Williams Mug Shaving Soap

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10-13-2016, 02:13 PM
Ricoh65

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Williams Mug Shaving Soap

Hello Gentlemen,
I was shopping with my Wife at our local supermarket and came across Williams Mug Shaving Soap. It smells just like Ivory soap of which I am a big fan, so I picked up a couple at .99, right next to it was the Col. Conk Bay Rum Shave Soap which smelled like a fresh haircut so I bought a couple of those also at $2.99. I am a noob, I don't know anything about the fine art of the Cut Throat Razor, and was hoping someone here could tell me a little more about what would be a good soap.
Attachment 247624
10-13-2016, 02:44 PM
thebigspendur

The Williams is about as basic as you can get and frankly at the bottom of the heap. The Conk is better but won't win any prizes.

We have a big thread on top tier soaps here so take a look and it will answer your question.
10-13-2016, 02:44 PM
BobH

Welcome to the forum. If you wade through this long thread http://straightrazorpalace.com/soaps...ps-creams.html you will find more than enough good soap recommendations. Good luck making a final choice or two with so many good ones to pick from.

This might help you get the most out of the Williams http://straightrazorpalace.com/soaps...me-lather.html . Personally I am not a great fan of Williams.

Bob
10-14-2016, 01:26 AM
celestino

There are a plethora of great shaving soaps to choose from, these days. We are, indeed, very fortunate.
Good luck in your journey trying most of them. :)
10-14-2016, 02:01 AM
Razorfaust

My feelings towards Williams has been, If you can get Williams to work reasonably well, then you will never have any trouble lathering any other soap. An education in lathering techniques in every puck. Many great soaps out there and its easy to get carried away with the variety. Williams will work if you work to make it work. Its OK basic shave soap if your curious about OTC easy to find soaps try VDH Luxury soap I think you may be surprised how decent that one is and inexpensive.
10-14-2016, 02:30 AM
cudarunner

You will find that 99.99% of EVERYTING about using and maintaining a straight razor is PERSONAL PREFERENCE.

Back 6 years ago when I was a new newbie, I posted about finding how to buy Williams for about $0.85 per puck. While I've been introduced to other soaps I do still use it on occasion.

The responses to my post told me that it was a Love or Hate thing. I thought that I'd started a WAR.
http://straightrazorpalace.com/soaps...oap-users.html

I know for a fact that one of the MODS keeps Williams on hand to give to those who are starting out. It is true that the lather fades much quicker than some others but it's still a working man's soap! :tu

I hope this has been of some help.
10-14-2016, 05:45 PM
Druid

Both of those soaps are very usable .. nothing fancy, but they will get the job done!

I have a soft spot for Williams because I used it since about 1980, when I used up my Old Spice in the glass mug and couldn't find a refill other than Williams. I still use it from time to time, and still have good luck with it. That said, there are many better soaps out there, and you will find them, and probably a few that are worse, along your journey. But, there is nothing wrong with what you have bought. They don't have fancy names, or price tags, but they will get you started!
10-15-2016, 02:49 AM
criswilson10

I use both of those soaps on occasion and they work fine. The Conk lathers up easily, the Williams is a bit finicky.

Williams was probably the fifth soap I tried and I do like its clean smell. It took me about 20 attempts to finally get a good lather out of it, but I've never had trouble making lather any other soap. And Williams lasts forever.
10-15-2016, 03:50 AM
Johntoad57

It's all about you and what works for you! Other people will tell what works for them. No matter what soap or cream that you use, Listen to what your face tells you. You won't go wrong from there.
10-18-2016, 10:20 PM
IndependenceRazor1

Put a nice sized spoon of Williams in my bowl and lathered up a bunch of sweet, creamy, lemony lather.
Brushed it on my face.
Reached for my razor - and when I looked in the mirror again, the lather was completely gone.
Think I will use it later - for street hockey.
10-18-2016, 10:40 PM
rolodave

The stores around here do not carry Williams.

I have a puck of old formula Williams which is a good soap. They could make some serious money if they would do a production run of the old formula.

I use the new formula to lube my DMTs.
10-19-2016, 11:25 PM
Papabear11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ricoh65

Hello Gentlemen,
I was shopping with my Wife at our local supermarket and came across Williams Mug Shaving Soap. It smells just like Ivory soap of which I am a big fan, so I picked up a couple at .99, right next to it was the Col. Conk Bay Rum Shave Soap which smelled like a fresh haircut so I bought a couple of those also at $2.99. I am a noob, I don't know anything about the fine art of the Cut Throat Razor, and was hoping someone here could tell me a little more about what would be a good soap.
Attachment 247624

I can't comment on Col. Conk, but i do used Williams and i got great results whit it. It's not The best soap around but it's not The worst either. It's a very thirsty soap and i found it very slick.
10-19-2016, 11:42 PM
Phrank

Quote:

Originally Posted by Papabear11

I can't comment on Col. Conk, but i do used Williams and i got great results whit it. It's not The best soap around but it's not The worst either. It's a very thirsty soap and i found it very slick.

Col. Conk is actually a pretty awesome soap, I've tried at least 8 of them. They're a glycerin based soap, so you'll get some great lather. Col. Conk will deliver, still have a few pucks downstairs, it's cheap, so go crazy on the Cheez Wiz and order em all...:)
10-19-2016, 11:52 PM
Papabear11

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phrank

Col. Conk is actually a pretty awesome soap, I've tried at least 8 of them. They're a glycerin based soap, so you'll get some great lather. Col. Conk will deliver, still have a few pucks downstairs, it's cheap, so go crazy on the Cheez Wiz and order em all...:)

It gave a good reason to tried it out The soap, it's not The first Time that i've heard good comments about The soap, i'll put it on my list in my next order.
10-20-2016, 01:42 AM
kaptain_zero

Williams Mug Soap is my favorite "shower soap" with it's yummy Lemon Verbena scent. As a shaving soap, I find it dries out when lathered with a brush, but if you just use just your hand and the soap like a bar soap, and use just enough to keep your face slick and wet, it works pretty good... just keep the brush away, and yes... it's messy!

Col. Conk.... I've only tried one... it's a classic (cheap to me) glycerin soap. I get better results from Pears bar soap, and Pears works quite well with a brush... the scent on the other hand is meh.

The above advice is sound, try'em all... they are cheap, so why not. Use them as a shower soap if you don't care for one as a shave soap.... waste not, want not.

There are however lots of nice shave soaps out there... not as cheap, but some are worth the price. My all time favorite soap would have to be "The Art of Shaving" Lavender... not particularly nice in the scent OR price dept. but the shave quality is superb.

I love Taylor of Old Bond street creams, but I hate their soaps. Trumper, Trufitt both make decent soaps, as does a plethora of others. I have stopped buying soaps and creams... I won't live long enough to use what I have!

I just wish I'd discovered straight razor shaving earlier in my life.... I wasted 30 years, shaving with *crap*.

regards

Christian
10-20-2016, 01:52 AM
rolodave

For Good and Cheap, it is hard to beat Arko.
10-20-2016, 01:59 AM
Wayne1963

I get good results from Col Conk. The best cheap soap I've used is Arko, like rolodave said. It comes in a stick, but I mash it into a one cup pyrex bowl. As others have mentioned, Williams is a good learning tool. If you can get a decent lather from Williams, any other soap will do wonders for you.
10-23-2016, 06:56 PM
kelbro

Like my dad told me when I was starting shaving with Williams back in the mid-70s... to get it to work, you just need to be smarter than the soap.
10-23-2016, 08:19 PM
BobH

Quote:

Originally Posted by kelbro

Like my dad told me when I was starting shaving with Williams back in the mid-70s... to get it to work, you just need to be smarter than the soap.

Or just plain more obstinate than the soap. ;)

Bob
10-24-2016, 01:30 AM
kelbro

Quote:

Originally Posted by BobH

Or just plain more obstinate than the soap. ;)

Bob

That's more like it!
10-24-2016, 04:47 AM
CaliforniaCajun

Quote:

Originally Posted by rolodave

The stores around here do not carry Williams.

I have a puck of old formula Williams which is a good soap. They could make some serious money if they would do a production run of the old formula.

I use the new formula to lube my DMTs.

That's the knock about Williams. It used to perform like Arko, but they cheapened the formula. I get sad when a world famous product ceases to be what it once was.
10-24-2016, 11:09 AM
BobH

Quote:

Originally Posted by CaliforniaCajun

That's the knock about Williams. It used to perform like Arko, but they cheapened the formula. I get sad when a world famous product ceases to be what it once was.

Having used old formula Williams I could not agree more. Sad indeed.

Bob
10-25-2016, 02:46 AM
Saabo

30 Year Williams user

I have used Williams soap for at least 30+ years and I can say that this is the first time I have ever gotten any info on it. My father ran a surplus store and picked up a CASE of Williams that I am still using! I was one of the " get shaved and get it done " crowd. I have learned about soaking a brush and showering first. Boy, I thought I was doing it right all these years.
10-25-2016, 03:17 AM
BobH

Quote:

Originally Posted by Saabo

I have used Williams soap for at least 30+ years and I can say that this is the first time I have ever gotten any info on it. My father ran a surplus store and picked up a CASE of Williams that I am still using! I was one of the " get shaved and get it done " crowd. I have learned about soaking a brush and showering first. Boy, I thought I was doing it right all these years.

You are lucky to have the old formula which was very good. Try a puck of the current stuff and see what you think.

Bob
10-25-2016, 03:26 AM
Saabo

Going to try the OP's separate bowl to whip up my lather. I will see if I can find some of the new Williams. But just started shopping locally for shaving equipment because everything I get I get online. Even belong to dollar shave club (for now) and as you can see from my last post haven't bought soap for years!