#31

Merchant
Arkansas
(03-18-2017, 05:19 PM)Freddy Wrote: Hi Rod and Mandy.  Let me add to the chorus of thank yous for your wonderful products, great prices, and fantastic service.

Perhaps you may not be able to answer this but I was wondering about scent strength by type of scent.  Over the years, my sense of smell has diminished quite a bit but some scents come in way stronger than others.  With shaving soaps, for example, pure rose or lavender I usually don't have trouble with.  Others, I can barely smell at all.  I enjoy several of your shaving soaps and bath soaps and, recently, was sent a gift of your Arkadia shaving soap.  It is inspired by Terre d'Hermes EdT which is one of my favorites.  However, when I lathered it up, I could detect no scent at all.  It was as if you made an unscented soap and called it Arkadia.  The great Stirling performance was there in abundance and my shave was excellent, just no scent.  Let me iterate that I'm pretty sure this is me and not your product so why is it that some scents come through to me just fine but others are simply not there?  Will the scent present itself with further use?

On another note, I own three of your synthetic brushes, the 22, 24, and the Kong.  These brushes are absolutely amazing.  While I enjoy and use all three a lot, my favorite remains the Kong.  I was just wondering, of all of your synthetic brushes, does one sell better than the others and, if it's not a secret, which of them sells the best?  How do the synthetics sell in comparison to your badgers?

Again, thanks for doing this AMA and for bringing such great products to the wet shaving community.

Thank you for the compliments, Freddy!

I don't have the the full scientific answer, but there are some studies regarding "noseblindness." It is a fully legitimate phenomenon, and even I have issues with it. There are some scents that I make that I can't smell very well, and not at all one some days. I have to ask Mandy or Laura to verify some batches of soap before I okay them to be wrapped, capped and labeled.

I do know that moving to different area or smelling your clothes can help "reset" your olfactory sense. Exercise, strangely enough, is also good for making your sense of smell better. As for as regaining the ability to smell certain scents, I don't have an answer for that. Which is why I still on a weekly basis have to ask Mandy "Does this Sharp Dressed Man soap smell normal?"

All that said, for the Arkadia what you are experiencing is not rare. I've found over the years that customers who own the originals colognes that dupes are modeled after often have issues with the dupes in soap form. My best guess would be that would be a combination between the lower strength of the fragrance in the soap as compared to the EdT, along with a psychological/cognitive factor in how humans perceive and deal with scents. Hopefully Will from Barrister and Mann will do an AMA here soon, and I can get a better answer from him. :-)

The synths all sell at about the same level. They do sell faster than the badgers, simply based on price. Also, it's still really hard to convince some customers that you can get a really nice badger brush at the price at which I sell them.

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#32

Merchant
Arkansas
(03-18-2017, 05:22 PM)Mike Hoffman Wrote: What is your go-to/favorite setup where you know you will get a great shave?
Cold or hot?
Razor?
Blade?
Soap?
Aftershave, balm, or both?
Anything else I'm missing?
This AMA inspired me to get out my Executive Man soap (1st ever artisan soap) and shave with it just now. BBS!
Thanks again!!

My most used set up right now is

Delta Echo refinished Gillette Slim
24mm Stirling badger in bulb
Stirling Gentleman Soap and aftershave
Unscented post shave balm with menthol
Feather Blade

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#33

Merchant
Arkansas
(03-18-2017, 05:31 PM)chompers66 Wrote: Hi Rod & Mandy!

I think I remember on another AMA I recall you mention something about selling dopp kits? Is that still in the works? I would love to have a Stirling-branded bag to take on trips!

It is still in the works. We've just had to pause quite a few of the projects until after the expansion. I really can't wait to get those on the site, as they are really nice.
#34

Merchant
Arkansas
(03-18-2017, 02:30 PM)gobeavs Wrote: Hey guys! What is the ETA for the spring/summer stuff being released? Also, do you guys use other artisan soap products or do you mostly stick with your own? (If yes, which are some of your favorites?) Thanks!

Totally whiffed on the second part of your question. I typically stick to my own stuff as it's what I know and it's readily available, and honestly, I'm making it for myself. Most of the scents that are unique to Stirling (Gatlinburg, Gentleman, Ben Franklin, and a few others) I designed myself based on my own personal tastes. That said, I have been branching out and trying to support other artisans. I've got some Chatillon Lux and Soap Commander stuff, and I plan on buying some Barrister and Mann and Chiseled Face as soon as all the construction and taxes are done and I have some spare coin.

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#35

Posting Freak
(This post was last modified: 03-18-2017, 06:15 PM by Marko.)
Hi Rod, I love your products and I'm enjoying this AMA. I also like the measured way you've built and expanded your business. Taking it slow increases the odds that you're going to be here for the long haul. That will be good for everybody.

My question is regarding your Pharaoh's Dreamsicle shave soap. The performance is the usual Stirling awesome and the scent is incredible but there is something in it that irritates my skin - slight burning. Do you know what that might be? Its really too bad because I love the scent. The only other soap thats caused this reaction in me was a Barrister and Mann soap - Winter Spice, I couldn't use that one either.

I'm also quite pleased that you've increased your product line being offered by Canadian Blade Co. - that makes your products much more affordable from a shipping cost perspective. He's just a couple hundred miles down the road from me so shipping is very reasonable.
Thanks,
Marko

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#36

Merchant
Arkansas
(03-18-2017, 06:13 PM)Marko Wrote: Hi Rod, I love your products and I'm enjoying this AMA. I also like the measured way you've built and expanded your business. Taking it slow increases the odds that you're going to be here for the long haul. That will be good for everybody.

My question is regarding your Pharaoh's Dreamsicle shave soap. The performance is the usual Stirling awesome and the scent is incredible but there is something in it that irritates my skin - slight burning. Do you know what that might be? Its really too bad because I love the scent. The only other soap thats caused this reaction in me was a Barrister and Mann soap - Winter Spice, I couldn't use that one either.

I'm also quite pleased that you've increased your product line being offered by Canadian Blade Co. - that makes your products much more affordable from a shipping cost perspective. He's just a couple hundred miles down the road from me so shipping is very reasonable.
Thanks,
Marko

Hi Marko, and thank you very much!

The musk in the dreamsicle is synthetic, so that is always a possibility. There are so many different fragrance components that make up synthetic fragrance oil blends that it can be difficult to pin down exactly what in them could be causing an individual irritation. If none of our other soaps irritate you, then it would be a safe bet. The only other scenting agents in that soap are orange 5-fold essential oil, blood orange essential oil, and vanilla.

As for Canadian Blade, he's been a great addition to us. International shipping costs, even to Canada, are stupidly high. We just don't do enough international business to get the rates that customers can get from other webstores. That inevitably leads to angry emails wanting to know why we charge so much for shipping, when the truth is we are only charging what the post office charges us. It's a win, win, win situation. We have less emails and hassle, Jon at Canadian Blade has a growing business, and Canadian customers can get products without being hit with high shipping charges or duties, and they can also get our aftershaves.

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#37

Merchant
Arkansas
Be back shortly, all. I promise my son a quick game of Super Smash Brothers after lunch. BRB.

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#38

Posting Freak
(03-18-2017, 06:23 PM)ezlovan Wrote:
(03-18-2017, 06:13 PM)Marko Wrote: Hi Rod, I love your products and I'm enjoying this AMA.  I also like the measured way you've built and expanded your business.  Taking it slow increases the odds that you're going to be here for the long haul.  That will be good for everybody.

My question is regarding your Pharaoh's Dreamsicle shave soap.  The performance is the usual Stirling awesome and the scent is incredible but there is something in it that irritates my skin - slight burning.  Do you know what that might be?  Its really too bad because I love the scent.  The only other soap thats caused this reaction in me was a Barrister and Mann soap - Winter Spice, I couldn't use that one either.

I'm also quite pleased that you've increased your product line being offered by Canadian Blade Co. - that makes your products much more affordable from a shipping cost perspective.  He's just a couple hundred miles down the road from me so shipping is very reasonable.  
Thanks,
Marko

Hi Marko, and thank you very much!

The musk in the dreamsicle is synthetic, so that is always a possibility. There are so many different fragrance components that make up synthetic fragrance oil blends that it can be difficult to pin down exactly what in them could be causing an individual irritation. If none of our other soaps irritate you, then it would be a safe bet. The only other scenting agents in that soap are orange 5-fold essential oil, blood orange essential oil, and vanilla.

As for Canadian Blade, he's been a great addition to us. International shipping costs, even to Canada, are stupidly high. We just don't do enough international business to get the rates that customers can get from other webstores. That inevitably leads to angry emails wanting to know why we charge so much for shipping, when the truth is we are only charging what the post office charges us. It's a win, win, win situation. We have less emails and hassle, Jon at Canadian Blade has a growing business, and Canadian customers can get products without being hit with high shipping charges or duties, and they can also get our aftershaves.

Thanks for the information - would you know if that reaction is something a person can build a tolerance for? As I said, the Pharaoho's Dreamsicle is a nice scent and if I knew that I could get used to it I'd persevere. I've had no other issues with your soaps - I'm on a Baker Street kick right now, we're renovating the master bathroom so everything is packed up and I pulled out a few soaps, razors, aftershaves to get me through and Baker Street is one of them. Really nice, and there is some value in using the same set up for a few consecutive days. You get to figure things out a little better than when you change everything up every day.
Thanks,
Marko

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#39
(03-18-2017, 06:23 PM)ezlovan Wrote:
(03-18-2017, 06:13 PM)Marko Wrote: Hi Rod, I love your products and I'm enjoying this AMA. I also like the measured way you've built and expanded your business. Taking it slow increases the odds that you're going to be here for the long haul. That will be good for everybody.

My question is regarding your Pharaoh's Dreamsicle shave soap. The performance is the usual Stirling awesome and the scent is incredible but there is something in it that irritates my skin - slight burning. Do you know what that might be? Its really too bad because I love the scent. The only other soap thats caused this reaction in me was a Barrister and Mann soap - Winter Spice, I couldn't use that one either.

I'm also quite pleased that you've increased your product line being offered by Canadian Blade Co. - that makes your products much more affordable from a shipping cost perspective. He's just a couple hundred miles down the road from me so shipping is very reasonable.
Thanks,
Marko

Hi Marko, and thank you very much!

The musk in the dreamsicle is synthetic, so that is always a possibility. There are so many different fragrance components that make up synthetic fragrance oil blends that it can be difficult to pin down exactly what in them could be causing an individual irritation. If none of our other soaps irritate you, then it would be a safe bet. The only other scenting agents in that soap are orange 5-fold essential oil, blood orange essential oil, and vanilla.

As for Canadian Blade, he's been a great addition to us. International shipping costs, even to Canada, are stupidly high. We just don't do enough international business to get the rates that customers can get from other webstores. That inevitably leads to angry emails wanting to know why we charge so much for shipping, when the truth is we are only charging what the post office charges us. It's a win, win, win situation. We have less emails and hassle, Jon at Canadian Blade has a growing business, and Canadian customers can get products without being hit with high shipping charges or duties, and they can also get our aftershaves.
Hi again Rod,

I also wanted to all about a soap that irritated me....the Sandalwood.

I was able to get through a shave, buy the soap did cause my skin to itch and burn just a little. Any idea what could cause that? I'm not sure if it has cinnamon or not, and thought that might be.

I'm really bummed because Sandalwood is my current favorite scent and I REALLY liked your take on it.

Thanks again for doing this AMA. You and Mandy really are wonderful people. You have a customer for life right here

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#40

That Bald Guy with the Big Beard
Bishop, CA
(03-18-2017, 04:59 PM)ezlovan Wrote:
(03-18-2017, 04:11 PM)BadDad Wrote: I don't really have a question. I just want to take the opportunity to thank you for providing such tremendous value to all of us. Your brushes, soaps, and splashes all sit at the top of my rotation, and even at bargain prices your customer service has always been top notch. In my opinion, you set the bar for both quality and service. Well done!

I guess to be official...have you ever considered looking into offering shavettes or straight razors? I know straights would likely run a fair bit higher than your other products but what about a Stirling branded shavette? I'd be all over that!


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Thank you. I really appreciate that.

As for the shavettes, we've looked into it but I just don't have enough experience to make a determination yet. I will seek you out as a tester when the day come, though. We should have straights up on the website soon. We're going to be working with a very respected honemeister to start offering vintage straights and strops. I'm actually awaiting the first shipment as we speak.


Straights on the Stirling site? You just made my year! I am excitedly looking forward to that release!


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-Chris~Head Shaver~


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