For the performance and value,

If you really like Stirling, there is a good chance you will truly enjoy Eleven, Catie's Bubbles, and Barrister & Mann.

 

A quick look at the TSD soap forums shows only Stirling soap having its own thread dedicated to daily use. 593 pages, 11,853 replies.
How come no other soap is getting that amount of attention? I can't say, won't say, Stirling is so much better than any other soap or cream out there that it deserves this much attention (read "hype").

 

Full disclosure, I've got a partial puck of Stirling soap and a partial bottle of Stirling aftershave. That's it. I have no Stirling t-shirts or tattoos. I've tried maybe a couple dozen different shave soaps, and Tabac is near the top of my list.

Not knocking any other product, but Stirling does a lot of things right. They have a large selection of in-stock products that perform well and are reasonably priced, fantastic customer service, and a stand-up guy (veteran) who is the owner. A few years ago, he produced a matching LE soap and aftershave for small group of wet shavers ("The 30 Day Crew") at no cost and drove a few hundred miles to deliver the sets and have breakfast with us. He had extra products on-hand, so even my Bride even got a matching set. Of course, he came to promote his products (that's how he makes his living), but he didn't try to impress, brag, or oversell. He was genuinely a nice guy.

For these reasons, I would not hesitate to recommend his products to anyone, and I'm glad to see him prosper. He's earned the business honestly and has a solid reputation, so I wouldn't call it hype. If I was new to the hobby and saw all the good reports on Stirling, I'd probably start with it. Just my 2-cents.

 

Hi, Charlie. Hope you’re well. I’ve been hibernating lately.

This is important. Without naming names, I know there are a few people out there (vendors, artisans) who in years past, earned something of reputation of shall we say, less than stellar behavior as it pertains to product introductions and customer reviews.

I respect your opinions. So if the man from Stirling is a gentleman as you say, he certainly is deserving of the praise he receives.

Have a great day!

edit: fwiw, I don’t own, nor have I ever used any Stirling products.

 

At the risk of sounding like a rabid fanboy, I would add that Rod thinks about the long-term health and success of his employees and his local community. As the business has grown, Stirling has also revitalized a down-and-out downtown by renovating old buildings to support local reatail. Rod also provides fringe benefits to his employees.

 

Rod was there? Was it only for breakfast? How did I not know this.

I still have Blood and Steel and it smells just as good now as it did back then.

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Thanks Charlie. All is well here, my friend. I hope you're doing well also.

Here are a couple of photos from the gathering I mentioned. BBQ and ice cream were plentiful. It was memorable.

 

Over at DFS, Ethos 5,718 Replies and 414,874 views. Hasn't been around nearly as long as Stirling.

 

Edited post to state TSD soap forums.

 

Looks like you had a great afternoon! And so cleanly shaved

 

Stirling definitely has the commanding lead on TSD.

 

One thing I'm waiting for them to do(Stoylin)is send a letter with my recent order confirmation. They did send one thanking me for it. Ahhhh, for Stoylin I'm patient. If I may quote Anthony the Tiger......"They're GREAT"

 

Did Doc Ezlovan take that picture???

 

Because other soaps sux.

Kidding. I really couldn't tell you why Stirling has its own thread. But because people like their soap I wouldn't call it hype.

For the record, I love Stirling. For me it's easy to lather, great long lasting scents, and a great post shave feel. Other soaps I've tried are good, but typically lack one of those features. Doesn't make them bad, but I'm starting to whittle down my collection and am primarily going to a Stirling/TSD setup. These two soaps just feel right for me.

Other things not necessarily shave related, but I can get samples at Stirling. I love their shampoo bars. And they have aftershave balms, milks, and just aftershave.

I'm not opposed to other soaps, but with some many out there it's hard to try them all.

YMMV

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What TSD soap scents do you enjoy? Looking to try some

 

Energy is my favorite scent and the best scent and I will fight anyone who says otherwise. I have it in lanolin, wheat shaving cream, and energy ice with menthol. Plus the aftershave milk.

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Do you like the lanolin best?

 

Yes if getting a soap. Don't see a reason not to get it.

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When I first started out, I got Stirling Barbershop, and it was good, but honestly not my favorite. Sure it was slick, but when I was new I was terrible at lathering…. I kept trying it in a bowl and getting the wrong consistency, not making a big enough batch etc.

Paraso is better and cheaper but not as niche as Stirling.

Best I ever found for performance is Taylor of Olde Bond St. When you load the brush it probably has enough for 7 passes.

 

I still can't believe you got that tattoo, Joseph.