Williams Mug

[SliceOfLife]

It used to be great. Current stuff can make passable lather if you add glycerin to it or soak it for a very long time and keep it "muddy" when you load. It's not as bad as many people say, but it's not worth buying. Arko outperforms it without the hassle for about the same price, and I'm even a fan of arko.


The real shame of Williams is the vintage stuff is probably the best shaving soap ever made.

 

[FatboyFan]

I ordered some of this to see where all the hate for this soap was coming from.

I've never come across a soap I couldn't get to lather enough to have at least a reasonable shave from .....until 30 minutes after the postman arrived with this soap.

I live on the coast and the water here is ridiculously soft due to our sandstone dominant geology. I bloomed the puck until the top started to feel a little tacky and loaded a damp brush. I got a really good pasty load on the brush and thought "yep this is going to work for sure'

I began working it and started to see what people were complaining about. It's way to fickle and I could not get it to produce anything approaching a good, slick, dense cushioning lather . I aborted the attempt and reached for the Tabac. Awesome results with zero effort

I've been trying every day this week so far trying all the advice from here and elsewhere but this stuff just doesn't want to cooperate.
I just came back from shooting '3 pointers' into the trash with the 4 remaining unopened pucks (I know this must seem like heresy to Williams lovers...apologies).

Sorry ...l can't love this soap when there are so many in my den that don't require advanced skills in the black arts to bring to a luxurious and protective lather. Good news for the Williams admirers - more for you guys

 

[dabrock]

I ordered some of this to see where all the hate for this soap was coming from.

I've never come across a soap I couldn't get to lather enough to have at least a reasonable shave from .....until 30 minutes after the postman arrived with this soap.

I live on the coast and the water here is ridiculously soft due to our sandstone dominant geology. I bloomed the puck until the top started to feel a little tacky and loaded a damp brush. I got a really good pasty load on the brush and thought "yep this is going to work for sure'

I began working it and started to see what people were complaining about. It's way to fickle and I could not get it to produce anything approaching a good, slick, dense cushioning lather . I aborted the attempt and reached for the Tabac. Awesome results with zero effort

I've been trying every day this week so far trying all the advice from here and elsewhere but this stuff just doesn't want to cooperate.
I just came back from shooting '3 pointers' into the trash with the 4 remaining unopened pucks (I know this must seem like heresy to Williams lovers...apologies).

Sorry ...l can't love this soap when there are so many in my den that don't require advanced skills in the black arts to bring to a luxurious and protective lather. Good news for the Williams admirers - more for you guys

But did you wear the black neophyte robes and spin the brush counter clockwise 200 times while chanting under a full moon? If you aren't going to follow advice then you just aren't going to get good shaves you know!

 

[Screech8710]

Pure Williams lather. No dark art or black magic, no virgin sacrifice, and nothing added.

 

[ackvil]

I ordered some of this to see where all the hate for this soap was coming from.

I've never come across a soap I couldn't get to lather enough to have at least a reasonable shave from .....until 30 minutes after the postman arrived with this soap.

I live on the coast and the water here is ridiculously soft due to our sandstone dominant geology. I bloomed the puck until the top started to feel a little tacky and loaded a damp brush. I got a really good pasty load on the brush and thought "yep this is going to work for sure'

I began working it and started to see what people were complaining about. It's way to fickle and I could not get it to produce anything approaching a good, slick, dense cushioning lather . I aborted the attempt and reached for the Tabac. Awesome results with zero effort

I've been trying every day this week so far trying all the advice from here and elsewhere but this stuff just doesn't want to cooperate.
I just came back from shooting '3 pointers' into the trash with the 4 remaining unopened pucks (I know this must seem like heresy to Williams lovers...apologies).

Sorry ...l can't love this soap when there are so many in my den that don't require advanced skills in the black arts to bring to a luxurious and protective lather. Good news for the Williams admirers - more for you guys

You didn't work it long enough. Williams takes a l-o-n-g time to work the lather. In fact, I can do a complete 4 pass shave with cleanup in the time it takes me to get a good lather with this soap!

 

[Masterblaster]

but this stuff just doesn't want to cooperate.

Use a boar brush and lots of really hot water. If you do that you'll change your mind.

 

[malarcus]

Unhappily, I do get a lot of irritation with this soap (just lathering, not even shaving)

I wish I could use this icon...

Marc

 

[Screech8710]

You didn't work it long enough. Williams takes a l-o-n-g time to work the lather. In fact, I can do a complete 4 pass shave with cleanup in the time it takes me to get a good lather with this soap!

Boy, you must shave really fast!

Really though, it used to take me awhile to build a lather too.

 

[ackvil]

Boy, you must shave really fast!

Really though, it used to take me awhile to build a lather too.

15 minutes to shave 30 to make lather from Williams.

 

[dionesius3]

If you soak the puck and do your part it works well. If you don't soak the puck and try to half way it, it is the worst soap ever. It all depends on you and your willingness to follow wisdom!

 

[Guitar10]

I dont want to open a can of worms but like i mention in others Williams threads i dont have any dificults whit that soap. Williams is my 5 days à week shaving soap, i dont use glycerin to make it lather. Water and lots of Water, if the puck is well hydrate you Will get great results. To my opinion the Water softeness or hardness have nothing to do, i did test it where the Water was soft where the Water was hard and i get the same results. Like i said if the puck is dry dont even try to make it lather, a well hydrate puck is the key to my humble opinion and experience.

 

[AHamilton]

Stiff boar brush, lotsa hot water, 30 seconds, thick lather for my two passes. No problem.

 

[Greglam]

I'll just leave this right here.

 

[TheVez2]

I'll just leave this right here.

A WISE Man for sure!

 

[dashmaverick]

You didn't work it long enough. Williams takes a l-o-n-g time to work the lather. In fact, I can do a complete 4 pass shave with cleanup in the time it takes me to get a good lather with this soap!

Use a boar brush and lots of really hot water. If you do that you'll change your mind.

Here's how I lather Williams - simple, easy, effective, and doesn't require extra work.

● I like to use a badger or synthetic brush, boar works too though I find it makes the lather airy.
● I don't bother soaking it - after showering I run the brush under the faucet, hot or cold, to wet it.
● I then squeeze the brush and maybe give it a light fling to expel the water.
● I then begin to lather; I keep my puck of Williams in a wooden bowl. I lather right on top of the puck for about 30 seconds.
● Unlike others who start with a very wet brush and wet lather, I like a dryer brush.
● After about 30 seconds, with a wet face I proceed to face lather.
● Every so often I'll lightly dip the tip of my brush in water to build the lather to the consistency I like.

I find it much easier to start on the dryer side, adding water when needed, rather than with a drenched puck and brush. When starting too wet you have to continually lather and agitate the puck to turn all that excess water/proto-lather into lather.

Another pro tip: You can use the puck just like a shave stick. Rub the puck over your face like you would any other normal shave stick and then lather. Another easy way to get great lather from Williams.

 

[gsurko]

Williams is one of the greatest soaps known to man.

 

[TheVez2]

Williams is one of the greatest soaps known to man.

Another WISE man! If you haven't yet, join us in that thread (see my sig).

Hastings? I grew up in Lowell, and worked in Hastings once a week in High School.

 

[bberg100]

MUG soap. Not bowl soap, not face soap. Lather ON THE PUCK, lots of water. Nothing I have leaves the face feel of Williams. Watched a Stirling video - Rod recommends LATHERING ON THE PUCK with Stirling too. I've been doing that for 40 years. Bazinga.

 

[gsurko]

Another WISE man! If you haven't yet, join us in that thread (see my sig).

Hastings? I grew up in Lowell, and worked in Hastings once a week in High School.

I love it here, only been here 2yrs. Moved to escape..

 

[dexutter]

MUG soap. Not bowl soap, not face soap. Lather ON THE PUCK, lots of water. Nothing I have leaves the face feel of Williams. Watched a Stirling video - Rod recommends LATHERING ON THE PUCK with Stirling too. I've been doing that for 40 years. Bazinga.

I've only ever test lathered Williams once, but it's been sitting in a mug waiting for me. Read this yesterday and felt inspired. So I shaved with it last night. Lathered with a good amount of water (soaked the puck for a few seconds, then poured off, had a my normal wetness on the brush) in the mug- it was great! Nice lather, grew pretty quickly, was super slick, felt great afterwards. By pass 3 I needed a bit more on the brush, but since the lather was in the mug, it only took a second to get more.
I think it's great!