VDH with a dollop of Musgo? I'm telling you right now, if it doesn't work, the VDH is going to be the first one I just throw away. No slickness, no cushion, no protection. Maybe it's just me.
Superlather --- Is this going to be a witches brew?
- Thread starter brothers
- Start date
Are you using the glycerin or the deluxe? I have found the VDH deluxe to be a surprisingly good performer. With a dollop of Musgo I would bet that you'll be in lather up to your ears!
- Thread starter
- #4
It's the Deluxe. It just doesn't seem to give me the glide and protection that I want. As an example of what I'm talking about, my Williams and VDH have been on the back burner as I've worked my way through Fraser's, Nancy Boy, Tabac, Irisch Moos cream, Cella, MWF, Palmolive Classic, and Musgo. So yesterday I made a superlather with Williams and Palmolive Classic. Wow! It's a good combo, and I'm going to continue it.
So today I decided maybe there's hope for the VDH, and mixed in a little bit of COBigelow/Proraso. I was hoping to create a venue for both the Proraso and the VDH to buy themselves a little more time. No question about the lather. It was like the brush had a hidden lather faucet going on. I used my trusty SS razor with day 2 on a US Personna blade, and I was very disappointed. I was careful to watch my technique, feeling the severe pulling and dragging, and I made about 5 passes, working on the problem areas. The lather was legendary, but in comparison to the best of those named above, something was missing within that great lather, and it was the cushion and protection. Every pass sounded like I was shaving course sandpaper, and felt like it too. Naturally, I blame both of the usual suspects, the soap and the cream.
So today I decided maybe there's hope for the VDH, and mixed in a little bit of COBigelow/Proraso. I was hoping to create a venue for both the Proraso and the VDH to buy themselves a little more time. No question about the lather. It was like the brush had a hidden lather faucet going on. I used my trusty SS razor with day 2 on a US Personna blade, and I was very disappointed. I was careful to watch my technique, feeling the severe pulling and dragging, and I made about 5 passes, working on the problem areas. The lather was legendary, but in comparison to the best of those named above, something was missing within that great lather, and it was the cushion and protection. Every pass sounded like I was shaving course sandpaper, and felt like it too. Naturally, I blame both of the usual suspects, the soap and the cream.
- Thread starter
- #5
The superlather with VDH and a small dab of Musgo came out very well. Lather was luxurious, plentiful, long lasting, and didn't dry out or deteriorate in the hot scuttle. The qualities that I was so disappointed about yesterday with the VDH and Bigelow/Proraso/SMN were much improved. It has to be the Musgo. What does that tell me about the COBigelow/Proraso/SMN? Tick, tock. That one is now on the bench until warmer weather returns. For the benefit of a doubt, I'm thinking maybe that has something to do with it. Time will tell. To return to specifics, this superlather had a good cushion and protection, along with lubrication and wasn't too dry. I now have 2 superlathers in my rotation until the 2 soaps involved have been all used up. I'm too frugal to throw them away. However, it is a fact that there are far better products out there, that don't have to be combined with something else in order to make a decent shaving lather. I'm not going to be using VDH without Musgo.
OldSaw
The wife's investment
I'm not a big fan of VDH soap. Any time I have a product that doesn't work very well, I have found that they usually perform better when mixed, i.e. superlather. I have also found that creams that are sub par performers will pick up a few points when superlathered with a sub par soap like VDH. It's kind of like making an alloy, the whole is greater than the sum of the parts, or something like that.
- Thread starter
- #7
I heartily agree. I'm glad somebody discovered this.
Not to hijack the thread, but brothers, love the avatar!!!! Val Kilmer as Doc kicked *** in that film..........."I guess poker's just not you game. I know, let's have a spelling contest!"
Good stuff.
Good stuff.
- Thread starter
- #9
It was a great character. He was probably a better Doc than the real Doc.
+1. I get really good results from Derby cream and VDH Deluxe. Almost as good as Speick.
The VDH DELUX likes LOW water, almost a dry brush, and then 3 to 4 drops of water to "blossom" the lather. Lathers great after about 30 seconds this way...
- Thread starter
- #12
Thanks. I'm really not complaining about the lather itself. You are correct that it makes a very good lather. I haven't had any trouble in that regard. What is bothering me is something I'm finding in my particular case, and others may disagree about their own experiences. There seems to be an absence of the fundamental protection and slickness that is found in Frasers, Tabac, MWF, NancyBoy, etc. I am not sophisticated enough to know what ingredients provide that part of a really good lather, but I do know it when I see (feel) it. It was present when I mixed a little bit of Musgo with my VDH. I'm keeping it in my rotation as a superlather because I do like it that way.
