The Obie Memorial First Tier Soaps and Creams Thread.

[SemperFi]

Where can I get some?

https://www.coldriversoapworks.com/s...ide-shave-soap

[SemperFi]

Andrew, am with you and Richard on Morning Ghost--Larry nailed it in all aspects with this one. Am wondering, as he receives more feedback, if he'll increase the scent strength on his other Glide soaps like he did with MG?

Nonetheless, all his Glide soaps are Tier 1 in performance! These have become some of my regular go-to suds for fantastic shaves.

Loving your new MF brushes my friend, especially the coral one you mentioned--totally my type/style of brush...well done on your MF scores!

Am about to call it a night now, but if I remember, tomorrow, I'll post my go-to method for reducing new brush badger smell and general cleaning (is awesome especially for getting rid of hard water soap scum) without being harsh on a brush--it's fast, easy, and works a treat!

[Phrank]

Andrew, am with you and Richard on Morning Ghost--Larry nailed it in all aspects with this one. Am wondering, as he receives more feedback, if he'll increase the scent strength on his other Glide soaps like he did with MG?

Nonetheless, all his Glide soaps are Tier 1 in performance! These have become some of my regular go-to suds for fantastic shaves.

Loving your new MF brushes my friend, especially the coral one you mentioned--totally my type/style of brush...well done on your MF scores!

Am about to call it a night now, but if I remember, tomorrow, I'll post my go-to method for reducing new brush badger smell and general cleaning (is awesome especially for getting rid of hard water soap scum) without being harsh on a brush--it's fast, easy, and works a treat!

I've read up years before on how to reduce that smell, frankly, it's so seldom you get a brush with that rank, stanky smell, I admit, I'm almost enjoying it.

My first L7 M&F Blonde Badger brush I purchased years ago smelled horrible, and at that time, I didn't know that badger brushes could smell like that. I remember, rotating through my brushes, and every time I came to that M&F just finally cluing in to the fact that it was the brush that smelled like something died and crawled up inside it....LOL...gave it a nice bath in some borax I believe and that sorted it out...but was funny shaving with that brush for months, and every time I used it wondering WTF was that smell????

So, this brought back some fond beginner memories....

[thebigspendur]

I have a recent M&F brush and it was the stinkiest badger I have ever had. The thing is most manufacturers wash the hair to some degree before assembly, he does not.

It resisted most conservative washing routines. I finally soaked the thing in vinegar alternating with tide several times and I finally got the smell out.

[BanjoTom]

I have a recent M&F brush and it was the stinkiest badger I have ever had. The thing is most manufacturers wash the hair to some degree before assembly, he does not.

It resisted most conservative washing routines. I finally soaked the thing in vinegar alternating with tide several times and I finally got the smell out.

The vinegar breaks down the fatty acids that the badger makes to keep water from touching his skin.

[Phrank]

The vinegar breaks down the fatty acids that the badger makes to keep water from touching his skin.

I rinsed/cleaned one brush using vinegar, and Simpson's brush, and maybe it's just me, but that brush was never the same afterwards. The knot went from bouncing back firmly, to a soft wet mess when used again...will never use vinegar again, YMMV...

Having said that, Borite worked wonderfully, and actually somewhat revived my Simpson's....

[SemperFi]

These are 2 great products that, when used in combination, do a great job of cleaning brushes. They also work very well for getting badger funk out of new brushes and help with their break in as well (gets the other crud out of a new brush, too).

Besides being effective, they both are gentle, which is a huge bonus. In the past I’ve tried some of the other methods (vinegar, borax, and etc.), and frankly those methods struck me as harsh on, and potentially damaging to, expensive brushes.

I've used this combo monthly on my brushes for a few years now and am never disappointed with the results.

I start with the Zartgefühl Pinselseife (a shave/makeup brush soap) first and bowl lather a brush. The lather builds well and etc.; I'll let a brush sit for a few minutes with the soap in it (usually while I'm lathering a second brush), then give it a thorough rinse.

I then use the Kenra Clarifying Shampoo. I'll put just a little into a bowl, build the lather, then let the brush sit a few before giving it a thorough rinse. What this shampoo does is remove soap scum and etc., and it does a fantastic job with getting soap and scum residue completely out of brushes without any harm or harshness to a brush. This stuff is especially the bomb if you have hard water.

The whole operation takes at the most 5 minutes for a single brush. When I'm done and my brushes are dry, they are clean and soft and not damaged. When breaking in a new brush, I do the above routine usually after I'm finished shaving for about 3 or 4 consecutive days…works a treat!

It doesn't take much of either product, so they last quite awhile.

The Zartgefühl Pinselseife is available at The Superior Shave for $16, which includes shipping: Zartgefühl Brush-Cleansing Soap

The Kenra Clarifying Shampoo is available on Amazon for $13, without shipping if you're not a Prime member: https://www.amazon.com/Kenra-Clarify...ifying+Shampoo

[thebigspendur]

Hmm, no issues with my brushes after vinegar.

[SemperFi]

The mild acid of vinegar wasn't a concern, brushes just smelled like an old woman's douche for a few.

[Obie]

OneBlade lavender shave cream

I did not know what to expect from the shave cream from the folks at OneBlade. This is a new single edge razor with a pivoting head — I will write a review of it in SAFETY RAZORS as soon as I can.

When I first used the OneBlade cream a few days ago, I thought of the Castle Forbes lavender cream. The two scents are quite close. I even thought the cream was made for OneBlade by Castle Forbes. Not so, I am told; rather, the cream, in many respects, emulates Castle Forbes' lavender shave cream.

I really like this cream: it produces luxurious lather with a minimal amount on the brush. The cream has the ideal amount of moisture, with impressive residual slickness. The cushion especially is notable — it is lovely on the skin. Also important, are the cream's aftershave properties, which leave the skin smooth and comfortable.

OneBlade shave cream's lavender scent is earthy and quite pleasing. Those of you who use the Castle Forbes lavender cream will not be disappointed in the scent from the OneBlade cream. This is good stuff, gentlemen, and for me, it easily belongs in the First Tier.