It moves soap out of the core of the knot to the tips in my experience. Less beneficial with Badger brushes (that don't hold a ton of soap in the knot unless it's massive or floppy), much more so with well-bloomed boars.
Williams Mug soap
- Thread starter bleddy
- Start date
It moves soap out of the core of the knot to the tips in my experience. Less beneficial with Badger brushes (that don't hold a ton of soap in the knot unless it's massive or floppy), much more so with well-bloomed boars.
I've tried everything including soaking it for an hour and loading with a non shaken brush and adding more water.
Live tried dry with shaken brushe and everything in between. I love the scent but it just don't work. There's so many great and easy to use soaps. If you can pick between a Porsche or a broken down car that work if you do a long list of stuff before you use it each time, which would you pick?
good soap to me is something you take a shaken brush to and load for 30 seconds or so and get a great lather from. No soaking for 10+ minutes then some elaborate loading scheme. Godrej does this, vdh does this, Latoya does this, dvh does this, etc. I'm not going fight with a soap because it's little cheaper and use to be an American standard.
Id be interested in trying real Williams mug soap though. The one made before they ruined it
I managed to do an irritation free SR shave with Williams! I think this is my new "3017" project!
While I got good shaves out of a plain old Williams puck last week, it lacked ... something.
Going to drizzle a few drops of glycerin, castor oil or both next time and see if we can't get some explosive lather.
Had to work at it; something I'm not used to with all the "good" soaps- SV, MdC, Tabac, Sudsy, Fine, SC, etc.
AA
Going to drizzle a few drops of glycerin, castor oil or both next time and see if we can't get some explosive lather.
Had to work at it; something I'm not used to with all the "good" soaps- SV, MdC, Tabac, Sudsy, Fine, SC, etc.
AA
There's something I've always loved about the combo of Williams and Aqua Velva. But I had trouble getting a good lather. I tryed glycerin and shave secret. I wasn't happy with it. Then I found the WISE brotherhood...
The secret I pulled from those gents was soaking the puck over night. Worked like a charm. Plus adding water every 30 seconds or so helps. It takes me less then 2 minutes to produce an awesome lather that is slick and rivals (to me) any moderately priced soap. The one thing I figured out myself was to use a deeper mug. Since it takes a little force to whip up a good lather.
The secret I pulled from those gents was soaking the puck over night. Worked like a charm. Plus adding water every 30 seconds or so helps. It takes me less then 2 minutes to produce an awesome lather that is slick and rivals (to me) any moderately priced soap. The one thing I figured out myself was to use a deeper mug. Since it takes a little force to whip up a good lather.
+1. Once the puck gets a good initial hydration you're good-to-go. I've used it twice this week and gotten great shaves.
True enough, but to me Williams is a good shaving soap i have no difficults whit it. It's not the best but certairnly not the worst.
Well this thread just made me want to try Williams. I order a 3-puck package. I'll report back with my findings next week 
I've been using VDH Deluxe exclusively for about 6 months now and love it. Very easy to face lather with. I load the brush from my Old Spice mug and then lather up.
I've been using VDH Deluxe exclusively for about 6 months now and love it. Very easy to face lather with. I load the brush from my Old Spice mug and then lather up.
Williams, like all tallow soaps, will provide great "glide", they are all very slick, and great residual slickness. I've not tried VDH, but Conk soaps lather just fine, but one pass with a razor and my skin is NOT slick any more, I have to be careful not to pass the razor over any part of my face more than once without fresh lather.
Williams allows several "swipes" without issue or irritation.
And it work even if the lather "collapses" on your face, it's just a slick without the foam.
Peter
Williams allows several "swipes" without issue or irritation.
And it work even if the lather "collapses" on your face, it's just a slick without the foam.
Peter
My lathers with VDH Deluxe are always thin and slick. I face-lather, so I load the brush in the mug then maybe 30 seconds with brush to face and I'm shaving. This gives me a very slick lubricating lather.
Remember it actually doesn't have to look fluffy and pretty, it's job is to lubricate the skin/blade as you do the pass.
Well worth the price and one soap that everyone should try. That said, it is far from the top of the heap around my den!
Any grooming product that has been around since 1840 has to be good. It is the 1st commercially produced mug shaving soap. Williams takes a little effort to master, but once you do for around $1.25 US a puck, it's a lather that is hard to beat. Are there better soaps, yes of course, there is always a bigger fish. Have they or will they be around in 176 years? Who knows? I personally think its one of the "rights of passage" in wet shaving. You have to use it at least once just to say you did. Will you use it a 2nd time? YMMV
If you know how to use it, it's a very good soap on any level.
I never tried Williams before today. It came with a Aqua Velva gift set I bought yesterday, and I always wanted to try this old school soap. I did no pre-shave prep other then shower because I wanted to experience Williams straight up without any enhancements. I have very soft water and loading/lathering was no issue. The soap's scent was plain and simple - clean and OK - like Ivory bars. The lather was not overly dense or slick. I did not soak it over night like some of you suggested here. Maybe this would improve the performance. I will say my face felt very "clean" after the shave. I will have to experiment further before passing judgement. I will say, that although I was not wowed by the Williams' lather, I did have a very close, "No-Frills", basic shave. Life is good!
One a side note, it was also the first time I ever tried Aqua Velva original Sport Cologne. I really liked this for my post shave. I never saw it before and have been told it is something you typically can't buy in the states. I hope they decide to market it here because it felt great and has a nice scent. I would definitely buy it again. It worked nicely with the Williams.
One a side note, it was also the first time I ever tried Aqua Velva original Sport Cologne. I really liked this for my post shave. I never saw it before and have been told it is something you typically can't buy in the states. I hope they decide to market it here because it felt great and has a nice scent. I would definitely buy it again. It worked nicely with the Williams.
I'm definitely a Williams fan (my posting history will attest to that). If that was the only soap I could buy, I'd be perfectly content. It isn't elegant, but it gets the job done at a great price.
As an aftershave, it was only available in Canada. This is the first time it's been available in the US, and although it's marketed here as a cologne, it's the same stuff. I have both.
If you love it, as I do, I'd suggest contacting the company and telling them you'd like to see it permanently on the shelves!
I tried Williams again this morning for the second time and let is soak/bloom overnight. I really enjoyed it and it seemed to provide more slick then the first shave. I also used my normal pre-shave routine and that also probably helped. This time I also used my Gillette 40s SS and since it is more mild, it probably tuned down the demands of the soap. Anyway you slice it, it was a great shave and an awesome way to start the day!
I heard tonight that Williams is discontinuing their shave soap. Has anyone else heard this? Is this true?
This rumor again?
