You could also look for one of the pewter Williams Mugs that they used to make. That would be a lot more durable, and while I think they're still hard to find, they're not as hard to find as the Canadian milk glass mugs.
Williams Institute for Shaving Excellence (WISE)
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Yes, actually made of Armetale not pewter, but if you search some will list them as pewter. I agree, it's a much better option. Easier to find, cheaper, more durable, and easier to make lather with since it has a wider opening.
I learn something new just about every time I visit B&B!!!
I've been using my first puck of vintage Williams (circa 1976) all summer. It's good, very good maybe. But with all the hype it gets, perhaps I was expecting more. Today, I lathered up with the current Williams. New puck. No pre-shave gymnastics. Didn't soak it overnight, didn't even soak it while I was showering. No, I dampened it and rubbed in on my face like a shave stick.
The lather was stellar. Dare I say it? Better than vintage. Call it sacrilege, but it only confirms what I've long believed. There is nothing wrong with Williams Mug Soap! A great soap then. A great soap now...regardless of where tallow lines up on the ingredients list.
The lather was stellar. Dare I say it? Better than vintage. Call it sacrilege, but it only confirms what I've long believed. There is nothing wrong with Williams Mug Soap! A great soap then. A great soap now...regardless of where tallow lines up on the ingredients list.
That sounds great. Are you referring to the green rubber mug? I'm still not used to this forum and the way it works yet. Can you message me?
Yup, the green rubber mug, I'll also throw in two William pucks and a boar brush to get ya going.
I'll start a conversation with you, you should get a notice
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I started using Williams 45 years ago. Like Dog Whiskerer said : A great soap then. A great soap now! I will use it as long as I can find it.
Today, I got my 200th shave on my first puck of Williams. Except for a few shaves, I used a Van Der Hagan razor with the short handle, a Cremo horsehair brush, and alternating Astra SP and Gillette Wilkinson Sword blades. About half the time, I use a small amount of Mennan Skin bracer.
There were 301 passes in the 200 shaves. Now, I always do only one pass with soap. If I need any touchups or buffing, I use water. There is a possibility there could be close to 300 shaves in the next puck.
I shave almost every day, and always use WMS. It likes to be kept a bit soft. I did take one 30-day break from shaving. It only took a day or two to get the WMS back in shape.
There are still 15 or 20 shaves left in the puck. There are three more waiting in line.
In my opinion, traditional shavers were minimalists. If they weren't then they were hobbyists. If I want to shave as I did 48 years ago, then it's one razor, one brush, one type of blade, one aftershave. Same thing if I want to shave as my father did.
There were 301 passes in the 200 shaves. Now, I always do only one pass with soap. If I need any touchups or buffing, I use water. There is a possibility there could be close to 300 shaves in the next puck.
I shave almost every day, and always use WMS. It likes to be kept a bit soft. I did take one 30-day break from shaving. It only took a day or two to get the WMS back in shape.
There are still 15 or 20 shaves left in the puck. There are three more waiting in line.
In my opinion, traditional shavers were minimalists. If they weren't then they were hobbyists. If I want to shave as I did 48 years ago, then it's one razor, one brush, one type of blade, one aftershave. Same thing if I want to shave as my father did.
I just bought four pucks at the grocery store for $1.49 a piece! Cleaned them out. Probably scored myself a two year supply.
I didn’t realize I missed the brush and mug soap so much until that first bit of creamy hot lather kissed my skin and the first whiff of lemon PEZ sauntered into my nostrils. I knew the party had started. I love my Barbasol, but Williams is amazing.
Man, I missed Williams Mug Soap.
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I didn’t realize I missed the brush and mug soap so much until that first bit of creamy hot lather kissed my skin and the first whiff of lemon PEZ sauntered into my nostrils. I knew the party had started. I love my Barbasol, but Williams is amazing.
Man, I missed Williams Mug Soap.
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Although I don’t actually rub the puck on my face the method I use was inspired by a shave stick. I load from the puck using a damp brush. No water dripping from it at all. Then I rub the brush on my face. What I get is like a thin white film on my face that almost disappears. I load about three times not trying to build a lather at all just rubbing on a light layer of soap. Finally I start adding a few dabs of water on the brush and continue to face lather. The lather just pops out of that initial base layer. No bowl or puck lathering needed.
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After a failed attempt to use modern Williams several years ago, I've given it another try and found it to be pretty good. So I'd like to be a member of this esteemed group.
@hydro-magic Excellent! What method have you found works best for you?
Nice to have you! If you'd like to learn more about Williams' history and the secrets of lathering with Williams go back to the first post in the thread. @TheVez2 did a great job on it.
So far it seems like the most important thing is to have a hydrated puck. The best lather I've made was using a fairly wet synthetic brush. I load until the brush drags on the puck a little and the lather in the brush is creamy. From there, face lathering and adding a few drops of water is all I need to do.
I must say I've been getting wonderful lathers with the new Yaqi badger brushes I picked up last month. I also have tipped towards blooming the puck lately. I didn't used to before but I find it does create a thicker lather sooner. Williams was the first soap I used with my first slivertip 
Is it a Parker 98r you got there?I must say I've been getting wonderful lathers with the new Yaqi badger brushes I picked up last month. I also have tipped towards blooming the puck lately. I didn't used to before but I find it does create a thicker lather sooner. Williams was the first soap I used with my first slivertip
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I have the same razor, it was my second razor(DE) that I bought and I also like it to.
