About Benton Clay, the company...

[BentonClay]

I'm Dave, the proprietor of Benton Clay. Benton Clay is a small family-owned shaving goods business in the Caledon Hills region of Ontario, Canada. I am a full time web self-employed web developer and marketer, so I get to run the shaving goods business on the side as time permits. Part of the business consists of pottery, and part, consumables. The pottery angle developed as my wife Martha and I began looking to expand her repertoire into pottery gift items that would be of interest to men. Out of that came shaving mugs, shaving bowls and even shaving brush handles - all handmade out of porcelain on Martha Lynn's potter's wheel. Porcelain is a difficult material and Martha makes the items as time permits.

On the consumables side, strangely enough, I'm the one who formulates and manufactures the soap. We started as many crafters do using an olive/castor oil based soap recipe widely available on the internet - and just as widely taken to task here on B&B. We found it provided fairly good shaves but the men who tried it could not get past the fact that it lathered poorly and dried too fast. So Martha said, "You formulate a recipe and then I'll make the soap"! Since then, developing a ready-for-primetime tallow based shaving soap has become one of my hobbies. In the meantime I've focused on producing a glycerin-based soap that has enjoyed some complimentary write-ups here at B&B. The soap's size and weight are geared perfectly Canadian shipping but are a tiny bit too heavy for the U.S. Consequently I must make a special mold for the US orders before I can provide reasonable shipping rates there.

Also in the works - shaving brushes and a pre-shave oil. And a few pens and cufflinks too... I'll keep you posted. Many thanks to those who have supported the business to date! It's good to be back.

About Benton Clay, the person (a.k.a. Dave Lawson):
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=2445096#post2445096

[taffy]

I was lucky enough to try out your pre shave oil, great stuff, i read from your above post about the cream being made suitable for the us market, what about the uk market, i enjoyed your oil and would purchase this stuff again, or is the uk out of the equation?

[breadstick]

I got a sample of your lime bergamot shaving soap a while back and thought it worked amazingly well and was one of the best smelling soap I've ever smelled. It reminds me a lot of Pens Blenheim Bouquet. I would be interested when this becomes available again.

[Jaybh1974]

one of my favorite people on these boards is Benton Clay.. He made me a fantastic note that I gave to my dad for fathers day. It was a contest he ran a few months ago. I will never forget your genorosity

[Easttexasman]

I would be in on the preshave oil if I can get it here in the states.


Paul

[PiXmo]

It is interesting to see how you begin to make and sale shaving products. Do you have a web site where we can see and order your products? I am curious to see your wife's pottery. A porcelain handle should be nice.
What different soap do you make? Soap or cream? What scent? I saw you speak about your lavander soap. Do you have some sample for testing?
:001_smile

[DFrancis]

Since then, developing a ready-for-primetime tallow based shaving soap has become one of my hobbies.

When you perfect your tallow soap and have it ready for market please carry it in your lime bergamot scent, that stuff is amazing in glycerin, I can only imagine what tallow would be like.

[breadstick]

When you perfect your tallow soap and have it ready for market please carry it in your lime bergamot scent, that stuff is amazing in glycerin, I can only imagine what tallow would be like.

Absolutely. If you sell it in a cologne, I would buy that as well.

[CoachClassRow13]

I was lucky enough to snag a lime bergamot puck as well, and it's fantastic stuff. Been awaiting your return as the brush/mug combo are amazing looking. Welcome back!

[maxman]

I'm excited. Not only a vendor in Canada, but one in Ontario!
I'll be keeping my eyes peeled for when this soap is available.

[BentonClay]

I was lucky enough to try out your pre shave oil, great stuff, i read from your above post about the cream being made suitable for the us market, what about the uk market, i enjoyed your oil and would purchase this stuff again, or is the uk out of the equation?
Thanks for the compliment Taffy... U.K. and U.S. are both absolutely fine. I just have to charge a little more for shipping than I would like to. But I'll always provide a shipping quote up front so the customer can decide.

[BentonClay]

It is interesting to see how you begin to make and sale shaving products. Do you have a web site where we can see and order your products? I am curious to see your wife's pottery. A porcelain handle should be nice.
What different soap do you make? Soap or cream? What scent? I saw you speak about your lavander soap. Do you have some sample for testing?
:001_smile
Online store is coming soon, PiXmo. Pics of the pottery are here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/bentonclay/sets/72157622810147453/

Also - please feel free to PM me regarding samples, I'll see what I can set you up with :)

[PiXmo]

Thanks for the pics. These potteries look great. I particularly like the small handle. :001_smile

[73mountaineer]

Thanks so much for giving us some insight into your business and products. I love to be able to support independent/small businesses that not only cater to our unique needs but solicit and appreciate feedback on their product offerings.

I'll definitely be taking a look at what you have to offer and will take you up on the possibility of obtaining samples of the ones that look like they would appeal to me.

- Steve :001_cool:

[djmike523]

These are some fine looking items; are the matching brushes / brush handles available? I see photos dating to 2009, but for purchase, only see that the mug itself is on backorder.

[BRuhling]

I can attest to the quality of all the BentonClay products. I've tried their Lime and their Lavender soaps. They are very high quality. The mug is perfect size and the brush performs flawlessly...

I highly recommend them!

PS - I have no affiliation with BentonClay other than the fact that they sent me samples early on and then I won a mug/brush set for my father in their father's day contest. My dad sent the mug/brush back to me because he's travelling around in his fifth-wheel travel trailer now that he retired and simply didn't have room, so now I know personally how well they perform...

[hitemfrank]

I'm pretty sure I noticed some of the mugs in a SOTD thread (last week I think). Thought they looked great and wondered where they got them. I may have to put in an order some time especially as you have a Lime soap - I'm a sucker for citrus.

[Woodash]

To the OP: Any relationship between Benton Clay and bentonite clay?

[BentonClay]

To the OP: Any relationship between Benton Clay and bentonite clay?
Steve, you know, you are the first forum member to have wondered out loud (at least publically) about a possible connection. I think of Benton Clay as a fictitious gentleman-apothecary who lived in the era of Sherlock Holmes. I do agree the connection with the ingredient you mention does appear to be more than coincidental... ;)

[BentonClay]

These are some fine looking items; are the matching brushes / brush handles available? I see photos dating to 2009, but for purchase, only see that the mug itself is on backorder.

Thanks, Mike. The 2009 stuff is gone but yes a limited number of mugs and brushes are still available for this season. I just finished posting the brushes, and soaps and remaining mugs will follow soon. These are all one-off, quirky pieces, some with fairly deep discounts. I apologize for the look of the web site, it is quite plain, but my goal is to just get everything up and refine the actual web site later.

http://bentonclay.com/?page_id=31&shopp_category=2

[crunchiespg]

Do you have any plans to do a nice shaving bowl with a lid in the style of your mugs?
I would prefer to store my soap in a bowl with a lid. And have a separate open bowl or mug for lathering.
And I think your products would look great with a lid.

[BentonClay]

Do you have any plans to do a nice shaving bowl with a lid in the style of your mugs?
I would prefer to store my soap in a bowl with a lid. And have a separate open bowl or mug for lathering.
And I think your products would look great with a lid.

For those who like to lather in-the-cup, there is ample vertical room when using a brush 24mm or smaller. But yes, I think of those mugs primarily as soap storage. We plan to add separate lathering bowls early in 2011.

I have been thinking about lids too; will have to consult with potter and get back to you!

[RandalltheRed]

Steve, you know, you are the first forum member to have wondered out loud (at least publically) about a possible connection. I think of Benton Clay as a fictitious gentleman-apothecary who lived in the era of Sherlock Holmes. I do agree the connection with the ingredient you mention does appear to be more than coincidental... ;)

Heck I thought the connection was obvious!!!:blushing:

[crunchiespg]

For those who like to lather in-the-cup, there is ample vertical room when using a brush 24mm or smaller. But yes, I think of those mugs primarily as soap storage. We plan to add separate lathering bowls early in 2011.

I have been thinking about lids too; will have to consult with potter and get back to you!

Sounds good. I purely want a bowl with a lid for storage. I don't lather on top of the soap. So a bowl with a lid and a matching lathering mug would be a great combo.