Rarely mentioned: The Wilkinson shaving stick.

**Blix** · 04-26-2012, 01:57 PM

Got some of this today:

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Highly recommended, the Wilkinson is an excellent stick, and makes great lather.
Contains both tallow and lanolin. The scent is pleasant enough too, much nicer than the Palmolive IMO.

Try it!

**Marco** · 04-26-2012, 02:13 PM

Any lather pics, Amund?

**Blix** · 04-26-2012, 02:15 PM

Originally Posted by Marco

Any lather pics, Amund?

I'll use again for tomorrows shave, I'll see what I can do.

**xero2099** · 04-26-2012, 02:14 PM

this is on my list of things to try

**Mandina** · 04-26-2012, 02:15 PM

I just received a couple of sticks from Connaught, and will try it tomorrow morning.

**DE_Dude** · 04-26-2012, 03:50 PM

I've always wanted to try these. What color is the stick?

**Blix** · 04-26-2012, 04:03 PM

Originally Posted by DE_Dude

I've always wanted to try these. What color is the stick?

The stick is blue.

And for the record, the stick and the Wilkinson in the blue tub is different formulations. No tallow in the tub.

**Mandina** · 04-28-2012, 09:04 AM

I tried the WS stick, and it's excellent. Its scent is much lighter and more neutral than Arko's (which I myself don't mind at all). It lathers easily, provides very good slickness and cushion, and left my face feeling moist and soft. In fact, I used it together with a third-shave Rapira blade (Swedish Super Steel, from a Bestshave.net sampler), and the shave was an easy, comfortable, 2-pass+touch-up DFS (which is all I aim for).

btw, the day before I had tried a Tabac stick and the day after (today) I tried an Erasmic stick (all purchased from Connaught). Sure, the Tabac is "fancier" and indeed did great, but the WS is a terrific performer at a much cheaper price. I love Arko, but would suggest WS as an excellent alternative for those who don't like Arko's scent. The (new tallow formula) Erasmic, as discussed in another B&B thread, barely lathered and dried out fast--but, interestingly, with occasional touches of my wet fingers to my face it provided a very slick, very nice shave (with a fourth-shave Rapira, so I was really pushing things) and also left my face feeling moist and soft. Even so, I can't recommend the Erasmic stick in view of the lathering problem, but I highly recommend the WS stick. I haven't tried Palmolive, but WS could be a an excellent low-cost alternative to shavers who don't like Arko.

**finotti** · 04-26-2012, 04:20 PM

I agree. I find it a great stick, but not very popular here. I find it superior to the most popular ones.

**Bluebriz** · 04-26-2012, 04:23 PM

I tend to stock up sticks (apart from Arko) when I go the UK to visit home. I've never seen the Wilko sticks available there though, and i'm more than happy to stock up on Palmolive at 49p a stick!

**oscar11** · 04-26-2012, 05:30 PM

I agree Blix. I just used it yesterday, it's a good soap but unfortunately you don't hear much about it.

**dreadpirate** · 04-26-2012, 05:36 PM

On my list to try as well

**Sledgehammer39** · 04-26-2012, 06:54 PM

I really like the Wilk Stick, it produces excellent lather.

**DFSDAILY** · 04-26-2012, 07:16 PM

It's my second favorite stick right behind the Palmolive. Speick is third.

**FL shaver** · 04-26-2012, 07:58 PM

Regret not grabbing a few while in Spain last year.

**StuMcB** · 04-27-2012, 02:38 AM

Yep a good long lasting stick IMHO. Good lather and I've hand great shaves out of it, but a little expensive here in the UK.

**oversaturn** · 04-27-2012, 03:47 AM

A wonderful stick. Not so good as the Valobra, but it is very, very close. Much cheaper than Valobra, the Wilkie costs ~€2 here in Portugal
One of my favourite shaving sticks, along with Valobra, La Toja, Palmolive and Irisch Moss

**Blix** · 04-27-2012, 04:45 AM

Bah, failed at making a good lather picture, you have to trust me on this one Marco, get some!

Now I have to try the Valobra, I finally discovered that shave sticks works really nice! Hehe

**Marco** · 04-27-2012, 09:16 AM

Originally Posted by Blix

Bah, failed at making a good lather picture, you have to trust me on this one Marco, get some!

I certainly do, Amund. La Toja, Valobra and Speick are top quality performers that have a permanent spot in my rotation.

**Rufust445** · 04-27-2012, 09:24 AM

When I got my lot of 2 from Connaught, the price was about the same as Palmolive sticks. Since then the price seems to have gone up at most Web sites that offer it. I prefer bowl lathering, but loading up a brush enough from a Wilkinson stick doesn't work for me.

I have since put together a travel kit, mostly for use at the health club, built around one of these Wilkinson sticks. Face lathering works great with, of all things, an Omega Syntex, a basic one that was my first brush purchase. No bowl required. What seems to help with these shaves is a 30-minute pre-soak in the swimming pool during a workout, followed by a shower, then the shave a few minutes later. A remarkably fine and easy shave under what I thought would be more difficult conditions.

The only other stick I've tried is Arko, and face lathering with that didn't work for me. I kept it cut up in two pieces in an old Body Shop 200 ml tub, and used that to load up a brush for lathering in a bowl.