Williams vs. Vintage Williams.......

What, if anything, is the difference? I have used Williams many times. It's good soap, but ever since I used VDH Deluxe I have not used Williams since. Just curious to any difference between the old and the new.

 

The biggest difference IMO, is that tallow was listed first, meaning it was the main ingredient. The vintage Williams also seems to lather a hecuva lot easier / faster. Plus, as an added bonus, any vintage puck that I have used is missing the citronella scent.

 

I like both, but do think the vintage stuff is superior. The lather just feels a lot thicker and richer. And yes, it does smell different, almost no smell at all beyond a faint mustiness. I actually like the faint soapy scent of modern Williams, but tastes differ.

Mind you, it's a open question how much more the vintage soap should be worth. Yes, it's getting increasingly rare, but still, there are a lot of good choices out there, and I wouldn't drop a bundle on it. $4 for one of those 1¾ oz. pucks is about my limit, now that I've tried it. Maybe $5 if I'm feeling extravagant.

 

I've used both and what members say is true the vintage is way better, seems to me to lather similar to the VDH white puck by comparison . The vintage Williams puck I had smelled, to use Slivovitz's apt word , musty, which led me to throw it out, great lather though. I have been on ebay looking for cheap vintage Colgate or Williams just to play around with but prices are high now and shipping is always over $5 many times for one puck, so thats a deal breaker. I always wanted Williams new or old to be a simple creamy heavy lathering soap for a little money but if I must spend $10 that ideal can be acheived with Cella or a down payment on a puck of Mitchells.

 

If I may ask, how many years ago does have to go back to be considered vintage? I used Williams Menthol around 1989-1990 while in high school, and it left no irritation that I remember. I used it with the sensor when it first came out. A few months back, I bought a few pucks of Williams (don't make menthol anymore, wrote the company about it, said no since Williams was bought out by I forget now, but received a booklet of coupons), and shaved with it using a DE and it left my skin somewhat dry and irritated, albeit I received an awesomely close shave. Probably just the menthol that helped with the irritation however. I really do miss the menthol and would by it in a second if they would just come out with it again.

 

Gotta get yourself some TSD M Bomb. Three - four drops in the lather bowl does the trick to make any soap mentholated!
I put 4-5 drops in my palm, squirt in some shampoo, and wash my hair. Feels great on the scalp.
I put 2 drops in my palm, squirt in some aftershave, BOOM! As cool as Osage Rub and I get the scent I want.

 

Vintage Williams is my favorite soap by far. I have pucks from every era, including a couple from the original Glastonbury plant, menthol from Cranford and Beecham and a stick from Cranford. I also like the modern version but definitely prefer the older pucks that listed tallow or sodium tallowate first or don't have an ingredients list at all.

The current formula that lists sodium tallowate as the second ingredient came out around 2004 so anything before that has it first would be the ones to be on the look out for.

 

I am currently using Kirks Castile soap with coco in it for body soap. It has a dry feeling afterwards to me, but just for grins, I'm going to try using it as a shave soap tonight. It lathers really good as a body soap, so I'll give it a shot with the badger brush. I may try a few drops of olive oil into the lather to prevent the drying effect. I'll let you all know how it goes. I mention this in this thread because the scent and feel reminds me of Williams shave soap.

 

If you look at old Williams ads the company recommends it as a body soap the new as such ain't half bad.

 

To me, the vintage stuff lathers like most other soaps; whereas the modern stuff takes a real effort to lather well. I also don't like citronella so the scent of the vintage is a big plus to me, but that's just personal preference. I further find the vintage has much better skin care for me.
I don't currently own any modern Williams and don't plan to purchase any in the future. I'd pay ~$5 for vintage if I find it at that price, but I'm not going to put a big effort into searching it out. It's as good as other good modern shave soaps, but nothing so amazing I'd put in a big effort.

 

I have a few pucks of Vintage Williams in the den. These pucks are in paper boxes without bar codes and the puck itself is wrapped in brown waxed paper inside the box. I have no idea of the provenance of these pucks, but I do know that they are mostly soapy smelling, not musty, and they lather like a rabid dog foaming at the mouth.

That said, PM me your address and I will fire one off to you on Monday.

 

Usually just going over it with wet hands like you do with a bar of soap to wash your hands with will get rid of any musty scent. Or, grate them and mix all the shavings together will help. PLEASE don't ever throw any vintage soaps away because they have a musty smell.

 

The slight mustiness stays with mine even after I've used them for a while, but it doesn't bother me at all, it is slight. I've gotten the same sort of smell with really old Colgate, and even the more modern Burma Shave soap. As HT said, it's not a reason to throw these soaps away, the lather is still excellent.

There are good modern choices, but I'm glad to have tried the classics, too.

 

Does vintage Old Spice smell like Old Spice? If so, I do not think I would like it. But, if Vintage Aramis smells like Aramis, then I would like to acquire a puck or two: provided the Aramis performs like vintage Williams.

 

Probably. I've never used the aftershave, but it reminds me of their stick deodorant. The soap was discontinued some twenty years ago, so the scent will probably have faded on any that you find anyway. Mine is not too strong, but I like it.

Don't know anything about Aramis, but would like to get hold of some vintage Yardley. Not at the prices I've seen, though.

 

Jeff
The puck arrived today and provided a delightful morning shave. I think the mustinessof my old puck which read Williams Tonsorial was perhaps due to its age , may have been older and because it came to me with no packaging at all. Your vintage puck smelled faintly of soap but could not not pick up much of any smell due to its age no doubt. Lather was stupendous, very very nice . This puck shows the night/day difference between todays/vintage Williams . Based on todays shave the vintage is worth getting albeit not a a huge price. Much appreciative of your generosity Jeff!!!!

 

Right On Brother!

 

I've only used the vintage Williams once, and although it lathers well, the "old soap" smell puts me off... maybe mine wasn't stored well or something?

 

Jeff, Thank You, Dude! I just got a vintage puck of Williams in the mail. I will give a good go round at this evenings shave. Your generosity touched me. Things are kind of dicey here and I needed a boost to my spirit, and this did the trick. Thanks again, man.

 

Right On Mang! Merry Christmas! I feel you on the dice, so at least let's make sure the shaves are nice!