What are the most expensive, yet largely polarising shaving products, you own?

[R181]

Love my WR1-OC head with increased blade gap. It shaves very well and you can't really argue the fit and finish. OTH I also love my Merkur 45 Bakelite. It is the polar opposite of the WR1-OC yet shaves the same as in very well. I don't regret buying either razor.

I have Castle Forbes shave cream which is excellent but I don't think it is much better than the Maca Root I also have.

I have MdC which is excellent but I don't think it provides an end result hugely different from my Arko which I also find excellent. I am not too sure if MdC would outlast a bulk purchase of Arko, 12 sticks for about $20.00, which is about half the cost of MdC.

I don't regret buying any of the soaps and creams mentioned.

Bob

 

[Nishy]

I was just answering the OP's question regarding cost and polarizing shaving products.

In terms of performance I get better and smoother shaves from an Ikon X3 & the RR Baby Smooth. The Wolfman is the finest built DE available no question. Some write how the razor has 'changed' their lives, others would exchange their first born for one and on and on. As a razor itself I found it rather disappointing.

Isle of Mann Simpsons are simply overpriced for what one gets especially the Manchurian offerings which, to me, are just a play on words. Charles Roberts from Enchante back in 2005-2006 started all this when he got David Carter at Simpsons to label large, stuffed brushes 'Extra Super' then 'Manchurian.' Nice enough badger hair but it was just a marketing ploy and still is.

Interesting observation I was initially led to believe Manchurian badgers were those that lived in mountains high up and had more resilient hair. To be fair I do find the hair feel to be thicker. Then I asked 2 separate all modern brush makers for a Manchurian knot and they said this hair doesn't actually exist, as you say it is a marketing term.

 

[vtmax]

Those brush makers were honest. Been told the same thing for years.

I own Stan Archer Nimmer Mill made Simpsons but won't go near the ones from the Isle of Man.

 

[Wayne]

Not expensive but I'll use some poetic license to say Mitchells Wool Fat soap is the most polarizing product I own. Love/Hate affairs in equal measures among the shaving community.

 

[R181]

Not expensive but I'll use some poetic license to say Mitchells Wool Fat soap is the most polarizing product I own. Love/Hate affairs in equal measures among the shaving community.

Yes, I find that it is a little persnickety to lather but otherwise excellent. If I need a hit of lanolin I'd sooner use Haslingers Scharfs Milch which is a snap to lather.

Bob

 

[R181]

Wrt to Simpsons Manchurian knots, I do love the one and only Manchurian brush I have. Fortunately I find that the Shavemac regular 2 band Silvertip to be as good and less costly.

Bob

 

[Reevers]

Feather AS-D1/2 razors are not cheap and really divide people.

It is my go-to razor for 90% of my shaves, and yet other people claim they needed to check if they even had a blade loaded because they couldn't get the razor to cut any stuble.