Willams. Not the worst shave I have ever had.

[kjparker]

Yes another williams thread!

I dont get it. It's just soap. I really dont understand the hate!

I was (un)lucky enough to be sent some with some stuff I bought, and i with great apprehension gave it a whirl.

Gave the puck a soak, soaked the brush, loaded and lathered like I normally would. I didnt end up with mountains of lather, but by the same token i got enough for an acceptable shave.

Is it going into my regualr rotation? No. But by the same token, do I hate it? Absolutely not!

I wonder how many people who post that it doesnt work, have actually tried it, and gave it a proper try, or are just jumping on the bandwagon!

Discuss.

Oh and BTW, the worst shave was with a "comoy" shaving soap puck bought locally here in Oz. Now if we were talking that stuff, I understand the hate!

 

[kadett]

I think it is because here in North America the expectation for Williams Mug is higher because it is a classic product of very long-standing. Most shavers expect such a classic soap to be a better product that in turns out to be. Hence the disappointment. In fairness it does sound as though at one time it was a really great soap before it was reformulated.

 

[talibeard]

Maybe it is too cheap and too common, I don't know. Maybe it is just too hard for some to make it work. I know I like it, and that is enough for me!

 

[Topgumby]

I do think that there may be a familiarity breeds contempt thing going on here.

I swapped with a Spanish member, a puck of Williams for a stick of La Toja, and he generously threw in a tube of the SC as well. I felt guilty.

He was thrilled with the Williams, and was happy with the trade. Now, I'm a Williams guy, but honestly, La Toja mops up the floor with Williams day or night.

But, since Williams is harder to get in Spain, this guy was happy to swap common La Toja for rare Williams. Go figure.

 

[RayH]

I do think that there may be a familiarity breeds contempt thing going on here.

I swapped with a Spanish member, a puck of Williams for a stick of La Toja, and he generously threw in a tube of the SC as well. I felt guilty.

He was thrilled with the Williams, and was happy with the trade. Now, I'm a Williams guy, but honestly, La Toja mops up the floor with Williams day or night.

But, since Williams is harder to get in Spain, this guy was happy to swap common La Toja for rare Williams. Go figure.

We all seem to want what we can't get. And maybe the water over in Spain make Williams easier to lather. While I can get a bbs with Williams, just about any soap mops up the floor with it. The exception being the new formula Erasmic.

 

[goby]

Yes another williams thread!

I dont get it. It's just soap. I really dont understand the hate!

I was (un)lucky enough to be sent some with some stuff I bought, and i with great apprehension gave it a whirl.

Gave the puck a soak, soaked the brush, loaded and lathered like I normally would. I didnt end up with mountains of lather, but by the same token i got enough for an acceptable shave.

Is it going into my regualr rotation? No. But by the same token, do I hate it? Absolutely not!

I wonder how many people who post that it doesnt work, have actually tried it, and gave it a proper try, or are just jumping on the bandwagon!

Discuss.

Oh and BTW, the worst shave was with a "comoy" shaving soap puck bought locally here in Oz. Now if we were talking that stuff, I understand the hate!

Wow, do you work on Madison Avenue.....


Williams Shaving Soap--- It's not the worst shave you'll ever have!®

The above is a registered trademark of the Williams Amalgamated Shaving Soap Corporation. All rights reserved.

 

[Obsessed]

I didnt end up with mountains of lather, but by the same token i got enough for an acceptable shave.

Is it going into my regualr rotation? No. But by the same token, do I hate it? Absolutely not!

That's pretty much how I feel about it.

 

[michiganlover]

Wow, do you work on Madison Avenue.....


Williams Shaving Soap--- It's not the worst shave you'll ever have!®

The above is a registered trademark of the Williams Amalgamated Shaving Soap Corporation. All rights reserved.

The flip side of that slogan, is that clearly it's not "The Best A Man Can Get" either.

Reminds me of a business I drove by in the back-roads of Northern Michigan. It was called All-Rite Roofing!! Not great roofing, just average run of the mill roofing.

 

[DFrancis]

I do think that there may be a familiarity breeds contempt thing going on here.

I swapped with a Spanish member, a puck of Williams for a stick of La Toja, and he generously threw in a tube of the SC as well. I felt guilty.

He was thrilled with the Williams, and was happy with the trade. Now, I'm a Williams guy, but honestly, La Toja mops up the floor with Williams day or night.

But, since Williams is harder to get in Spain, this guy was happy to swap common La Toja for rare Williams. Go figure.

You made out like a bandit, on scent alone La Toja kills Williams, and yes I do like Williams also.

 

[Deltaboy]

I have used Williams in many cities and several states and the Water is THE Differance Maker. When I am in Arkansas; Plain rural well water will make it lather like crazy. Go 5 miles into town and it lathers normally like what is shown on the box. At home in TX I have to add a black eyed pea sized drop of CO Bigelow Shaving Cream to get what I want out of it.

In it's current formulation Water PH and softness is the KEY to being happy with Classic ole Williams Shaving Cream.

 

[kjparker]

Oh Well,

I obviously didnt dislike it too much, A friend coming across for my wedding is bringing me 5 pucks of Williams, and 10 of VDH. LOL

I'll be set for the shavepocolypse!

 

[Luc]

I didn't dislike it either. I thought it was all right. For the price, I mean, it's not the best out there but if I need a shave soap and find Williams, I know I can do something with that.

 

[Seraphim]

The praise, even from supporters, is truly underwhelming!

 

[michiganlover]

The praise, even from supporters, is truly underwhelming!

Truly, truly underwhelming.

 

[Wil Dorenbos]

Oh Well,

I obviously didnt dislike it too much, A friend coming across for my wedding is bringing me 5 pucks of Williams, and 10 of VDH. LOL

I'll be set for the shavepocolypse!

Now that is great news

 

[grouse79]

I've done a couple of trades where I swapped Palmolive sticks for the same number of Williams pucks. I enjoy using it, including the scent, it certainly doesn't look like a cheap product to me and I have about 9 pucks so I'm OK for quite some time even if I use nothing else. My jaw drops to see US-based online shops charging nearly four dollars for the Palmolive stick when it's less than a dollar equivalent here in the UK (seems excessive - the postage can't be that expensive, can it?). But then Colonel Conk, which I also like, costs nearly three times as much in the UK as it does in the US (just a little bit cheaper than TOBS or Tabac) so I suppose it evens out.

 

[steveclarkus]

I've used Williams for years. My shaves are 95% BBS and I think it smells great so why look further?

Also, if you have a problem with the lathering, soaking isn't the best solution; grate it then stuff it in your container and it will lather as well as anything else. That puck is really dense and just needs to be loosened up a bit.

But, if you grate it and still don't like it as a shave soap, its not going to work as well in the shower and you will have completely blown a buck and half so give it some thought first.