What is the best of the best?

[Bogeyman]

...

I'm also open to the possibility even better soaps will come along...

When I step back and start being objective I realize that there really isn't a nickel's worth of difference between the best artisan soaps AS REGARDS THE ACTUAL SHAVE. If I wanted to even be more critical I would be totally honest and state that I can get a great shave with a lowly Palmolive stick. However, that's not to say that I don't appreciate a great artisan soap as I do. I must admit as well that sometimes it really appears silly that we as grown men carry on about soap scents and face "feel" like a bunch of old hens at a Tupperware party.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

When I step back and start being objective I realize that there really isn't a nickel's worth of difference between the best artisan soaps AS REGARDS THE ACTUAL SHAVE. If I wanted to even be more critical I would be totally honest and state that I can get a great shave with a lowly Palmolive stick. However, that's not to say that I don't appreciate a great artisan soap as I do. I must admit as well that sometimes it really appears silly that we as grown men carry on about soap scents and face "feel" like a bunch of old hens at a Tupperware party.

I understand there are many soaps almost as good as most of the best soaps, but I couldn't agree with you less. There really are, for me, soaps, well, one soap, which stands far enough above all the others I've tried, far enough so that I am not finding myself really quite able to use anything else.

In other words I'm not using soaps like these.

• MdC
• SV
• Wickham 1912
• Wholly Kaw King of Oud
• Valobra
• ABC
• ABM
• MWF
• B&M's latest base
• Lisa's latest base
• And a couple of boxes and drawers of other excellent soaps.

Why, because the soap I'm using is far better than any of these (for me).

It wouldn't matter a nickel to me if the soap I were using were Williams or some $1000 wonder I've never heard of made of unicorn fat if I didn't like it so much, but I like it a lot more than a nickel's worth. Maybe that's purely a subjective view, but I doubt it.

I was extremely resistant to trying the soap I'm now using for a number of reasons one of which was because I frankly didn't believe the stellar reviews. Then a member sent me a generous sample of several soaps I'd not previously tried. I liked all of the samples he sent about as much as he expected, but I loved loved loved one of them. He told me if I used that particular soap for a week it would change my skin. He was right.

So, am I talking about only post shave face feel or anything like that? Maybe I am, to a degree, but I think it's far more than that. I am also interested in stellar slickness, unusually good ghost lather, a shave which feels comfortable during the shave, immediately after the shave, and until the next shave.

I too can get a decent or better than decent shave with most soaps but there's a lot more than a nickel's worth of difference between my favorite (best) soap than the next soaps lower on my list of good ones. It's not like a 1a, 1b, 1c tie.

That said, Arko is a lot better soap than a lot of people give it credit for, and I'd be happy using it if there was nothing better. But, there is.

In my opinion. For my whiskers. For my skin.

It's just soap and the main thing is happy shaves for everyone,

Jim

 

[Southsider]

There really are, for me, soaps, well, one soap, which stands far enough above all the others I've tried, far enough so that I am not finding myself really quite able to use anything else.

Well. What is it? (face turning purple with 'bated breath)

 

[YKMV]

Well. What is it? (face turning purple with 'bated breath)

+10

 

[Hannah's Dad]

+10

Probably Grooming Department.

 

[rockviper]

Modern Williams is my guess

 

[Bogeyman]

Probably Grooming Department.

That's my guess as well.

 

[FloorPizza]

I think he purposely didn't say because he didn't want to come off as looking like a shill. But I think we've all known @Chan Eil Whiskers long enough to know that he is far, far, far from being a shill; he's a straight shooter. Calls 'em as he sees 'em kinda guy. We know he's an honest, up front gent.

So c'mon, man, out with it!

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I think he purposely didn't say because he didn't want to come off as looking like a shill. But I think we've all known @Chan Eil Whiskers long enough to know that he is far, far, far from being a shill; he's a straight shooter. Calls 'em as he sees 'em kinda guy. We know he's an honest, up front gent.

While I greatly appreciate all the praise and such I can garner, and thank you for your kindness, mostly I didn't particularly want to say because it really doesn't matter much. What I consider unbelievably world class might be different from what works best on your skin and whiskers.

That said, I really do think there's a soap which is likely to be a standout and superior soap for a great many of us. I almost hate to mention it, too, because who wants more competition when it comes to buying the stuff.

That kinda gives it away doesn't it.

So c'mon, man, out with it!

That's a Grooming Dept Lusso based soap, gentlemen, as everyone suspected just hanging out with my newly coticle honed and very sweet Double Duck Shorty. Ain't it nice?

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[FloorPizza]

I almost hate to mention it, too, because who wants more competition when it comes to buying the stuff.

I think we'll be competing tomorrow morning at 11:00 PDT, won't we?

Edit: Oh man, I didn't even notice the Dubl Duck in the photo! What a great razor. I'm currently restoring one, but sadly I don't have the original scales for it.

I've been hand sanding it, as I can't find all of my restoration tools after our last move. I'm around 100 hours into it, and am finally at 1500 grit paper. I plan on polishing it down to 0.5 micron lapping film. As for the scales.. I don't know. Hoping maybe I can score a used DD that has decent scales at some point.

BTW, I always enjoy your photos. They're always magazine quality shots.

Sorry to go so far off topic, but I really, really like Dubl Ducks!

 

[Jetpilot]

The best in my opinion are the ones high in stearic acid, tallow, castor oil, and glycerin. Check the labels and take your pic. A lot of the ingredients in soaps are there for what I call label loading. Some of the ingredients have shock value and peak peoples interest enough to buy them. That seems to be going on with the artisan soapers. They are not good because of those ingredients but they are good in spite of those ingredients.

 

[FloorPizza]

newly coticle honed

OK, one last real quick OT post... I have a natural combo coti/BBW that Ardennes advertised as a "La Verte" stone that I bought in '08. As the name suggests, it's green. And it puts such a lovely edge on vintage Solingen and vintage Sheffield blades. It's a big stone: 3 1/2 X 8, and 1.5 thick. Gives off the most lovely, earthy scent when I lap it.

Well darn it, you've given me the bug. I'm going to go hone blades that don't even need it now.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

OK, one last real quick OT post... I have a natural combo coti/BBW that Ardennes advertised as a "La Verte" stone that I bought in '08. As the name suggests, it's green. And it puts such a lovely edge on vintage Solingen and vintage Sheffield blades. It's a big stone: 3 1/2 X 8, and 1.5 thick. Gives off the most lovely, earthy scent when I lap it.

Well darn it, you've given me the bug. I'm going to go hone blades that don't even need it now.

Oh, man, that sounds like a pretty stone.

I'm very new to the coticle, but love mine already. It's a tad under 7x2 inches in size. That seemed too small for me, but right for my purse. Turns out to be a great size for a coticle. Not that I wouldn't love one as large as yours. Anyway, I'm very sold on the coticle after just honing a few razors on it.

Maybe I've just been hit with a streak of beginner's luck, but the coticle seems pretty easy to use.

I am a shill for my new book...



...but we don't need to read it.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Mouser]

I have a predilection for vintage things but I honestly believe they're better, so my best are ,at the top, Yardley Black Label followed very closely by the other Yardley. I have several from each decade from the 30's to the very last. Of course for most I've sacrificed the fragrance, most not all. Then there's Penhaligon English Fern tallow, Ralph Lauren tallow, Aramis tallow, Sir Irisch Moos, C&E Sienna, Nomad, Mysore Sandalwood, all the better formulas, there's other vintage ones that escape me at the moment but of the modern ones... both C&S offerings, Valobra Fern, MWF, Tabac, the Nuavia brothers, Boellis Panama,...I have more than I can list.

 

[FloorPizza]

Great stuff, @Chan Eil Whiskers . I am down to only two coticules now, after having four at the peak of my acquisitions. Both stones were chosen as keepers due to their unique honing qualities. It's amazing how the final edge can vary so much from coti to coti.

OK, I promise that was my last OT post...

Edit: BTW, if you'd ever like to sample an edge produced by my La Verte stone, let me know.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Great stuff, @Chan Eil Whiskers . I am down to only two coticules now, after having four at the peak of my acquisitions. Both stones were chosen as keepers due to their unique honing qualities. It's amazing how the final edge can vary so much from coti to coti.

OK, I promise that was my last OT post...

Edit: BTW, if you'd ever like to sample an edge produced by my La Verte stone, let me know.

Thanks for that offer. I might sometime. La Verte sounds cool. It's a vein right?

 

[FloorPizza]

It's a vein right?

It is. It produced stones during 2007-2008 FAIK. My hand was shaking when I hit the "Buy" button, as it was my most expensive stone as of that time, but now I'm really glad I got it. It was a transition vein, from BBW to Coti. Most of the ones that were sold were natural combination BBW/Coti, but there were a few pure coti from that vein as well.

Found some really old, low quality pictures of it. It's much more green than the photo shows. The slurry stone is a standard yellow coti for reference.

The scratches were from my young son saying, "Look Daddy! I'm sharpening this screw driver for you!"

I'm so sorry, guys.... Soap! Yes, let's talk about soap!!!

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

I'm so sorry, guys.... Soap! Yes, let's talk about soap!!!

Very cool pictures and stone and information. Thanks.

HAD is far worse than SAD!

Soap guys think soaps are a big rabbit hole. They are, but not the biggest.

Bottom Veritas tub is destined to be a collector's item!

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[FloorPizza]

Bottom Veritas tub is destined to be a collector's item!

For sure. Such a shame that he felt pressured to change the art work.

I'm like a kid on Christmas Eve waiting for tomorrow's release. The description of the scent is really intriguing.

 

[Mouser]

Very cool pictures and stone and information. Thanks.

HAD is far worse than SAD!

Soap guys think soaps are a big rabbit hole. They are, but not the biggest.

View attachment 963763

Bottom Veritas tub is destined to be a collector's item!

Happy shaves,

Jim

I must say that for some reason I've never used or tried The Grooming Department soaps but based on what I've read and that beautiful "cover art" I must and soon.