Williams soap First try. Not bad

[pedgy]

Hi everyone, today while i was strolling through walmart i saw williams shave soap. I decided to buy it since it was $1.25.

Its my first soap and wanted to give it a try. Im only ever used creams.

In the beginning it was tough to start to creat a lather but as it progressively went on i would put a little water on the badger brush and back to m face. It created OK lather but nothing crazy. For a first try it was decent. Any recommendations on how to create amazing lather with this low costing soap. Thank you all

 

[djh]

I have never tried Williams soap but there are very divided opinions upon it. Some would suggest that the best method to get a good lather from Williams is to toss it out and use something else whereas others would suggest that a little practice and you will be on the road.

Please let us know which way you decide.

 

[Mr5x5]

It worked better for me when travelling because we have really hard water. If you water is hard try distilled.

 

[ODJ]

not bad...but not good either!

 

[BlackBard]

A new puck is more difficult to lather at first. There seems to be some sort of "skin" on the soap that disappears after it is used a few times. Just use lots of product and be patient. It is​ possible to get good lather from Williams. You may decide you like it.

 

[CharlieFoxtrot]

A new puck is more difficult to lather at first. There seems to be some sort of "skin" on the soap that disappears after it is used a few times. Just use lots of product and be patient. It is​ possible to get good lather from Williams. You may decide you like it.

+1. There seems to be a break in period and soft water helps a lot. Soak the puck for a few minutes in hot water and then dump it out and load it up. The water to soap ratio is counter-intuitive, so do some practice lather sessions. Once you nail it down, you'll be happy to have a cheap local option available.

 

[barneykiller]

I threw mine out after tring to get a puck to lather multiple times. Wasn't even good enough to PIF.

 

[California Cajun]

Hi everyone, today while i was strolling through walmart i saw williams shave soap. I decided to buy it since it was $1.25.

Its my first soap and wanted to give it a try. Im only ever used creams.

In the beginning it was tough to start to creat a lather but as it progressively went on i would put a little water on the badger brush and back to m face. It created OK lather but nothing crazy. For a first try it was decent. Any recommendations on how to create amazing lather with this low costing soap. Thank you all

Here's a video that is typical of recommendations for Williams: soak the puck in hot water for several minutes, empty the excess water, then lather.

The author has hard water which makes it take longer than if his water were soft.

Williams used to produce a legendary lather without a lot of effort until the formula was changed around 2004-5 and that is why some members don't like it. It still works, but not as well and it takes more effort to build the lather. I think if they reverted to the old formula and charged $5 a puck more people would gladly resume a long-time American tradition.

 

[carldamnit]

I am by no means an expert in the proper use of shaving soap. Still a newbie. But I have to say, I love Williams. All I really have to compare it with is the goo I used for years and Parkers. But I am very happy with it. I use a boar brush so I know I won't make as pretty a lather as someone with a badger brush. But that is beside the point. I soak my puck in hot water before I use it, lather it half in the bowl and half on my face. Is it like whipped cream on my face? No. I can tell you it is very slick and really allows for a nice shave.

You have to ask yourself, what do you expect from $1.25? If you are looking for lather that looks like something from an expensive english shoap, you are looking in the wrong place. If you are looking for a good comfortable shave, you have found it. IMHO

P.S. I have soft water where I live so I don't have to work the lather more than a minute in the bowl, and a minute on my face. You know the old saying YMMV

 

[Topgumby]

Many report good results from soaking the puck. Some have said it works better when you mill it and mush it into a mug. Another trick is to add a few drops of Aqua Velva, or another aftershave that has glycerin to the puck before you begin loading.

Me, I just load up the brush generously on a dry puck, using a fairly wet brush...I then face lather and adjust with more water or more soap depending on how the lather is doing once applied, and pay little heed to how it looks or feels other than on the work surface...my ugly visage. I am not shy about going back and reloading or re-wetting the brush if needed.

Williams is a blue collar soap, and it needs a blue collar approach, IMHO.

 

[bvance554]

I like Williams and if it weren't for the good deal I got on 12 sticks of Arko I'd probably use it exclusivley. Its cheap and I can buy it any where. I never had a problem building a lather. I face lather and I would load a wet brush on the puck and go to work on my face. It never took long to build a lather, although longer than Arko. I'm not a conniseur of lather, but I could always build a suitable lather with little effort.

 

[BlackBard]

Many report good results from soaking the puck. Some have said it works better when you mill it and mush it into a mug. Another trick is to add a few drops of Aqua Velva, or another aftershave that has glycerin to the puck before you begin loading.

Me, I just load up the brush generously on a dry puck, using a fairly wet brush...I then face lather and adjust with more water or more soap depending on how the lather is doing once applied, and pay little heed to how it looks or feels other than on the work surface...my ugly visage. I am not shy about going back and reloading or re-wetting the brush if needed.

Williams is a blue collar soap, and it needs a blue collar approach, IMHO.

Spoken like a true member of the new gone and long lamented Anti-Social Williams Group. Well done!

 

[Deano]

I tried it last week. Not a great lather but sufficient and seemed reasonably slick and I got a decent shave. My problem with it was it dried me out so badly.

 

[gwav64]

Haven't tried it yet, but intend to do so. I will try using it as a shave stick when I do. I tried this with Godrej Shaving Round, with great results!

 

[blzrfn]

I used Williams this morning for the first time and it did take a while to load up the brush (I actually had to re-load a bit mid lather as the initial loading was insufficient) but the results were pretty slick and well cushioned. I don't care for the scent and it did leave my skin a bit on the dry side, but I countered that with some Aloe Vera/menthol gel after some WH. Is it good enough to maintain a spot in my soap/cream rotation? Yes Will I rush out and buy another puck as soon as this one is done? Probably not

 

[BrookR1]

There's nothing wrong with Williams....there's nothing right with it either.

 

[redhead shaver]

I love Williams it is one of my favorite soaps. I soak my puck while I shower, then I squeeze most but not all the water from my brush and proceed to load, I load for about 45 seconds or so. Then face lather adding water as needed. It works every time, I get a terrific super slick, thick lather. Good luck with your efforts, if you get it right Williams is great stuff.

 

[NCJack]

I've had no problems with Williams, but I've always lathered in a mug, seems like what it's designed for. Soak puck a few seconds, use fairly moist brush, drain as necessary, keep whippin' it.

BTW, a cheap base for a superlather.

 

[OldSaw]

Is Michiganlover on vacation?

 

[goby]

It's way overpriced. And you still haven't tried a soap yet. It's no soap.