Last week I purchased a roll of eight cakes, of Williams tonsorial soap. I did not get a chance to shave with it until this morning. I had heard the vintage Williams, that had tallow as the first ingredient, were considered to be very good.
I put the cake of Williams into my Seaforth mug. I ran hot water into the mug, soaking the cake and Omega 31064 boar brush at the same time, while I prepped my face for several minutes. I used my Gillette SS Adjustible (set on #4) with a Personna blade that had been used two times. I thought this would test the soap better then a new blade.
My 31064 Omega brush has been used about forty times in the past two years and was well broken in. Every time I use it, I am astounded on how good a job it does with soaps and creams. I poured off the hot water, shook the brush out and applied the Omega to the Williams cake. In about 20 swirls I had the brush loaded. I face lather most of the time. The boar brush and the Williams soap soon built up a superb cream lather on my face. I had to adjust the water content several times, before I judged the lather to be ready.
I proceeded to shave and I found that the Williams felt similar to my Tabac or MWF in performance. I had been using Tabac for several years and the MWF since early this year. The razor and blade glided through the beard and did not dry my face. I would rinse off my face between passes and then relather. I completed a four pass shave and did not experience any irritation or weepers. After washing the lather off my face I applied some Pinaud, Bay Rum mixed with a little Vaseline, Face and Body Lotion. I felt a little stinging in several places, but no more then I usually feel after a four pass shave.
I am going to be using the vintage Williams exclusively the coming week to get a better feel for it. The first shave seems to indicate that it works just as well as my Tabac or MWF.
I don't know why they ever quit making it? I don't see how it could be more expensive to make then what Williams is making now. I wonder if some of the soap makers could replicate the exact content, or make it a little better then the original?
I have been using a cake of vintage Colgate soap and found, that while it did a good job, the cream would dry out quickly. I would have to re-wet the area to get the slipperyness back. I added some Saint Charles Shave, Rose cream to the Colgate, while loading the brush and did not have any more drying out issues.
I put the cake of Williams into my Seaforth mug. I ran hot water into the mug, soaking the cake and Omega 31064 boar brush at the same time, while I prepped my face for several minutes. I used my Gillette SS Adjustible (set on #4) with a Personna blade that had been used two times. I thought this would test the soap better then a new blade.
My 31064 Omega brush has been used about forty times in the past two years and was well broken in. Every time I use it, I am astounded on how good a job it does with soaps and creams. I poured off the hot water, shook the brush out and applied the Omega to the Williams cake. In about 20 swirls I had the brush loaded. I face lather most of the time. The boar brush and the Williams soap soon built up a superb cream lather on my face. I had to adjust the water content several times, before I judged the lather to be ready.
I proceeded to shave and I found that the Williams felt similar to my Tabac or MWF in performance. I had been using Tabac for several years and the MWF since early this year. The razor and blade glided through the beard and did not dry my face. I would rinse off my face between passes and then relather. I completed a four pass shave and did not experience any irritation or weepers. After washing the lather off my face I applied some Pinaud, Bay Rum mixed with a little Vaseline, Face and Body Lotion. I felt a little stinging in several places, but no more then I usually feel after a four pass shave.
I am going to be using the vintage Williams exclusively the coming week to get a better feel for it. The first shave seems to indicate that it works just as well as my Tabac or MWF.
I don't know why they ever quit making it? I don't see how it could be more expensive to make then what Williams is making now. I wonder if some of the soap makers could replicate the exact content, or make it a little better then the original?
I have been using a cake of vintage Colgate soap and found, that while it did a good job, the cream would dry out quickly. I would have to re-wet the area to get the slipperyness back. I added some Saint Charles Shave, Rose cream to the Colgate, while loading the brush and did not have any more drying out issues.
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