Why no love for TFS?

They are the same as RazoRock just different scents. You don't see many people raving about RR soaps anymore either...

The reason is that the competition that's out there now far surpasses them. Sure, they're not bad soaps for the price, but I think most wetshavers out there would rather pay a little bit more for a higher quality product. Just my 2 cents worth...

While I have not purchased TFS directly I believe they have done some of Razorocks soaps - LA Famigila line Don Marko being one of these. Not sure if this is still the case as the soap base has changed from what I have. Please correct me if I am wrong. Seems there is a lot of this. I don't mind it just wish you could always know up front.

***Looks like wyze0ne beat me to the punch. Quick hands sir. I salute you.

TFS soap base is not the same as Razorock, at least not the same as their XXX. I discarded the Razorock XXX I purchased due to poor performance. The soap base from TFS is best in class in my experience. They may have made some soap for Razorock, though I don't think it is fair to TFS to put them in the same class across the whole Razorock line, certainly not the XXX.

Where I do agree is that other soap makers have done a better job with scents and packaging.

Gosh. I'd completely forgotten about TFS (guess many others have also)

From what I recall there were other soaps that were just more appealing.

I hardly ever see comments related to TFS (Tcheon Fung Sing) shaving soap and wonder why that is.  After all, they have been in business for 70 years.  I have some ideas, though would like to hear what others say.

Here is my take.  It is hands down one of the best soap bases I have ever used.  Having said that, there are many awesome soap bases now and top shelf soaps aren't appreciably better than other quality soaps in my opinion.  Gaining customers requires more than a good soap base these days.  Scent and packaging matter.

The scents simply don't work for me.  While I love the Tabac soap base, I really don't like the scent.  The scents are in the category of Tabac to me.   The next time I purchase TFS it will be in Sandalwood or a scent that is very basic.

Next, I don't like the labels or packaging.  B&M and Stirling have set the standard in packaging for me.  The artwork on Seville, Russe and the new Lavanille soaps are awesome - something I want to walk into the bathroom to see.   While I like B&M and Stirling tubs best, I can live with the ones used by TFS.  Many of the labels aren't appealing to me.

Anyway, enough from me, what is your take on TFS.

Maybe I can shed some light on this for you. I currently have 4 TFS soaps. They are Sing Lime & Spezie, Ginestra di Taormina Forte due, Zagara Gelsomino Forte dur and Arancio Amaro Forte dur. These soaps were just wrapped in paper and attached a label. See photo below. They are no longer manufactured. All of the TFS now come in plastic tubs and I believe the recipe is different. There is one company I will not name that has them on their web site (back ordered) but they refuse to remove them even though they are no longer available. There is one mail order house that does stock their news plastic tub soaps and there appears to be about two dozen different soaps. I wish I could get my hands on the old paper wrapped ones.

They are the same as RazoRock just different scents. You don't see many people raving about RR soaps anymore either...

The reason is that the competition that's out there now far surpasses them. Sure, they're not bad soaps for the price, but I think most wetshavers out there would rather pay a little bit more for a higher quality product. Just my 2 cents worth...

While I have not purchased TFS directly I believe they have done some of Razorocks soaps - LA Famigila line Don Marko being one of these. Not sure if this is still the case as the soap base has changed from what I have. Please correct me if I am wrong. Seems there is a lot of this. I don't mind it just wish you could always know up front.

***Looks like wyze0ne beat me to the punch. Quick hands sir. I salute you.

TFS soap base is not the same as Razorock, at least not the same as their XXX. I discarded the Razorock XXX I purchased due to poor performance. The soap base from TFS is best in class in my experience. They may have made some soap for Razorock, though I don't think it is fair to TFS to put them in the same class across the whole Razorock line, certainly not the XXX.

Where I do agree is that other soap makers have done a better job with scents and packaging.

Well, I know at one point I had both RR Zi'Peppino and TFS Tabacco Verde and the ingredients and scent were exactly the same. I assumed the performance was the same, but I never actually used the TFS. I put it in part of a trade I made. I've been using the likes of B&M, Mike's and Stirling, etc. for the better part of the last year so one day I decided to bust out the Zi'Pepp. I like the scent a lot, but I was sorely (literally) disappointed with the resulting shave and irritation.

They are the same as RazoRock just different scents. You don't see many people raving about RR soaps anymore either...

The reason is that the competition that's out there now far surpasses them. Sure, they're not bad soaps for the price, but I think most wetshavers out there would rather pay a little bit more for a higher quality product. Just my 2 cents worth...

While I have not purchased TFS directly I believe they have done some of Razorocks soaps - LA Famigila line Don Marko being one of these. Not sure if this is still the case as the soap base has changed from what I have. Please correct me if I am wrong. Seems there is a lot of this. I don't mind it just wish you could always know up front.

***Looks like wyze0ne beat me to the punch. Quick hands sir. I salute you.

TFS soap base is not the same as Razorock, at least not the same as their XXX. I discarded the Razorock XXX I purchased due to poor performance. The soap base from TFS is best in class in my experience. They may have made some soap for Razorock, though I don't think it is fair to TFS to put them in the same class across the whole Razorock line, certainly not the XXX.

Where I do agree is that other soap makers have done a better job with scents and packaging.

Well, I know at one point I had both RR Zi'Peppino and TFS Tabacco Verde and the ingredients and scent were exactly the same. I assumed the performance was the same, but I never actually used the TFS. I put it in part of a trade I made. I've been using the likes of B&M, Mike's and Stirling, etc. for the better part of the last year so one day I decided to bust out the Zi'Pepp. I like the scent a lot, but I was sorely (literally) disappointed with the resulting shave and irritation.

No XXX was not a part of the La Famiglia line. I believe their were 4 and this goes back to like 2012. I think they were Don Marco, Zi'Peppino, Cumba Cheech OB & Jasmine, Nono Michelino Sandalwood. I'm not sure when changes were made. I have XXX, XX, Moroccan Secret, SMdF, and Don Marco and they all have different ingredients. Razorock has a lot of soap bases.

I remember when their Bergamot & Neroli scent began to be increasingly present in conversations years ago, back when you had to buy it overseas (I believe directly from them) and it was around 30 dollars shipped. At that time, it was regarded as a fantastic soap with a pleasant orange creamsicle scent. This scent would ultimately become Don Marco in the Razorock line. TFS has made several soaps for Razorock and in my opinion it resulted in two things: 1) It really got their name out there and now many people have tried their soaps. 2) It severely devalued their own brand because their soaps became so ubiquitous and priced so low. I do think the influx of new artisans plays a role in the lack of enthusiasm for their products as well.

I'm not sure if this is the case, though I think TFS may have transferred to a new generation in the relatively recent past, which would explain a lot, perhaps a great grand daughter. Some of the labels seem more like a teen would like an example being the BFF soap.

I agree that being associated with Razorock was a blessing and curse. As TFS made some soap for them, people group them together.

Even so, while the performance of the base is excellent, I don't like any of the scents and I have five of their soaps. I re-scented them, though most folks aren't setup and/or interested in doing that.

One theme is common here. There are too many great soaps to settle for less. I want a great base, good scents and attractive packaging. There are enough that have all three that none of us have to settle for less.

Pete123, how did you go about "rescenting" your soaps? Just curious.

You take the soap and either grate it or shred it if it is a puck. The TFS is more of a croap so I just mashed it flat.

You then use a double boiler or crock pot (low setting) to melt it down, stirring often so that it isevenly melted. The heat will cause most, if not all, of the scent to evaporate. Putting a little water in the mix (like a Tbsp and no more) will cause it to set as a very soft croap, which I like. Not quite a cream, but pretty close.

Next would be taking it off the stove and stirring in the scent oil.

If anyone wants to actually do this I can provide more detail, like where to get scent oil and how much to use. The amount is really important - too much and you won't be able to shave with it.

Think about scents that you really like. You can purchase the scent oil for those. I created an awesome citrus scent. Also, I really like the patchouli, Frankencinse, sandalwood types of scents as well.

Just to bring out the dead here. Just had my menthol Monday with the likes of TFS Sotto Zero.
Outstanding shave today. Zero irritation and really slick. The cooling factor is limited but enjoyable. This "croap" is staying in the rotation.


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