What should I expect from Vintage Williams?

[K.T.]

Hey, hey. I picked up my first puck of vintage Williams today at a local vintage stuff boutique. $5 plus tax.

Oh, boy, the puck is small. I can't recall for sure, but it seems a bit smaller than a puck of modern Williams.

I've heard great things about the vintage pucks. I'm not sure when mine was was made, but there's a price tag on the box that says SIEBEL, and then some code, and a price of .47, or 47 cents.

On the other tab, it says williams MUG shaving soap, Distributed by the J.B. Williams Company, Inc. Toiletries Division, Cranford, N.J. 07016.

Contents are: Tallow, Stearic Acid, Water, Coconut Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Hydroxide, Fragrance, Titanium Dioxide, Isopropyl Cresols.

What can I expect from this soap compared to, let's say, Tabac, Cella, Valroba stick, or Arko?

For $5, I had to give it a try. I hope it lives up to the hype!

 

[michiganlover]

I would say you can expect a luscious thick lather that compares favorably with Tabac, and Arko.

Vintage Williams is great stuff!!

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Because the vintage Williams pucks are so small I grated the one I'm currently using into a plastic Ziploc storage container so that I would have more surface area to work with. I ended up doing this with every soap I have except the Mama Bears which I left in their containers. As michiganlover said you can expect a very nice lather with it. It won't have much scent left, but I don't think it had much to begin with.

I can say with complete honesty that it is far and away my favorite soap to use.

 

[Seraphim]

Why are you asking?

You have it---use it. And then you get to tell us what you think about how it works.

Be sure to also pick up a puck of the modern stuff to be able to make a valid comparrison. Even though you most likely won't be able to discern a difference.

 

[Slivovitz]

Mine produced a nice rich lather. Smelled a little musty, which wasn't surprising for a 34 year old tallow soap. It had a bicentennial promotion on the box which would date it to 1976, or maybe the year before. Not exactly a revelatory lathering experience, but certainly a good soap.

I haven't tried any of the others you want to compare it to yet, although I have unopened Tabac and Arko shave sticks.

 

[Seraphim]

Mine produced a nice rich lather. Smelled a little musty, which wasn't surprising for a 34 year old tallow soap. It had a bicentennial promotion on the box which would date it to 1976, or maybe the year before. Not exactly a revelatory lathering experience, but certainly a good soap.

I haven't tried any of the others you want to compare it to yet, although I have unopened Tabac and Arko shave sticks.

You have 86 different versions of the Shick injectors, and have yet to get around to trying TABAC?

Priorities, my friend, priorities!

 

[Slivovitz]

You have 86 different versions of the Shick injectors, and have yet to get around to trying TABAC?

Priorities, my friend, priorities!

I have been remiss, haven't I? And I haven't even bought any TOBS or MWF, or Cade, or . . .

It's only 33 injectors, though, so I can probably afford a little more soap.

 

[K.T.]

Be sure to also pick up a puck of the modern stuff to be able to make a valid comparrison. Even though you most likely won't be able to discern a difference.

Are you saying what I think you're saying?

I do have a puck of the current Williams, and let's just say it does a fine job breaking in my new brushes.

I can't imagine the vintage could be the same - it just smells so much more...tallowy. And musty, too.

Anyhow, I plan on giving it a spin this weekend. I'll let you know how it goes!

 

[americanarmsdealer]

Be sure to also pick up a puck of the modern stuff to be able to make a valid comparrison. Even though you most likely won't be able to discern a difference.

So all those posts singing the praises of the Mighty Vintage Williams and bashing the current production pucks are just hype?

 

[Seraphim]

So all those posts singing the praises of the Mighty Vintage Williams and bashing the current production pucks are just hype?

Either that, or Seraphim may have a bit of sarcastic tendancies....

 

[DFrancis]

Either that, or Seraphim may have a bit of sarcastic tendancies....

that's unheard of

 

[steveclarkus]

I would say to expect to get ripped off.

Modern Williams is just as good. Just pay as much attention to lathering it properly as you would if you had paid ten times as much for it.

 

[hometownhero]

I would say to expect to get ripped off.

Modern Williams is just as good. Just pay as much attention to lathering it properly as you would if you had paid ten times as much for it.

I would have to say this is highly debatable. the modern williams I had (before it was in the trash) the lather sucked. Now the vintage made very good lather very good.

Both were loaded for 10 seconds only one made very nice usable lather can you guess what one it was. Also there have never been any complaint with vintage williams lather that I have read. Cant say the same for the modern stuff

 

[HoosierTrooper]

I would say to expect to get ripped off.

Modern Williams is just as good. Just pay as much attention to lathering it properly as you would if you had paid ten times as much for it.

I use, and like, modern Williams, but I like the vintage Williams a whole lot more. I mean a WHOLE lot more.

 

[Sledgehammer39]

I would say you can expect a luscious thick lather that compares favorably with Tabac, and Arko.

Vintage Williams is great stuff!!

+1 What michiganlover said..

 

[Blondie]

Hey, hey. I picked up my first puck of vintage Williams today at a local vintage stuff boutique. $5 plus tax.

Oh, boy, the puck is small. I can't recall for sure, but it seems a bit smaller than a puck of modern Williams.

I've heard great things about the vintage pucks. I'm not sure when mine was was made, but there's a price tag on the box that says SIEBEL, and then some code, and a price of .47, or 47 cents.

On the other tab, it says williams MUG shaving soap, Distributed by the J.B. Williams Company, Inc. Toiletries Division, Cranford, N.J. 07016.

Contents are: Tallow, Stearic Acid, Water, Coconut Oil, Sodium Hydroxide, Potassium Hydroxide, Fragrance, Titanium Dioxide, Isopropyl Cresols.

What can I expect from this soap compared to, let's say, Tabac, Cella, Valroba stick, or Arko?

For $5, I had to give it a try. I hope it lives up to the hype!

Compared to Tabac, you will probably just stop using the Tabac. It's a really good soap.

Why are you asking?

You have it---use it. And then you get to tell us what you think about how it works.

Be sure to also pick up a puck of the modern stuff to be able to make a valid comparrison. Even though you most likely won't be able to discern a difference.

I do that with vintage stuff too, bash it to try to keep prices from going up.