D R Harris soaps
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The Harris soaps are very highly regarded but I've never got on well with them. Too drying on the skin for me. Their creams are good, a step up from TOBS/T&H/Trumpers and they make some very nice fragrances and aftershaves. I have the Arlington, Bay Rum and Pink aftershaves and have tried most of their colognes via samples from Connaught.
Well, I'll haul out my puck of Arlington again and see what's what.
I generally don't have problems dialing in a soap. When the Musgo Real hard pucks first came out I could not understand why it had such a bad rep. The puck I had lathered up a storm.
Bob
Tried the Arlington for my afternoon shave and yes I shave twice a day being somewhat odc about facial hair. I used a custom brush with a Shavemac 2 band silvertip knot and face lathered. Resulting lather was better than I remembered. Still not over the moon about it but closer than before.
Have to agree with Nishy in that I think DR Harris hard puck soaps are similar to MWF pucks in a lot of ways. You have to load the brush like you hate the puck. That means long and hard from a damp brush adding a little water as you go till you have the brush loaded with proto lather. Start build the lather on your face adding a bit of water as you go till you have a good lather. It seems to be a thirsty soap able to hold more water than you would think just like MWF. Likely not the easiest of hard soaps to lather at least initially. There definitely are easier lathering hard puck shave soaps.
Bob
Have to agree with Nishy in that I think DR Harris hard puck soaps are similar to MWF pucks in a lot of ways. You have to load the brush like you hate the puck. That means long and hard from a damp brush adding a little water as you go till you have the brush loaded with proto lather. Start build the lather on your face adding a bit of water as you go till you have a good lather. It seems to be a thirsty soap able to hold more water than you would think just like MWF. Likely not the easiest of hard soaps to lather at least initially. There definitely are easier lathering hard puck shave soaps.
Bob
Grarea
Forum Plod
I love DR Harris as well.
In my top three so far.
I think this is how i go about things naturally as it happens.
Really load it then add a drop of water and smash it around your chops.
Lush stuff.
I think there is a lot of horse hockey written about soaking brushes. If you start with too wet a brush you wind up with a thin runny mess, usually. That may be how some soaps get a rep for poor lather. Really no need to soak a brush, just swirling the tips in water and a quick to get rid of the excessis all that need be done imo. Add a bit of water as you go. Still there other soaps I'd rather use than DR Harris though.
Bob
I should also have said I am a cold water shaver to boot and that includes any water used for lathering purposes. As far as variables go my experience has been that I can get as good a lather from boar, badge or synthetic brushes with some slight modification of a pretty standard loading and lathering method to suit each type of brush. So yes, some variables but not too many for me. As usual ymmv.
Bob
mike_the_kraken
Señor member
I've got an arlington shave stick that works well, loaded heavily. That or Windsor would be my choice.
Merkurologist
Forum GOD!
I really love my DR Harris Airlington.
This thread made me understand why I've never had a problem lathering up with this soap.
My Airlington comes in a black bowl LE and to prevent messing up the bowl I always bloom the pack in my TSR bowl for a few minutes, then remove the water and load up the brush for 30 seconds. I collect every little bit of soap from the bowl before moving to the warm scuttle, I get enough soap for 5 passes. Building the lather takes some water, a thirsty soap in my opinion but the lather I get is very good quality. Very cushioning lather and for slickness it's one of the best I have experienced.
The post shave has never been an issue for me, a drop of witch hazel and a bit of balm take care of that in no time.
Scent is very subjective but I really like the citrus scent of the Airlington, scent strength is subtle with a dry puck but it comes alive when bloomed.
This thread made me understand why I've never had a problem lathering up with this soap.
My Airlington comes in a black bowl LE and to prevent messing up the bowl I always bloom the pack in my TSR bowl for a few minutes, then remove the water and load up the brush for 30 seconds. I collect every little bit of soap from the bowl before moving to the warm scuttle, I get enough soap for 5 passes. Building the lather takes some water, a thirsty soap in my opinion but the lather I get is very good quality. Very cushioning lather and for slickness it's one of the best I have experienced.
The post shave has never been an issue for me, a drop of witch hazel and a bit of balm take care of that in no time.
Scent is very subjective but I really like the citrus scent of the Airlington, scent strength is subtle with a dry puck but it comes alive when bloomed.
Shaverrific666
368
Wonderful soaps! Have a permanent spot in my rotation, highly recommended. As for the scents I prefer others to Arlington and Lavender. But for performance they are top notch IMHO!
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