Products You Can Do Without/ Products You Will Never Use Again

1) New Erasmic Tallow Stick: I couldn't lather it with a blender.
2) Proraso Green: Highly allergic to it.
3) Jeris Musk: IMO has the aroma of skunk pee and stink bait.
4) Derby and Merkur blades: Just don't agree with my face.
5) New formula Williams soap: Use it but could do without it.

 

I picked up some African Black Soap Shave Butter Creme. Just used it once, so not saying I will never use it again, but not sure I will either. It does not lather, but it is rather slick and creamy, so maybe a good pre-shave? I will probably try it again to give it another chance.

 

Lord blades don't do it for me. So far, the only blade I've used that tugs my skin.

 

Merkur Blades - Felt like I shaved with a credit card
Mama Bear's Ye Olde Barber Shoppe Soap - Burned my face
English Fern Shaving Soap - Burned my face
Williams Shaving Soap - I cannot produce a stable lather from it
AOS Reformulated Shaving Soap - I have not tried it, but just can't see paying that much money for a soap. Well maybe I would just to try MdC!
Derby Blades - For some reason they irritated my skin in every razor I tried them in!

 

I'm with you on the Williams soap, bubeleh. Every time I tried to lather it up, I got aggravated. That soap is fantastic for showering but for shaving, it's dreck!

 

Marvey soap
Wilkinson Blades
Merkur Slant

 

So far the only product that I've tried, that has been less than stellar is Merkur blades. I tried them when I initially got my DE razor and I recently tried them again. Someone above me mentioned it felt like shaving with a credit card. I think that's a pretty accurate depiction.

 

Rapira blades. Have tried a few models with no succes.

Badger brushes. I have a pure badger but my horse and boar kicks it's ass in every aspect. I know a more expensive badger might be better but I have no intent in offering that much on a brush.

Sanex balm. It irritates my skin badly.

Matas Mens balm. It's useless.

Merkur and Derby blades. Ohh. My. God...... Auch!

 

1912 SE razors. They are too mild for me, takes too many passes to get meaningful reduction.

MMOC SE's: Too much reduction, including skin. I have not totally given up on it, but I am not far from that. Got too many other cool razors to try.

Ogallala Bay Rums. They smell good but irritate my face.

 

1. Arko soap- bothers my face
2. Penhaligon's shaving soap- think Williams that cost $60. The Penhaligon's smells better but the Williams lathers better.

 

Tried the African Black Soap Shave Butter Creme again this morning. If you can accept the fact it doesn't really lather up, it isn't too bad to shave with. I found you can't really apply it as you normally would with shave cream or soap and brush. Circulating the brush as normal doesn't put it on well. I found it was best to dip the brush into the jar, coat the bristles well, then "paint" it on the face as if using a paint brush rather than circulating. I had to dip the brush into the jar several times as this stuff doesn't increase in volume as it is applied, what you dip out of the jar is what ends up on your face, volume-wise. It is smooth, creamy, slick, and a good moisturizer. Once I learned to apply it, it shaves fairly well, but you cannot let much of it accumulate on your razor as it gums up. Frequent rinsing, under running water instead of standing water, is needed to clean the razor off for the next pass. I think I will keep it and use it from time to time. Jury still out on whether I will buy it again though.

 

Just remembered one more: Zorrik blades. Right down there with Merkur, for me anyway.

 

I've been using my new Tabac for 3 days now and I am beginning to suspect I have the same problem. :-( Tomorrow I'll try another soap with the same setup and if my "burnish/sensitive" feeling disappears then it sucks.. really love the product!

 

I can't use Tabac day in and day out. I can use it occasionally, but too much irritates my skin.

 

It's a bugger - I kinda hoped I could use it "everyday". I might be a Sunday soap then - if not trade-able - a lot seem to have no issues with it.

 

I bought that African Black Soap Shave Butter Creme at Target and thought it was garbage when I first tried to lather it. Then I read the label and realized it wasn't supposed to lather. Now that I know this I use it occasionally. I just love the way it makes my face feel. I usually use it when I am in a hurry and don't want to whip up a bowl of lather.

 

Preshave oil /balm - I can't discern that it is helping therefore I don't need it
Debry & Merkur blades

 

Not trying to swim against the tide of opinion here, but I've had nothing but good experiences using the Merkur blades. This is why at TSD, 'YMMV' gets tossed around regularly, particularly when it comes to DE blades.

I like the Pacific cream; cheap, decent scent and I was able to develop a good slick lather. Maybe it's the California soft water….

I have 3 or 4 tubs of this product and work it regularly into the rotation. No, it does NOT lather—see Jpb's post above—but it does provide a thick, moisturizing barrier for DE or straight shaving. It leaves my face feeling great—not dry or itchy that soame soaps can do & require a good balm afterwards. Not so, with the ABSSBC (ridiculously long name…).

Now the Derby blades…I've had no luck with them in any razor.

 

I just got a single Merkur blade in stock. I'll try it and see if I like it now - it's been 10 months since last time with that blade.

 

Derby, Merkur, & CVS blades.