A serious question on Soap/Cream Reviews

This is a hobby? Darn it, my wife told me, "No more expensive hobbies!" Therefore, this behavior is nothing more than normal gentlemanly grooming behavior. Definitely not a hobby.

I think there is a big difference between ranking your own gear in order of preference, and ranking other people based on the gear they use. I would never call Hector an elitist snob because he has an expensive collection. I would hope that Hector would never call me a POS scrub because I have an inexpensive collection. However, it is very likely that both Hector and I have hierarchies within our dens. Different form of classifying and ranking. 1 is appropriate, one is not.

As for the topic...negative reviews...I look at it this way:

Most people doing video reviews are not using the product for the very first time on camera for the review. It is only fair to the product to give it a fair trial. Anyone can over/under saturate a new soap or take some time to find the angle of a new razor or whatever. New gear takes time to familiarize yourself with it.

With that presumption in mind, it is not enjoyable to get on camera and shave with gear that did not perform for you or that you did not enjoy using. Writing and recording reviews takes a lot of time and effort, when in all fairness "I didn't like it" is really that needs said about a product that doesn't perform well.

I see a lot of negative commentary regarding available products. Just the other day I mentioned a soap that I thought was a flawless performer. Someone else mentioned the same soap as being among the worst they had ever used. I went into detail about why I enjoyed the soap, they simply stated that they found it sub-par. It is easy to write a glowing, metaphorical review about a product you like, but to do the same thing with a product you don't like is not only tedious, but comes off as whiny or arrogant to others. I can;t blame reviewers for not wanting to subject themselves to that...

When someone asks about a soap/razor/blade/brush/vendor everybody and their brother chimes in with their opinion, good, bad, and otherwise. To sit down and do an entire review of negativity is not healthy for anyone. Prefacing or appending every single statement of performance with "in my opinion" or "YMMV" or "for me" is tedious, but if you don't do that, the hawks swarm and call you a hater and say you don;t know what you're talking about or that you are simply a fanboy for a different company or...whatever. Negativity begets negativity...always.

I think you don;t see negative reviews because, quite simply, it's no fun, and it invites aggressive criticism from every armchair expert on the interwebs. Nobody wants to willfully subject themselves to that...

BadDad I never, unlike some douchebags that I know, will pass judgement on anybody, specially over something as trivial as shaving gear :-). My sense of loyalty and friendship is way above that.

I have favorite gear that would be considered substandard by some. Guess what? I don't care, lol...,

BadDad   I never, unlike some douchebags that I know, will pass judgement on anybody, specially over something as trivial as shaving gear :-). My sense of loyalty and friendship is way above that.

I have favorite gear that would be considered substandard by some.  Guess what?  I don't care, lol...,

I know, Hector. This is why I use you as an example. I know that you and I are on the same page regarding this, even though we are at opposite ends of the collection spectrum. You are a stand-up guy that treats everyone with the respect they deserve based on their treatment of you and others, so I know that you will read what I'm writing and take it in the vein with which it is written...respectfully, and as a positive example of how one SHOULD treat the folks they interact with.

CHSeifert and NeoXerxes are 2 more fine gentleman with expensive taste and collections, that do not allow the cost of their gear to interfere with the quality of their character...a trait I admire and respect greatly, that is proliferate on this forum, and unfortunately very lacking in many other places.

BadDad Thanks for the kind words. I also feel the same way about you my friend.

The funny thing is that some items that are considered "high end" are actually crap, pumped by a few for their own benefit. Trust me, I have fallen for that junk and end up giving it away because I felt ashame of even selling it, lol.....

You know, you guys are really not talking about shaving as much as you are talking about what it means to behave in a gentlemanly fashion. There was a time, when gentlemanly behavior, i. e. politeness, honesty, courtesy, steadfastness, reliability, honor, work ethic, morality and other manly virtues were held in high regard. Sadly, that is much less common in today's culture. Luckily, it's common on this forum, which is why I visit here more than any other shaving forum. -- Virile Agitur

My own tastes and shaving equipment cover a fairly wide range of price points. The only things that I have to prove are to myself. If I enjoy a shave and end up with results that are to my own liking, then that's good enough for me. Today, for example, I shaved with a straight razor @$300, the Stirling badger brush @$30, Cella $10 and afterwards Thayers @$8 followed by Clubman Lime Musk @$7. Results: Excellent. I'm BBS and smelling good. I really don't care what things cost. I only care if I value them. The happiest man isn't the one that has everything he wants, but rather the man that wants everything he has.

What set him off was the same sort of elitist nonsense that set me off not too long ago...a grouo of people on one side telling beginners to throw their gear in the trash and buy XYZ brand razor for 4 times the cost. The same people insist that a new straight shaver cant leanr how to hone without inveating multiple hundreds of dollars and paying their pre-approved "honemeister" to first hone their razors. Theybtell newbies to buy their overpriced brand of soap that actuy as reall, REALLY sub-par performance, and if you tell then that...they ban you. These people are bullies, and honestly have no interest in helping newbies, or exapanding the community within the hobby. They browbeat you, and ban you if you stand uo for yourself or someone else.

OK, thank you for the missing piece. He should have explained what he was ranting about. But this does not change my point. Its ALL ABOUT MONEY. Somebody has to pay the bills. And if the forum bans them, I know some do, then its about money, exactly what I said. They are protecting the interests of their paying customer.

Not saying thats right or wrong. I'm saying that is what it is. Listen to the podcast link. That is exactly what Rick in SoapnBrushnBlade is talking about ... exactly.

Jt has nothing to do with the internet costing money. It has to do with grouos of people trying to preserve an aura of untouchable mysticism and expense around straight razor shaving and honing

I know nothing about that subject so I have no comment. But it IS about money. Its always about money. If they are banning people, they are protecting their vested interests.

You noticed he uses a $300 brush, but did you also notice he also tends to faesvor a $10 straight?

Does he? I don't know. I watched Tour of the Stable (which is a bit stange because usually stables refers to cars) but I saw approx:

7 high end soaps
maybe 80 middle priced soaps with a few Proraso and Razorock in there (he panned fast)
Maybe 25 brushes, all the Saville Row, Thater, and Simpson prominently displayed in the front with his boars and synthetic hidden in the back
maybe 12 safety razors
a bunch of ADP cologne

~39 straights 2 gold dollar, entire rolls of Dovo? Thiers? Boker? I forget all the names and don't know all the prices other than gold dollar is cheap and Thiers sounds expensive with a real ivory handle? Exotic woods like cocobolo?

Sounds like an expensive and impressive den to me, far out of my league. I can't tell but he sure sounded partial to those bokers and thiers and Dovos. Those had especial rolls?  


And by accident I saw two Amazon reviews, one of GFT coconut rated 2  stars and one of ADP rated the best in the world

My only point of this was back to the previous post about this reviewer using all kinds of soap. Now that I have seen his "den", its sure looks high end to me but I am learning all this. Maybe others have far more stuff. So how much is all that stuff worth? Any Guess? Maybe 10K?

I should have been more clear. Sorry, I was on my phone and having a difficult time. There are actually 2 issues at play. 1 is the mods banning people, and the other is the general membership berating and belittling new shavers that show up with inexpensive gear. People being banned for advocating inexpensive gear over the gear offered by the vendors or owners of the forum is absolutely all about the mighty dollar...

As for the Stallion--Why would someone have to limit themselves and the gear that they use in order to acknowledge that inexpensive gear works just as well as expensive gear if treated properly? Please note I said WORKS just as well, not looks, feels, or pleases. Obviously the high-end gear has high-end fit and finish etc. I can;t speak of performance without having any real comparison. Just because I can get great shaves with inexpensive gear does not mean that high-end gear does not provide a better experience. It must, lest it would not warrant the price tag. So by all means, buy it, use it, and love it!

Anyone that has the means to spoil themselves should, by all means, spoil themselves. This is a hobby, above all else, otherwise we would all be using just 1 razor, 1 soap, 1 brush, and not talking about it on a forum. It's a hobby. Buy, collect, use, display anything you want. That's good for the artisans, the vendors, and the hobby. I encourage it.

Just don't be insulting or condescending to others that cannot or do not splurge to that degree.

We have several members here with very high end collections. Yes, I drool. But I am not jealous or envious. I do not begrudge anyone their $300 badger brush just because a $65 badger brush is the most expensive brush I own. I appreciate every piece of gear in my den, and what I have performs very well for me, both in terms of the shave experience and in terms of keeping my bank account happy. There is room in this hobby for every level of obsession and every income level.

There is quality kit that performs well for every level of obsession and every level of income as well.

There is no room in this hobby for arrogance, condescension, and insulting others, for any reason, be it the nonsense that Hector refers to or the nonsense that I refer to. Both are equally damaging to the hobby by creating negativity and tension where it really doesn't need to exist.

Just because I can't afford a Wolfman Razor doesn;t mean I should be a jerk anytime someone shares a picture of one. Likewise, just because someone else would never buy a $25 Gold Dollar razor does not give them the right to look down their nose towards someone that can only afford that. We need to get along to grow the hobby, for all of us to benefit.

Meh...that stuff doesn't happen here, and that is why I like it here. In an effort to avoid turning this into a "gripe" thread, I have no interest in naming names. There are multiple places where this happens, so pick one and pretend thats the one I'm talking about...lol

BTW...I listened to that podcast some time ago. Very good listen, and I think the guy nailed. Very much in agreement with him and you in regards to how some of these large forums are operated...

I'll have to check out this podcast regarding the large forums...maybe tonight.

andrewjs18   Just watch the video.  Not a big deal really.  More entertaining than anything.  I never heard of the Stallion before, lol.....

He actually reminded me of this Replicant from Blade Runner, lol....

I'll have to check out this podcast regarding the large forums...maybe tonight.

Rick DeWeese does an excellent job with his weekly podcast. This was one of his rants, about how he and others were banned and its all about money.

He also makes it clear that whatever works for you is all that matters. Don't worry about anyone else. I think he collects antique razors and seems to consistently love his boar brushes. He put audio on Youtube. Just start around 1 hours 1:00:00

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDfjhIWqSYM

grim. Is this guy on YouTube, link please :-)