Shave Sticks Review Project

[mol81]

finished the work?

I'm almost done with yesterday list. Today and tomorrow's list becomes yesterday tonight!

So it is that kind of a project. I tend to stay away from those, since I have found that it is always over the set budget and way over the set time frame . So good luck to you and thanks for squeezing this thread in!!!

 

[Luc]

So it is that kind of a project. I tend to stay away from those, since I have found that it is always over the set budget and way over the set time frame . So good luck to you and thanks for squeezing this thread in!!!

In around 2 months, I got almost all the painting done (walls and ceiling), the garage door is fixed (few issues with it), All the power outlets and light switch were changed. All the light fixtures are now changed for something else (new holes in old wall). Kitchen is half renovated (we did some of the most urgent work on it but will need to demolish and redo eventually). Same gig for the bathroom...

Anyways, back to the sticks! I will post better pictures of my progress this week-end if I can.

 

[Luc]

It's a bit late but better late than never!

Here's a picture to show where I'm at with the stick. I picked the Wilkinson Sword shave stick since they were both 50 grams and had the same holder. This should give an idea of where a stick is after 20 shaves exactly. My guesstimation would be that 25% of the product is gone.


I see that Speick doesn't have a number yet on the shave stick page : http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Shave_stick and the How many shaves thread doesn't either unfortunately (http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/48035-How-Many-Shaves-to-the-bottom-of-a-Shave-Stick)

 

[Gustav]

I cannot wait to hear your impressions on the Wilkinson, it is one hell of a shave stick if you ask me.

 

[Luc]

I cannot wait to hear your impressions on the Wilkinson, it is one hell of a shave stick if you ask me.

That's a very awesome stick, I agree. I will see how it performs versus the others when I get to it. The only flaw that I think it has is the super light scent compared to let say Palmolive Euro.

 

[Vlad]

Gaah, I don't have a wilkinson. I can't believe how many sticks I'm missing!

 

[Lather]

I am in the first year of DE shaving and I have a couple shave sticks so far. Tabac, I love, and is a great and hearty soap. It gives a great lather and the scent is amazing, probably my favourite next to Proraso red and Cella.

Speick is a very good soap too. I really like the clean, spring-like scent. Great lather too.

This morning, I tried my Valobra shave stick. I have to say, the scent is not the greatest. In fact, it reminds me of the floor cleaner that caretakers use in schools. I gave it a good face lathering with my Omega 599 badger. Nice thick and slick lather, probably the best of all the shave sticks I have. End result was a great BBS shave with no irritation. I used a Merkur 34C HD with a Gillette Silver Blue blade in its 3rd shave. Other than the scent, I am impressed. I just applied some Proraso white AS to kill the scent of the Valobra. Problem solved.

I have a couple more sticks in the mail. Palmolive, La Toja, and Arko so I can't wait to try them too.

 

[Vlad]

This morning, I tried my Valobra shave stick. I have to say, the scent is not the greatest. In fact, it reminds me of the floor cleaner that caretakers use in schools. I gave it a good face lathering with my Omega 599 badger. Nice thick and slick lather, probably the best of all the shave sticks I have. End result was a great BBS shave with no irritation. I used a Merkur 34C HD with a Gillette Silver Blue blade in its 3rd shave. Other than the scent, I am impressed. I just applied some Proraso white AS to kill the scent of the Valobra. Problem solved.

I know this will make no sense, but I love the smell of Valobra. When i first got it, I thought it was such a boring "soap" smell, and was disappointed in this highly-acclaimed soap. Now, it stinks of tallow goodness, and I love sniffing it

 

[Luc]

I would say that I'm around 50% of the stick. Which bring me to question #1. Once I get to the hold part, what do *you* do?

I was thinking of doing something like the first picture here

 

[Vlad]

I would say that I'm around 50% of the stick. Which bring me to question #1. Once I get to the hold part, what do *you* do?
I was thinking of doing something like the first picture here

I held the last chunk of La Toja until I could no longer grip it, and then lathered it a few more time out of a container. Thought about this method, but didn't have another La Toja. I could have put it on a different stick,but it needs to have a flat top so it will stick. This particular screw on stick container is missing from my collection.

 

[mblakele]

I have tried that, and it works reasonably well. But getting good adhesion can be tricky. The stump of the old stick tends to pull away from the new one when you apply any lateral force.

A sleeve-type holder work a bit better, because the interface between the two pieces of soap is inside the sleeve until the very end. I used up my last Speick stick that way, riding piggyback on a D.R. Harris Arlington stick in its holder. By the time I got to the very bottom of the Speick stick, that last layer had become one with the Arlington stick underneath it.

 

[Luc]

I will soon know if this is the case (in a month or so) since the stick is melting. I will use a different stick that has a different colour so we can clearly see the difference. so far, Speick is pretty easy to use. I was honestly expecting more lather out of it but it still works very well. It protect my skin A1 also!

 

[mol81]

Hi Luc.

It is good to see you have this thread in running order again. I really enjoy your writings about your journey with the sticks. I saw you also have a stick of 'de vergulde hand'. Since I am from Holland I was wondering how you rate this stick among your others. Over here they also make this soap in pucks, as well as an other variant which is called 'extra fris', which translates as 'extra fresh'. I'd like to sent you a puck for your good work. So pm me your adres if you're intersted and it is coming your way. Greetings from Holland .

 

[mharris127]

I would say that I'm around 50% of the stick. Which bring me to question #1. Once I get to the hold part, what do *you* do?

I was thinking of doing something like the first picture here

Usually when my Palmolive Euro stick was that small I could smush it into my shaving mug and use it like a puck. If you don't happen to use it that often where it has absorbed water soak it for ten minutes or so and then smush it into your shave mug.

 

[Luc]

Hi Luc.

It is good to see you have this thread in running order again. I really enjoy your writings about your journey with the sticks. I saw you also have a stick of 'de vergulde hand'. Since I am from Holland I was wondering how you rate this stick among your others. Over here they also make this soap in pucks, as well as an other variant which is called 'extra fris', which translates as 'extra fresh'. I'd like to sent you a puck for your good work. So pm me your adres if you're intersted and it is coming your way. Greetings from Holland .

My updates are not very frequents but the shave stick is used every day. I passed the 40 shaves with the Speick and I probably have between 1/2 and 1/3 at the moment. The De Vergulde Hand is a pretty great soap. I don't have it in a stick format but in a puck. My plan was to get a small tube of PVC at the hardware store to mold the stick and push it out after. I saw the Extra Fris but never tried it. When I was going to be due to re-order some DVH, the Fris was also on the list.

I did not get to that one yet but from my few previous usages, the performance is close to LaToja (not the scent). The scent is light, clean and soapy. I really enjoy that one. I love the fact that they didn't go through a lot or any reformulations.

Usually when my Palmolive Euro stick was that small I could smush it into my shaving mug and use it like a puck. If you don't happen to use it that often where it has absorbed water soak it for ten minutes or so and then smush it into your shave mug.

Mmm, the goal is to keep the shave stick as a shave stick. I will see and document how I go when I reach the small piece of Speick shave stick...

 

[wimbouman]

Hello Luc,

Just received a Chicman stick of reportedly 40 years old.
Do you happen to know this brand?

I can ask the seller if he has one more available if you are interested?

Wim

 

[Luc]

Hello Luc,

Just received a Chicman stick of reportedly 40 years old.
Do you happen to know this brand?

I can ask the seller if he has one more available if you are interested?

Wim

I saw some pictures floating around but if you want to post some, that would be great. Vintage shave stick are pretty awesome usually!

 

[wimbouman]

The Chicman stick is pretty awesome indeed.
Clean, stylish looks.

View attachment 315656

 

[wimbouman]

It resisted fiercely against opening after 40 years but finally it gave way to unveil an instruction leaflet.







A cream soap in a stick ; 'in the handiest and most economical form'.

Not sure if i will use it, or keep it as is.

 

[mblakele]

Looks like a nice reusable holder, too. What is the diameter and height of the soap? We do not have that one at http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Shave_stick yet.

I would use it. My vintage Erasmic and Williams sticks are excellent. I should get back to using them up....