Thread: Workhorse soaps

Originally Posted by RayClem

When I think of the term "workhorse", I picture a team of horses pulling a plow through an Amish farm field. They get the job done, but do not necessarily exhibit elegance or finesse in the process. These are not Throughbreds designed to be pampered.

I have used some, but not all, of the soaps mentioned. They fit my "workhorse" imagery. They get the job done, but do not necessarily have a lot of refinements. Many of the current artisans fit into the Thoroughbred category.

In my image of a workhorse I see the beauty of an animal that can go all day long pulling a plow in the field and keep doing it day after day reliably.

A thoroughbred on the other hand is done after a mile or so and has to be pampered to get its job done.

A good workhorse can be expensive and need a skilled loving owner to be able to perform well.

But in my opinion they are like the average Joe. Their work makes the world go round but you don't see them one the front page of the sports section of the paper.

Originally Posted by RayClem

When I think of the term "workhorse", I picture a team of horses pulling a plow through an Amish farm field. They get the job done, but do not necessarily exhibit elegance or finesse in the process. These are not Throughbreds designed to be pampered.

I have used some, but not all, of the soaps mentioned. They fit my "workhorse" imagery. They get the job done, but do not necessarily have a lot of refinements. Many of the current artisans fit into the Thoroughbred category.

I think the point of this thread, I easily could be wrong, is to point out soaps/creams that will not hinder you in getting a great shave, generally don't cost the moon and can normally but not always be had locally. They usually don't have the cache of the top tier soaps/creams but can deliver day in and day out. I think that is an important point for a beginner to know.

Bob

workhorse; plain and simple, yet will work till the day is done. most of the soaps mentioned here fit that category.. modest price, scent not that important, but the lather quality is steadfast. you can always count on it. thats why when you think of workhorses, the names of MWF, Cella, Arko, Proraso.

But i dont consider any soap, cheap or not, if you have to add to it then it aint a workhorse. no self respecting Draft horse would be caught dead with a shetland pony helping him. and like Bob i think Williams doesnt enter this category cause you have to work with it or add stuff to make it acceptable. that aint easy! also there are other shave sticks that fit this category too. i havent found a thoroughbred in an Artisan soap yet

Originally Posted by Speedster

Another lover of Tabac here; its fragrance takes me back to my childhood memories of dad smoking his pipe tobacco.

My runner-up is MWF; fairly difficult to lather using hard water but worth the effort (a boar whip helps). Excellent post-shave feel.

Took the words right outta my mouth. Tabac and MWF.

Originally Posted by Paulbuck

Mine would be Tabac. A solid, consistent performer.

Had no idea until recently how good this cream is in any water. Real performance under any situation.

As others have said, Tabac and MWF obviously, with Proraso and Cella and some others in the mix too I think. For example, I've always liked some of the low-cost tubed creams like Arko, Godrej and Palmolive. But it's funny how just a few short years ago (2010), when I graduated from canned Edge gel and cartridges, most guys new to our hobby all had to try these same perennial stalwarts, with limited options for artisan soaps and creams. AlRaz's "The Bomb" croaps were a notable exception-anybody remember those? But you had to at least try the main ones, and yes Williams too.

We now have such a dizzying array of artisan-level choices that I can't even keep up with all of them, but have dozens I want to try. On the other hand, I'm also overdue to get some Tabac again-I ran out a couple of years ago (though I still use MWF quite often).

The word artisan is way over used in my opinion and people think then they can charge at least three times the price by using it.

Originally Posted by 32t

The word artisan is way over used in my opinion and people think then they can charge at least three times the price by using it.

Absolutely agree! Artisan is defined as "a person or company that makes a high-quality or distinctive product in small quantities, usually by hand or using traditional methods"

For me high quality is more important than distinctive. For me high quality means "it works the way it should, better than most"...not "it makes you work to get it to work, but a 'craftsman' made it in his garage".

For example in bath soaps, in my day Ivory would have been a workhorse.

I still use Ivory soap although I chuckle that they beat air into it to make it float.

Microbreweries are another "Artisan" influenced product.

I got a at the store one day when they had a display on the checkout counter and I told the woman working the register that I wouldn't pay that much for a beer if she served it to me topless on a sunny beach.