Thread: Is Williams a lost cause?

Williams pre-soaked, with hot water,water dumped, 5-6 drops of glycerine added and a stout boar brush makes fine lather. Moisture level on the brush is important. Floppy froth, too wet; no lather, too dry.

Arko stick for face lathering is as good or better, costs less (on sale at Amazon) and is less bother. Bought a box of sticks for $1.20/ea - lifetime supply probably, quick, easy, slick. Plus you get the funny smell and the smiling little not-very-turkish guy on each label. With Williams you get a puck in a box with, IIRC, a bit of puck artwork.

Originally Posted by MisterMoo

Williams pre-soaked, with hot water,water dumped, 5-6 drops of glycerine added and a stout boar brush makes fine lather. Moisture level on the brush is important. Floppy froth, too wet; no lather, too dry.

Arko stick for face lathering is as good or better, costs less (on sale at Amazon) and is less bother. Bought a box of sticks for $1.20/ea - lifetime supply probably, quick, easy, slick. Plus you get the funny smell and the smiling little not-very-turkish guy on each label. With Williams you get a puck in a box with, IIRC, a bit of puck artwork.

Did the same.

I like ARKO. I leave it in the foil, rub up my wet face and take a brush to make the lather. Shaves great. YMMV

As to the cost of a grater: Goodwill or a Dollar Store in the US. Thrift shops by any other name around the world. Garage sales, lawn sales, house sales, estate sales. Have never spent more than a $1.00USD for a grater. And I am not a cheapskate, just like a good bargain now and then.

Originally Posted by Razorfeld

As to the cost of a grater: Goodwill or a Dollar Store in the US. Thrift shops by any other name around the world. Garage sales, lawn sales, house sales, estate sales. Have never spent more than a $1.00USD for a grater. And I am not a cheapskate, just like a good bargain now and then.

You forgot the cost of gas! If you can't walk to the point of purchase.

As for me, Williams isn't worth the time.

First off, I hope when you say "toss the Williams" you mean toss it into the shower and use it as a bath soap. It works pretty good for that, and why throw anything away? (I'm cheap like that)

Secondly, "Softened" water is not the same thing as "Soft" water. I know there will be some that argue, but many people who deal with water softeners will complain about soaps not lathering, and not rinsing clean.

I will agree that buying bottled water just to use a cheaper soap seems counter productive. Just use a soap that works with your water. I may be cheap, but I'm also practical <----- Not filled with Williams

The Arko just popped into my mind but beluga <<< (great guy) gave me a stick of Palmolive and that works great also.

I was beginning to sound like a Rep. but now that somebody else mentioned it ,,, Mama Bear's is pretty much my daily go to. Never heard a complaint about it not working for anyone, anywhere. And while the others lather just as well you get the added benefit of smell. It will smell how you like it best :<0) 1 puck lasts me a year and I use it almost everyday. Warning...it's not that expensive and you will get hooked on it.

Life is short and you can't take it with you.

Find something that makes you happy!

I like it. A bit of water on the puck (I shave cold BTW) and I putter around for a few minutes. Come back to my brush, bristles soaking in a scuttle (cold) and shake the excess, swirl 40 or so times (20 each way) and face lather. So far so good. YMMV.

Originally Posted by S0LITARYS0LDIER

I read Disburden`s post on unlocking the secret to William`s and even after using his method i still failed to achieve any lasting lather. It was still all airy and bubbly and i`d been working on it for about 5 minutes, let alone when i put it to my face it disappeared within 20 seconds. Should I keep playing around with it or toss it? I want some opinions.

I also tried his method a few times , with similar results to yours . As much as I wanted to like Williams soap , I just can't . Van Der Hagen soap is inexpensive , and will give you a good lather . I've been using Mama Bears' soap for the past 3 years , with excellent results . It costs more but I think it's worth it .

I'll echo the many endorsements for Arko. Its cheap and performs exceptionally well. If the scent doesn't offend you, I think you'll find it to be a much better option. Arko is just a few dollars. If you're shaves are not lousy and disappointing, for a few dollars you can buy yourself out of that situation.