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Lathering Modern Williams Mug - Pretty Easy!

I've used it a lot this summer and it's been great. I used to mug lather it but lately I've been using like a shave stick and that worked even better, or at least more quickly. It really is slick. I love it!
 

Chandu

I Waxed The Badger.
If you want you can grate your Williams and then grate a little bit of Arko. 3 parts Williams 1 part Arko and you will get an easy lathering soap.
 
I’ve been using modern Williams for years now(bowl lathering, face lathering or like a shave stick) whitout any issues at all! Of course it’s not the same as the vintage Williams but to me using both I found the modern version a bit slicker VS the vintage, but the vintage is easier to lather. When you know how to lather modern Williams it’s a very good soap, not the best but definitely not the worst either.
 

Chandu

I Waxed The Badger.
When you know how to lather modern Williams it’s a very good soap, not the best but definitely not the worst either.

I wouldn't say I have any problem lathering, but I do think a little Arko with it makes even better lather, and easier to boot.
 
I think what he did right was skip blooming the soap and get most of the water out of the brush.

I think a lot of people’s difficulties come from mis information. A lot of people say “thirsty soap, water, water, more water”. I find the opposite to be true. Even a little too much water is the lather that dissipates. Less is better in my experience.

One thing is for sure, when you get it to work it works very well.

Unfortunate that it’s available locally for me anymore but for $1.50 from Walgreens delivered I can’t complain.
 
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I think what he did right was skip blooming the soap and get most of the water out of the brush.

I think a lot of people’s difficulties come from mis information. A lot of people say “thirsty soap, water, water, more water”. I find the opposite to be true. Even a little too much water is the lather that dissipates. Less is better in my experience.

One thing is for sure, when you get it to work it works very well.

Unfortunate that it’s available locally for me anymore but for $1.50 from Walgreens delivered I can’t complain.
Here is a YouTube comment from someone who has been using this soap for a long time and they are saying the same thing I am. Very little, very hot water. Try it.
 

Chandu

I Waxed The Badger.
I actually have a local grocery store that stocks the Williams for .99 a puck. But alas, I prefer to pay the extra for VDH. If modern Willams lathered like the original, I might feel differently.

Update: just saw the post on the HOT water. I will give less water and HOT a try to see what may result. Thanks
 
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nemo

Lunatic Fringe
Staff member
I think what he did right was skip blooming the soap and get most of the water out of the brush ... I think a lot of people’s difficulties come from misinformation. ... Even a little too much water is the lather that dissipates. Less is better in my experience. [edited]

I agree with this most of the time. Less water doesn't always work, though. I never bloom.
 
Yeah, IDK. I only know what works for me. I committed to use it exclusively for a month to “figure” it out and the simpler I kept it the better the result.

No brush soak (just wet the brush and squeeze it out), no puck soak, load 10 ish seconds, face lather 10 seconds. Add a little water by dipping brush tips to adjust.

Anyway, very slick and great performance for me like that. And it’s nice to use a legacy product whether it’s 100% original or not.
 

Toothpick

Needs milk and a bidet!
Staff member
I don’t mind hot water during the Winter. But hot water during the Summer? Nah. I’d just use another soap that wasn’t so picky. And besides, like I’ve said before, I’m not going to go the extra mile to make a soap lather. Like boiling water, or adding pre-shave, or “blooming” the soap (whatever that is). I’ll just find another soap that works and there are plenty that don’t require a degree in lather science. That’s just me. IMO if a vendor makes a soap that requires the use of some fancy tricks or another product to make it lather....well that vendor needs to go back to the drawing board. I’ll try less water, more water, longer load time, longer lathering time, but that’s the extent of my experimenting to make a soap lather. To many other soaps get it right without the hassle.
 
I don’t mind hot water during the Winter. But hot water during the Summer? Nah. I’d just use another soap that wasn’t so picky. And besides, like I’ve said before, I’m not going to go the extra mile to make a soap lather. Like boiling water, or adding pre-shave, or “blooming” the soap (whatever that is). I’ll just find another soap that works and there are plenty that don’t require a degree in lather science. That’s just me. IMO if a vendor makes a soap that requires the use of some fancy tricks or another product to make it lather....well that vendor needs to go back to the drawing board. I’ll try less water, more water, longer load time, longer lathering time, but that’s the extent of my experimenting to make a soap lather. To many other soaps get it right without the hassle.
I hear you but....I thought you had good luck with it and made a video?

Also, like I said I ran a boar brush under hot water (cold probably works too), loaded, face lathered. Took less than 30 seconds for the whole process.

It is a finicky SOB. I used a badger brush, same method and the results weren’t as good.
 

Toothpick

Needs milk and a bidet!
Staff member
I hear you but....I thought you had good luck with it and made a video?

Also, like I said I ran a boar brush under hot water (cold probably works too), loaded, face lathered. Took less than 30 seconds for the whole process.

It is a finicky SOB. I used a badger brush, same method and the results weren’t as good.
Oh yeah it was good.
 
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The best Williams soap which ever existed and now it’s a vintage item. It’s the awesome South African Williams stick which has a nice rosy scent and great lather that lasts! ;)

Rick
 

Rosseforp

I think this fits, Gents
If you want you can grate your Williams and then grate a little bit of Arko. 3 parts Williams 1 part Arko and you will get an easy lathering soap.
I mix my Williams and Arko 50/50, and add a dab of Cremo for the scent, makes great easy lather.
I find bottled or filtered water makes a huge difference for me, and yes very hot water. Oh, I also like to use my smaller brushes with Williams.......
 
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The best Williams soap which ever existed and now it’s a vintage item. It’s the awesome South African Williams stick which has a nice rosy scent and great lather that lasts! ;)

Rick
I’d like to try it but the price is just too high. If anyone goes to South Africa come back with a duffel bag full of these. :001_rolle

I do wonder though, does it have anything to do with the American Williams or just a same/similar name?
 
I live in New York City where the water has little mineral content and I find Williams to lather just fine. I have about 3 or 4 dozen other soaps including MWF, SV, and MDC, Trumpers, Stirling, and others, (not to mention lots of creams), but in my experience, Williams is as good as any of them, especially at 99 cents a puck! I keep my puck in a used yoghurt container (poor man's shave cup). I wet it good while the brush is soaking and then face lather. I get consistent good shaves from it. My criteria for judging is slickness, cushioning and ease of lathering, and I got no complaints with any of these. Some guys comment that it is face drying, but for me, that is what after shave lotion or balm is supposed to take care of.
 
Think the video nails how to get a good lather with Williams. Willams is a soap I want to like. The scent is more in line with old Colgate (not the same), which was my go-to back in the day. Have always ended up with vanishing lather until yesterday.

Here's what happened. Put my father's 1950-ish nylon bristle brush to use. Found it had a good bit of spine, and is rougher than a modern synthetic I use, rougher than my boar brushes. Friday night thought "Hey, it might work with Williams." Had a puck in the closet, put it in a mug, and tried it.

First pass lather was passable. Second pass was thin. Noticed that water from my razor (RazoRock SLOC) made a lather on my face. Added a tad of water to the mug and relathered. That lather didn't vanish.

Unfortunately, I had face irritation. Will note I've never had that with Williams before, so Sunday I tried it with a modern synthetic. This time I got vanishing lather. Also ended up with irritation.

The irritation issue is a bit baffling. Have always gotten a slick lather with Williams, even when it vanishes. Using my go-to brush (Fine angel hair synthetic), I've eliminated my father's brush as a source of irritation. Now I'm wondering if it's from my wash cloth in removing the residue.

Anyway, the key difference between Saturday and Sunday is that my father's synthetic doesn't hold as much water as my modern synthetic. This means it was loading on the dry side, just like the video. Worth investigating once my face is irritation-free.
 

Chandu

I Waxed The Badger.
I start off with a drier brush for Williams, sometimes turning the mug upside down for loading, let all the suds drop harmlessly into the sink. When the brush is paste like, it's ready to either bowl or face lather introducing water slowly.
 
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