In Defense of Shave Sticks

Creams in tubs, sure, creams in tubes, yes please, croaps wrapped in waxed paper and then pressed into ramekins, uh-huh, croaps in plastic tubs, absolutely, hard soaps in wooden bowls, oh yeah, hard soaps in screw-top tins, all day long.

Soaps on a stick? Never. And I've never met a soap on a stick that I wanted to use.

ackvil said:

As for MWF, my puck began to shrink and began to spin around in the bowl. So I grated it to make it fit. I previously grated a tiny puck of MWF to make a shave stick.

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I had the same problem with my MWF, where it spun around in the bowl. At first I tried soaking it, but it never did expand enough to reach the edge of the ceramic dish. After it got soft enough, I just molded it with my thumbs to push it out until it stuck in place.

I have never grated any soap. Its one of those things I keep wanting to experiment with, but haven't gotten around to it. I don't know if it would make any particular brand of soap easier to lather, but that's what I've heard. But I don't have trouble lathering anything I've tried yet. What I would like to try is taking a puck of MWF or Tabac soap and forming it into a stick for travel. But I can just as easily cut off a chunk of soap and carry it in a ziploc bag when I'm on the road.

As for using sticks that come as sticks, I get them wet, rub them on my wet face, load the brush directly from the stick, then I go for a face-lathering.

I have the opposite problem: all my pucks seem to turn into sticks.

mblakele said:

I have the opposite problem: all my pucks seem to turn into sticks.

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-s

I used to grate my sticks but I do not do so any longer. Before I discovered how to use sticks properly, I did not like the feel of the rather hard stick on my face and I did not like the feeling of the wet brush on my face those first 10 swirls before the lather started to form. Later on I learnt to soak the stick or at least to make it damp before putting it on my face and then thanks to the fist bowl method, I found I could avoid the brush discomfort issue.

Nowadays, I use both sticks and pucks. I mostly use sticks when travelling. At home, I tend to use more pucks because I find it easier to dose the amount of lather I put on my face.

I grated Speick into a twist up, because I can do 1.8 sticks or so into the twist up. My Mike's stick is about to be reloaded from a puck. And the Fat is also in a twist up.

I prefer twist ups, because they hold more, and stay cleaner, pack cleaner, and travel better for me. I don't like the aluminum foil wrappers that most come in, or getting it on my fingers, as mentioned. I don't particularly like the bases that only mostly hold a La Toya, Valobra, or Lea (not buying again, so not an issue).

I like Speick enough that two sticks are in a bowl at the house.

I travel with sticks, use Pyrex or mugs at the house, and almost exclusively face lather. And I'm perfectly happy with my set ups.

Does anyone know of an aftermarket container for shave-sticks that would take a standard size stick but be of more substantial construction than the flimsy cover that comes with LaToja or any of the other popular brands? It might be made of metal, bakelite, wood or anything that would dress it up and provide better protection.

I vaguely recall someone in another thread mentioning a container that they use for Arko sticks. They gave me a link but I still couldn't find it.

I'd love to hear if you do. I've only come across this one at West Coast Shaving, but it doesn't look more substantial and certainly won't dress it up.

dpm802 said:

Does anyone know of an aftermarket container for shave-sticks that would take a standard size stick but be of more substantial construction than the flimsy cover that comes with LaToja or any of the other popular brands? It might be made of metal, bakelite, wood or anything that would dress it up and provide better protection.

I vaguely recall someone in another thread mentioning a container that they use for Arko sticks. They gave me a link but I still couldn't find it.

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Technium said:

I'd love to hear if you do. I've only come across this one at West Coast Shaving, but it doesn't look more substantial and certainly won't dress it up.

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I think that's what the other person had for his Arko.

I don't relish the thought of melting, grating or drilling a hole for the twist-up post. I was looking more for something that would accept a drop-in stick without a need for modification.

Several years ago, I ordered a vintage Colgate tube from eBay that I think would have done the trick. Unfortunately, I moved right after I placed the order, and when I next spoke to the previous landlord he said that if it had arrived, it was probably lost somewhere in the house. So I was out $5 ... no biggie. Those tubes come up on eBay every so often, but for now, I was looking for something new, that I could place an order as needed instead of waiting on one to appear at auction.

Well this would be too painful after almost having it for $5, but no auction involved.

dpm802 said:

I think that's what the other person had for his Arko.

I don't relish the thought of melting, grating or drilling a hole for the twist-up post. I was looking more for something that would accept a drop-in stick without a need for modification.

Several years ago, I ordered a vintage Colgate tube from eBay that I think would have done the trick. Unfortunately, I moved right after I placed the order, and when I next spoke to the previous landlord he said that if it had arrived, it was probably lost somewhere in the house. So I was out $5 ... no biggie. Those tubes come up on eBay every so often, but for now, I was looking for something new, that I could place an order as needed instead of waiting on one to appear at auction.

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The Simpson Case case is a good fit for a full stick of LaToja, Palmolive, Erasmus, and Bea. Its just a tad too narrow to fit a full Arko.

http://www.westcoastshaving.com/Simpson-Case-Travel-Container_p_546.html

dpm802 said:

Does anyone know of an aftermarket container for shave-sticks that would take a standard size stick but be of more substantial construction than the flimsy cover that comes with LaToja or any of the other popular brands? It might be made of metal, bakelite, wood or anything that would dress it up and provide better protection.

I vaguely recall someone in another thread mentioning a container that they use for Arko sticks. They gave me a link but I still couldn't find it.

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For wider sticks like Arko and Valobra, a Walgreens PM-20 pill bottle has its charms.



Hold the stick in place with staples through the lid, or with extra foil around the inside of the cap. However this is not quite as well suited to a narrower stick like Palmolive, La Toja, or Speick.

I'm going with a snack sized zip lock bag until I have the time to get something more elegant. Fits all shave sticks.

Technium said:

I'm going with a snack sized zip lock bag until I have the time to get something more elegant. Fits all shave sticks.

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That's where my Arko stick lives right now too. I have been wondering what to do with it as well as my Palmolive stick in a more elegant fashion though. I like the look of the La Toja/Lea tubes but haven't ever handled one so don't know if they'd be too flimsy for my use. I've got too much soap to buy one just to try it out.

The pill bottle looks like a great idea if one could get the stick to stay put well enough. Not sure I'd want staples scratching my face as I got to the bottom of the stick...

If it wasn't for Cella and LA Shaving Soap, I might go all shave sticks from this point out.

I dunno. I'm all for face lathering. I think it's great.

But I'm not a fan of face loading. Not one bit. It's uncomfortable, sometimes painful, and no matter how long I do it I just can't seem to get enough soap on there. I like to load my brush for a minimum of 60 seconds every shave, and when I use Arko I use the kind that comes in a bowl.

Lomoru said:

I dunno. I'm all for face lathering. I think it's great.

But I'm not a fan of face loading. Not one bit. It's uncomfortable, sometimes painful, and no matter how long I do it I just can't seem to get enough soap on there. I like to load my brush for a minimum of 60 seconds every shave, and when I use Arko I use the kind that comes in a bowl.

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+1. I'd much rather load soap with my brush than with my face. I see the attraction for travel, however.

bcs89 said:

Proverbs 31;8

Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves; ensure justice for those being crushed.
​

-s

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Definitely one of my all time favorite replies on any forum. WELL played, Sir!!

The best reason to grate a stick would be if you are a bowl latherer but like a particular soap.

mblakele said:

I have the opposite problem: all my pucks seem to turn into sticks.

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+1