Soap rants from Merkur 34C thread

Phunk

Phunk

Member
Joined
May 18, 2020
Location
Sydney
SpeedyPC said:
Oooh. You poor bastard, I can tell you’re going to give up and sell your 34C soon.
Click to expand...

haha.. nah mate, I've held onto all my razors.

I keep them in a draw all cleaned up and tidy. If I do get rid of it, I'll probably just gift it to my brother who I'll try and get DE shaving soon.

I'll give him the 34C, Ariana and Evans soap and some black wilkies as a starter pack.

My DE89 on the other hand?.. no chance, it's staying with me for good.

The only things I'd prob get rid of are my stirling soaps. Overrated garbage.
 
SpeedyPC said:
I’m totally shocked :wideyed::jawdrop: nothing wrong with Stirling soaps, how dare you sir.
Click to expand...
Agree 100% as IMHO Stirling lead the way in value with an almost full tub, endless scent options and a soap base to rival the big players!
Overrated garbage it is not but YMMV!
 
Razor Burn said:
Agree 100% as IMHO Stirling lead the way in value with an almost full tub, endless scent options and a soap base to rival the big players!
Overrated garbage it is not but YMMV!
Click to expand...

Looks like I've hit a sore spot here with the both of you!

With all the gloating online I see about Stirling, it is no where near even being in the same ballpark as soaps like Ariana and Evans Kaizan base, Aus Private Reserve.

Doesn't lather as thick as the others, not as slick as the others and is THIRSTY.

Scent wise? .. yeah nah. A&E is miles ahead on scents.

A&E - Vanille De Tabac, St.Barts, Kaizan are my top 3 in that order. It's a joy using the soaps and matching splashes.

I've got Intrepid Man and Vanilla Sandalwood right now, nothing special.

The biggest positive for Stirling is that it will probably outlast me. I'm forcefully using it right now just to waste it down.
 
Phunk said:
...
With all the gloating online I see about Stirling, it is no where near even being in the same ballpark as soaps like Ariana and Evans Kaizan base, Aus Private Reserve.

Doesn't lather as thick as the others, not as slick as the others and is THIRSTY.

Scent wise? .. yeah nah. A&E is miles ahead on scents.
Click to expand...

I see a lot of whining on this forum and others about which soap base is or is not in the "elite", but I usually find such differences to be wildly overstated. Any soap can be made slick enough with the right technique (I used Pears soap for over 30 years), and there's nothing wrong with a soap being thirsty.

I would agree that Stirling scents are pretty much hit and miss. I've only found one that I like, but that one is my go-to. I haven't tried all 50-odd, and I'm not going to. But whoever does the perfumery for A&E clearly has a very sweet tooth which gets passed on in some unbearably cloying scents.

And don't get me started on APR. On the other hand, do. (Here's where I'll get burned as a heretic.) Australian in name only. He hasn't bothered with Australian customers in a long time (unless you count shopping via the internet equivalent of hushed whispers in darkened US alleyways). No doubt he likes to communicate an air of exclusivity and mystique, but to me the only thing he succeeds in communicating is that he's a tosser. I'll stop there, else I'll start saying what I really think...
 
Gargravarr said:
I see a lot of whining on this forum and others about which soap base is or is not in the "elite", but I usually find such differences to be wildly overstated. Any soap can be made slick enough with the right technique (I used Pears soap for over 30 years), and there's nothing wrong with a soap being thirsty.

I would agree that Stirling scents are pretty much hit and miss. I've only found one that I like, but that one is my go-to. I haven't tried all 50-odd, and I'm not going to. But whoever does the perfumery for A&E clearly has a very sweet tooth which gets passed on in some unbearably cloying scents.

And don't get me started on APR. On the other hand, do. (Here's where I'll get burned as a heretic.) Australian in name only. He hasn't bothered with Australian customers in a long time (unless you count shopping via the internet equivalent of hushed whispers in darkened US alleyways). No doubt he likes to communicate an air of exclusivity and mystique, but to me the only thing he succeeds in communicating is that he's a tosser. I'll stop there, else I'll start saying what I really think...
Click to expand...

To be honest, I think I stuffed up.. I think I meant Private Reserve? the guys that make the Old Spice soap..

As for the A&E sweet tooth, oh yeah - Asian Plum was hideously bad, but the base of the soap and it's performance were still 10/10.

I gifted the Asian Plum to a relative of mine that I got into DE shaving and he's gone berserk with it and ordered a few more tubs!

(it is funny seeing all the reactions though! - Booo Stirling I say, Booo!)
 
Phunk said:
Looks like I've hit a sore spot here with the both of you!

With all the gloating online I see about Stirling, it is no where near even being in the same ballpark as soaps like Ariana and Evans Kaizan base, Aus Private Reserve.

Doesn't lather as thick as the others, not as slick as the others and is THIRSTY.

Scent wise? .. yeah nah. A&E is miles ahead on scents.

A&E - Vanille De Tabac, St.Barts, Kaizan are my top 3 in that order. It's a joy using the soaps and matching splashes.

I've got Intrepid Man and Vanilla Sandalwood right now, nothing special.

The biggest positive for Stirling is that it will probably outlast me. I'm forcefully using it right now just to waste it down.
Click to expand...
See I'm of an opposite opinion when it comes to A&E and although I'm yet to try the Kaizan base, the earlier soap base version is good with decent post shave but the scents are horribly too 'chemical' and give grief to my misses whenever I rarely use them.

I never understood the over hype and easily achieve a satisfying shave using Stirling soap or Cella for that matter. Where we will agree is regarding AP Reserve with the V1 base lasting longer but V2 provides the better post shave feel that puts more popular US artisans on notice!
Dan also has it over Peter when it comes to the perfumery with personal preference for AP Reserve's wintery scents - Skye Fall, Ozymandias & Fenchurch are heavenly!!! :love:
 
Razor Burn said:
See I'm of an opposite opinion when it comes to A&E and although I'm yet to try the Kaizan base, the earlier soap base version is good with decent post shave but the scents are horribly too 'chemical' and give grief to my misses whenever I rarely use them.

I never understood the over hype and easily achieve a satisfying shave using Stirling soap or Cella for that matter. Where we will agree is regarding AP Reserve with the V1 base lasting longer but V2 provides the better post shave feel that puts more popular US artisans on notice!
Dan also has it over Peter when it comes to the perfumery with personal preference for AP Reserve's wintery scents - Skye Fall, Ozymandias & Fenchurch are heavenly!!! :love:
Click to expand...

I've been trying to get my hand son Ozymandias for a while, it's always sold out on B&B

I'm gonna try Noble Otter next, lots of positives I see
 
Phunk said:
To be honest, I think I stuffed up.. I think I meant Private Reserve? the guys that make the Old Spice soap..

As for the A&E sweet tooth, oh yeah - Asian Plum was hideously bad, but the base of the soap and it's performance were still 10/10.

I gifted the Asian Plum to a relative of mine that I got into DE shaving and he's gone berserk with it and ordered a few more tubs!

(it is funny seeing all the reactions though! - Booo Stirling I say, Booo!)
Click to expand...
Asian Plum smells too feminie and reminds me and the misses of a Lancombe perfume. Agree base is good but sorry no way is it 10/10. Unless you watch way too many Youtube reviews from the states, eg Ruds, IamCBD, etc.
Just my opinion and YMMV.
 
Phunk said:
Booo Stirling I say, Booo!
Click to expand...
giphy.gif

giphy.gif
 
Gargravarr said:
And don't get me started on APR. On the other hand, do. (Here's where I'll get burned as a heretic.) Australian in name only. He hasn't bothered with Australian customers in a long time (unless you count shopping via the internet equivalent of hushed whispers in darkened US alleyways). No doubt he likes to communicate an air of exclusivity and mystique, but to me the only thing he succeeds in communicating is that he's a tosser.
Click to expand...
Oofffff!
Found Bazza!
 
Phunk said:
I've been trying to get my hand son Ozymandias for a while, it's always sold out on B&B

I'm gonna try Noble Otter next, lots of positives I see
Click to expand...
To cut AP Reserve some slack its always been a 1-2 team operation with seasonal LE releases and its my understanding that Covid has put a hold on operations due to logistics and lack of supplies.
Here's hoping Dan manages to sort his future soap maker out and gets back to making product as I'm running super low on Serum and I'm sure to grab more than one when its next available!
 
Mods can we move the shaving soap talk to the shaving soap section.

I have one or two responses to statements made, and don't want to mess up the the Merker 34c thread.

Thanks.
 
Razor Burn said:
To cut AP Reserve some slack its always been a 1-2 team operation with seasonal LE releases and its my understanding that Covid has put a hold on operations due to logistics and lack of supplies.
Here's hoping Dan manages to sort his future soap maker out and gets back to making product as I'm running super low on Serum and I'm sure to grab more than one when its next available!
Click to expand...
And he caught Covid also and was in bad shape physically from it.
 
One soap, albeit I've only experience from a small sample, that I feel is overrated, is MWF!
From all I've heard, the Tallow Haslinger ran rings around it!
Don't know why a soap fiend above would rate it!
Makes me question his sanity!
Probably a Manly supporter too!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top