Williams Week Sep. 19-25, 2011

Ouch!!

 

Yeah... that is the basic gist of it.

 

Williams Week-Day 3

Modern Williams
Vintage Ever-Ready 300 brush
Gem Open Comb Micromatic
Vintage Gem Blue Star blade-day 2.5
Barbasol Brisk AS

The Williams and OCMM worked great, but the old Blue Star blade didn't have much left so I did the second pass with a modern Blue Star.

 

Not a bad lather today. Not as thick as yesterday, but not bad.
Seems to be similar to MWF in that can be a bit finicky on getting the water/soap ratio just right.
Therein lies the reason I don't use MWF - I'm not going to fight with a soap to try and get a good lather.
I want a soap that I know will give me a good lather every time. I don't like wondering, "Hmmm, wonder how the lather's going to be this morning?"

 

There are similarities Steve, yet I find MWF seems to have a more stable lather, but it does take more elbow grease to get it going initially.

Submerging a puck of Williams and running the boar around it for 30 seconds gets me a nice looking lather anyway, I just have to reload the brush every pass unlike MWF.

 

You know I'm the first to say, "It's not the brush. It's how you use it", meaning I believe any brush can be used with any soap or cream. I did find, however, that my Mohawk boar that I used yesterday did give a better lather with the Williams. I won't say that I'm ready to retract my, "It's not the brush" statement, but I will pay more attention to the brush I'm using this week and the results they provide.

 

I wouldn't discount your statement, the Butterscotch Penchetta Chubby I have works just fine with Williams, I might break it out later in the week.

 

I don't find that I have to use a boar with either MWF or Williams. Some boars just work better with them. I have lathered them both with synthetic as well as badger without too much trouble. But boar is easier. Once lathered, is boar lather better... I doubt it. It is just the easier path to the goal. Kind of like the dark side....

 

Gem OCMM
Gem Stainless PTFE
Semogue 2000
Modern Williams
Alum
Superior 70 Bay Rum

 

Actually the CH2 is the only brush I use with MWF, it just works....

 

Wednesday morning,

Gillette NEW Short Comb,
Personna Red Pack Blade (2)
Rooney 1/2 "Super" Silvertip Brush,
Williams Mug Soap w/ hot water lather,
finish w/ cold water rinse. CCS!

 

Gillette Tech w/Shark blade (5!)
Shea Moisture Brush
Williams Mug
Witch Hazel
Stetson Cooling Moisture AS

Fifth shave on the Shark, no bleeders or nicks. I felt one tug though, so I'll dispose of that blade and start a new one. This morning I went ATG on one pass, first time for that. I felt confident that my technique was up to it, and I guess it was. The overall increase in smoothness of my face is quite noticeable. Now that I've done a successful ATG pass I'm relieved; it feels like I've passed a major milestone.

 

Wednesday!

Lord L6 Razor
Astra Super Platinum Blade 2nd day
Eterna pure bristle brush.
C.O. Bigelow, barbershop prep
Williams Mug Soap
Generic Witch Hazel
Aqua Velva Ice Blue

BBS again today!, I think I love those Astra blades now. Used C.O. Bigelow only to lather before putting a hot towel on my face, then used Williams alone for the shave. Worked pretty good. Amazing how many whiskers end up in my sink even though I've been shaving every day....

 

Wednesday's Shave:

Gillette Black Tip
Family Dollar blade
Semogue 830
Modern Williams
WH
Osage Rub + Old Spice AS

 

Slim Adjustable set to 9
Astra blade, 4th shave (last shave too)
Modern Williams
Simpson Special Best badger
Menthol AS

I think I've hit on the definitive way to load the brush with Williams. And it isn't the brush or time spent loading that is key. Hoosier Trooper turned me on to Ziploc XS lidded bowls for my soaps in a post of his. After use I put some more water in with the puck and then seal it up. Not much water, a teaspoon (approx) is enough. Next day, basically the puck has been soaking for 24 hours and in a heartbeat the brush is loaded and ready for lathering. Try it, it's works for me and the brush loads unbelievably fast! The bowls aren't pretty, but it sure does work great.

Today I got another fantastic Williams lather and another great shave despite my dislike of the Astra blade. I had enough of the blade today and it's in the blade safe where it can't do any more damage. Tomorrow I return to my beloved SE razors and I take a break from DE blade testing for at least a week.

I'll be very glad when my blade testing is over and I can return to using my best DE blades in my DE razors, same as I now do in my SE razors.

 

Williams Week: Wednesday

• EJ 89L
• Voshkod (3)
• Vintage Williams with some menthol sprinkled on it
• Vtg Rubberset boar
• Store brand Skin Bracer

Pure bliss as far as shaving goes. If only the vtg Williams had some sort of scent, the experience would have been intergalactic. It was so close that it wasn't even close to a let down or anything. 4.5/5 blades.

 

I'm glad you find they work for you. I believe the extra surface area of the grated soap also helps with loading the brush as well.

 

I don't grate it. But sure, grating would make it more effective probably. For the first water I just drop the puck in and put some water in the bottom. Then some in the "well" on top of the puck (turn it over and choose which divit you want to use). In a few days it's stuck to the bowl pretty good. After that, it's just some water to refresh it and it gets and stays all soft and super easy to load. I almost melted some VDH to use as glue, but I'm glad I didn't, I never would have discovered this.

 

Williams Wednesday. Same as Williams Tuesday.
Omega 66 Boar
38C with a Personna Lab
Williams Mug
Clubman Bay Rum
BBS