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Williams. Seriously.

guitarslinger

guitarslinger

I know it's automatically amazing since it's tallow based, and $.99,

BUT............................Really............


This is about a 2/10 at best, performance-wise.

I know it's just my opinion, and YMMV, etc. But, come on, face it, it's not good.

:thumbup1::thumbup1:
 
markb

markb

It's not Mitchell's Wool Fat by any stretch but I get good shaves from it.

If you don't like it, don't use it. Plenty of others out there to choose from.
 
michiganlover

michiganlover

It's a 0/10 for me. I can't get anything approaching a usable lather from it.

Too many other wonderful products available (some for just a little more dough) to spend loads of time trying to get a foul smelling sub-par product to work.

It contains tallow, but tallow alone does not make for a good shaving soap.

As shaving soaps go, I am sorry to say, but Williams flat out sucks. :lol::lol:

Give me VDH/ VanDerSpice any day of the week over that foul smelling, impossible to lather crapola.
 
M

mparker762

I'd rate it a bit higher since quite a few guys get good shaves from it, but it kind of depends on how you assign the numbers. I'd rate it a couple of notches higher than MWF, personally, though I also rate MWF somewhere below "water, no lather" and just above "no water, no lather".
 
michiganlover

michiganlover

brianw said:
Tell us how you really feel, now don't mince any words:thumbup1:
Click to expand...

Hey, if Williams works for you, and you enjoy using it, then don't allow my opinion to influence you.

But for me, Williams is a disaster of a soap, that I don't even intend on touching with a ten foot pole. :laugh::laugh:
 
Last edited:
SmoovD

SmoovD

Williams isn't a great soap, by any stretch. It rides the fine line between "not good" and "not too bad". I can get passable shaves from Williams and it does benefit from frequent use. It just doesn't merit such attention- too many better soaps to be found.
 
Tricky

Tricky

Odd... after using it exclusively for three years, I can still make a lather that is hands down better than some of the other more expensive products out there. I initially began to use it because I could make a really wet lather that was unbelievably slick. It is one of those soaps you have to 'think outside the box' to get. lots of water!
 
K

kolinpl

I know this discussion will go on until men stop taking blades to their faces . . . but in my experience, making a good lather with Williams is absolutely dependent on the water. I used Williams successfully for years in Canada with good results. Now living in Poland, I just can't make a good lather with this stuff even though I've tried numerous times.

I dunnno, maybe I forgot how. Or MAYBE since I have learned to make good lather with creams (Williams is the only soap I have ever tried), Williams lather seems to pale in comparison. In any case, I do seem to remember Williams lather to be slippery and plentiful. I can't seem to obtain either property now.

K
 
Disburden

Disburden

I know this is going to sound crazy, but I get easier lather from Williams than I do with MWF. I can't get much from that soap no matter how much I try, I do think its better for the skin though.




Minutemen rock, btw.
 
J

JCD

I'm biased as I am new to wet shaving and have only used Williams but by putting about a tablespoon of hot water on the puck for a couple min and heavily loading my wet brush I get excellent lather.
I find it hard to believe that some long term shavers can't get Williams to lather well, it's gotta be something in the water.
I'm going to make some shaving soap I hope I get as thick and slick a lather as I do with Williams but with better scent.
 
whiteweed

whiteweed

This is one of my all time favorite post and it just so happens to be in reply to the same topic. I am in no way saying anyone is a baby or whiner as this poster does but this is funny and I wanted to share it, quoted from another shave site.


""Now listen up, you mamby-pamby whiners! It seems that some of you are having problems with Williams Mug Shaving Soap. This isn't surprising.

Williams is not for the weak and worthless! Don't look around, numb brush! I'm talking to you!

You with your soft creams and your Euro-soaps...You are a disgusting soapbody! Williams has been delivering great shaves to great Americans since 1840. It has been to the Halls of Montezuma and to the Shores of Tripoli. For one hundred and sixty nine everloving years, this piece of history has been doing it's job. You can't even be bothered to swirl a brush for a few extra minutes!

I hear your sniveling..."It's hard to lather. It dries too quickly". Well, see here, private Crybaby. You have to work to make Williams do it's magic! You have add plenty of water and lather like you got a pair! Now, grab your puck and sing out:

"This is my Williams, this is brush
It'll lather just fine if I get off my duff!"

Now, let's review.

Price: Out-freaking-standing! You could buy a deuce and a half full of this stuff and still have beer money!

Quality: It's been around so long because It's quality! There is more to quality than fancy-pants scents and oh-so-soft creams. Will a tube of Proraso in your pocket stop a bullet like Williams? I thought not!

Scent: It smells like soap, not some cheap short time house! It's soap, not foo-foo juice!

Lather: It lathers just fine, girls, if you want it to! You have to work to lather my beloved Williams. If everybody could lather Williams, it wouldn't BE Williams. As to that lather drying out, stop lollygagging and shave!

Efficacy and Moisturizing: Are you trying to be cute? What the Efficacy does that fancy "Efficacy" word even mean? And Williams doesn't moisturize because the men who settled this country wanted tight skin while they squinted down the sights of their weapons, not to be all soft like maggots!

So you non-hacking creamworms can go home to Mama and cry about your poor little wrists getting all limp and tired from trying to lather Williams. The real shavers will proudly pound that puck in to sudsy submission! Get out of my sight!

Now, excuse me for a few hours, I have to go and make this Williams lather..."

The next post added this

Be careful about bad-mouthing Williams... Fuzzy will have a conniption fit.

In my experience, it works a lot better with a few drops of added glycerin"
 
salisburyyates

salisburyyates

I just used it tonight, figuring I'd give it another shot.


I put the puck in my hand, dipped it in the hot sink, waited about 30 seconds, began madly stirring with my badger brush - and created plenty of useful lathery goodness.

If you take this messy and hasty approach, you are bound to get shaving cream from it if you stir for long enough. Remember this isn't Trumpers, you cant stir for the same length of time and expect to get the same results. If it were, then it would not be a dollar.
 
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