My version of "I tried Williams and.

[BigKev77]

As per usual, if you make the comment you want to try something you can't find, a generous member seems to jump to the occasion and sends it your way. That was the case when I mentioned wanting to try Williams Mug Soap but not being able to find it locally. Ehg128, being one of those overly generous members, sent two pucks of the much anticipated Williams.

My initial thoughts. Why is it people don't like the smell, it smells like soap? Ivory soap with a slight lemon kicker. It was a nice hard puck which I haven't encountered yet. I can't wait to give this classic a go.

First test lather in bowl, VDH boar brush. I soaked the puck and brush in hot water for 5 minutes or so which gave a nice soft layer on the surface to make loading easier. I gave my brush a shake and I loaded vigorously counting to 60. The lather exploded from the start and it looked nice but hearing it is a thirsty soap I added water and commenced to whipping. It turned into a large volume of nice looking lather. I let it sit for a few minutes to see how it would last and it seemed up to the task.

First shave. I repeated the steps from my previous test lather and whipped up, to my amateur eye, a great lather worthy of scraping some whiskers. As I began shaving I was thinking people are crazy for not liking this. What a simple soap. Then as I got to the other side of my face WHERE IS THAT BEAUTIFUL LATHER!!! I carried on and it still shaved adequately.

Second and third shaves. Same process except this time I loaded and whipped until my hand was close to cramping. I have achy old lady hands, sorry if I offended the old lady crowd. I thought well this time the lather will be there for me. Nope same as before. When I got to the other side of my face the lather was not really there. It was still a decent shave but I want to see that nice lather when I turn my cheek and not have to re whip so much between passes.

I have done several test lathers between shaves and searched all the Williams technique tips on the site and it still disappears. I will keep trying of course It has only been three shaves, but right now it just isn't what I was hoping for. The scent is not bad but you do grow tired of it by the touch up phase of a three pass shave. I never got a bad shave and I wouldn't mind using it from time to time. I would be more than willing to take and more advice though there are already hundreds of threads just like this one to learn from. I will report back in the future if I can get it figured out.

A huge thank you to ehg128 for sending those pucks. The generosity here at B&B always shines.

 

[coryforsenate]

I think it smells fine. I don't find it easy to get great lather though.

But for $1.50/puck, if it shaves well enough to not give me irritation or razor bumps then it's hard to argue against it.

 

[OneBadBadger]

We shall see, I've got a puck in the mail and am going to try it for the first time when it gets here. The lather wasn't bubbly or anything? My first thought was that maybe you used a little too much water in anticipation of it being thirsty. But oh well. Like you said. Even if we hate it it's only like a buck a puck.

 

[Ducati Scotty]

I tuning the smell is more reminiscent of my gradma's bathroom than a barbershop. Not bad but maybe not the manly scent some expect. I recall someone mentioning lemon verbena and I think that's what it is.

Scott

 

[Ducati Scotty]

Lather was meh.

Scott

 

[yung puck]

Williams
a classic
first puck I was introduced to
always keep one around the den

 

[GUYGARR]

I am now a Williams believer . I take a soaking wet brush and shake it 1 time and load it for @ 1min , then face lather . It helps me to judge how much water is needed . Last night there was enough leather for a 4 pass face shave , a 4 pass head shave and enough lather left over for a 2 pass shave .

 

[BigKev77]

I am now a Williams believer . I take a soaking wet brush and shake it 1 time and load it for @ 1min , then face lather . It helps me to judge how much water is needed . Last night there was enough leather for a 4 pass face shave , a 4 pass head shave and enough lather left over for a 2 pass shave .

I am going to make myself keep working with it. I am sure it is more me than the soap. Too many stories like yours to leave it alone. Not to mention I need the the practice. I hate test lathering with my good soap so this being cheap I can whip away.

 

[xxvaleria]

Maybe you will end up with arms like Charles Atlas.

 

[BearHeart]

I use the prorasso preshave before I apply the scuttle prepared williams.

 

[Trek2100]

The Willams soap is available at Walmart (at least many of them), many drugstores and supermarkets. I got mine at a Wegman's supermarket. I have a puck that I have not tried yet but one of the blogs I follow said to put 3 drops of glycerin on the puck.

 

[Cagliostro]

While certainly not the best out there, at around $1 a puck it is hard to say no to such a soap. After much experimentation with it I can get pretty good shaves from Williams, took me a while to figure it out but it dose work and the scent isn't bad and yes it is sort of a lemony ivory soap scent. I use Ivory soap just plain old Ivory, good stuff and reminds me of WIlliams and vice versa.

 

[BigKev77]

The Willams soap is available at Walmart (at least many of them), many drugstores and supermarkets. I got mine at a Wegman's supermarket. I have a puck that I have not tried yet but one of the blogs I follow said to put 3 drops of glycerin on the puck.

I tried three Walmart stores all the local drugstores and my local grocer. Apparently central Arkansas is lacking a wet shave market. If I could find it for a buck a puck locally I would buy more.

I need to get some glycerin and give that a shot.

 

[crleftwich]

I usually open up a box and take a whiff of one every time I see it in a drug store. I don't mind the smell. Smells nice for a soap...manly smell without perfumes. I'm just not interested yet in buying one even though it's less than $2. I'm quite the amateur at all this stuff and am still working on my lathering abilities.

 

[tonich]

WIlliams who?

 

[LMAN007]

The Willams soap is available at Walmart (at least many of them), many drugstores and supermarkets. I got mine at a Wegman's supermarket. I have a puck that I have not tried yet but one of the blogs I follow said to put 3 drops of glycerin on the puck.

I use 5 drops of glycerin with my shaving soaps, it attracts water modules, and helps make mounds of lather. Also, the glycerin is good to use if you have hard water.

 

[BearHeart]

+1 on the glycerin. I got my Williams at Winco.

 

[fine wine]

The Willams soap is available at Walmart (at least many of them), many drugstores and supermarkets. I got mine at a Wegman's supermarket. I have a puck that I have not tried yet but one of the blogs I follow said to put 3 drops of glycerin on the puck.

No reason to add anything to your puck. use as is then make up your mind. For just around a dollar it can't be beat!..............JR

 

[fine wine]

I usually open up a box and take a whiff of one every time I see it in a drug store. I don't mind the smell. Smells nice for a soap...manly smell without perfumes. I'm just not interested yet in buying one even though it's less than $2. I'm quite the amateur at all this stuff and am still working on my lathering abilities.

Don't worry about your lathering ability, just whip up the lather till it looks like whip cream. The perfect lather is a myth............JR

 

[fine wine]

I tried three Walmart stores all the local drugstores and my local grocer. Apparently central Arkansas is lacking a wet shave market. If I could find it for a buck a puck locally I would buy more.

I need to get some glycerin and give that a shot.

Send me your address in a PM and I will send you a puck...........JR