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Williams mug soap

doctordial

my brain goes "thonk"
First that came to my mind was soap for shaving your mug, not soap to bathe with. LOL. Anyway.... I saw a puck on ebay for $3 and some change. I couldn't pass it up! These days I'm looking for inexpensive soaps that perform well. I used my first release of Oceana today and it works well for me. My urge to buy something kicked in so I ordered the William's and I have a sample of Saponificio Varesino and a sample of Mitchell's Wool Fat on the way in the mail. Can anybody give me a heads up of what to expect from these soaps?
 

luvmysuper

My elbows leak
Staff member
This is a widely available soap that you can buy at Walgreens for about $1.50 (at least online), it isn't expensive at all. It used to be a premier soap that was well praised, and the vintage version still is.
The current version is still well liked by many - but it is vehemently hated by as many.
My personal opinion is that it's still a good soap. It lathers very similar to Mitchells Wool Fat, so if you like MWF, you'll probably like Williams.
 

thombrogan

Lounging On The Isle Of Tugsley.
My second first puck of Williams arrived this afternoon. It’s airing out in the creepy part of the basement right now. It’s got a disrespectful amount of citronella in it, but I’ve been told it dissipates leaving just a surly amount eventually. Can’t wait to stop waiting and try it.
 

luvmysuper

My elbows leak
Staff member
My second first puck of Williams arrived this afternoon. It’s airing out in the creepy part of the basement right now. It’s got a disrespectful amount of citronella in it, but I’ve been told it dissipates leaving just a surly amount eventually. Can’t wait to stop waiting and try it.

It does have a strong puck smell, but the lather produced by the puck doesn't really have the same level of pungency.
 

doctordial

my brain goes "thonk"
My second first puck of Williams arrived this afternoon. It’s airing out in the creepy part of the basement right now. It’s got a disrespectful amount of citronella in it, but I’ve been told it dissipates leaving just a surly amount eventually. Can’t wait to stop waiting and try it.
Citronella huh? Like a citronella candle? How long does it take to let that air out and dissipate? I read that Stirling's Electric Sheep is similar in scent. I want to try that because it's made with mutton tallow. All of this because I want a soap with the slickness of Tabac without the Tabac fragrance.
 

thombrogan

Lounging On The Isle Of Tugsley.
I opened the container this afternoon. Don’t know when it will be ready.

Stirling’s lineup is very impressive so I hope Electric Sheep is a hit with you.
 
Guys, guys, guys! Williams Mug is a fine soap, lathers very easily if it isn't allowed to dry out. I shaved with it yesterday (applied directly to my face from a grated-in-a-stick puck) and got the full nostalgic hit of barbershop goodness.

After using it as my main soap from my late teens to my early 60s, I fail to understand the brouhaha over the scent, any recipe changes, or the difficult-to-lather claims.

I used it first in classic 'cheap boar brush left in the coffee mug' mode but after a couple decades was given a Plisson badger and a big fancy pants pewter mug. Even giving the puck some access to dry air between shaves did not lower its latherability.

> @luvmysuper is correct that the lather is not pungent. On the YMMV front, I am not offended by either Arko or Tabac. I was offended by After the Rain, because its very pleasant scent is barely perceptible.
> I failed to notice the infamous Williams recipe change.
> I have never tried to make a cream pie lather from Williams, but I have always gotten plenty of slickness and comfort. It takes and holds plenty of water. Lather is mainly a verb in my den, and stubble hydration, rather than slathering fat on face, is the goal.

Yeah, three dollars for a puck is highway robbery. I have never bought a puck outside of a brick-and-mortar store. This photo is from a high-end, highly organic kind of grocery store - buck and a half:
FDAA293F-CC86-4A9C-BE1F-2815EFDAA694.jpeg
 

doctordial

my brain goes "thonk"
Guys, guys, guys! Williams Mug is a fine soap, lathers very easily if it isn't allowed to dry out. I shaved with it yesterday (applied directly to my face from a grated-in-a-stick puck) and got the full nostalgic hit of barbershop goodness.

After using it as my main soap from my late teens to my early 60s, I fail to understand the brouhaha over the scent, any recipe changes, or the difficult-to-lather claims.

I used it first in classic 'cheap boar brush left in the coffee mug' mode but after a couple decades was given a Plisson badger and a big fancy pants pewter mug. Even giving the puck some access to dry air between shaves did not lower its latherability.

> @luvmysuper is correct that the lather is not pungent. On the YMMV front, I am not offended by either Arko or Tabac. I was offended by After the Rain, because its very pleasant scent is barely perceptible.
> I failed to notice the infamous Williams recipe change.
> I have never tried to make a cream pie lather from Williams, but I have always gotten plenty of slickness and comfort. It takes and holds plenty of water. Lather is mainly a verb in my den, and stubble hydration, rather than slathering fat on face, is the goal.

Yeah, three dollars for a puck is highway robbery. I have never bought a puck outside of a brick-and-mortar store. This photo is from a high-end, highly organic kind of grocery store - buck and a half:
View attachment 1316780
I wish I knew Walgreen's carry's it. I would have gotten it from there. It's one up the street from me. I just didn't think Walgreen's would have something like that. The first I see is canned shaving cream when I go into the shaving isle and the Gillette multi blade razors and refills. I guess it depends where you are located.
 

doctordial

my brain goes "thonk"
Guys, guys, guys! Williams Mug is a fine soap, lathers very easily if it isn't allowed to dry out. I shaved with it yesterday (applied directly to my face from a grated-in-a-stick puck) and got the full nostalgic hit of barbershop goodness.

After using it as my main soap from my late teens to my early 60s, I fail to understand the brouhaha over the scent, any recipe changes, or the difficult-to-lather claims.

I used it first in classic 'cheap boar brush left in the coffee mug' mode but after a couple decades was given a Plisson badger and a big fancy pants pewter mug. Even giving the puck some access to dry air between shaves did not lower its latherability.

> @luvmysuper is correct that the lather is not pungent. On the YMMV front, I am not offended by either Arko or Tabac. I was offended by After the Rain, because its very pleasant scent is barely perceptible.
> I failed to notice the infamous Williams recipe change.
> I have never tried to make a cream pie lather from Williams, but I have always gotten plenty of slickness and comfort. It takes and holds plenty of water. Lather is mainly a verb in my den, and stubble hydration, rather than slathering fat on face, is the goal.

Yeah, three dollars for a puck is highway robbery. I have never bought a puck outside of a brick-and-mortar store. This photo is from a high-end, highly organic kind of grocery store - buck and a half:
View attachment 1316780
You were right, Walgreen's carry's it fir $1.49, but I have to order it.
 
I recently purchased three pucks on Amazon $1.50 each. I just opened the package a few hours ago and tested it with a palm lather. The scent is a clean lemon and citronella IMHO works out great for a shave soap. For me the scent was rather light and don't get how to people act like it's the worst thing they ever smelled. As for the lather I wasn't impressed it came out very airy with lack of cushion. I admit it was very slick. If you enjoy Williams scent you'll love Stirling Electric Sheep its like it except on steroids. Also the lemon note on Electric Sheep is more of a candy lemon drop scent. I also recently purchased Stirling Electric Sheep in the Glacial form and I love it. Menthol and mutton I can't think of any soap on the market like it.
 
Do you have a WinCo Grocery? Last time I was in the one near me, probably last year, they had it on the shelf for about $1.10 I think. Not sure if they still have it or what the price is now though.
 
Do you have a WinCo Grocery? Last time I was in the one near me, probably last year, they had it on the shelf for about $1.10 I think. Not sure if they still have it or what the price is now though.

That might be the cheapest inflation-adjusted price for Williams ever. I wish I could remember the price of a puck circa 1970.
 
I don't find the scent a turn-off. To me it smells like a vintage shave soap. It's slick as snail snot. The trick is to use a TON of water. Whenever I lather up Williams I use a sopping wet Omega Pro 49 and load it like I hate it for at least 45 seconds. I have no issues with the result what so ever. My dad stole my puck and I've been meaning to get another one.
 
As soon as I am out of quarantine, I'll take a bike ride to a Winco. I'm surrounded by grocers and chain drugstores within walking distance, so I've yet to go into a Winco. Not that I'm walking/shopping anywhere for another week or so.
 

Ad Astra

The Instigator
Guys, guys, guys! Williams Mug is a fine soap, lathers very easily if it isn't allowed to dry out. I shaved with it yesterday (applied directly to my face from a grated-in-a-stick puck) and got the full nostalgic hit of barbershop goodness.

After using it as my main soap from my late teens to my early 60s, I fail to understand the brouhaha over the scent, any recipe changes, or the difficult-to-lather claims.

I used it first in classic 'cheap boar brush left in the coffee mug' mode but after a couple decades was given a Plisson badger and a big fancy pants pewter mug. Even giving the puck some access to dry air between shaves did not lower its latherability.

> @luvmysuper is correct that the lather is not pungent. On the YMMV front, I am not offended by either Arko or Tabac. I was offended by After the Rain, because its very pleasant scent is barely perceptible.
> I failed to notice the infamous Williams recipe change.
> I have never tried to make a cream pie lather from Williams, but I have always gotten plenty of slickness and comfort. It takes and holds plenty of water. Lather is mainly a verb in my den, and stubble hydration, rather than slathering fat on face, is the goal.

Yeah, three dollars for a puck is highway robbery. I have never bought a puck outside of a brick-and-mortar store. This photo is from a high-end, highly organic kind of grocery store - buck and a half:
View attachment 1316780

🤔 Whatever you do, don't buy that Herban Cowboy... Smells nice, but it'll end its days in the shower. Not a shave soap.


AA
 
There have been some posts about Williams on B&B recently, so I picked up a puck from Amazon, $1.49 with free Prime shipping. I've used it only three days but I'd say it's an excellent soap with a mild soapy scent and great, tallow-based lather. There are other soaps I like a little better, but Williams is a pleasure and I'll use it through September at least. Thanks for reminding that Williams is still around. May it remain forever!
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
My second first puck of Williams arrived this afternoon. It’s airing out in the creepy part of the basement right now. It’s got a disrespectful amount of citronella in it, but I’ve been told it dissipates leaving just a surly amount eventually. Can’t wait to stop waiting and try it.
The lather can dissipate easily but you can work with that with experience. It is an OK soap and has always been just an OK soap in my experience. I prefer Arko over Williams, new and old. Arko is a very old soap with much better and easier performance with the same but stronger citronella scent and cost.
 
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