I am finally ready to admit it- I hate Williams Mug Soap!

[Tpach]

Yup, it's big on the proto lather up front. You have to forge ahead. You are rewarded when you do, but there are a lot of good soaps that don't require that and people have become accustomed to them. If you use Williams daily, it starts to give you the good stuff quicker. Most rotate it and thus have to work for the lather each time.

I can also note that, despite what I heard of using boar brushes to bite into Williams, my badger brushes seem to lather it best. Most likely the retention of water and heat of the badger hair. Heat helping to melt the soap and water to pull the soap into the brush and start the lather.

I can’t recall my experiences with synthetic and Williams. Guess that’s the lineup for the next shave haha

 

[Mike M]

It's OK not to like a soap, even one that has a fan club. I tried hard to like TOBS sandalwood, as a soap the lather is great, but scent wise to me it smells like a meth lab under a sandalwood tree, just to chemically. Arko slick soap but smells like a pub urinal. Palmolive, stick couldn't lather it until I crushed it into a dip bowl.
If I don't like a soap I 3017 it and move on.
Some I have changed my mind on like MWF when I learned the magical incantation to get it to lather. There are many great soaps out there and we only have one lifetime to experience them.

 

[Chandu]

I can also note that, despite what I heard of using boar brushes to bite into Williams, my badger brushes seem to lather it best. Most likely the retention of water and heat of the badger hair. Heat helping to melt the soap and water to pull the soap into the brush and start the lather.

I can’t recall my experiences with synthetic and Williams. Guess that’s the lineup for the next shave haha

Heat can make a big difference with some soaps. One I called out for that was Palmira. Read here if you are interested. Cracked the Palmira code - by accident - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/cracked-the-palmira-code-by-accident.590384/

 

[pdieten]

I'll have to check Wegmans next time I feel the need to try it. Last time I had to order from Walgreens and have it delivered to store and it was like $1.59 or $1.69 iirc. Was wondering if anyone was still stocking it at the .99 rate I remembered.

Cheapest I've ever seen it is $1.09 at Woodmans. Last one I bought was $1.29 at the Piggly Wiggly because I was there for other things. Not going to make a special trip to save two dimes.

I get good lather with the stuff if I soak it in hot water while I'm showering. By the time I get out I can pour off the water and it will lather right up for me with a badger or synth.

 

[Tpach]

Cheapest I've ever seen it is $1.09 at Woodmans. Last one I bought was $1.29 at the Piggly Wiggly because I was there for other things. Not going to make a special trip to save two dimes.

I get good lather with the stuff if I soak it in hot water while I'm showering. By the time I get out I can pour off the water and it will lather right up for me with a badger or synth.

The two prices I can get Williams are:
Walgreens Ship to Store 1.49
Big Y market 1.59

Heard Market Basket carries Williams but still waiting for the new one locally to be built

 

[RayClem]

I started shaving with Williams back in 1962, it was a very good soap at the time, my dad used it all the time. I learned to build my lather right on the puck, first soaking my brush, giving it a shake and then puck lather, still use this method. The only reason I switch over to the Old Spice soap was the scent. But Williams Mug Soap back then is now called vintage. Today's Williams takes a bit more work and time to get a decent lather and I feel it's not worth the effort with all the other great soaps out there at comparable prices. Arko shaved and bowl pressed into a bowl gives me a fast and great lather far superior than the new Williams, kilos of Cella and Vito's are another great choice. Williams may be great for some guys but for me it's a soap of the past.

Like you, I was shaving in the mid 60s. I did use stuff like Williams and Old Spice. My beard was not nearly as coarse back then. The vintage soaps were usable. Both my face and the soap formulation has changed for the worse over the past 55 years.

 

[Herman Melville]

I know some of you out there are big fans of Williams. I get it, I really do. There is an allure to getting a soap as inexpensive as Williams to work. If it works for you, great. Unfortunately, I just cannot get Williams to work for me.

I first purchased Williams a couple of years ago so I could see what everyone was talking about. I had a terrible time trying to get Williams to lather, but at that time my water softener was not working properly and my tap water was super hard. Thus, I figured the problem was the hard water.

If used if again about a year ago after my water softener was replaced. I still found it difficult to lather and did not get a great shave.

I tried it again this morning. Since it had been so long since I last used it, I started to rehydrate the soap three days ago. Even with the hydration, it still took me three times longer to load my brush than it does with most of my soaps. Then I started to whip up a lather in my lather bowl. I kept at it until my wrist started to hurt, but I still could not eliminate the large bubbles.

I went on and applied the lather to my face and started my shave. I normally do a four-pass shave (WTG, XTG, ATG plus clean-up). After the first two passes, my face was so irritated that I could not go any further. Normally, I can do all four passes with zero irritation. I skipped the final two passes and left a lot of stubble remaining as my face could not take any more abuse.

Normally, my post-shave routine is to rinse off the soap and apply witch hazel. I did that this morning, but my skin was so irritated that I had to use a post-shave balm. I have not had to use a balm since last winter when the temperature and humidity were quite low. Most of the soaps I use leave my face feeling moist and nourished, not so with Williams.

So, I now officially admit to being a hater of Williams. I tried hard not to be, but it just did not work out for me. The puck of Williams that I used a few times will go into the garbage. Another unopened puck will be donated along with a bunch of other soaps I no longer use.

I do not like using Arko as the soap leaves my face feeing very tight and dry. However, I can at least get a decent shave using Arko. With Williams, I cannot even get a decent shave. What is left of my Arko purchase will be donated as well.

There's a reason it's sold at Wal-mart.

 

[Tpach]

There's a reason it's sold at Wal-mart.

What’s the reason?

 

[Tallships]

What’s the reason?

It's cheep, I guess the price is right

 

[Tallships]

My neighbor bought a puck of Williams and he gave it to me after a few tries, he said he went back to Barbasol. I gave him a puck of Van Der Hagen Deluxe. Next day he thanked me, thinks it's great.
As I said before Williams is an OK soap but just ok, It can be lathered if you know how, but is it really worth the effort with all the other inexpensive easy to lather soaps out there?

 

[RayClem]

My neighbor bought a puck of Williams and he gave it to me after a few tries, he said he went back to Barbasol. I gave him a puck of Van Der Hagen Deluxe. Next day he thanked me, thinks it's great.
As I said before Williams is an OK soap but just ok, It can be lathered if you know how, but is it really worth the effort with all the other inexpensive easy to lather soaps out there?

I guess if you are comparing Williams to Barbasol and VDH Deluxe, it does not fare too poorly. I have used all three, but if given a choice to use something else, I would rather do so. That being said, if I HAD to use a canned foam or gel, Barbasol Extra Moisturizing would be my choice as it has ingredients that make it more like a real shaving soap or cream.

 

[Apostate]

I like Williams - gives a really smooth shave

 

[mozartman]

I love this thread. So much so, I bought, not only a puck of Williams, but a Marvy mug. The coming month will be No - body seems to be able to get a decent lather with this soap but I will try - vember. First I will do battle with "modern" Williams, and then "new formulation" Geo. F. Trumper. So, opposite ends of the prestige spectrum. I do have some experience with rock-hard shave soap, so we'll see what I can do.

 

[Njguy1977]

What really helped me with Williams was when I presoaked it and submerged it in really hot water (10-15 min.) the soap kind of softened up a bit after you pour the water out. When I started to load the brush it was almost dripping wet and just kept swirling until I got to dense lather. The trick is that once lather starts to build the first bit you get is runny and thin....just keep going. This type of soap truly benefits inside a mug because you need that runny lather as a base for the good stuff that will come as you keep swirling on the puck. I've used Williams for DE shaving and Straight Edge shaving and its quite good, once you dial your technique and get it just right.

Larry

 

[mozartman]

What really helped me with Williams was when I presoaked it and submerged it in really hot water (10-15 min.) the soap kind of softened up a bit after you pour the water out. When I started to load the brush it was almost dripping wet and just kept swirling until I got to dense lather. The trick is that once lather starts to build the first bit you get is runny and thin....just keep going. This type of soap truly benefits inside a mug because you need that runny lather as a base for the good stuff that will come as you keep swirling on the puck. I've used Williams for DE shaving and Straight Edge shaving and its quite good, once you dial your technique and get it just right.

Larry

Yes, that's my basic approach to dealing with the ultra-hard soaps, except that for the very first time I use it, I give it an extra-long soak. With luck, it will get a bit easier with repeated uses.

 

[Njguy1977]

Yes, that's my basic approach to dealing with the ultra-hard soaps, except that for the very first time I use it, I give it an extra-long soak. With luck, it will get a bit easier with repeated uses.

You could do an overnight soak to really get the puck hydrated or after a few uses put it away wet....I find that after the 3rd or 4th use putting it away wet it gets softer and a lot easier to load the next day. This is the type of soap you CAN'T rotate.....once you've committed to this puck you have to stick with it until its gone.

Larry

 

[SilentTuba]

What really helped me with Williams was when I presoaked it and submerged it in really hot water (10-15 min.) the soap kind of softened up a bit after you pour the water out. When I started to load the brush it was almost dripping wet and just kept swirling until I got to dense lather. The trick is that once lather starts to build the first bit you get is runny and thin....just keep going. This type of soap truly benefits inside a mug because you need that runny lather as a base for the good stuff that will come as you keep swirling on the puck. I've used Williams for DE shaving and Straight Edge shaving and its quite good, once you dial your technique and get it just right.

Larry

This is basically how I use MWF. With the Fat, it produces a stellar lather, that really leaves my face feeling great after a shave. With Williams, it produces a passable, but still underwhelming lather. I do think with more experimentation, I could dial it in, but I'm not interested in chasing that dragon.

 

[Fred D]

I like Williams Mug Soap, but it did take a few tries to dial it in. I finally got is to where it's a nice creamy lather, but very slick also.
It's not Tabac, but for the price you can't beat it, except for Arko which is far easier to lather, and a little less in price if you compare a 12 pack of 75g sticks compared to a 12 pack of williams pucks at 50g each.

 

[BigD]

I get it, not everyone can get Williams to work;

 

[old_school]

Cheap yogurty goodness on hard well water...

Looks good from here.

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