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The Dreaded Modern Williams Mug Shave Soap Review

Continuing my shave soap and cream reviews;​

This is my review of Williams Mug Shave Soap. Products used during the shower and shave were as follows;​
  1. Pears Soap with Mint Extract Bath Soap
  2. Dollar Shave Club Face Wash
  3. The Body Shop Tea Tree Face Scrub
  4. Williams Mug Shave Soap
  5. Marvy Mug
  6. Q-Shave scuttle
  7. Omega 49 Shave Brush
  8. Rockwell 6S on R5
  9. Dorco Prime (2nd use)
  10. Gentleman Jon’s Alum Block
  11. Aqua Velva Aftershave
  12. Brut Antiperspirant Deodorant


The following process is what I used for my SOTD with the Williams Mug Shave Soap. This is also the same process I use with all my shave soaps;​


  1. While I brushed my teeth I made sure the scuttle ran under the hot water
  2. I filled the water hollow and the lathering bowl portion of scuttle with hot water
  3. Rinsed brush with hot water
  4. Placed brush in Marvy Mug with Williams Shave Soap
  5. Filled Marvy Mug containing Williams Mug Shave Soap for blooming
  6. Took shower
  7. Took out brush and rung out excess water
  8. Used Bloom water from puck/bowl as pre-shave
  9. Dumped scuttle water from both water hollow and lathering bowl area
  10. Refilled water hollow with fresh hot water
  11. Loaded damp brush from puck creating a cream
  12. Started working the cream in the bowl
  13. Added hot water via finger tips until desired lather is produced
  14. Lather my face
  15. Cleaned my glasses with finger tip of lather
  16. Waited another minute to let the lather work its magic
  17. Pass I WTG
  18. Lather face
  19. Pass II Lower Jaw to Nose
  20. Lather face
  21. Pass III Chin to Ear
  22. Check for pick ups (None Needed)
  23. Scrub face with some of the leftover lather (Kevy Shaves style)
  24. Rinse face
  25. Apply alum to Face
  26. Rinse Alum Block
  27. Clean equipment
  28. Rinse off Alum from face
  29. Dry off
  30. Apply Aftershave
  31. Apply Deodorant
Now for my thoughts. Just a heads up. Due to my process of bowl lathering unless the soap/cream is just horrible I always get a great lather. It takes longer, but the control of how much water is used really helps dial in the lather just right. Some soaps/creams take longer than others. So it is hard for me to find a soap/cream I dislike.​
  1. Time to Lather
    1. Takes a lot of time and patience
      1. Once you think you have it, you don’t
      2. Once you think you have it again, you don’t
      3. When you are about to give up, you get it
      4. Very thirsty soap
  2. Quality of Lather
    1. Great quality
      1. If you do it right
  3. Cushion
    1. Great Cushion
      1. If you do it right
  4. Slickness
    1. Whilst lathered
      1. The slickest I’ve had yet
    2. After Pass (Bare Wet Skin)
      1. Almost as slick as with the lather
  5. Scent
    1. Must get used to
    2. Like an extreme industrial soap
    3. The pairing of the Aqua Velva is perfect
    4. Works great with any other EdT or EdC due to no real lasting smell
  6. Rinse
    1. Rinsing Clean takes effort
  7. Post Shave
    1. Meh
      1. Just like using a descent face soap
      2. Not moisturizing
      3. Not drying
This is a very polarizing soap. I love this soap. It has a great slickness and great lather. However, to get a good lather takes time, patience, and technique. I see a lot of folks mixing their pucks with other things for a better scent and faster lathering. There’s a really nice guy who has his own YouTube Channel who speaks against even blooming the puck. If he reads this he’d probably say something like, “Don’t molest the Williams.” I personally do not deviate from the process unless the process does not work. My process with this soap gives me a great lather that does not dissipate. If someone put a gun to my head and told me I was allowed only one soap for the rest of my life, it would be Williams. I wish Combe would bring back some Williams Mug Shave Soap swag. Like a mug. That would be nice.​

I have bought this soap in bulk. I have over thirty pucks of this stored away for safe keeping. If the world ends I will still be able to have great shaves as long as I can find water and purify it. I highly doubt this is a needed concern, but I am not running out of Williams any time soon. For about a dollar a puck, I believe it’s well worth the money. This is the shave soap Wyatt Earp would have used. There’s just something about that that makes me smile.​

I do recommend it if you are like me and accept challenges knowing the payoff in the end is worth it. If you do not have the patience, don’t buy this soap. You’ll just become frustrated. Are there easier to lather soaps with a nicer scent? Of course, but there’s just something about achieving a top tier lather with top tier slickness with a product that’s so inexpensive.​
 
Thanks to you and this post, I am going to use Williams for my next shave. I bought a couple pucks as a filler not knowing anything about it. I used it once and I now know it was nowhere near what it should have been.

I stole someone else's idea and ordered a personalized photo coffee mug on the Walmart website, using the Williams logo as my photo. Price was under $10. There is a little bit of room around the puck, enough for it to spin around. I'm sure using your method will moisten/soften it up enough so it doesn't spin. Thinking of ordering a mug lid from FrugalShave on Etsy.
 
Thanks to you and this post, I am going to use Williams for my next shave. I bought a couple pucks as a filler not knowing anything about it. I used it once and I now know it was nowhere near what it should have been.

I stole someone else's idea and ordered a personalized photo coffee mug on the Walmart website, using the Williams logo as my photo. Price was under $10. There is a little bit of room around the puck, enough for it to spin around. I'm sure using your method will moisten/soften it up enough so it doesn't spin. Thinking of ordering a mug lid from FrugalShave on Etsy.
Let me know how it works out. If you have very hard water you might want to try a bottled water using an electric kettle for your bloom water and adding for lathering.
 
I've actually become quite a fan of Williams. I tried it just to see what everyone was griping about and got a great shave with it. I've been using it more than anything else lately.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk
 
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Continuing my shave soap and cream reviews;​

This is my review of Williams Mug Shave Soap. Products used during the shower and shave were as follows;​
  1. Pears Soap with Mint Extract Bath Soap
  2. Dollar Shave Club Face Wash
  3. The Body Shop Tea Tree Face Scrub
  4. Williams Mug Shave Soap
  5. Marvy Mug
  6. Q-Shave scuttle
  7. Omega 49 Shave Brush
  8. Rockwell 6S on R5
  9. Dorco Prime (2nd use)
  10. Gentleman Jon’s Alum Block
  11. Aqua Velva Aftershave
  12. Brut Antiperspirant Deodorant

The following process is what I used for my SOTD with the Williams Mug Shave Soap. This is also the same process I use with all my shave soaps;​


  1. While I brushed my teeth I made sure the scuttle ran under the hot water
  2. I filled the water hollow and the lathering bowl portion of scuttle with hot water
  3. Rinsed brush with hot water
  4. Placed brush in Marvy Mug with Williams Shave Soap
  5. Filled Marvy Mug containing Williams Mug Shave Soap for blooming
  6. Took shower
  7. Took out brush and rung out excess water
  8. Used Bloom water from puck/bowl as pre-shave
  9. Dumped scuttle water from both water hollow and lathering bowl area
  10. Refilled water hollow with fresh hot water
  11. Loaded damp brush from puck creating a cream
  12. Started working the cream in the bowl
  13. Added hot water via finger tips until desired lather is produced
  14. Lather my face
  15. Cleaned my glasses with finger tip of lather
  16. Waited another minute to let the lather work its magic
  17. Pass I WTG
  18. Lather face
  19. Pass II Lower Jaw to Nose
  20. Lather face
  21. Pass III Chin to Ear
  22. Check for pick ups (None Needed)
  23. Scrub face with some of the leftover lather (Kevy Shaves style)
  24. Rinse face
  25. Apply alum to Face
  26. Rinse Alum Block
  27. Clean equipment
  28. Rinse off Alum from face
  29. Dry off
  30. Apply Aftershave
  31. Apply Deodorant
Now for my thoughts. Just a heads up. Due to my process of bowl lathering unless the soap/cream is just horrible I always get a great lather. It takes longer, but the control of how much water is used really helps dial in the lather just right. Some soaps/creams take longer than others. So it is hard for me to find a soap/cream I dislike.​
  1. Time to Lather
    1. Takes a lot of time and patience
      1. Once you think you have it, you don’t
      2. Once you think you have it again, you don’t
      3. When you are about to give up, you get it
      4. Very thirsty soap
  2. Quality of Lather
    1. Great quality
      1. If you do it right
  3. Cushion
    1. Great Cushion
      1. If you do it right
  4. Slickness
    1. Whilst lathered
      1. The slickest I’ve had yet
    2. After Pass (Bare Wet Skin)
      1. Almost as slick as with the lather
  5. Scent
    1. Must get used to
    2. Like an extreme industrial soap
    3. The pairing of the Aqua Velva is perfect
    4. Works great with any other EdT or EdC due to no real lasting smell
  6. Rinse
    1. Rinsing Clean takes effort
  7. Post Shave
    1. Meh
      1. Just like using a descent face soap
      2. Not moisturizing
      3. Not drying
This is a very polarizing soap. I love this soap. It has a great slickness and great lather. However, to get a good lather takes time, patience, and technique. I see a lot of folks mixing their pucks with other things for a better scent and faster lathering. There’s a really nice guy who has his own YouTube Channel who speaks against even blooming the puck. If he reads this he’d probably say something like, “Don’t molest the Williams.” I personally do not deviate from the process unless the process does not work. My process with this soap gives me a great lather that does not dissipate. If someone put a gun to my head and told me I was allowed only one soap for the rest of my life, it would be Williams. I wish Combe would bring back some Williams Mug Shave Soap swag. Like a mug. That would be nice.​

I have bought this soap in bulk. I have over thirty pucks of this stored away for safe keeping. If the world ends I will still be able to have great shaves as long as I can find water and purify it. I highly doubt this is a needed concern, but I am not running out of Williams any time soon. For about a dollar a puck, I believe it’s well worth the money. This is the shave soap Wyatt Earp would have used. There’s just something about that that makes me smile.​

I do recommend it if you are like me and accept challenges knowing the payoff in the end is worth it. If you do not have the patience, don’t buy this soap. You’ll just become frustrated. Are there easier to lather soaps with a nicer scent? Of course, but there’s just something about achieving a top tier lather with top tier slickness with a product that’s so inexpensive.​
To me a hot fairly wet brush is all that I need to lather Williams. Even if I face lather or I bowl lather that’s all I need. I found that modern Williams needs more water VS vintage, to me it’s the only difference whit both. P.S. it’s my experience and opinion on it. Gino
 
To me a hot fairly wet brush is all that I need to lather Williams. Even if I face lather or I bowl lather that’s all I need. I found that modern Williams needs more water VS vintage, to me it’s the only difference whit both. P.S. it’s my experience and opinion on it. Gino
Nothing wrong if you have a different process than I do. If it works for you, that is fantastic. Take that ball and run a touchdown. A win is a win, just keep winning.

I have yet to find a puck of Vintage, so everything I know of Williams is the Modern. To be honest it's not on my list of things to buy. If I run across one I might bite, but I'm not going to go out of my way. I have way more soaps than I need right now. The idea is I have enough soaps I don't have to buy anymore ever again. Due to my lifestyle and life plans this and a few other items are things I need to make sure I have a lifetime supply of. I am almost done buying and storing. I may buy a new soap once in awhile if I come across one in the wild, but I doubt I'll find something out there where I will be going.
 
I enjoy reading your reviews. Especially when I am planning on getting certain soap.
Care to elaborate on no. 27? It puzzles me since this is the only action without apparent direct connection the process.

Sent from my KFDOWI using Tapatalk
 
I enjoy reading your reviews. Especially when I am planning on getting certain soap.
Care to elaborate on no. 27? It puzzles me since this is the only action without apparent direct connection the process.

Sent from my KFDOWI using Tapatalk
I would guess it is a timing thing. Wants to leave the alum on for a few.
 
This is one soap that works best if used every day.

I think this statement applies to several soaps that come as hard pucks. Some others are Mitchell's Wool Fat and Tabac. Because I have a very large number of soaps in my rotation, I have a very difficult time with these soaps. I expect them to lather like artisan soaps and they refuse to do so. If I used them every day, I might learn to like them. However, they just do not work for me. I am not willing to put in the effort needed to extract a great lather from these soaps.
 
I enjoy reading your reviews. Especially when I am planning on getting certain soap.
Care to elaborate on no. 27? It puzzles me since this is the only action without apparent direct connection the process.

Sent from my KFDOWI using Tapatalk

I take apart my razor, clean the razor, drain and clean the scuttle, rinse out the brush, and the like. It is a part of the process due to it prepares the equipment for the next shave. Don't really want to be shaving with dirty or soap scummed equipment. Plus, I'm pretty sure the guy behind me doesn't want a nasty bathroom when he does his thing.
 
(Much deleted for brevity)
Continuing my shave soap and cream reviews;​

This is my review of Williams Mug Shave Soap. Products used during the shower and shave were as follows;​
  1. This is a very polarizing soap. I love this soap. It has a great slickness and great lather. However, to get a good lather takes time, patience, and technique. I see a lot of folks mixing their pucks with other things for a better scent and faster lathering. There’s a really nice guy who has his own YouTube Channel who speaks against even blooming the puck. If he reads this he’d probably say something like, “Don’t molest the Williams.” I personally do not deviate from the process unless the process does not work. My process with this soap gives me a great lather that does not dissipate. If someone put a gun to my head and told me I was allowed only one soap for the rest of my life, it would be Williams. I wish Combe would bring back some Williams Mug Shave Soap swag. Like a mug. That would be nice.

I have bought this soap in bulk. I have over thirty pucks of this stored away for safe keeping. If the world ends I will still be able to have great shaves as long as I can find water and purify it. I highly doubt this is a needed concern, but I am not running out of Williams any time soon. For about a dollar a puck, I believe it’s well worth the money. This is the shave soap Wyatt Earp would have used. There’s just something about that that makes me smile.​

I do recommend it if you are like me and accept challenges knowing the payoff in the end is worth it. If you do not have the patience, don’t buy this soap. You’ll just become frustrated. Are there easier to lather soaps with a nicer scent? Of course, but there’s just something about achieving a top tier lather with top tier slickness with a product that’s so inexpensive.​

Thanks for the great review. This has been my experience as well. The slickest soap I've found, and at less than $1 per puck, the cheapest as well.

Toss the puck into a mug, grab a boar and go to town. Oh, and forget the rotation, 3017 the puppy.
 
I take apart my razor, clean the razor, drain and clean the scuttle, rinse out the brush, and the like. It is a part of the process due to it prepares the equipment for the next shave. Don't really want to be shaving with dirty or soap scummed equipment. Plus, I'm pretty sure the guy behind me doesn't want a nasty bathroom when he does his thing.

I think tapatalk shows numbering different for whatever reason. Sorry I got you confused, I meant this:
Cleaned my glasses with finger tip of lather
 
I think tapatalk shows numbering different for whatever reason. Sorry I got you confused, I meant this:

I work in a very dirty and dusty area of the world. I like to see what I am doing while I shave. Also, shaving cream, when used as a glass cleaner helps keep down fogging and accumulation dirt/dust on lenses, mirrors, and other transparent or reflective surfaces.
 
Let me know how it works out. If you have very hard water you might want to try a bottled water using an electric kettle for your bloom water and adding for lathering.

All I have to say is, WOW. This may become my weekend soap. I say that because I'm fairly new and have lots and lots of samples I'd like to try. But today's shave was amazing.

I bought a standard coffee mug and had the Williams logo printed on it at Wallyworld. The Williams puck fits nicely with just a little room around it. Blooming the puck while showering made it so it did not move or spin while loading.

Before showering I covered the puck in the mug with hot water. I put my Plissoft synthetic into my lather bowl with hot water as well. After showering and applying 4 drops of Floid's pre-shave oil to each cheek/side of neck, I dumped the bloom water and took my fairly wet brush and loaded for 30 seconds. The brush fits snugly into the mug so they were quick round strokes. Then I grabbed my lathering bowl and went to work. I added water 3 times during lathering, just dipping my hand under the running water and shaking into the bowl. I ended up with some wonderful, creamy goodness. I don't mind the scent at all. It reminds me of soap. Like describing the scent of Ivory soap in the shower. It just smells like soap. The slickness was great, it was easy to apply. Three passes later and some touch-ups, my face feels great. Maybe when you pay so little for the soap you don't mind going to town on it and ending up wasting a bit of lather. And because the scent is not overpowering and is just soap, I feel it pairs well with whatever AS I want.

Thanks for the info which gave me the confidence to just use it like it was meant to be!
 
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