Stirling Syndicate

[rockclimber]

Ben Franklin smells nothing like Ben Franklin. I went ahead and ordered a ton of their samples when I first got into double edge shaving and I don't regret a single one of them. Glad to hear that you like Stirling I give it excellent reviews and if I was to put price into consideration it would probably be a 9.5/10

 

[Crgrinn1]

Stirling, one of the best soaps I own. Whatever you do, give your nose and maybe your wife a gift, and get Margaritas in the arctic.

 

[gwsmallwood]

I love Stirling's scents, but Gatlinburg is one I didn't much like either. Very much an acquired taste.

Same here. Reminiscent of cigarette smoke to me. Wife didn't care for it either. I'm about 60/40 on likes / dislikes so far.

 

[NyquistRate]

Have you tried Gatlinburg?

Ben Franklin smells nothing like Ben Franklin. I went ahead and ordered a ton of their samples when I first got into double edge shaving and I don't regret a single one of them. Glad to hear that you like Stirling I give it excellent reviews and if I was to put price into consideration it would probably be a 9.5/10

 

[Luxurytax]

First off I'd like to say that I'm a synthetic guy. I'm very fond of the Plisson-style fibers and my daily drivers have been the Shave Revolution 24mm Sythetic and the Stirling Kong 26mm. However, for a while now I've been wanting to try out a badger brush and pulled the trigger on the Stirling 24mm 2 band finest. I wasn't sure what to expect when I got it, but wow, this thing is nice and the value is apparent. This brush is really dense and high quality. The handle is really nice too.

A few pics

For $29, this brush is amazing. It's very dense with soft tips and doesn't hog lather at all.

 

[azwetshaver]

I've been tempted by this brush. Excellent reviews so far and for the price its not much of a gamble. I much prefer badgers to synthetics. Since you are a synthetics fan, how does it compare to your synthetics?

 

[Luxurytax]

I've been tempted by this brush. Excellent reviews so far and for the price its not much of a gamble. I much prefer badgers to synthetics. Since you are a synthetics fan, how does it compare to your synthetics?

This brush is a fantastic value for $29. Compared to my synthetics, it isn't as soft as them but it's still soft. However, it does have a ton of backbone and if exfoliation combined with softness is something you're interested in, this brush will fit the bill. Also, this brush requires more loading than the synthetics due to the knot being much higher in density. Once loaded, I get a easy and thick lather just like I do with my synthetics. You'll just have two load for almost twice as long.

 

[azwetshaver]

Thank you for the response and preliminary review. I hope you enjoy your new brush.

 

[TheLegalRazor]

From looking at the brush and reading the reviews, this seems to be a great value. I always thought the 24mm Vintage Blades 2-Band at 39.99 was the best deal available in badger brushes. Perhaps this Stirling is now in contention.

 

[mightyeskimo]

Very very nice!


But it's so pretty [MENTION=62321]Lmarkow[/MENTION].

 

[Slumpy]

I got my first Stirling order in today and I'm very impressed.. Except for the lip balm.. Not because it's bad, but because my wife took it for her own.
Come to think of it, now I have another excuse to make another order.
Carry on...

 

[KyleEnochSteele]

Just put in my order today for Strling Gentleman. Can't wait

 

[mcgorman]

Hey just wondering if anyone else had this experience.

I love the scent of sharped dressed man but could not get a good lather with it. I am not the most experienced shaver so it may be user error. However my favorite soap is margaritas in the Arctic and I get a great lather with the other menthol Sterling samples I've tried as well. I saw that Eskimo Tuxedo was the same scent as sharp dressed man and ordered it and through one shave I got a great lather. Wondering if menthol has anything to do with my lathering ability or if it is just coincidence.

 

[uesjd]

Hey just wondering if anyone else had this experience.

I love the scent of sharped dressed man but could not get a good lather with it. I am not the most experienced shaver so it may be user error. However my favorite soap is margaritas in the Arctic and I get a great lather with the other menthol Sterling samples I've tried as well. I saw that Eskimo Tuxedo was the same scent as sharp dressed man and ordered it and through one shave I got a great lather. Wondering if menthol has anything to do with my lathering ability or if it is just coincidence.

My guess is that it is coincidence. Whenever I've seen posts in the past claiming a difference between the menthol and non-menthol Stirling soaps, the posters observed that the mentholated soaps were harder to lather. Yours is the first post suggesting the opposite. My own experience is that there is no difference.

 

[ewhitefo]

Anyone bowl lather and have to whip up the lather a bit by pass three? I noticed that after first and second pass the soap is dissipating a bit in the bowl.

 

[Bob L.]

Anyone bowl lather and have to whip up the lather a bit by pass three? I noticed that after first and second pass the soap is dissipating a bit in the bowl.

I might be doing this wrong but...

When I bowl lather there is always lather left in the bowl after my 1st and 2nd passes. Or, for the third/fourth if that's the shave's intent. I'd rather have lather left over than come up short.

I reload my brush in the bowl before the next pass. That automatically re-whips the lather.

That said, I have not noticed the lather thinning or dissipating between passes. You might be creating a lather that's a bit too thin.

JMHO / YMMV

 

[DELove]

Anyone bowl lather and have to whip up the lather a bit by pass three? I noticed that after first and second pass the soap is dissipating a bit in the bowl.

Interesting you bring this up.

I lather in my Dirtybird Scuttle, which I love.

I squeeze any excess water out of my brush and load for about 1 full minute. Then whip into a lather.

By the 2nd and 3rd pass, the lather has become full of bubbles. There is definitely not too much water in the mix. If I whip it up again, it calms down and the lather is again nice on my face. But something definitely happens to the lather between passes.

I love Stirling, and have never been able to figure out what is going on with this. I've tried starving water from it and using more water. Pretty much get the same thing. Maybe it's my water, I don't know. The results are still great though.

But for example, compared to CRSW or others, I don't have that issue.

 

[ewhitefo]

Interesting you bring this up.

I lather in my Dirtybird Scuttle, which I love.

I squeeze any excess water out of my brush and load for about 1 full minute. Then whip into a lather.

By the 2nd and 3rd pass, the lather has become full of bubbles. There is definitely not too much water in the mix. If I whip it up again, it calms down and the lather is again nice on my face. But something definitely happens to the lather between passes.

I love Stirling, and have never been able to figure out what is going on with this. I've tried starving water from it and using more water. Pretty much get the same thing. Maybe it's my water, I don't know. The results are still great though.

But for example, compared to CRSW or others, I don't have that issue.

Yes, exactly what happening, I use a Crown King Scuttle and after the second pass its pretty much alot of little bubbles.. It only takes 10-15 seconds and its fine again.. I tried to drown the soap last night and I over did it.. So I reloaded and lathered.. Its really not a big deal but curious if I was the only one..

 

[mcgorman]

Okay thanks. I'll keep practicing.

 

[DELove]

Yes, exactly what happening, I use a Crown King Scuttle and after the second pass its pretty much alot of little bubbles.. It only takes 10-15 seconds and its fine again.. I tried to drown the soap last night and I over did it.. So I reloaded and lathered.. Its really not a big deal but curious if I was the only one..

Well then, we are not alone.

I've tried everything... drowning it (but that is very easy to get too much water and ruin it) and starving it of water (which makes a nice lather, but can be too dry on the face).

So far I've found a good balance but always get tons of bubbles between passes, just like you are getting.

Not saying anything bad about Stirling, still love them. I have a bunch of new soap from them coming but it got held up coming through customs for a few weeks. Hopefully soon I'll have it all.