Another Williams thread

[Rusty Blade]

I have to begin by saying that I have been a faithful Williams user for over 40 years and while many have bemoaned the difficulty building a lather with this soap I never seemed to have that problem. An initial blooming, naturally soft water, a bit of brush work, and daily use will solve the lather problem. It is, or should be, a staple in any shave den. It is part of wet shaving history, worthy of being in the shaving Hall of Fame.

It is inexpensive, has a pleasant clean soap scent with lemony undertones, it lasts forever on the shelf, you can buy it in almost any grocery or drug store and its a good soap to have on stockpile. I used it back in the days of the tallow formula and the modern Williams, while not quite the same, is still a fine soap.

This is a question for the newer members to B&B and to wet-shaving. Have you tried Williams? Maybe some of the experienced Williams aficionados might like to chime in on the benefits of this soap.

 

[PeteVK]

I've tried it, but what I find interesting is how some users describe a lemony scent, which is not what I smell at all. When I smell Williams, I get a clean soap smell, almost like what I imagine a classic shave soap should smell like. Interesting how our noses can perceive things so differently.

 

[Rusty Blade]

I've tried it, but what I find interesting is how some users describe a lemony scent, which is not what I smell at all. When I smell Williams, I get a clean soap smell, almost like what I imagine a classic shave soap should smell like. Interesting how are noses can perceive things so differently.

You are correct, Williams is a clean soap scent, though there are lemon undertones. I will revise my post. Thanks for catching that one.

 

[GaryTha]

WILLIAMS SOAP

Williams is now the only soap I own. I have used it for the last 279 consecutive shaves (314 total). I have 27 pucks left to use before I try another soap. I get about 240 shaves/puck.

It can be a difficult soap to learn. It seems like everyone has a different technique. I use a Cremo horsehair brush. I soak the brush in hot water for about 30 seconds while I wash my face. I squeeze out just a little water, load my brush and face lather. Initially, some lather will run off my face, but after working it a bit, the lather is great. If it isn't, use more soap the next time.

It's best to use the puck daily.

To me, it has a fresh clean traditional soap fragrance with lemon undertones.

It's pretty expensive, though. About 3/4 of a penny a shave.

 

[J.E.]

I bought a puck of it at the grocery store a couple days ago for $1.59. I like it and haven't had any trouble working up a good lather. It's very slick and leaves my face feeling very nice. I'm using it in a vintage Old Spice mug that my wife got for me.

 

[Ad Astra]

Williams is one of the first entries on the syllabus here, for anyone learning wet shaving and its history.

So is MWF, Tabac, the Veg, Aqua Velva ... a Slim, an OLD, a Fatboy, a NEW SC ... things that have to be tried at least once.


AA

 

[FarmerTan]

Never got around to trying it. Lol, I have a lot of samples of nice artisan soaps I need to get around to trying also.


But the call of the Arko man is a strong one!

 

[nemo]

Williams is a wonderful bargain and making a great lather from it is a right of passage. It will always remain in my rotation.

.... the call of the Arko man is a strong smelling one!

Fixed that for you.

 

[Ad Astra]

Arko and Williams are cousins, at least.


AA

 

[GaryTha]

Arko and Williams are cousins, at least.


AA

Kind of like Raiders and Broncos fans.

 

[sugardaddy]

Williams is pretty much a straight citronella scent to me. Strong at first, but after a few days, the strength dies down to a light soapy scent.

I did a month with it 2 years ago.

You can bowl lather with it nicely, but you have to work it for a while, to get past the bubbly airy mess.

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk

 

[xiletero]

I have very hard water, this soap (and many more) leave a heavy residue in my brushes, razor and blades....and for that I don't like it.
Have tried it mixed w Arko...., still sitting in the bathroom a year later....

 

[newtownjoe]

I'm new to DE Razors (2 months) but used a brush and Williams soap for 15 years prior with cartridge razors. As part of this new hobby I started using the Mitchells Wool Fat - which I find slicker.

 

[steveclarkus]

I’ve used it off and on since the late 1960’s and still do occasionally. I like it’s history and iconic American soap but there are so many better available at reasonable prices. The thing I like most is the scent. It smells like shaving.

 

[Orangeman]

Once I was able to get a proper lather consistently the "charm" of it was fleeting.

 

[Demolition]

Williams is pretty much a straight citronella scent to me. Strong at first, but after a few days, the strength dies down to a light soapy scent.

I did a month with it 2 years ago.

You can bowl lather with it nicely, but you have to work it for a while, to get past the bubbly airy mess.

That was my impression, as well. On first opening it, the scent is quite strong, but dissipates quickly. Once aired out, it's light and inoffensive to my nose.

As for lathering, I've not had any trouble, possibly because our water is soft.

However, if folks are having trouble lathering it, you could try squeezing excess lather (from a different soap or cream) into the mug or bowl that you keep your Williams puck. I find that it lathers very easily the next time it comes up in the rotation. Plus, you often get a very interesting mix of fragrances.

 

[samhain666]

One of your points is tipically US centered. It is not readily available if you don't live in the US. At the moment lowest price on Ebay is 6$ plus postage. About a year or so ago I had luck I found them for a bit more than 1$ and free shipping and ordered 3 pucks.

I don't like lemony scent of Arko but this soap just REEKS so bad! I could not get the scent out of my nose and it was horrible. Industrial lemony with weird unrecognisable undertone.

I could not lather it with boar or synthetic to save my life, bubbly and dissipating not even worth putting it on my face. My hard water did not help, I agree.

When I found youtube tutorials how to lather it looked like one needs 10+ minutes to lather it, maybe less if you use it everyday. I can't shave everyday dues to sensitive skin soooo that's out.

But as European I am in luck to have readily available 1,49€/50gr (incl VAT) soap stick from Palmolive with mild fresh scent and is tripple milled with tallow and lanolin

 

[Tallships]

I started out with Williams (called vintage today) and used it for many years before switching to Old Spice or Yardley, Williams was a great soap but Old Spice had a better scent The 3 lathered about the same. Prices back then were 10-25 cents. While in the Navy I used Williams, the ships store price for it was 5 cents.
The past number of years I've been using a kilo of Cella for shave soap. Since joining B&B I've been trying different soaps and found some Williams in my local drug store, tried it and it lathered almost as good as I remembered but not the same. Last year I saw on Amazon a Dozen Williams for $12.59 and ordered it along with a dozen Arko stick, I just press Arko in a bowl, I like to puck lather as I do with Williams, So I guess no mater how many soaps I have Williams will be on the shelf too.

 

[BigJ]

I have to begin by saying that I have been a faithful Williams user for over 40 years and while many have bemoaned the difficulty building a lather with this soap I never seemed to have that problem. An initial blooming, naturally soft water, a bit of brush work, and daily use will solve the lather problem. It is, or should be, a staple in any shave den. It is part of wet shaving history, worthy of being in the shaving Hall of Fame.

It is inexpensive, has a pleasant clean soap scent with lemony undertones, it lasts forever on the shelf, you can buy it in almost any grocery or drug store and its a good soap to have on stockpile. I used it back in the days of the tallow formula and the modern Williams, while not quite the same, is still a fine soap.

This is a question for the newer members to B&B and to wet-shaving. Have you tried Williams? Maybe some of the experienced Williams aficionados might like to chime in on the benefits of this soap.

Congratulations!! That’s far longer than most marriages last these days!!

I must agree, everyone on B&B should try Williams: it is a classic!

 

[steveclarkus]

That was my impression, as well. On first opening it, the scent is quite strong, but dissipates quickly. Once aired out, it's light and inoffensive to my nose.

As for lathering, I've not had any trouble, possibly because our water is soft.

However, if folks are having trouble lathering it, you could try squeezing excess lather (from a different soap or cream) into the mug or bowl that you keep your Williams puck. I find that it lathers very easily the next time it comes up in the rotation. Plus, you often get a very interesting mix of fragrances.

I keep a puck of Williams squashed in the bottom of my bowl and lather creams on the top of the Williams.