Tabac is the best kept secret in shaving

[BudgetShaverGuy]

Thanks for the tip.

We'll see how this goes, for now, I'm not concerned about how long it'll last, just wanted to try it given how divided opinions on this soap are, and this was the cheapest option. I've grated SV, D.R Harris and Haslinger refills in the past, and it's worked great with all of them.

I grind soaps that I can't get in puck form like Speick and Palmolive. They're both worth it to me and unavailable otherwise. For what the Tabac puck costs and the fact you don't have to mess around grinding it up, just wanted to throw my experience out there . Hope you like it!

 

[Eutychus]

I grind soaps for just the opposite reason: to make a shaving stick out of a puck. I just had a very nice result doing this with Mitchell's Wool Fat.

 

[Jetpilot]

I broke down and bought a stick on Amazon today! $9 w prime shipping. Resistance is futile even with reports of bad fragrance!

 

[naughtilus]

I broke down and bought a stick on Amazon today! $9 w prime shipping. Resistance is futile even with reports of bad fragrance!

The fragrance is bad only before you start using it. It's very flowery and overpowering. But as soon as it touches water it mellows down, becomes more complex and interesting.

 

[Bbb34]

I grind soaps that I can't get in puck form like Speick and Palmolive. They're both worth it to me and unavailable otherwise. For what the Tabac puck costs and the fact you don't have to mess around grinding it up, just wanted to throw my experience out there . Hope you like it!

The reason I grind them (even when I buy refill pucks) is so they fit perfectly in old containers I have. It takes a bit of work to press them down hard and even, but after lathering couple of times, they look great and are easy to use.

Anyway, I think me and Tabac soap will get along just fine, I'm quite impressed.
Crazy slick, reminded me of SV, Truefitt & Hill or B&M "reserve line" slickness, but I much prefer heavier lather I'm getting out of Tabac comparing to lighter SV for example (SV being a bit drying for my skin too, where Tabac isn't).

For me, this is great performing soap and I do like the scent too.

 

[Cino]

Would love to read a comparison of stick vs puck. I read a post that the formulations are different.

 

[SGH]

Would love to read a comparison of stick vs puck. I read a post that the formulations are different.

I know it’s just one man talking here, but I use both and don’t see any difference in the two. They both work equally well in my assessment. However others may see it differently.

 

[Bbb34]

Would love to read a comparison of stick vs puck. I read a post that the formulations are different.

Not saying I have any "insider" knowledge, but that just seems very unlikely. It would just be a hassle for them even from production point of view. I've also done a bit of reading before trying it, and most posts seem to think stick and puck are identical.

 

[naughtilus]

The stick is slightly softer so it can be more easily applied on the whiskers by rubbing. That's it.

 

[mawashi]

What secret lol!

I took a whiff of it at the supermarket and put it back immediately... Grandma Yardley was what came to mind lol!

I rather have the rendering plant smell of arko than grandma talc powder.

I rembered as a kid and I always thought my dad's masculine scent was from Tabac how wrong I was.
It was his cologne and aftershave not tabac lol. The lingering smell of grandma was the tabac lol.

 

[Jetpilot]

Got my shave stick of Tabac today. Have not shaved with it yet but the smell is no big deal. Not bad actually. Will evaluate and report back.

 

[HarryAU570]

 

[Jetpilot]

Just finished my first shave with Tabac! Very very good and for $9 shipped for the stick quite a bargain. As good as Wholly Kaw buffalo base? Not quite in my opinion. Wholly Kaw water buffalo is from another universe transport from the future through a wormhole. But it also costs $27 plus shipping. The smell was nice. Not bad at all! Certainly not as bad as most make it out or be. Great lather, slick, very slick! However I do not recommend this in stick form. Too hard it’s like rubbing your face like an eraser. One of the great bargain soaps. Up there with Razorock P.160 ($5.99 plus shipping). Thank you to floorpizza for demanding I buy it!

 

[Bbb34]

Just finished my first shave with Tabac! Very very good and for $9 shipped for the stick quite a bargain. As good as Wholly Kaw buffalo base? Not quite in my opinion.

I so far have had 4 shaves with Tabac soap, and while it's likely too soon for "final judgement", so far I'm impressed.

I haven't tried WK so I'm not trying to "wise" here, just genuinely interested what about WK "performance wise" worked better for you?

 

[Jetpilot]

I so far have had 4 shaves with Tabac soap, and while it's likely too soon for "final judgement", so far I'm impressed.

I haven't tried WK so I'm not trying to "wise" here, just genuinely interested what about WK "performance wise" worked better for you?

In my opinion Wholly Kaw is the slickest of the slick. I’m talking about the Buffalo base. I never tried the donkey base. It also has the shiniest, thickest lather of any shave soap/cream Ive come across. Freakishly creamy!

 

[Cino]

WK doesn't come in a retro glass jar.

 

[Ad Astra]

Tabac taday!

AA

 

[MyOldKentuckyHome]

Found a thing of Tabac at an antique store this week.

Had heard a lot about it.

Took one whiff and put it back down



YMMV

 

[FloorPizza]

Just finished my first shave with Tabac! Very very good and for $9 shipped for the stick quite a bargain. As good as Wholly Kaw buffalo base? Not quite in my opinion. Wholly Kaw water buffalo is from another universe transport from the future through a wormhole. But it also costs $27 plus shipping. The smell was nice. Not bad at all! Certainly not as bad as most make it out or be. Great lather, slick, very slick! However I do not recommend this in stick form. Too hard it’s like rubbing your face like an eraser. One of the great bargain soaps. Up there with Razorock P.160 ($5.99 plus shipping). Thank you to floorpizza for demanding I buy it!


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Glad I finally wore you down.

I actually like the stick, and have 3017'd about 40 of them. I use a travel size badger brush with it. Swipe the brush a little on the stick to get some proto lather to prime the brush, rub the stick right on the face, add a few drops of water on the brush and finally work up a great lather.

For me, Tabac is slickest when the lather is well past "lather porn" levels of hydration; watered down to the point where it's just a thin skiff on the face. At that point, it's extremely slippery. Sure, it doesn't look great, but the performance is stellar. It's still my favorite soap for straight shaving.

Guys that are new to wet shaving might be well served by watering down their Tabac lather to achieve max slick until their face becomes more accustomed to wet shaving. Your face *does* acclimate to wet shaving over time.

If I'm just going to do a DE shave or a cartridge shave, I indulge myself with a drier, thicker, more "lather porn" ish lather. Plenty slick for DE or cartridge. But for the straight shave, water that stuff down.

After using it as my exclusive soap for 11 years, I can finally (just barely) stand the smell.

But I figure 11 years is long enough for one soap. I'm on a quest to find (or make) a new soap, and Tabac is the level to which it will be measured.

 

[naughtilus]

But I figure 11 years is long enough for one soap. I'm on a quest to find (or make) a new soap, and Tabac is the level to which it will be measured.

I like MWF more than Tabac. I'm smitten how much I enjoy it. I thought it would be only slightly better than bathing soap. But wow...