Williams is tricky to lather some say, I haven't had a problem with it, used it for a few years with carts before I switched to str8s. You know you'll have a cabinet full of soaps in a few months, right? You won't be able to resist trying other ones.

I can attest to the boar brush getting softer as it breaks in. I have one and I love it. The tips of the hairs split and this is why it gets softer. It did smell a bit like a wet dog for the first week but I hear if you shampoo it you can remove much of that scent. It'll go away on it's own from use anyway.