, this soap is made of tallow, well, was made of tallow as we can see in Wiki. My shave stick wasn't new when I started using it, I already had a few shaves in. I will continue to use it until the end and then review it. For now, those are my notes. The next observations will be the review so probably in a few weeks/months.

 

[SliceOfLife]

If you do get a chance to add some soaps to the list while you're working through it. I'd suggest speick stick. It's my favorite commercial shaving soap and performs like a beast.

Best of luck to you. Have fun.

 

[gwav64]

A wonderful thread. There's nothing as soothing and luxurious as face-lathering. One of my favorite pucks I use as a stick is Godrej Shaving Round. I will have to try Pre de Provence as a shave stick.

 

[Hayden]

Luc, save the container it can be used for tabac stick refills(tabac and moos sticks use same container) or if you ever decide to melt VDH into a stick.