Attention Williams Haters!

[Pkrankow]

My wife bought me a puck, not knowing I threw the first puck out. I had made a lovely meringue like lather, and couldn't take the smell, rinsed the brush and bowl, and tossed the puck.

A month of modern Williams? Better have a hall of shame thread for people who quit before the end!

Phil

 

[arturofinkus]

life is too short to use williams "shaving" soap.

 

[goby]

Here it is, on top of a great soap. The Semogue 620 will be the weapon of choice.

 

[RaisingTheBar]

So I decided to give the williams a go. Left the puck submerged in hot water in a mug while my brush soaked. Loaded er up and started working it into my face. Made pretty good lather but the smell. Ugh I see what people mean it's not nice at all and it's strong! so finished my first pass quite well but loaded up my col conk almond for a 2nd and boy oh boy did I remember what good lather felt like.

Either way. Williams gets Bogey. Just one stroke too many for the smell and extra effort put in to get a lather I would just consider Par.

 

[mikey]

Hello Mark,

Nope:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=69533&highlight=cade#post69533

Thasnks,
Mike

I thought Cade soap was supposed to be a good performer?

 

[mmack66]

Hello Mark,

Nope:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?p=69533&highlight=cade#post69533

Thasnks,
Mike

Well, if a couple of posts from 4 years ago don't convince me, I don't know what would. Still, I might have to try it for myself just to be sure.

 

[goby]

THE RESULTS ARE IN!!​

Purpose: To see if B&B'ers are a bunch of whiners (I'm sure everyone thought this was a test of Williams--it's not!)

Introduction: I was a one puck at a time (no rotation) soap and brush user from 1995-2009. My soaps were: C&E Sweet Almond 80% of the time; and VDH, Col Conk Almond, and Williams the other 20% of the time. I know how to load and use shaving soap. However I never used Williams with a DE until this morning.

Quite honestly, and I'm sorry to say this, but I have become tired of hearing people complain about amazing soaps and how they can't lather them. Trumper, DR Harris, Cade and other favorites are called "unlatherable." I think it's poppycock and has caused me to spend less time at B&B. Sorry, I'm becoming a curmudgeon.

Materials: Brand new puck of Williams, partially milled to fit in a tupperware container; Edward Jagger DE 89 L razor; 1 day old Red IP blade; Semogue 620 Boar Brush. Water is not hard, and tests at 7.9 PH.

Procedure: I took a shower and washed my face. I then took my dry brush, wet it, and started making lather on the puck. I put it to my face and got a watery lather. No big deal--it was user error. I loaded up more soap and got a much better lather, but still watery. I blame this on the user and no points were deducted. To compensate, I face lathered for longer than usual. The lather was fine, but the citronella smell permeated the bathroom, house, and neighborhood.

Data: The shave was fine. No cuts or weepers. Williams did its job as a soap, though the experience was not fun and the smell is terrible.

Results: It was an uneventful shave until the very end. I washed off the soap, and my skin was so dry. I washed it off again, and even though my hands and face were wet, the feeling of dryness was overwhelming. The best way to describe this dryness is that there was massive amounts of friction between my hands and face. No lubrication at all even though I was using tons of warm water to wash my face. How could wet hands and lots of water result in such a "dry" face? I washed it again, put on witch hazel, then used Proraso Splash and Proraso Balm, and yet my face still felt dry. BTW, I'm putting my hands to my face right now (15 minutes after I put on the balm) and there is less friction now then there was during my post-shave face wash.

Conclusion: I have never felt so much dryness. I didn't like it. The shave was fine, but there was absolutely NOTHING fun about it. For me this is a hobby. And for me, I can get great shaves from anything, including Williams (but not including artisan/farmer's market "shaving" soap). But my favorite part of wetshaving is the scent. The scent of the soap or cream is by far my favorite reason for buying an expensive soap/cream. T&H Lavender is an amazing cream, but the scent is so artificial that I B/S/T'ed it.

So the big question: Did Williams' pass or fail? I got a good shave. It functioned fine. But the drying effect is something I've never experienced, and I'm not sure if I want to experience it again. It might be worth it if this was an amazing lime, coconut, or almond scent. But it's a bug spray/Murphy's Oil Soap scent, and there is nothing nice about that.

So are people who hate Williams "whiners?" Of course not! The scent and the dryness are plenty of reason to bash Williams. Plus it's fun. I feel I have no choice but continue my semi-hypocritical practice of rolling my eyes when people complain about quality soaps yet being a naysayer when it comes to Williams.

To borrow a phrase found in many Collier's and Look Magazine ads in the 40's, 50's and 60's:

Williams Shaving Soap--- It's not the worst shave you'll ever have!®


Recommendation: Smell a box at the store. If you like the smell, buy it. The shave was not bad, but the dryness is bizarre. I don't think it was just me. But for 93 cents, it's worth a shot. If you have an extra 50 cents, get the VDH instead.


References:
The Rise and Fall of the Double Edge Razor Blade by Stephen L. Coninger
Williams: An American Tradition by Lawrence G. Biniosigerson
Figaro!: Tales from a Third Generation Italian Barber by Antonio P. Tommasetti

 

[Voomie]

+1 on the dryness thing. I can get williams to lather but the lather breaks down and I cannot get a proper shave because of it and the dryness. It seems like williams is only for the few chosen by the shaving Gods

 

[Saltchuck]

So are people who hate Williams "winers?" Of course not!

Nobody said anything about their drinking habits!

 

[michiganlover]

+1 on the dryness thing. I can get williams to lather but the lather breaks down and I cannot get a proper shave because of it and the dryness. It seems like williams is only for the few chosen by the shaving Gods

Some people say Williams is ok, that it is usable. There are far fewer who actually say it is wonderful, or phenomenal. Hence the tagline "Williams: It's not the worst shave you'll ever have".

With so many other products that smell better, are not drying to the face, and properly lather/ lather easier, I just am not sure why most people would want to bother with Modern Williams.

I am in this hobby for enjoyment, and for even those who find Williams to be usable, it sounds like the overall experience is one closer to misery, than shaving nirvana.

 

[goby]

Nobody said anything about their drinking habits!

You have every right to whine about my wine. Glad I didn't complain about spelling.

 

[goby]

Some people say Williams is ok, that it is usable. There are far fewer who actually say it is wonderful, or phenomenal. Hence the tagline "Williams: It's not the worst shave you'll ever have".

With so many other products that smell better, are not drying to the face, and properly lather/ lather easier, I just am not sure why most people would want to bother with Modern Williams.

I am in this hobby for enjoyment, and for even those if find Williams to be usable, it sounds like the overall experience is one closer to misery, than shaving nirvana.

So true. Why shave with anything other than AMAZING products (unless it's a financial issue)? Why shave with anything that you don't love?

A few cheap things are AMAZING. Euro Palmolive Soap, Arko Commando cream, KMF cream, Nivea and Neutrogena After Shaves. Bump "cheap" to "affordable" and there are a ton of amazing products.

 

[orchestrion]

Here's a summary of this thread in addition to any thread about Williams from here on out:



I think the horse has been dead for a while; can we please stop beating it?

 

[goby]

No.

 

[du212]

A thread about Williams soap and Topgumby is not posting here?

 

[talibeard]

A thread about Williams soap and Topgumby is not posting here?

Perhaps he is working on a little poem, or just having a nice shave...

 

[Go West Young Man]

I agree with your conclusions. It's good to know that in a pinch (eg, the TSA impounded my cream at the airport) I could get a serviceable shave with a product easily purchased pretty much anywhere in the US.

It's just not good enough to use on a regular basis. Smells weird and very drying.

 

[du212]

Perhaps he is working on a little poem, or just having a nice shave...

Both better options than a post in a endless soap discussion

 

[AZShaver]

Interesting, what the OP describes as "dryness" is the same feeling I equate with "clean".

 

[goby]

Interesting, what the OP describes as "dryness" is the same feeling I equate with "clean".

If that were correct, then NONE of the soaps (shaving, face, or hand) I have EVER used have cleaned my face in my entire life. The dryness is similar to using too much after shave balm. It is almost sticky, and water did not wash it off.