P&B v OSP v Wickhams

SOTD

Hot towel, Phoenix & Beau Sanskrit, Body Shop Synthetic, Mongoose B3 Satin, Feather Pro (4), Cold Towel

Another fantastic shave was had today, it will be a sad day when I send the loan Mongoose back Paul this week. Thankfully, I'll still have the amazing soap!

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I'm sticking with Wickham's all week.
SOTD - Monday
Pre: Village Barber oil
Soap: Wickham Soap Co. v2 tester
Brush: Brad Sears custom mesquite 26/50mm 3-band Manchurian bulb
Razor: Wolfman WR1-OC w/WRH2 handle
Blade: PolSilver SI (2)
Post: Thayer's witch hazel, followed by Village Barber balm & Ralph Lauren "Safari" EdT
Using the veggie version 2 of Wickham's soft soap and wow look at this lather! Fantastic shave. Rich/dense lather with excellent slip/glide & scent.
 
Tonights shave was OSP Neroli, Shavemac 2015 LE 2 band bulb and ATT R2 (Kronos handle) with a Shark blade.

The scent of this soap is lovely, a walk during spring (not the one we are having) in a meadow comes to mind. Great lather super slick and plenty of protection a very enjoyable shave. Feel privileged to be able to use such great UK artisan products, literally no air bubbles in the lather. Paired of with 4711 A/S.
 
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I have two of Nanny's, two of OSP's, one of Wickham's and the P&B pre-release unscented tallow sample.

They all have their individual character, merits and feel but to me they are all really excellent soaps. And I mean excellent.

I'd hate to choose between them, hence they each have their place in my rotation.
 
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SOTD 8/3/16

Hot Towel, Phoenix & Beau Solaris, Body Shop Synthetic, Mongoose B3 Satin, Kai Captain (1), Cold Towel

The shave was excellent today. The fresh clean scent of Solaris really awakens the senses at 5am, and the Kai Captain blade really keeps you alert as you can feel it more in the Mongoose (@LittleAl - one to note if you go for a 'goose). Finished off the shave with a simple cold towel and my face loves me for it.

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Tonight will be P&B on the left cheek and OSP on the right. Currently I'm siding with P&B simply for the thickness of lather/cushion. Both have superb slickness and great post shave.
 
Nishy said:
Tonight will be P&B on the left cheek and OSP on the right. Currently I'm siding with P&B simply for the thickness of lather/cushion. Both have superb slickness and great post shave.
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I think I agree with you Nishy.
I think P&B just pips it with the cushion. Not much in it though.
Slickness and post shave both are great.
BUT I bet you are using a straight or something.
It would be hard to tell them apart with something only medium aggressive I reckon.
 
Hiya, I am actually using an ATT R2 on a Kronos handle. I agree with everything you say, close between the two. I prefer the loading time/technique of P&B as you can use a quick or slow method both work well (will be doing a video for each). OSP usually takes me longer to get the right consistency. Post shave I would say is even.
 
Yes, they are both easy to load aren't they?
I feel like I am spoilt by them. You don't have to work them very much.
It seems to me that you can control them pretty well as well.
I like to start them off thick and gradually thin them to the consistency I like.
Easy to do. I find them very forgiving.
They work well if you want a thick or a thin consistency it appears.
I am playing with all sorts at the moment.
P&B especially gives me confidence when it comes to my rubbish attempts at kamisori,
also trying (unsuccessfully as yet) to get an edge on a Rolls Razor and so on.
I wouldn't fancy being my face with lesser soaps during these amateurish attempts. :)
I look forward to the video.
 
I could be wrong but the method or test I use is to test how the soap lathers best, when considering bowl, palm and face lathering.

If face lathering doesn't work the soap is thrown. If palm lathering creates a shiny, more volumous lather than bowl lathering, I add either argan oil or glycerin to the soap; when bowl lathering. However, this soap doesn't make my top list.

My top soaps create a shiny, thick, slick lather with all three methods without having major differences between the three or additions. My top top top soaps only require a 30 second load and less than a minute to create a shiny, dense (no air bubbles), slick lather in a bowl. Again this is all IMO and I do have very hard water. But P&B establishes itself firmly amongst all my criteria. I also appreciate the inclusion of ingredients such as coconut milk within the product.

With OSP I find I get an awesome lather when palm lathering, bowl lathering takes me longer (silvertip used with all the soaps) and isn't as shiny as what I create on my palm. As with anything YMMV but ultimately it's what works for you.
 
SOTD 9/3/16

Hot Towel, Phoenix & Beau Unscented, Body Shop Synthetic, Mongoose B3 Satin, Kai Captain (2), Cold Towel

Let's be honest, shaving doesn't get better than this. If someone told me now that at 5am this morning I'd dragged a surgically sharp blade across my face, I'd laugh at them. Such a smooth, protected shave. This setup makes the painful days of cartridge razor shaving seem like distant memories.

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Are any of you finding that the "soapy" under smell overwhelms the fragrance in the OSP? This is the reason I sold mine on; the scents were lovely but I just couldn't get past the saopy undertones...
Performance wise top of the tree though...
 
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rowlers said:
Are any of you finding that the "soapy" under smell overwhelms the fragrance in the OSP? This is the reason I sold mine on; the scents were lovely but I just couldn't get past the saopy undertones...
Performance wise top of the tree though...
Click to expand...

I honestly don't have any issue with the Neroli soap, no soapy smell just a wonderful floral bouquet.
 
rowlers said:
Are any of you finding that the "soapy" under smell overwhelms the fragrance in the OSP? This is the reason I sold mine on; the scents were lovely but I just couldn't get past the saopy undertones...
Click to expand...
Interesting you find them 'soapy'
I think there is something in them that I find a bit pungent.
I know a lot of people like a strong smell.
I am thinking that I like a simple smell. Maybe no smell at all.
BUT
I like 'soapy' (I think of TOBS Jermyn Street as 'soapy')
But I guess that is scented to make it smell like that......

Anyway, to me, they don't smell 'soapy'.
 
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