Williams Mug Soap - definitely not THE BEST shave soap around, but certainly a true performer and one that I always get an excellent shave with. There is a reason why this stuff has been around since 1840, it has served generations of wetshavers well. Now, this soap gets banged around a lot, and it certainly lacks the "luxury factor" that a Taylor or Trumper possess, but Williams Mug Soap does a super job in the following areas: 1) Softens whiskers 2) Excellent Lubrication 3) Provides for a close shave (I gave a 7 for protection because it doesn't cushion like a pricier soap or cream, but the lack of cushion yields an extremely close shave) 4) Price (next to nothing) 5) Scent -> Excellent! The lather does take a little bit of practice, more water than your average, but it gets there and does the job each and every time.
I used this soap for years, and it was always a good performer for me. At around a $1 a puck, the price is right. I never had problems getting a good lather with it, but then I have very soft water, so this probably helped. It doesn't provide a lot of cushion, but you get excellent shaves with it. I think the scent is addicting. Good soap, and a good value.
I don't know, I keep buying Williams, and sooner or later, I get rid of it, because I just don't seem to get the kind of lather I want, although I find that this puck I have is quite a bit better. I generally would give the lather a 7, but perhaps, I should go up a notch, and give this puck an 8. The scent is clean, soapy, and pretty traditional, and reminds me vaguely of DR Harris Arlington. Heck, I suppose I'll keep it in my rotation! Jeff
SUBJECT TO CHANGE I used this soap with the Burma Boar Brush and a Mach 3 many moons ago. Based on some of the feedback, I am going to try it again (its only a buck). EDIT: Worked it a few time and well, no change. Dose not seem to work for me.
Not too bad, not too good The price is truly the best thing about this shave soap. The scent too is quite pleasant but a bit too mild. After a while you hardly can even smell it. It does give a nice shave and I do find that it lathers quite well. However, it seems to lack the oils which give you protection aganinst razor burns. It also does seem to dry out my skin and leave it feeling a bit irritated and red. If you do not have sensitive skin, this shave soap may be just right for you but for myself I need a shave soap that provides emollients such as shea butter or olive oil. I might use this soap once in long while but certainly not daily.
A good inexpensive soap. Lathers pretty well and smells good. It is not the best soap, but it is far from being the worst. For the price, it probably provides the biggest bang for the buck. If you like to mix soap and cream together for a superlather and you don't want to spend a lot of money for the soap, try this one. At a buck a puck, how can you go wrong?
This is the first wet-shaving product I purchased, along with an inexpensive synthetic bristle brush. They were on sale at Wal-Mart together for about $4. The scent is extremely pleasant, and I sometimes find myself wanting to lather a bowl of Williams just for the aroma. It is a very inexpensive soap, generally and generally sells for less than $1. It doesn't lubricate nearly as well as TOOBS or Trumper's, but I think that's to be expected. It takes about a minute and a half to two minutes to develop a workable lather. The lather is reasonably rich and lubricates well. I keep a cake or two of Williams around and use it now and again. IMO it works best with a stiff (boar) bristled brush.
Some things in life that are simple and not luxurious are still quite satisfying and fun. Williams Mug Soap is such a product--a no-frills shave soap that delivers an excellent shave. EASE OF LATHERING: It does take some practice to get the lather right with Williams. I have hard water which probably doesn't help. LIFE SPAN OF LATHER: Seems to go flat during a leisurely shave, but the soapy film remaining still does its job. Brushing on a few drops of water can easily revive the lather. MOISTURIZING: My face feels about the same after shaving as it did before. One has to be sure to rinse well after using Williams, as it can leave a drying film on the face. LUBRICATION: This is what I like best about Williams. It's much more than slick enough for a fast, comfortable shave. The lather does not get in the way of an extremely close shave, either. It's close to ideal in this regard. HOW PROTECTIVE?: Quite good. I rarely have problems with irritation when using Williams. My sensitive neck area looks and feels really healthy after a Williams shave. Nice! SCENT: Clean and soapy, simple and refreshing. Not luxurious but quite likable. PRICE: Easily the cheapest soap I've ever come across in the shaving aisle--and it works well. A perfect 10 for value. WOULD YOU BUY AGAIN?: Oh, my, yes. I especially like to shave with Williams after I've had an unfortunate irritating shave using something else. The mild Williams lather really calms down my face. It's a must-have for me.
I have used both VDH Deluxe, and Williams quite a bit. VDH performs well above it's price point, and will always deserve a spot in my rotation. I simply love it!! Williams, just doesn't compare to the VDH. The Citronella scent is a bit off putting, and this is simply nowhere near as moisturizing as the VDH. As always indicated, it is also lacking in the cushioning department. VDH can be had for $1.49 locally, and Williams for $1.29. For a mere $.20 cents more, I will buy the VDH every time. I have found the Williams to perform well, when Super-lathered with Kiss My Face unscented, but that still doesn't cover up the distracting smell.
A Metaphor Camping. Sometimes I may not want to sleep in a comfortable bed with a soft, but supportive mattress and box spring. Sometimes a temperature controlled environment of precisely 68 degrees Fahrenheit is simply too familiar and numbing. Sometimes the convenience of pushing a button or turning a faucet is too easily accomplished. Sometimes I go on too long... Williams is a bit like roughing it; it isn't the easiest to lather (with soft water it IS pretty easy), does not provide much protection / cushion, leaves my skin a bit on the dry side, but using it feels like getting back to basics and sometimes I want that. Hardly ever, actually, which is why I almost never use Williams. The other draw for me that Williams holds is nostalgia: it was the soap that came with my first shaving kit when I was a young man. Too soon I switched to something in a can, but every time I smell the Williams fragrance I experience that same wistfulness.
It's not a secret, I love Williams. I've never had a problem whipping up a slick, protective lather. The more you use it, the more saturated the puck gets, the easier to lather and the thicker the cream. It justs gets better and better with Williams. The scent is great, a clean, soapy, old school barbershop scent. Pair this with some AV and you've got a classic one-two combination. Would I buy again? Yes, over and over and over! For a dashingly smooth shave, I highly recommend!
This always seems to be a polarizing soap. I find it certainly to be serviceable, but far from a favorite. I personally find it makes a good stable lather fairly easily, but I don't have the hard water that seems to be associated with problems lathering this soap. The real standout qualities of Williams are that it is amazingly protective and downright cheap. The big downsides to me are the scent, which is both personally and not terrible IMHO, and poor skin care. I have a rather oily face, but this is a humid summer day soap. It's just too drying to use as an everyday soap even for me.
An effecient minimalist My attitude to life is one of a utilitarian, minimalist. What I mean by that is while I believe in simple living, I will not do so for saving money alone. I do not bother with expensive soaps, creams, razors and blades as a hobbyist, as long as I get the same work done effectively and minimally (this often can be read as cheaper). I got my Williams Pucks courtesy two wonderful gents (one a staunch critic of the modern Williams, but was glad to send me a few pucks) on this forum in trades and I am now asking for some more I love the concept of a triple milled tallow soap, in that its packed so tight that it will serve you for a few months when used intelligently. Williams perhaps is the lowest on the scale of acceptability as a shave soap amongst the wet shaver community. It is basic, smells strongly of Citronella, and is a solid little puck. I have been trying to lather it to submission since the last couple of weeks over the weekend. My lather technique is quite mature and I learn fast. Since I started, I have been through the bad and the ugly like fluffy soap suds, raw instable lather which will not last, dry lather. However with time and learning, I have now graduated that I can get what is one of the best quality lathers from Williams as any other expensive soap or cream. The right balance of water, thickness, slick and very stable to lasts 4 passes without a reload from the puck. Williams lather does not provide great cushioning, however it is slick. This means technique with my favorite razor combo (feather portable/ feather blade) needs to be perfect, as Williams will allow the razor to get very close to the skin and let the combo punish bad technique. Usually my shaves with this combo gives me such a close shave that I sometimes scrap the skin surface without realizing it. The result - some serious sting and burn when applying the witch hazel based Gatsby after shave lotion. It seriously takes to be a man not to squeal out in pain with the sting as the alcohol touches the face. Now that satisfies my quest of conquest over what others see as a challenge and dismiss it off. I like working on something which must do the job but perhaps requires technique to do so. Williams is one of them. It takes me the Omega Professional with its large loft and dense bristles to beat the soap in to submission after the puck is submerged in hot water for around 5-6 minutes while I shower. I lather on top of the drained puck with the drained brush and then face lather for a minute or two. The thick lather is stable on the brush through the 4 pass shave. I add a few drops of water to my face each time I apply lather off the brush. Once the razor shaves the lather off the face, I find I must reapply the brush for a touch up, the residual does not like the razor moving on the face. Hence the 4th pass. I am pretty happy that I can work with Williams. Call me crazy if you will. Through the day my face will feel very soft, perfectly BBS and smelling wonderful from the bitter citrus scented Gatsby Witch hazel AS, masking the Citronella in its bitterness I will stock up with more Williams and use it till I am able to shave.
Personally all I use is Williams. I always have 6 pucks in my cabinet and a puck in my soap bowl. It's the only soap that I can get a good shave with I have even tryed some expensive soaps and they just don't give me the feel I like.
