What happened to Williams?

[DEgeezer]

Williams was all that was obtainable in the area we lived when I started shaving many years ago.
And although it's sad to see any vintage company close, IMO when compared the soaps in my rotation, I won't miss Williams a bit.

 

[J Schultz]

I won a puck of vintage Williams through a PIF. I'm looking forward to trying it now that I've read through this thread.

 

[WThomas0814]

Williams pucks were what my father taught me to shave with, using a Gillette black handled Super Speed, back in the late 70s. I used this soap until I switched to electric due to time demands (work, children, home projects, etc.). I returned to wet shaving when I retired last year, only to find that Williams was no more.

For what it’s worth, I have found that Arko pucks are every bit as good as Williams.

 

[DEgeezer]

For what it’s worth, I have found that Arko pucks are every bit as good as Williams.

Arko is much better IMO!

 

[Doc Dan]

And Cella is better than Arko. Smells better, too!

 

[WThomas0814]

I broke down and ordered five Williams pucks from highly rated eBay sellers. I’m hoping they are as good as they used to be. With my current soap inventory (a kilo each of Cella Red and Vitos Red, seven Arko pucks, and two dozen Arko sticks), I think I will be leaving soap to my grandsons in my will. Or maybe I’ll sell some to pad my retirement in a couple of years…

Average price was right at $20 per puck… a far cry from the sub-$3 I seem to recall paying the last time I bought it from my local druggist. Still, I see many artisan soaps going for much more.

I have a nice unsullied Semogue SOC boar with a cherry handle waiting for it. I plan to put it in a glass Anchor-Hocking bowl, but I might seek out a vintage Old Spice mug.

Results to follow.

 

[WThomas0814]

And Cella is better than Arko. Smells better, too!

Not a puck, though…

 

[WThomas0814]

Arko is much better IMO!

I plan to do a side-by-side comparison when I receive the Williams pucks I ordered today.

 

[Lane101]

I broke down and ordered five Williams pucks from highly rated eBay sellers. I’m hoping they are as good as they used to be. With my current soap inventory (a kilo each of Cella Red and Vitos Red, seven Arko pucks, and two dozen Arko sticks), I think I will be leaving soap to my grandsons in my will. Or maybe I’ll sell some to pad my retirement in a couple of years…

Average price was right at $20 per puck… a far cry from the sub-$3 I seem to recall paying the last time I bought it from my local druggist. Still, I see many artisan soaps going for much more.

I have a nice unsullied Semogue SOC boar with a cherry handle waiting for it. I plan to put it in a glass Anchor-Hocking bowl, but I might seek out a vintage Old Spice mug.

Results to follow.

Hi, I'm also a Williams fan slowly working down reserve stock purchased from my local grocery. That said at $20 per puck a better option (unless one really has to have it for nostalgia reasons), that is tallow based per your preferences, is Cyril R. Salter's 100g puck of shaving soap. Connaught Shaving sells it for 4.50 British Pounds each. Even with shipping you could purchase 5 pucks for under $40 U.S. getting twice as much (100g vs 50g pucks) better quality shaving soap with a nice lavender like scent for a fraction of the price. At the budget soap level your Arko is the best tallow based alternative to Williams. Razorock What-The-Puck, though non-tallow, is also an excellent option at around $3 per puck when on sale.

Looks like you established a real market price for Williams at $20 per puck (we've seen it posted on Amazon for $35 +). While Williams was an excellent value at 99 cents from my local grocery store it's not worth $20 given the other equal or better options out there available at a much lower price.

 

[WThomas0814]

Hi, I'm also a Williams fan slowly working down reserve stock purchased from my local grocery. That said at $20 per puck a better option (unless one really has to have it for nostalgia reasons), that is tallow based per your preferences, is Cyril R. Salter's 100g puck of shaving soap. Connaught Shaving sells it for 4.50 British Pounds each. Even with shipping you could purchase 5 pucks for under $40 U.S. getting twice as much (100g vs 50g pucks) better quality shaving soap with a nice lavender like scent for a fraction of the price. At the budget soap level your Arko is the best tallow based alternative to Williams. Razorock What-The-Puck, though non-tallow, is also an excellent option at around $3 per puck when on sale.

Looks like you established a real market price for Williams at $20 per puck (we've seen it posted on Amazon for $35 +). While Williams was an excellent value at 99 cents from my local grocery store it's not worth $20 given the other equal or better options out there available at a much lower price.

Thanj, mate. I’ll look into Cyril Salters.

 

[Hyrum]

I've found Scalpmaster Shaving Soap surprisingly good and close to the old pucks that have left the market place long ago.

 

[FarmerTan]

I've found Scalpmaster Shaving Soap surprisingly good and close to the old pucks that have left the market place long ago.

I am calling you out as an enabler, mister!

 

[VerbaVolant]

That label tells me everything I need to know. Thank you very much... but no. Not for me.

 

[Lane101]

I plan to do a side-by-side comparison when I receive the Williams pucks I ordered today.

How has your soap journey gone do far? Were you able to compare it to your other soaps and if so how well did they work for you?

 

[Lane101]

I've found Scalpmaster Shaving Soap surprisingly good and close to the old pucks that have left the market place long ago.

Glad to hear that this soap works for you. There are a number of Amazon reviews noting that, while slick, the lather dissipates rather quickly. Not surprising as the fatty acids in this soap are saponified with sodium hydroxide versus the potassium hydroxide we see in most good shaving soaps.

Note that these ingredients are very similar to many of the possible components of Ivory Soap listed as follows (similar ingredients in bold):

Sodium Tallowate and/or Sodium Palmate, Water/Eau, Sodium Palm Kernelate and/or Sodium Cocoate, Sodium Chloride, Glycerin, Coconut Acid (Contains One or More of These Ingredients), Palm Kernel Acid (Contains One or More of These Ingredients), Fragrance/Parfum, Tallow Acid (Contains One or More of These Ingredients), Palm Acid (Contains One or More of These Ingredients), Citric Acid (Contains One or More of These Ingredients), Sodium Citrate (Contains One or More of These Ingredients), Tetrasodium EDTA.

Used alone as a shaving soap, Ivory has similar performance characteristics to those reported on Amazon for Scalpmaster in that its' lather, while slick, quickly dissipates.

P.S. Saw your older post where you originally used Colgate pucks years ago. You may want to look at the recent thread on current inexpensive shaving soaps for ideas on other alternatives. Razorock What-the-Puck and Arko likely the best alternatives to discontinued pucks like Colgate or Williams.

Inexpensive shaving soaps

Arko every day.

www.badgerandblade.com

 

[WThomas0814]

How has your soap journey gone do far? Were you able to compare it to your other soaps and if so how well did they work for you?

I've settled on four soaps that work perfectly for me: Vitos Red + Coco, Cella Red, Arko puck, and Albus Palmira. My Williams order never arrived and I'm not sad.