What was the biggest mistake you ever made when you started wet shaving?

Agreed with all you said about the soap’s performance. The difference in performance between the iteration at the end of its production run and the vintage stuff is night and day. Did the buyer(s) know your pucks were the later version?

 

I included pics. I saw what they were going for, and all the others being sold for those kind of prices were the new ones, too. They didn't sell right away, but then I got an offer for a little less, and I accepted. No complaints at all from the buyer.

Now if I can only sell all the carts I stocked up on. Actually bought them all after I got into wet shaving, but when the pandemic hit. I got paranoid that supplies would dry up, and bought both in-store an on-line. Got great deals, but not so great considering I won't be using them except when I go on an occasional trip where I don't want to bring a DE. I probably have 15 years worth of carts! I do sell some occassionally, but it's so much hassle to go through to net less than $10 or so per sale. Most are store-branded Personna carts, and I think people are looking for Gillette. What I try to sell them for per cart is a small fraction of what a Fusion or Mach3 cart costs, and these are triple-bladed and 5-bladed as well. In my experience they are the equal or better than the over-priced Gillettes.

Vintage Williams is quite older, correct? Any idea when they reformulated?

When I started to use it, I had no idea that the formula had changed at some point. I got caught up in the fact that it was around forever, and that it was a "right of passage" to use it and get it to work.

 

Ha! No, I don’t think you were doing anything wrong. That later formula was pretty miserable, imo. From 2014 to 2019/20 I bought a number of pucks in the supermarket, each time thinking, “This time I’m really gonna make it work!”

No.

I loaded like crazy, tried lots of water, less water, added water slowly… wound up using them in the shower. I sent a puck to my friend Hans in Norway. He claimed he got it to work well enough to enjoy his shaves. Maybe so. I certainly couldn’t challenge his opinion. One man’s ceiling is another man’s floor. A year or so ago I was the grateful recipient of two pucks of the old stuff. WOW! Just, WOW! It now resides in a nondescript, period correct ceramic mug that belonged to my wife’s grandfather, and when I’m not 3017ing something else, it’s my regular Wednesday shave. I’m guessing the last reformulation was in the 90s? but don’t know for sure.

Many other folks here have waaay more experience with Williams than I do. I’d love to know what others have to say!

These are interesting. Or not…. (Mods, if it’s contrary to forum protocols to post links to other fora I apologize, and please do feel free to remove them.)

https://sharprazorpalace.com/soaps-creams/100160-williams-shaving-soap-history.html https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/identifying-vintage-williams.147700/

I also have a link to an article in the Hartford Courant which it seems was previously gratis; they now ask you to subscribe. https://www.courant.com/1998/10/09/jb-williams-put-soap-glastonbury-on-the-map/

 

the modern williams i used was made in canada,it worked fine,slick lather that didn't dissipate if loaded heavy.i used it from 2006 onwards.it didn't hold a candle to vintage though. i have 3 pucks of vintage williams tonsorial that lathers when looked at,thick slick lather.i don't miss the modern,but it died with little glory.it could have been a show stopper again if there was the interest.

 

This is exactly why I hoard products that I like a lot. They could be gone from the shelves tomorrow.

 

My regret is that I started wetshaving late in life and that was 5 yrs ago. Now, I have acquired the skills to shave with any type of razor.

 

I was too quick to buy/sell equipment and to be "sure" and "final" about things in general.

 

That's the only thing I could say about it that was halfway decent -- slickness. So I used it by adding other products to it.

I still have a partial puck laying around in one of my drawers -- I'm not sure why I even bother to keep it.

I tried loaded it heavy, going back to the puck when necessary. Sometimes, I managed to shave one side of my face before it dissipated. (Without other products added.) But even then, relathering my face every minute or so was a PIA. Even then, it was a rough shave with irritation.

You can't say I didn't give it the old college try, though!

 

The guy I sold 6 pucks to for $50 apparently got a bargain:
https://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/arko-or-williams-poll.65489/page-6#post-2100572

I know YMMV and all that, but I just don't believe that anyone can use reformulated Williams and get anything close to a shave-worthy lather unless they add something else to it.

In any videos I watched to try to learn to lather it, I never saw someone actually shave with it.
It may even look good on the face, but a minute later you can see your skin thru it.

 

there was one of our members got fantastic lathers withy modern.it just requires a certain technique with it,just like Mitchell's wool fat.load light and slow etc.i even got good latheres with it.but i have better soaps to use these days..

 

My biggest regret was doing it wrong from the outset. Initially I got a Van Der Hagen with a tiny handle, which came with these dull, grabby blades, and I used canned goo.

I had no idea what I was doing using way too much pressure angling it kind of like a cart razor. Not only did it pull hair and not shave the bear, but it would nick and cut me. That was probably 2018 or 2016. I actually put it up and switched back though I did get the angle improved forever I did.

During the pandemic I switched back mainly because I was critically low on cartridges and my beard was comming in itchy. I used a Gillette platinum and think I bought a brush and some Stirling soap. All I can say is although not the best shaves, I enjoyed them and it was soon better than a cartridge.

It only got better than the Va. Der Hagen mechanism corroded and rusted to where the butterfly would seize and require pliers to operate. I bought a Parker 99R wirh a long handle. It’s so smooth and controllable.

Wish I bought that from the outset.

 

Was that a Van Der Hagen made by Weishi or Ming Shi (adjustable)?

I'm surprised to hear your take on the Parker 99R. I have one, and it is the most aggressive beast in my den. I posted about it earlier in the year here.
I have used it a few times since that post, and I managed to tame it by being very careful. So with good technique it is usable, but I'm surprised to hear it characterized as smooth. I've also heard it called mild. At least on mine, both the gap and exposure are huge. YMMV.



Note the lack of much blade bend, and how the blade sticks out almost parallel to the horizontal plane.

 

"I take one puck of Williams, and a pack of Gillette Fusion carts."
Cashier: "That will be $101.76, please."

 

I like my Parker 99.
It is very controllable.
Gives a great shave.

tp

 

Does it look anything like my pics above when loaded with a blade? I'm convinced I got a dud.

 

Ignoring the basics of the shave. Warm water stimulates the hair follicles on the face ( there are those who swear by "cold" water) and lather left a "length" of time on the face softens the hair. After that anything halfway sharp or blades on one side or both sides will shave. Everyone's face is different, everyone's father taught them "their" method and everyone has different olfactory nerve senses. Knowing who to listen to and whom to ignore. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

p. s. And right now nothing beats my long comb New, US or England made, any of a dozen or more blades, 2,4,6 or so times, badger hair of a sorts, any one of 40 or 50 soaps/creams, a large alum block ( a must ) and at present I'm using balm (some of the expensive shit) or some splash/OldSpice/Fine/TOBS/TrueFit'nHill/Tabac/ just to name a few. Expensive is good for a reason..

 

I looked at mine and the blade seems to be like the picture you posted.
I think it sets the blade like the R41 but has a different head so I can ride the cap and still have the blade cut well.

This is a picture of mine.




tp

 

Thanks.
And yes, I have been able to get irritation/nick-free shaves with it, but I would never call it mild. Your pic shows better than mine how that blade sticks out.
Riding the cap is a must.

Update of your pic with line drawn to show exposure.

Anything but a cap ride would be painful.

I know our faces aren't perfectly flat, but even riding the cap makes the blade hit the skin at roughly a 45 degree angle.

 

I always ride the cap, if you have to much cap you can always lower the razor for more blade.
The 99 was the first real DE razor that I got that would do an OK job on my whiskers.
I still get it out every once in a while just for fun.
Match it up with a new Feather blade and it will do ok.

tp

 

If anything, it is a good "technique tester".
I've never tried Feathers, but for such a blade-forward razor, shouldn't it be paired with a less-sharp blade?