Old Timers: What Are The Best Value* Wet Shaving Products?

I would like to ask the wet shavers who have been in the niche' a while what NON ARTISAN products they think represent a "best value" (great deal, best bang for the buck, punch above their weight, etc.) in old school wet shaving. I want to specifically exclude artisan products to make it more of a challenge (and because artisan products tend to come-and-go). For example, I think the Dorco PL602 razor works really well for a $6 DE. The Van Der Hagen "Luxury" soap performs competitively with other glycerin soaps and goes for $4. Proraso is often cited as working just as well as more expensive shave creams. Some of the Omega shave brushes compete well with brushes costing much more. So...what are the best deals out there?

 

I thought of this question a while back. I'd go arko or proraso for soap, a Lord razor, omega boar brush. I think that's the cheapest you can go and still get a good shave.

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Van der Hagen doesn't work well for me and Williams is simply unacceptable in my opinion.

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Oh and I'd go astra superior for my blades.

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Vintage razors found in the wild.
Generic DE blades AKA Personnas.
Cremo shave cream.
Pinaud aftershave & cologne.

 

This question only works if you factor in availability worldwide. Best value products in the US can be hugely expensive for an EU citizen, whereas best value for an EU citizen can be expensive for an US citizen. Same goes for a DE user in India as well.

If you target your blog worldwide, you seriously need to take this into consideration, not only on this matter, but generally in all articles. If you only target the US market, forget my quibble

This. Universally available online with no trouble for low prices. Works great.

 

I think region plays a part in this question. For instance if someone were in the U.K. , they have several options readily available to them in a lot of grocery and drug stores. From my understanding they have wilkinson and Palmolive shave sticks and creams that are extremely cheap. They also have razor and blades easily available as well. Here in California I can find store brand de and SE blades but razors we are limited to micro touch brand and van der Hagen . Soaps are also limited to van der Hagen.
Internet options are readily available but I think it kind of depends on shipping. So if I can get free shipping, from what I've seen would be arko. It performs well enough and it's cheap

 

There are some great comments above.

I find vokshod blades are great values, pinaud clubman and aqua velva for After shaves, omega brushes (though most any synthetic brushes are also great values), proraso and cella soaps, arko...when factored for actual uses, I would say klar and tabac would be very high on the soap list as well. Maggard razors and weishi razors...or gold dollar straight razors.


I know you said no artisans, but I feel stirling soaps wet shaving kits are BAR NONE the best value in wet shaving today, and that is truly what I would recommend.

 

It is hard to argue with Arko or Palmolive Classic as great values.

 

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Soaps - Arko, Palmolive and Tabac
Blades - Anything from St Petersburg
Brushes - Omegas

It is hard to recommend razors, as preferences vary so much, but vintage is surely a value.

 

Razor- Gillette Techs
Soap- Arko
Blades- Voskhods
Brush- Semogue or Omega Boar hairs
Aftershave- Pinaud Clubman or and Vintage Avon Aftershave(your choice)

 

A case of 12 Arko sticks from Amazon for about $12 is hard to pass up. The Palmolive sticks are a good deal too, but better priced for folks in Europe. Rapira (Swedish Supersteel, Platinum Lux, etc) blades can be had for under $10 per 100 shipped. Omega boar brushes for under $10 are hard to beat as well. Another product I enjoy is Superior 70 Bay Rum. It is a nice simple bay scent and a large bottle can be had locally for under $3. Unfortunately, the availability is not as wide spread and it may be hard to find. As far as modern razors go, I would suggest the Lord Tech. Years ago, I bought a handful of Feather Portable razors for $6 a piece. Unfortunately they are no longer available.

 

Oh boy.........

 

La Toja Shave Stick
Arko (I know)
Fatip Razors
Astra SP

 

Palmolive of course ... unless you don't live in Europe.

 

LaToja stick and cream. Perhaps not the cheapest, but one of the best bang for the buck.
Tabac, the entire line. Excellent performance, old school scent, and great value.

Pinaud aftershave, the entire line. Again old school, just like me

 

So I ask, is it cheap (inexpensive) or do I like it. While some of the aforementioned products work fine others may cost more but are so much better. Any soap by TFS is a delightful product and a little goes a long way. Cella is a fine soap I dig the Dr. Pepper scent and again you can get a mile of shaves from a little tub. Stirling soap is awesome and will last a long time. Cheap aftershave is just that, cheap. This is where Stirling is my favorite but Chiseled Face is about tied . Both have good stuff in the mix to handle the skin care and the scents are great. But wait! What about Fine aftershaves? Awesome stuff! None of these products are more than $ 20 bucks. So like I've always said cheap work is not good and good work is not cheap.

 

While I agree with your assessment; other than Cella, I believe the other products would be classified as artisan, correct? The OP was asking for non artisan products.

 

I have found the Van Der Hagen TTO razor (Weishi) to be excellent in both quality and construction. Plus it is a ver nice shaver. At Wal Mart it can be had for around $16.00.

 

Oh and Kiss My Face and Pacific Shave company make great creams for about $5.00. Both are good for sensitive skin too