Hmm ... I have used the stick since the mid 1980s. The scent has changed somewhat, but in performance it is still the same for me as it was ... YMMV, of course Btw, we're talking about the Made in Germany Palmolive stick, right? About when De Vergulde Hand started making dedicated shaving soaps, that is actually not really clear. In the old times, there was no clear distinction between soaps for different purposes. But it looks like they already made soaps for use by barbers in the 16th century. It's not my favourite soap, by the way.
You're talkin' at the No. 1 Williams advocate in the world. Why, he's even got a day of the week named after it: WILLIAMS WEDNESDAY!!
Maybe, but it looks like Williams was not made before 1840. So that at least puts some doubts on the "being around longer than anything else" claim.
That should have read "most" anything else. Missed a word. I have been at work all night. You will be hard pressed to find a shave soap that is as old as Williams that has kept so close to it's original form.
I can live with that And besides, probably nobody knows the ingredients list for the 16th and 17th century soaps as made by Woltman Elpers (the family owning the Vergulde Hand brand for several centuries).
Just the fact they have been around that long is amazing. Have they been in pretty much the same location?
But not with a Dutchman Edit: they have certainly not been in the same location for all those centuries. Besides, the company changed hands several times. But (if you can read Dutch) you can find contracts, bills, family affairs and such, dating back to the 17th century. The oldest record for the original soap maker is from 1554.
That makes sense. It is still an amazing history!! I am getting off work. Thank you for the conversation. Helped pass a few hours.
Carlos, that is an awesome post! It is great to hear from folks who have found their shaving nirvana. Thanks for sharing and glad you are here. Or they simply mean that the product works very well for them.
Every one lives in their own world. Our opinions reflect that world. I do not expect everyone to like what I like. When someone says a product is the best that is what they think. It is up to the reader to understand that process.
Absolutely agree ... which is why I never say "this is the best in the world", but "this is the best for me". But maybe it is a figure of speech in English, that does not translate well for foreign speakers.
If it is the best for me then it IS the best in the world. I only speak one language. So that certainly could have some bearing on things.
Yes, but you speak the language of comfort ... "everyone" speaks English to some extent I guess "best in the world" is an American thing, which does not translate one on one to other languages / cultures(?).
That is picking nits, and akin to spell laming. It is not terribly hard to figure out what they mean.
