Starting soaps

[Hawkeye_90]

When I first started wet shaving I thought you needed to spend a lot of money on soap to get a good product. I bought two containers of cold water soap works, and they worked very well. However in grad school (when those two soaps ran out) I realized I didn’t need to spend as much to get a good soap. I tried col. Conk, and liked it. I went through four pucks. I then experimented with Williams, arko, that Spanish stick, and derby. I think my go to will be Arko (nice lather). My travel soap will be the Spanish stuff.

What were your soap try outs when you first started before you found your go to soap?

My first razor was a merkur 34c, now I have a Gillette super speed that I want to clean and make my daily shaver. What was your first razor and what do you use now?

I guess I’m essence I’m asking what was your shave den when you started, and what did it evolve into?

 

[Feldgrun]

You've got some experience with soaps, and likely have some decent lathering experience, so it depends on what type of soap you want. The "Spanish stick" is likely La Toja, which I find to be very similar to Arko, but with a significantly different scent. It's a great soap, and a favorite of Marco, one of the best members in these forums.

Based on recommendations from this forum, I started with a Merkur 34C and Razorock XXX Italian soap. Now, it's a whole load of soaps, blades and vintage razors. Each person has their own favorites. I'm still trying to find mine.

 

[SalS]

My first safety razor was a Merkur 34C and first cream was Proraso white. I used that and only Proraso, Cella and before I packed it in Stirling.

I bought a Henson and Jack Black Beard Lube and will never go back despite have great shaves with Proraso. No time and nothing shaves better than what I have now.

 

[d_e]

Williams or Colgate ~45 years.

 

[Zora]

The Spanish(German) La Toja & LEA sticks are excellant but not expensive.

 

[borwish]

I did my research and went with a Stirling starter pack, so I had great soap and a great brush to start out with. I still use a good bit of Stirling in a good sized rotation of commercial and artisan products. I found that I like the Yaqi timberwolf slightly better than the brush from Stirling, but there's absolutely nothing wrong with it and I used it for well over a year.

The razor that I started with was a Baili 179 that came in the kit. I soon switched to a 64 superspeed and then the King C. Gillette when it came out. The Baili 179 does not get used anymore as I have several superior razors that I rotate--- DE, GEM, and straight. My 3 most used razors are the Simple Clean Shave, Leaf Twig, and Game Changer .68OC. I have a soft spot for vintage though.

 

[VintageGent]

My first safety razor was my grandfather’s ‘53 Super Speed, and it’s all I used for years. I only fell down the vintage razor rabbit hole after deciding to semi-retire Grandpa’s razor before I wore the plating off or dropped it. Once I tried one, well…

My first soaps were whatever bar soap was in the bathroom (a carry-over from the old days of carts and disposables). Then I discovered Stirling Soap Co., and bought a brush. Well…

*I still love my Super Speeds (yes, they multiplied, too).

 

[Phoenixkh]

I started with an ESC Claymore Evolution and Acca Kappa Barbershop. After finding B&B, I added some great lightly scented soaps.

At one point early on, I bought one of the favorites here and had a bad enough reaction I went to my dermatologist.

After that, the soaps I use have evolved into unscented soaps.

 

[ksblazer]

If I remember correctly I started off with C.O. Bigelow cream, Tabac cream and Queen charlotte soap.

My Razors were a Gillette SS and a Lord razor (can’t recall the model) L6 I think it was called.

As I progressed I got into Artisans like Mike’s, Stirling and SV.

Non Artisan was Arko, Cella and Hasslinger.

Merkur, EJ, Razorock Razors

I still have a bunch of soaps to try. But I think I’m getting a pretty good idea on what works best for me now.

 

[Lockback]

I haven't been at this terribly long but I started out with a Van Der Hagen TTO (cheap) razor (I still use it regularly) and Proraso Green, which I love. My soap choices have expanded somewhat; Tabac and a couple of Stirling soaps, both of which I also love. I love Cremo shave creams too but that's a different kettle of fish.

 

[Barbarian80]

Art of shaving pucks is where it all began for me. I thought that at one time it was the only good soap. Many years later I discovered Stirling and that led me into this whole new world.

 

[Lane101]

When I first started wet shaving I thought you needed to spend a lot of money on soap to get a good product. I bought two containers of cold water soap works, and they worked very well. However in grad school (when those two soaps ran out) I realized I didn’t need to spend as much to get a good soap. I tried col. Conk, and liked it. I went through four pucks. I then experimented with Williams, arko, that Spanish stick, and derby. I think my go to will be Arko (nice lather). My travel soap will be the Spanish stuff.

What were your soap try outs when you first started before you found your go to soap?

My first razor was a merkur 34c, now I have a Gillette super speed that I want to clean and make my daily shaver. What was your first razor and what do you use now?

I guess I’m essence I’m asking what was your shave den when you started, and what did it evolve into?

When I returned to DE shaving, around 3.5 years ago, I started with a puck of Williams that was readily available in local supermarkets. Closest thing to what I remember seeing my grandfather use when I was a kid. Then tried Van Der Hagen Deluxe that was easier to lather but delivered a lot less slickness. Next I started to blend the two and found that Van Der Williams blends delivered the best of both worlds.

Continued to evolve my budget soap blends with other ingredients while eventually trying a number of other quality commercial shaving soaps such as Mitchell's Wool Fat, Arko, Tabac, Razorock What-the-Puck and so on. Even acquired some shaving creams from Cyril R. Salter and LEA. Use my latest custom blend for around half of my shaves rotating among my other products for the rest. The discontinuation of Williams combined with the opportunity to buy soaps from Connaught at great prices when the U.K. pound collapsed last fall accelerated my purchases of new soaps.

Started with a Weishi Long Handle that I now alternate with a King C. Gillette for most shaves. Quickly went from a cheap 22mm no-name synthetic and Van Der Hagen boar (fell apart after 6 or so months) brushes to my current three Razorock 26mm plissoft Monster and Big Bruce complimented by a Razorock Blondie 26mm boar (rebranded Zenith 80N).

On blades I started with Derby Extra, added Astra SP and then Dorco Stainless and Prime blades to my rotation. After finding that the main difference between these is longevity with all of these blades delivering similar shave quality I settled on the above brands.

Note that I started shaving with a Gillette Black Beauty adjustable when in college using canned foam. Moved to electric after around 5 years and stayed with them for decades.

 

[Lane101]

I haven't been at this terribly long but I started out with a Van Der Hagen TTO (cheap) razor (I still use it regularly) and Proraso Green, which I love. My soap choices have expanded somewhat; Tabac and a couple of Stirling soaps, both of which I also love. I love Cremo shave creams too but that's a different kettle of fish.

The Van Der Hagen TTO, that is a rebranded Weishi, is an excellent razor. A Weishi Long Handle was my first upon returning to DE 3.5 years ago and it continues to me on of my main drivers.

Not sure why everyone refers to them as mild - have found it to be a moderately aggressive razor especially compared to my other regular razor, a King C. Gillette, that is far milder by comparison.

 

[Lockback]

The Van Der Hagen TTO, that is a rebranded Weishi, is an excellent razor. A Weishi Long Handle was my first upon returning to DE 3.5 years ago and it continues to me on of my main drivers.

Not sure why everyone refers to them as mild - have found it to be a moderately aggressive razor especially compared to my other regular razor, a King C. Gillette, that is far milder by comparison.

Somebody started a thread here a few weeks ago about underrated razors and the VDH TTO got a lot of mentions. It's a copy of the old Gillette Super Speed which I've come to love and, for the money, is an outstanding value. I shave with mine regularly and it's never given me a bad shave.

 

[Lane101]

Somebody started a thread here a few weeks ago about underrated razors and the VDH TTO got a lot of mentions. It's a copy of the old Gillette Super Speed which I've come to love and, for the money, is an outstanding value. I shave with mine regularly and it's never given me a bad shave.

My college days Gillette adjustable, that only cost a few dollars, established a personal mindset that there is no need to good razors to cost a lot. So long as the manufacturer delivers a reasonable quality finish, that Weishi does, shave performance comes from razor geometry and weight.

Do respect those who want a higher end, often artisan crafted razor, for unique designs, materials (e.g. stainless) and collectable value.

 

[Tomo]

My first shaving soap was DR Harris. It took me 60 more to discover that I started with one of the best.

 

[CoreyWoodmancy]

Most important lesson I learned in shaving was the least expensive gear in my den performs as well as the most expensive gear in my den. Arko lathered with a nice boar brush and what ever DE or straight razor you like will shave as good as anything. I’ve owned every expensive brush , soap , and razor , it took a long time for me to fully understand this but now I know very well.

 

[DesertIguana]

My first shaving soap was DR Harris. It took me 60 more to discover that I started with one of the best.

Kowabunga that is fought to swallow.

But in the end you admitted you goofed.

One positive note is you go experence to share.

About 59 so so soaps.

 

[Capt. Pat]

My first shaving soap was Old Spice in one of those glass mugs with the ship on the side. Used that for years.

 

[lasta]

I think Proraso Green or Williams because they were available locally.

Then bought a good 5 year supply of Polish WARS cream because a razor seller had them and it was well reviewed/very cheap at the time.