We all had to do it sometime. You know, make lather with Williams Mug Soap. Some have done well, others not so much. As for me, the 1st time was about 4-5 months after I started using a brush and soap. I had recently gotten an Omega boar brush (still have it) and was using it with VDH Deluxe. A nice combination that gave me good shaves. But I saw Williams on the shelf at the local drugstore and said, "Why not"? Took it home, put it in the mug and thought, "Tomorrow" Tomorrow came and I grabbed the Williams, soaked the Omega boar brush, shook it out and started to make lather. No soaking/blooming of the soap either. It was AMAZING!! Tons of rich creamy lather that gave a great shave. And I've been using it since. Not every day but enough to know that this is an American treasure. So there it is. Now it's your turn to share.
I have never used modern Williams (Potassium Stearate-first ingredient). So I have no basis for reference. Probably about 4 years ago I picked up a vintage puck and, using the @GDCarrington Vintage Williams Project: https://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/the-vintage-williams-project.45842/ have consistently gotten amazing lather and wonderful shaves. Now we have the faction that "Blooms" (S.B.O.A) and those who don't bloom. Being the President of S.B.O.A., I naturally recommend blooming, however, I am open-minded enough to realize that non-blooming is a viable option. It is, IMO, a shame that they changed the formula, but c'est la vie. I love vintage Williams and it is my chosen soap for this month's 30 day focus.
I've given it two tries, and may do a third soon. In both cases, I felt the same way: "Ahhhh, it's OK I guess, but you have to highly respect a soap that's been around for 218 years-change or not."
I once saw a youtube video of a guy who was going to give williams a second chance, this guy did a poor job by any soap standard at lathering williams and the grabbed his razor, he looked like a n infant trying to hold a wooden spoon for the first time, proceeded to make a downward hack at his face, there was no way he was getting out of that without cutting himself, as soon as he cut himself he tossed the williams in the trash and blamed the soap. I enjoy williams i also enjoy other soaps, but for some reason people love to hate this soap. I hate derby blades, they were the first blade i used (back when i had no experience). I have not used them since, but i realize its probably because my skill at shaving sucked, and i could probably make the blade work fine now. I think thats what happens with williams, its the first soap they try to lather, and its one of the soaps that requires more lathering, and they fail to lather it, then they get some razorock, tobs, aos which are all very easy soaps to lather, and they assume williams must just be a bad soap.
My first go with Williams was long before I picked up a DE razor. When learning to shave, my dad gave me his old brush (a shedding mixed knot Century) and a puck of Williams dropped in a coffee mug and showed me how to do it. It wasn't very good, but I was able to get sort of passable shaves. I'm sure it was my fault as I didn't much care about being clean shaven as a teen. He used it for decades. He liked Old Spice soap, but Williams was considerably less expensive. I ended up going back to canned goo, then just shaving in the shower with a puck of Ivory until I came across DE wet shaving in 2010. I still have his last puck of Williams in his OS mug and break it out on his birthday each year. I get decent shaves, but don't use it more than once or twice a year.
My first Williams shave was my first shave. It might have been Colgate, but I honestly think Williams. Honestly don’t remember if it was a Schick L or N type, or maybe even a cart, like a Gillette Trac II. They all floated around. Was around 1983. Learned to lather over a puck in a mug. There wasn’t loading and mixing, or loading and building on the face. Work on the puck, add water, lather up when it’s done.
Honestly, I have many fond memories of my Dad whipping up a mug of Williams lather. I'm also sure it works well, but I enjoy Stirling and its going to takes me a while to go through the stock I have (four or five pucks).
I normally switch between williams and razorock blue barbershop, with a proraso red thrown in once in awhile, but about a month ago a friend gave me 3 tubs of stirling, it is good stuff, and williams and razorock have definately had a break the past few weeks. I actually noticed stirling and williams lather somewhat the same, both take a little bit more water then others and a but more time, although stirling has more cushion, and way more scent variety.
I've been using my Timeless shaving bowl my son gave me for Father's day with the Stirling soap and whipping up an amazing lather. Couldn't be happier.
my latest puck of williams lathers well and is very slick. better formulation or just more practice,not sure .just better than the past....
If you can't drive a standard don't blame the clutch...good obversations there. Dad's Williams in his mug...you Sir win.... Whatever the contest is you win!!
This forum just did it to me again. The next time I'm in the grocery store, I will have to spend a buck fiddy and try some of that there Williams.
Thanks. It is nice to remember. There isn't a whole lot left to the puck, but with the current usage it should last me the duration.
Williams is a good, inexpensive alternative to artisan soaps when shaving on a budget. Heinen's here in Ohio sells it for, I think, $1.29-$1.49 depending on which store you're in. When I first used it in 2016, I only had my cheapie Chinese-made badger brush, and last year my VDH boar brush from the luxury pack. I was never able to get a decent lather with it. Now that I have my Vie-Long horse hair brushes and my Stirling synthetic along with a proper shave bowl, I may give it another go. I've learned a great deal in my technique since then.
Dude. It was thirty five years ago. I know it was a readily available soap, in a mug with a boar brush. I know we always had both Williams and Colgate around. Both my Grampa and Dad shaved with Schicks, then carts. I think my first shave was with a Schick, but can’t promise. By the time I was close to the end of HS I was a cart guy. I used to shave with Grampa, and an empty N Type back when I was five or so. Now we’re punching forty five years ago. Put that in your Cold Case File Pipe and smoke it.
