I have heard this many times, but have never seen anyone provide a source for that information. How did you come by the info?
Col. Conk soap issue
- Thread starter jlmiller556
- Start date
I have heard this many times, but have never seen anyone provide a source for that information. How did you come by the info?
The packaging is the same. And I've only seen Vanderhagen soaps use that style of packaging. Also a quick google search will show VDH makes Conk and also Surrey soaps.
The VDH site states:
"The van der Hagen's have supplied soaps to many of the most respected companies in the personal care industry including: Avon, Harrods (UK), Bath & Body Works, Liz Claiborne, The Body Shop (UK), Michael Jordan, Boots (UK), O'Boticario (Brazil), Elizabeth Arden, Walt Disney, Estee' Lauder and Warner Bros. to name a few."
No mention is made about Conk, and I could not find anything on line to confirm it so........
I emailed VDH and asked them.
If I get a response I will share it .
Keep in mind that being manufactured in the same plant is also not a confirmation that these are the same soaps. For instance, SoapWorks Ltd. in Glasgow make soaps for everyone from Geo F Trumpers and Penhaligons to Crabtree & Evelyn and The Body Shop and Truefitt and Hill. Manufacturing is shared, but the ingredients and formulations are certainly not the same. There will be some similarities between the soaps, but the idea that this makes them the equivalent of rebranded versions of each other is not accurate.
More water + more loading time = good lather from Conk. Load your brush directly on the puck if need be. Conk makes good lather with a little effort and some experimentation. Nothing wrong with the Colonel, he is the working man's friend.
Dont chuck it if you have a hard time lathering it! Even if you never get it down as a standalone soap, it makes a great base for superlather! Sometimes I'll load a brush with conk then add a dollop of cream for a ridiculously slick shave...in fact, this thread motivated me to do this Monday!
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I don't have any problem with Col. Conk soaps. I've used their lime and bay rum. I start with just a moist brush, load it and then use a lather bowl to whip up lather. Sometimes I will add a few drops of water in the lather bowl if needed. It's a good soap but I think VDH is a little better.
For me, Col. Conk soap works really well. I use it primarily in an apothecary style mug which after soaking the puck in warm water for a couple of minutes gives a good load in the brush and plenty of room in the mug for mixing. I suppose that I use a combination of bowl and face lathering with this technique. I used to have trouble with Conk when I first used it but by staying with it I have learned how to get a great lather and a great shave with it. Hey, Conk is relatively inexpensive and lasts a long time. Practicing with it doesn't cost much.
Funny to see this thread pop back up. I bought a puck of Amber on Amzaon the other day to get me to free shipping on something else. Haven't tried it yet, but have smelled it. To me it is kind of a powdery, vaguely sweet scent. I can think of three soaps I have that would get you in the ballpark, but aren't identical. Mama Bear's Barbershop, Stirling Barbershop, and Mystic Waters Adirondack Jack. All three are more strongly scented than the amber, but I really like them.
I enjoy the Bay Rum ! It takes me a minute + to work a good lather with it . The scent is very mild , as it should be , being the scent you shave with is just that ... a scent to shave with . It's not a fragrance that should last for any kind of longevity , imo . A lasting scent should have to do with a splash on or cologne . I use a boar brush with this soap and have pleasant results . For the money , it's damn good [ I paid 3.50 ] . I'd imagine a soap that costs 35 bucks would/should be better
I just revisited Conk's Almond puck. I too find that it doesn't lather too much. However, I may have not loaded it enough either. What I can say positively about it though is the lather on your face is somewhat thick and does offer good protection and some slickness.
Yeah, although I don't have much luck getting a stable lather with it, their almond scent is my favorite scent of any soap I've tried.
Col Conk bay rum was my first shave soap. It was always a decent soap for me but nothing to rave about.
Aloha,
Because of this thread I decided to give the Col another try. I purchased an Amber Col last month and tried it once. It was quickly replaced when my Proraso was delivered. Just like VDH Deluxe soap if you whip your lather on the soap it produces a thick foamy lather I used the VDH boar brush. I was just wondering how much soap I was using in this manner. I maybe eating through this puck in no time. It was not as bad as I remember. And I actually liked the scent.
Mahalo,
Merry Christmas!!!
Because of this thread I decided to give the Col another try. I purchased an Amber Col last month and tried it once. It was quickly replaced when my Proraso was delivered. Just like VDH Deluxe soap if you whip your lather on the soap it produces a thick foamy lather I used the VDH boar brush. I was just wondering how much soap I was using in this manner. I maybe eating through this puck in no time. It was not as bad as I remember. And I actually liked the scent.
Mahalo,
Merry Christmas!!!
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