This Is a phenomenon to me. I’m not doubting these issues are happening with multiple folks.I have used Williams From Los Angeles California all the way to Jacksonville Florida. Using the proper steps, I have never in 38 years In wet shaving had an issue with Williams Mug Soap. Not one time. It’s slick, it has great protection,It doesn’t dry out as quickly as some soaps do. It’s very easy to use from the mug because you can do multiple passes without worrying about running out and redoing your brush with soap. I literally have 12 packs in my cupboard that I keep just in case I can’t buy anymore. You have to forgive me.I don’t get it.
Williams Again
- Thread starter FloppyJoe
- Start date
You get it...
You got it!
Considering the century of success that Williams shaving soap has enjoyed, I'd say, you sound like a man who wishes he had invented William's Shaving Soap!
It takes a while for a Wiliams puck to break in and soften up. After a time they get soft enough that you can press a dent into them with your finger. I keep two of them in my mug. When the top one wears through I take out the bottom one, drop a new puck in the bottom of the mug and place the soft one back on top. By the time you wear through the top one, the other is perfect. This also keeps me from having to reach down into the mug so deep with the brush that I bang my fingers on the side of the mug.
If you use it every day it will soften up and stay soft. I live in Florida, so nothing ever dries out here.
If you don't break them in you will get soap suds, not lather.
If you use it every day it will soften up and stay soft. I live in Florida, so nothing ever dries out here.
If you don't break them in you will get soap suds, not lather.
It was my first soap back in 2016, the one I learned to lather with. After nearly 5 years, it's still the soap I've used most, and the one I use as the standard to measure other soaps against.
I was gifted Williams mug soaps because of my curiosity and it's a terrific soap.
I've never bloomed it, boiled it, burnt incense to invoke lather God or any other various activities were performed.
I've used it a couple of times then got distracted by my other soaps, when I returned to Williams mug soap again after a break of more than wla week, I just put some water on it to wet it and started swirling the brush.
Lather, protection and doesn't dry between passes is guaranteed.
What it lacks is scent and that's actually a plus point for me, especially when I'm not interested in any specific scents for Shaving Soap.
I believe that people who face problems in lathering must be genuinely facing difficulty, the reasons can be anything.
I've never bloomed it, boiled it, burnt incense to invoke lather God or any other various activities were performed.
I've used it a couple of times then got distracted by my other soaps, when I returned to Williams mug soap again after a break of more than wla week, I just put some water on it to wet it and started swirling the brush.
Lather, protection and doesn't dry between passes is guaranteed.
What it lacks is scent and that's actually a plus point for me, especially when I'm not interested in any specific scents for Shaving Soap.
I believe that people who face problems in lathering must be genuinely facing difficulty, the reasons can be anything.
Haven't used Williams for a few months trying to whittle down inventory of soaps I won't or the maker won't replace. Looks like CBL has moved on from Tonsorial so the puck in the OS mug went in the shower.
Grabbed a puck of Williams from the stash in the garage and stuck it in the mug. Been looking forward to this for a while. 50 years of Williams and it felt right at home. No blooming, no drops or teaspoons to wet the top, no soaking the brush, no offerings to the lather gods, nothing. Grabbed a G2 Pure of the shelf, dipped the tips in the water and started to load the brush off a brand new well aged dry puck. Maybe 15 seconds or so looked at the brush and thought plenty for 2 passes on the neck, oh yea the dreaded Williams, so loaded for a few more swirls.
Started to build the lather, it came on like gangbusters, creamy, firm and plenty of it. Nowhere was this sloppy, airy, fading, bubbly mess. What! Weird? Proceeded to have a fine, slick, irritation free shave. Pre-War Fat Handle Tech, trying a Green 7 o'clock, Simpson G2 Pure and Sea Breeze Blue for an AS, untreated well water, face lather.
Folks talk about vintage Williams being a great soap. But old threads disagree on the date the cataclysmic change occurred. 70's, 90's, 00's ? Whenever it happened the change didn't have any impact I recall from the last 'vintage' puck to the first new formula puck. Just kept right on a shaving. Made a comment in a older thread that maybe if there was a change that actually impacted the lather making or quality the few of us mug and brush shavers at the time just adapted because that's all there was. I don't recall any such change though, seems to me it's still as good as it ever was. Of course YMMV!
Grabbed a puck of Williams from the stash in the garage and stuck it in the mug. Been looking forward to this for a while. 50 years of Williams and it felt right at home. No blooming, no drops or teaspoons to wet the top, no soaking the brush, no offerings to the lather gods, nothing. Grabbed a G2 Pure of the shelf, dipped the tips in the water and started to load the brush off a brand new well aged dry puck. Maybe 15 seconds or so looked at the brush and thought plenty for 2 passes on the neck, oh yea the dreaded Williams, so loaded for a few more swirls.
Started to build the lather, it came on like gangbusters, creamy, firm and plenty of it. Nowhere was this sloppy, airy, fading, bubbly mess. What! Weird? Proceeded to have a fine, slick, irritation free shave. Pre-War Fat Handle Tech, trying a Green 7 o'clock, Simpson G2 Pure and Sea Breeze Blue for an AS, untreated well water, face lather.
Folks talk about vintage Williams being a great soap. But old threads disagree on the date the cataclysmic change occurred. 70's, 90's, 00's ? Whenever it happened the change didn't have any impact I recall from the last 'vintage' puck to the first new formula puck. Just kept right on a shaving. Made a comment in a older thread that maybe if there was a change that actually impacted the lather making or quality the few of us mug and brush shavers at the time just adapted because that's all there was. I don't recall any such change though, seems to me it's still as good as it ever was. Of course YMMV!
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- Thread starter
- #28
I have been trying this approach and it works very well!
I go with a completely dry brush to start. I cover the puck with hot water, let it sit for a few seconds and then throw out the water. Then I go to work with a dry brush and get a decent coating on the tip of the brush, about 30-40 swirls of the brush. I then start adding water, about 1/2 tsp at a time and swirl the brush about 10-20 times. I do this about 4-5 times and then start adding more water to get the lather.
It does take some work, but I get a great lather every time. I sometimes stop here and get a good shave. Sometimes, I also add a dab (almond size) of a cream, Palmolive, Lavada or Gillette KIND, to go full super lather.
Either works great!
Is it worth it over something like SV, where you just look at it and you get a lather? For me, yes, I like the clean scent of Williams.
Williams has become my go to for the most part and I get the best result by just covering the puck in warm water and stick my big boar in there while I shower, so 5 minutes or so. Pour the water off and later on the puck for like 15 to 20 seconds. Plenty of later for my 2 pass shave. I tend to use up a puck at a time and it gets softer and easier to lather with daily use. I typically buy it in my local grocery for $1.50 or sometimes on sale. Probably get about 3 months from a puck. For me its just a great performing soap and never had a problem lathering with it.
I tend to switch off with Arko stick so just call me a use the basics kind of guy. So I have 4 pucks of Williams and 5 sticks of Arko = a 2 year supply. Not muck else in the den, just a tube of Cremo for the rare day when I am really pressed for time.
I tend to switch off with Arko stick so just call me a use the basics kind of guy. So I have 4 pucks of Williams and 5 sticks of Arko = a 2 year supply. Not muck else in the den, just a tube of Cremo for the rare day when I am really pressed for time.
I first started using Williams in '61 (vintage) and thought it was a good soap back then. So I did a little experiment. Matched Vintage vs New Williams and Vintage won hands down. Then I added into the experiment Arko stick (shaved and bowl pressed) Arko with only a few drops of water to bloom, exploded into a great soap to where the new Williams did not, Arko when bought by the 12 ct box is $1.18 per stick. Williams and Arko having a soapy scent with Arko having a stronger scent. So as in cost effective Arko is cheaper but the Williams name I will admit is nostalgic, I do like the Vintage Williams but for me personally I'll leave the new Williams in the draw
That's exactly what I do. I don't think it pays to overthink this soap, it wants an inexpensive everyman boar brush, and to be lathered on the puck in a mug. My Omega 10049 works perfectly. After your lather is built up, try whipping in a jellybean size spot of Creamo and a little extra water. I also try to buy it at my local market just to show some turnover on the SKU.
- Thread starter
- #32
I would agree, a super badger may not be the way to go here. I use my Rooney Best that I bought years ago. It seems to a good match for Wiliams on other soaps.
- Thread starter
- #33
I have been using this approach recently. This approach works very well. I would try this approach first.
I think if you have a hard to lather puck, try the dry brush method until the puck softens with use. After that go back to this approach.
I think the key to both is a less than super badger brush. I use a best badger and it works very well. Boar is also probably a good choice.
Williams is now firmly in my rotation
