What do you guys think of GFT soaps?

[CharlieFoxtrot]

I've used the limes cream, and I loved it but I never hear the soaps being mentioned. For those that use them, how do they rate against the creams or other soaps?

[7 O Menthol]

I don't have the link ready at the moment, but you should definitely check out cvac's English Soap Comparison thread.
He discusses all of the big name English hard soaps, and discovered some batches of GFT that worked great, and some that seemed to be total duds.

There's also someone in the 3017 thread that is working through a GFT coconut puck and seems to be getting some great results.

[Cochese2323]

If I recall correctly, the GFT coconut is the only modern one of their soaps that really gets any mention and it doesn't get mentioned often either. I think you could find better performing soaps with similar scents for a much better price from some of our artisan soap makers, Mystic Water, Queen Charlotte Soap, Mikes Natural, etc.

[eizan70]

GFT coconut is my favorite. Natural, light smell from the coconut oil and feels great on your skin. It seems to me that it requires more water than many of my other British creams and doesn't seem as slick as my TH (my other favorite) but shaves amazingly. I usually end my shave by applying lather and letting it soak as I clean my gear letting the oils soak onto/into my skin. That is how good it feels (to me at least )
I haven't tried their other favors yet, but I have their sampler and am just waiting to finish some other product trials. I have mystic waters coconut sampler on the way as well.

[Vlad]

I like them, but I don't consider them top tier. Once I finish them off (a long, long time from now), I won't be replacing them.

[njpaddy]

I have the GFT Rose soap only because DR Harris doesn't make a hard rose soap. I do like the scent of the GFT Rose but the performance is just not as good as Harris soaps. The GFT Rose is good enough to stay in my rotation, but not good enough to make me want another GFT soap.

[wimbouman]

I have an old GFT Limes.
It is a perfect soap in my book, and has hardly a dent even if I regularly use it.
The smell is also fantastic, I think.

[Hogwash]

I received a bowl of GFT Limes soap as a gift a while back, and was looking forward to it as I had heard good things. I have found it slightly disappointing in that I can't get a particularly good lather out of it, although my water is quite hard and my technique likely needs a lot of work. It doesn't lather as easily as my C&E Sandalwood or Palmolive stick (naturally!). As I am fairly new to the game my soap collection is small and shaving every other day means that I have barely made a dent in my C&E and GFT bowls.

The scent is...okay. It's definitely lime and it is a fresh summery scent, but perhaps I was expecting something with more of a citrusy bite, a bit of zing.

I'm not going to give up on it and wouldn't want to discourage anybody from GFT soaps. I've not tried any GFT creams although hope to get my hands on the sample pack soon.

[insomniac]

GFT coconut is my favorite. Natural, light smell from the coconut oil and feels great on your skin. It seems to me that it requires more water than many of my other British creams

Are you talking about the cream or the soap? OP wanted to know about the soaps...

[eizan70]

Are you talking about the cream or the soap? OP wanted to know about the soaps...

I've used the limes cream, and I loved it but I never hear the soaps being mentioned. For those that use them, how do they rate against the creams or other soaps?

I am speaking of the cream. I read it as how do the GFT soaps rate against other soaps and creams, but now that you state it I can see the question going the other way as well.

[Optometrist]

If you can lay your hands on a good puck(I've had 2 good Rose pucks from 2008), then it will perform with the best of them. Unfortunately, I have tried all the scents available, and other than the Rose, they have all been diabolical. I might risk obtaining another Rose when this second one is finished, and maybe, just maybe, another reformulation for the better may have taken place by then.

[CharlieFoxtrot]

I like them, but I don't consider them top tier. Once I finish them off (a long, long time from now), I won't be replacing them.

Thanks for the input thus far. This seems to be the general consensus and it speaks volumes about the soap. It's unfortunate that GFT doesn't have a soap that is commensurate to their creams.

[Marco]

Good, but not exceptional. D.R. Harris is IMHO much better and represents the current "Gold Standard" for UK hard triple-milled shaving soaps.

[Optometrist]

Good, but not exceptional. D.R. Harris is IMHO much better and represents the current "Gold Standard" for UK hard triple-milled shaving soaps.

Well said, Marco! I totally agree 100% And if anyone is looking for another great performing English brand that is vegetable, then Floris will satisfy beyond doubt.

[ouch]

They're good, but others are better.

[eizan70]

Good, but not exceptional. D.R. Harris is IMHO much better and represents the current "Gold Standard" for UK hard triple-milled shaving soaps.

Thanks Marco, I have been eyeballing the D.R.Harris soaps. That is good to read...SOLD.

[Shaving_CHENG]

Good, but not exceptional. D.R. Harris is IMHO much better and represents the current "Gold Standard" for UK hard triple-milled shaving soaps.

+ 1 - I love my GTF Limes hard soap, especially on a humid morning, but find QCS and D.R. Harris better hard soaps

[Marco]

Well said, Marco! I totally agree 100% And if anyone is looking for another great performing English brand that is vegetable, then Floris will satisfy beyond doubt.

I agree on Floris being very good soaps, David. Price-point however should be a bit lower IMHO.

[pipskicks]

I don't hear the creams at all, if not for looking at their website and seeing this thread I seriously didn't know they sold them. In fact with such little mention I wonder why they sell them?

[mdunn]

Trumpers lime is a soap I will never be without. An incredible performer. Up there with the absolute best (I prefer it to Harris Arlington on performance)