A Tribute to Williams Shave Soap

Discussion in 'Shave Soaps' started by Rusty blade, May 24, 2015.

  1. Rusty blade

    Rusty blade The Good Humor Man

    Yesterday I joined the Shavers Den and posted my introductory comment on the Newbie Forum. Many thanks for the warm welcome. In my post I mentioned that I have been a wet shaver for 20+ years and that I was looking for unscented soaps. Members kindly suggested a variety of unscented soaps. I have ordered a few and I patiently await their arrival.

    In my post I also mentioned that I was searching for a new soap because I found the Williams Soap I had been using all these years to be a bit “thin”. Last evening I thought to myself how could this be? The William Soap Company has been in business since 1840 and 175 years is a long time. Could it be that I was missing something? So I went online to the website that knows the answers to everything related to shaving (The Shave Den) and eagerly read postings reviews of Williams Soap. (Remember I am new to the Den…I didn’t have access to all this expertise before yesterday).

    Some reviewers seemed to agree with my appraisal and in general they found the foam to be “a bit thin”. Others said Williams was a very good soap and that those that found the foam to be “a bit thin” were doing it all wrong! They then proceeded to explain how to build a thick lasting lather by sharing a few simple tips (e.g. more water not less). (I can personally recommend theves2 video “Lathering Williams soap”). Apparently I had been doing it all wrong all these years. How embarrassing!

    To Williams Shaving Soap users everywhere, whose soap I dismissed as “a bit thin”, I have seen the error of my ways. It just goes to show...you can always learn something new.
     
  2. ObiDon

    ObiDon member in questionable standing

    Williams also makes for a good speed bump to slow down the traffic in your neighborhood :happy102:
     
  3. NewellVW

    NewellVW Well-Known Member

    Wow! I can feel your dislike rippling thru my Internet connection! Lol!
     
    ObiDon likes this.
  4. GDCarrington

    GDCarrington Burma Shave

    All Williams Soaps are not the same ...
     
    CyanideMetal and PatrickA51 like this.
  5. Rusty blade

    Rusty blade The Good Humor Man

    I didn't know there was more than one kind of Williams Soap...
     
  6. Williams Warrior

    Williams Warrior Well-Known Member

    Yay! for Williams!!
     
  7. GDCarrington

    GDCarrington Burma Shave

    Williams Soap was reformulated when it was bought out by Combe. The vintage soap (pre 1980) is sought after by many.
     
    PatrickA51 likes this.
  8. theFAT98

    theFAT98 Well-Known Member

    Vintage williams soap is amazing. They changed how it use to be made and it hasnt been the same since.
     
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  9. Jayaruh

    Jayaruh The Cackalacky House Pet

    Supporting Vendor
    It is in my rotation, and I have no problem with it. Not great, but not bad either.
     
    imGrunt, PatrickA51 and crackstar like this.
  10. ARGH

    ARGH Well-Known Member

    There are too many better soaps.
     
    dscaver, ObiDon and crackstar like this.
  11. Spyder

    Spyder Well-Known Member

    There. I fixed that for ya ;)
     
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  12. ARGH

    ARGH Well-Known Member

    I'll take Williams and a badger brush over Edge shave gel.

    Ok.. A really nice badger brush.
     
  13. Rusty blade

    Rusty blade The Good Humor Man

    I see this is a touchy subject. I have no doubt there are better soaps on the market, but for the price...hard to beat Williams....and when it is used correctly (as I have learned).
     
  14. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    Amen.
    I've heard people say, "Just do this, that, and the other thing and you'll get a great lather... most of the time."
    Like ARGH said, there are far too many soaps out there that whip up a great lather every time without having to fight with it.
    Besides, I'm not crazy about the skeeter-be-gone / urinal puck scent.

    But that's me. Enjoy your Williams.
     
    ObiDon and crackstar like this.
  15. swarden43

    swarden43 "It's your shave. Enjoy it your way."©

    Not touchy at all. You either love Williams or you hate it.
    It's your shave. Enjoy it your way.
    And I mean that.
     
    crackstar, ARGH and Spyder like this.
  16. GDCarrington

    GDCarrington Burma Shave

    This is, for most users, a love it or hate it product as far as the current version is concerned. The current Williams was the first shaving soap I used. I had no trouble making a good lather with it, but there are other soaps that more strike my fancy. The ones I tend to use the most are not expensive soaps (VDH Luxury, Taconic, Mama Bears, Maggards). I also want to note that there are some far worse than Williams (Herban Cowboy and Bert's Bees for example).

    I exclude Vintage Williams from the Current Williams because the vintage (though hard to come by and expensive) is an good soap.
     
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  17. Spyder

    Spyder Well-Known Member

    Really glad it works for ya :) Believe it or not; some of us actually even like Arko ;)
     
    crackstar likes this.
  18. IDuck

    IDuck Well-Known Member

    dont know if you have tried it or not but VDH luxury is just a little bit more, just as easy to find, and a very very nice soap (YMMV) because i have never tried williams....but, VDH is very easy to lather, is very dense, and smells great
     
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  19. ARGH

    ARGH Well-Known Member

    Not touchy at all

    I have had soaps that were far less desirable than Williams. I wonder if the people making those soaps even shave.
     
  20. Rusty blade

    Rusty blade The Good Humor Man

    Thanks IDuck (and others) for the opinions/suggestions. While I have been wet shaving for most of my life I have been using a limited number of shave soaps/creams mostly because of a lack of availability and I am limited to using unscented products. While Williams has a slight scent I seem to be able to tolerate it well. Others I can use with no problem are Aveeno Gel (can) and Nivea original in a tube. Since joining the Den (yesterday) is am coming to learn there are many other unscented shaving soap products available...that I can order online. Hopefully over time I can expand my horizons and enjoy other shaving soaps that don't make me unwell from strong scents.
     
    Spyder, crackstar and GDCarrington like this.

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