Another Vintage Williams thread.

[Slivovitz]

Just so we know where we stand, I'm a big fan of the modern version of Williams. If it won't work for you, I'm sorry, but it works great for me. This isn't about that, though. It's about the one puck of vintage Williams that I got a while back, and have been using for the past three days.

The puck I got came with a special offer for a bicentennial shaving mug. That makes it 34 years old, maybe 35 if they were pushing their commemoratives early. Some tallow had leeched out of the soap, and it was hard to peel off the paper it was wrapped in. Eventually I scraped the last bits of it off with a scalpel blade, which I figured would waste less soap than soaking it. A few slivers came off, and I threw them at the bottom of the mug.

The soap lathers very easily. I've learned to make a good lather with the modern stuff, but I don't think you'd even need to learn with this (I always face-lather by the way). Compared to modern Williams, I think it may be a bit more cushiony and less slick. At any rate, the texture is somehow different. It lasts a good long time.

The smell is slightly musty, but basically neutral. I'd say that the plain soap aroma of modern Williams is stronger, except that the original scent of the vintage stuff has probably just faded. Anyway, I like it the way it is.

After getting three excellent shaves with it, yes I'm a fan, and I'd even say that I like it slightly better than the modern stuff. I wouldn't pay ridiculous amounts for it, but I'd pay in the range of $4-5 a puck if the opportunity came up. More than that . . . well, it's not that much better than the modern stuff.

 

[Seraphim]

Just so we know where we stand, I'm a big fan of the modern version of Williams.....

I'm sorry, I stopped reading after that part.....










The old stuff is definitely better, and a different beast altogether.

 

[michiganlover]

I'm sorry, I stopped reading after that part.....

The old stuff is definitely better, and a different beast altogether.

I think everyone knows where I stand on the current verision of Williams, and yes the old stuff is an excellent Tallow based soap. New VS. Old is a night, and day difference.

Happy to hear the Vintage Williams has lived up to your high expectations!!

 

[Slivovitz]

I think everyone knows where I stand on the current verision of Williams, and yes the old stuff is an excellent Tallow based soap. New VS. Old is a night, and day difference. . . .

Well, I might buy Noon and 4:00 PM. Speaking of which . . . (looks at clock)

Yes, on the subject of the current Williams I know your opinion and you know mine. De gustibus non est disputandum; we've simply had different results with it, and no amount of discussion will change that. At any rate, we agree that the old stuff is well worth trying.

 

[Seraphim]

Well, I might buy Noon and 4:00 PM. Speaking of which . . . (looks at clock)

Yes, on the subject of the current Williams I know your opinion and you know mine. De gustibus non est disputandum; we've simply had different results with it, and no amount of discussion will change that. At any rate, we agree that the old stuff is well worth trying.

Whoa, Nelly! Not so fast, Sonny!

I see what you're up to here, and I'll have none of it....trying to find common ground, a spirit of detant', in a Williams thread? No sir! That must be against the Terms Of Use agreements or something!

 

[michiganlover]

Whoa, Nelly! Not so fast, Sonny!

I see what you're up to here, and I'll have none of it....trying to find common ground, a spirit of detant', in a Williams thread? No sir! That must be against the Terms Of Use agreements or something!

+1

No sitting on the fence about Williams. Pick your side, and prepare for a long, painful battle to the death.

 

[Greybeard]

Si vis pacem, para bellum.
Ceterum autem censeo Williams esse delendam.

Edit:
If you want peace, prepare for war.
And furthermore, Williams must be wiped out.

 

[Slivovitz]

Si vis pacem, para bellum.
Ceterum autem censeo Williams esse delendam.

So you're implying that Carthage was destroyed because they disagreed with Rome about Williams? Wow, and I thought people took it too seriously around here.

 

[GreekGuy]

I picked up some williams with some pocket change to see what all the ruckus is about. Quite frankly, I dont find it difficult to lather at all. Its very smooth. I'd say its almost as good as CADE. The smell isnt as intoxicating, but I still love it. Its a great soap, at a fantastic price. I know people will disagree with me and everyone will debate till the world ends, but I'm a fan.

 

[mblakele]

Si vis pacem, para bellum.
Ceterum autem censeo Williams esse delendam.

Edit:
If you want peace, prepare for war.
And furthermore, Williams must be wiped out.

One shave at a time.

 

[DFrancis]

+1

No sitting on the fence about Williams. Pick your side, and prepare for a long, painful battle to the death.

hey, that's Veg talk that is.

 

[Slivovitz]

I picked up some williams with some pocket change to see what all the ruckus is about. Quite frankly, I dont find it difficult to lather at all. Its very smooth. I'd say its almost as good as CADE. The smell isnt as intoxicating, but I still love it. Its a great soap, at a fantastic price. I know people will disagree with me and everyone will debate till the world ends, but I'm a fan.

I'm sure that the more exaggerated anti-Williams statements around here are just Internet hyperbole. They can't really be having that much trouble with it can they? Anyway, yes, both the old and the new Williams are good stuff, but definitely try some of the old if you can get it at a reasonable price.

 

[Seraphim]

I picked up some williams with some pocket change to see what all the ruckus is about. Quite frankly, I dont find it difficult to lather at all. Its very smooth. I'd say its almost as good as CADE. The smell isnt as intoxicating, but I still love it. Its a great soap, at a fantastic price. I know people will disagree with me and everyone will debate till the world ends, but I'm a fan.

Beware Greeks bearing Williams!

 

[GreekGuy]

Beware Greeks bearing Williams!

Haha, sounds like a battle is looming on the horizon. Williams will no longer succumb to the oppression and neglect he has suffered for so long by so many

 

[Seraphim]

Haha, sounds like a battle is looming on the horizon. Williams will no longer succumb to the oppression and neglect he has suffered for so long by so many

In keeping with the Trojan theme-

Williams: The soap that launched a thousand nicks....

 

[mkc1mjb]

I picked up some williams with some pocket change to see what all the ruckus is about. Quite frankly, I dont find it difficult to lather at all. Its very smooth. I'd say its almost as good as CADE. The smell isnt as intoxicating, but I still love it. Its a great soap, at a fantastic price. I know people will disagree with me and everyone will debate till the world ends, but I'm a fan.

I recently tried Williams for the first time as well. It was easy to lather and I received a good close shave. Maybe I'm missing something here...why is the house so divided on this one?

 

[americanarmsdealer]

I recently tried Williams for the first time as well. It was easy to lather and I received a good close shave. Maybe I'm missing something here...why is the house so divided on this one?

I've found Williams extremely easy to lather, as well. In fact, it was the 1st shave soap I ever used, so I didn't even know what I was doing and I built a good lather with it. I almost can't wait until my current puck of VDH runs out so I can replace it with some Williams for another go at this great soap.

Sometimes I think it gets bashed on so hard because some of the guys buy $20 or $30 pucks and don't want to admit a $1.40 puck gives just as good a shave! Plus, a poor, defenseless puck makes an easy target for misdirected anger!

 

[michiganlover]

Sometimes I think it gets bashed on so hard because some of the guys buy $20 or $30 pucks and don't want to admit a $1.40 puck gives just as good a shave! Plus, a poor, defenseless puck makes an easy target for misdirected anger!

That certainly isn't the case for me; I use, and like VDH. I have used at least 2-3 pucks of Williams attempting to get something resembling a usable lather from it. I have tried multiple techniques, and have had zero success with it. I even committed to using it every day for a week, to try to learn the magic of making it work; I had no success.

Then I discovered Vintage Williams, and just how good it used to be. It used to be an easy to lather beast!!

My current hatred for it stems from the current formulation being an absolute abomination compared to what it used to be.

 

[Seraphim]

That certainly isn't the case for me; I use, and like VDH. I have used at least 2-3 pucks of Williams attempting to get something resembling a usable lather from it. I have tried multiple techniques, and have had zero success with it. I even committed to using it every day for a week, to try to learn the magic of making it work; I had no success.

Then I discovered Vintage Williams, and just how good it used to be. It used to be an easy to lather beast!!

My current hatred for it stems from the current formulation being an absolute abomination compared to what it used to be.

What he said.

I really , REALLY wanted to like Williams, to the point of trying, and retrying every trick in the book. It simply is a thin lathering crummy soap. As Michigan says, the old Williams was indeed a high quality product, but the new stuff shares nothing in common except the name. The idea that when you use the new stuff you are using a "traditional" soap that grandpa used to use is a big mistake, because the stuff grandpa used to use was indeed excellent.

 

[Seraphim]

My current hatred for it stems from the current formulation being an absolute abomination compared to what it used to be.

Face the fact, you hated Williams long before trying the old formulation goodness!