Thread: william's mug soap

Williams and others like the VDH and Surrey come under the classification of "it works". Most of us started out on these and certainly many still use them and like them. It's just that once you expand your horizons you realize there is a whole other universe out there.

Originally Posted by paco664

i have been using the williams soap for ~3weeks or so...... found a tip someone on here said about heating up the cup and the puck.... so i run the sink full of HOT water while i put preshave oil... and put HOT water in on top of the puck.... then i pour the water out of the cup and wet the brush...

i found with this method that it makes a very creamy lather... but you are right about shaving one side of the face and the other side is dry...lol....

I started out with Williams and encountered the other side of the face's lather drying up. I didn't lather up the other side until I was ready to shave it.

Gentlemen:

I agree with my good friend thebispendur. The world of soaps is a great adventure and it's a shame not to explore it. Many of us used Williams and VDH a long time ago — I did once or twice — and moved on to far superior soaps. Williams and VDH, therefore, are little vignettes from my early life. I visit the memory from time to time not because I miss the quality of those soaps; rather, it's the spent period, a short one, at that, during which I used them that I miss.

Williams has a clean and fresh fragrance, but a shave soap should offer more than just that. In experienced hands, many low-end soaps can make big lather. How good the quality of the lather, the creamy structure of it, the moisture, the glide, and the cushion, that is the bigger consideration. Big lather is no indication of quality lather for the shave.

Yet, if gentlemen wish to limit their experience to only Williams and VDH, I find that acceptable. To each his own. Who am I to criticize their choice? Better Williams and VDH, I say, than some foamy substance spewed from a can that pretends to be shaving cream.

Regards,

Obie

I've mixed together VDH and Williams soap at about 2 parts VDH to 1 part Williams. Now i get a great lather(with a little cream of course) and the hint of williams sent. Lather lasts for all three passes when the razor allows me to do so.

Originally Posted by Obie

Gentlemen:

I agree with my good friend thebispendur. The world of soaps is a great adventure and it's a shame not to explore it. Many of us used Williams and VDH a long time ago — I did once or twice — and moved on to far superior soaps. Williams and VDH, therefore, are little vignettes from my early life. I visit the memory from time to time not because I miss the quality of those soaps; rather, it's the spent period, a short one, at that, during which I used them that I miss.

Williams has a clean and fresh fragrance, but a shave soap should offer more than just that. In experienced hands, many low-end soaps can make big lather. How good the quality of the lather, the creamy structure of it, the moisture, the glide, and the cushion, that is the bigger consideration. Big lather is no indication of quality lather for the shave.

Yet, if gentlemen wish to limit their experience to only Williams and VDH, I find that acceptable. To each his own. Who am I to criticize their choice? Better Williams and VDH, I say, than some foamy substance spewed from a can that pretends to be shaving cream.

Regards,

Obie

Good points Obie. I loved the smell of Williams and it was the first shaving soap I have ever used and I was using a shavette at the time. As a matter of fact, I started out with Williams before I joined this forum and learned more about wet shaving and getting away from the canned foams and gels. So Williams was my welcoming into this wet shaving world. Hmm, I will pick up another puck and give it another go since I have switched to a straight razor and my shaving technique has changed. And yes, I will welcome William's scent once again.

Just used Williams today as part of a wonderful uber-lather with Palmolive lemon. While Williams can be used for a very sevicable lather by itself, I've found that it really shines in conjunction with a cream.

Originally Posted by Theseus

Just used Williams today as part of a wonderful uber-lather with Palmolive lemon. While Williams can be used for a very sevicable lather by itself, I've found that it really shines in conjunction with a cream.

That sounds great. I have had the same experience using C. O. Bigelow shave cream (by Proraso) with VDH. Where do you get your Palmolive Lemon from?

Originally Posted by pmburk

That sounds great. I have had the same experience using C. O. Bigelow shave cream (by Proraso) with VDH. Where do you get your Palmolive Lemon from?

I bought mine from Men's Shaving, Grooming, Skin and Hair Care - West Coast Shaving

Originally Posted by Theseus

I bought mine from Men's Shaving, Grooming, Skin and Hair Care - West Coast Shaving

Thank you for the link!

add a drop of glycerin....It will help keep it moist..I am an advocate of williams...