Williams Mug Shave Soap

Discussion in 'Shave Soaps' started by Brian, May 17, 2011.

  1. Slivovitz

    Slivovitz Well-Known Member

    Don't know what happened in your case, but the Williams I've bought locally is white. It could have been an older version, it could have been a "variant", or something could have happened to it.

    The three pucks of Vintage Williams that I've bought were certainly no longer white, if they ever had been. Two from around 1976 were somewhat yellowed, and another, apparently from much earlier, is light brown.

    I have enough modern Williams for many years; I stocked up when it seemed that it was no longer going to be carried at local stores. Maybe ten years from now, the last of my current stock will have changed color. I'll let you know then.;)
     
  2. Sodapopjones

    Sodapopjones Well-Known Member

    Its not some uber vintage Williams, its probably just sat on the shelves for years. :happy102
     
  3. OldSaw

    OldSaw Active Member

    My vintage pucks are fairly orange. However, the color alone is not the best indicator. One has tallow listed first in the ingredients. The other does not, yet it is quite orange. I have only used the tallow first version of the two that I have.
     
  4. HoosierTrooper

    HoosierTrooper Steve-less in Indiana

    Take a look at the manufacturing info on the box. The current Williams is produced by Combe, if you see that it came from the plant at Glastonbury, CT, Cranford NJ, Glen Rock NJ or Beecham from Pittsburg then it's vintage Williams.

     
  5. mwleach58

    mwleach58 Active Member

    Went back to the local grocery store to check. Definitely modern Williams. Made by Combe. Tallow is second ingredient. All pucks were quite orange, and had no scent. They wanted $2.99 per puck so... no.
    Visited an lovely old Apothecary in a small town earlier today, and they had fresh, white pucks of modern vintage for $1.50, so I bought one. Smells of clean soap and vaguely citronella. Will take it for a test shave tomorrow morning.

    I so want to be a "Williams Warrior" too!!
     
  6. Williams Warrior

    Williams Warrior Well-Known Member

    You will get there my man, just face lather with a good boar. It doesn't matter whether it's modern, vintage, tan, orange, white or purple, Williams will lather and the lather will stay put and give an outstanding shave.
     
  7. Brian

    Brian Active Member


    Once you get there to being a "Williams Warrior" we'll talk about making you a "VanderWilliams Warrior", then move you on to adding menth... It is a slippery slope you have just entered on, once started down this path there is no going back..... :signs136 As they told me at this point, "Welcome to the Dark side, we have cookies, and really good lather!":happy102
     
  8. Slivovitz

    Slivovitz Well-Known Member

    Interesting. Maybe even Combe had different variants. Anyway, $2.99 for a 1¾ oz. puck is pushing, it, much as I like it. The prices most people quote are between 99¢ and $1.79, depending on where they live. $1.09 at a local supermarket around here.
     
  9. Williams Warrior

    Williams Warrior Well-Known Member

    I've never seen it that expensive, can't say I'd buy it at that price either. Glad I've got about 12 pucks to hold me over.
     
  10. HoosierTrooper

    HoosierTrooper Steve-less in Indiana

    I'm a big fan of the current formula but the old, vintage stuff is in a class all it's own.
     
  11. mwleach58

    mwleach58 Active Member

    OK. Three shaves into my new Williams, and therefore, time for an initial report.

    'Twas with gleeful anticipation that I unboxed the fresh puck of Williams, on Sunday morning, and popped it into a nice mug. Not a special soap mug, merely a decent, old, thick porcelain coffee mug that had been sitting in the back of the cupboard, unused, for at least 10 years. Popped my nice Omega Boar, the one with attitude, on top of the puck, and filled the mug with hot tap water, to soak and soften while I showered.
    Now, which razor and blade for the first run? Throwing caution to the wind, I opted for the Merkur 39C Sledgehammer Slant, with a fresh Feather blade. If I'm fated to be found passed out, in a bloody heap on the bathroom floor as a result, might as well go the whole mile.
    Dumped the water from the mug, gave the brush a good flick to remove excess water, and started swirling the puck. My intention was to load the brush, then transfer to my bowl/scuttle to build the lather, which is my usual practice. I never got that far.
    Reminiscent of the old popcorn makers in movie theatres... the lather just started to well up, and up, and up, and totally overflowed the mug. The more I stirred and swirled, the more it kept coming!! And this wasn't your thin, watery bubbles either. This was thick, creamy quality lather. My first thought was that perhaps I should have flicked the brush twice, instead of just once - thereby using a little less water initially - but hey, this was my first time using this soap, so I didn't know entirely what to expect. This was great fun, and I just kept stirring to see how much lather I could make. By this time it seemed like I had half a sinkful of overflowed lather. Time to get down to the shave.
    I really didn't need a brush to apply this stuff anymore. I could have used a trowel. There was enough lather to shave myself, and probably all of you guys reading this forum as well! It was thick, slick and creamy.
    A note about the aroma. It was a very pleasant clean, soapy "barbershop" fragrance. Very light. As has been noted by others, the puck does have a slight citronella-ish note to it, but the lather seemed less so than the puck itself.
    Time for the first razor pass. Effortless. Smooth. As if the razor didn't have a blade in it.
    First set of passes, WTG completed. No lather left on my face, and time to re-lather myself for the next mix of XTG & ATG. But... feeling my face before re-lathering, I had the thought that I really didn't need to, as unlike Proraso Green Bowl, which I had been using the week before, I didn't feel skin. Instead, I felt slick lubrication, as if there was still lather on me, which there wasn't. You could have played hockey on my face. But being mindful of my chosen razor, I did indeed re-lather, and finished the job without cutting corners, so to speak.
    I finished the shave, and rinsed off my face. Not a single hint of a cut or nick anywhere. Not even in the "usual" spots. Face was BBS. I let myself dry for a few minutes, and there was no sign or feeling of dryness or tightness, which you might expect with some soaps. Face felt moisturized. I then slapped on some Old Spice, and to my surprise and delight, not even a tiny alcohol tingle.
    So, all in all, a total success, I'd say.
    For day 2 & 3, I modified my lather-making approach somewhat, curbing my enthusiasm a bit and not making enough lather for a shave orgy. I loaded my brush and moved to my lather bowl, in my usual manner, yet still producing more lather than I really needed. After 3 days of use, I've barely worn off the Williams logo on the top of the puck. Three shaves on the same blade, with the same razor, and no tugging or signs of dulling yet.
    The only variation in my routine is that on Day 1, I pre-showered, which I always do on a Sunday morning. On weekdays, I don't pre-shower, preferring to shower before bed in the evening. On weekday mornings, I give myself a minute or two of hot towel/washcloth before shaving.
    This wonderful, legendary product will now officially take its place in my regular rotation.
    In conclusion, "I'd like to thank all the 'Williams Warriors' out there who encouraged me and made this possible..."

    My next new product trial, in a week or two, will be a cream. I've never used creams before, only soaps. I will be trying a local product - J.M. Frasers Shave Cream - about which I've read many wonderful reviews.

    Cheers, and Viva Williams!!

    -MWL
     
  12. Regan

    Regan Well-Known Member

    Thats a great review. Have you put one in the reviews section? if not you should. Could copy and paste and edit that big story :D.

    Thanks for the great type up. I agree with you on most points. The only part that differs is the scent. I do no enjoy the scent as much as you. It is not horrid but not great. I want to try to add some other scents somehow.
     
  13. Dridecker

    Dridecker Sherlock

    He doesn't meet the requirements for posting a review yet. :)
     
  14. Williams Warrior

    Williams Warrior Well-Known Member

    Congratulations on your first class shave!:happy096
     
  15. Regan

    Regan Well-Known Member

    my bad :ashamed001

    Soon enough... soon enough :D
     
  16. mwleach58

    mwleach58 Active Member

    That's OK. I'm happy to spread and preach the Williams Gospel amongst the humble, lowly masses before being allowed to ascend the Sacred Review Pulpit! :)
     
  17. ourlastdefeat

    ourlastdefeat Member

    I too recently bought and tried some Williams but the puck that I got had a slightly orangish white color to it and it was also a slightly bigger and thicker puck than some other Williams that I've seen and the puck also didn't have quite as strong of a smell as the other smaller more white pucks that I've seen, so I'm a little confused by it but the Williams that I got did fairly well and I will be adding it into my rotation
     
  18. mwleach58

    mwleach58 Active Member

    Yes, I've seen quite a few orangey-coloured pucks of Williams around here too, mostly on supermarket shelves, where it has probably sat for years and years, partially hidden by all the canned goo and gel. I've only ever seen the one size/weight though.
     
  19. MRast01

    MRast01 Well-Known Member

    That might be the best Williams post I've ever read. Know what soap I'm using in the morning now.:D
     
  20. mwleach58

    mwleach58 Active Member

    I hope it worked out for you!!
     

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