Thread: How's your lather with Williams?

So, the first and only soap I've used is Williams, and I'm wondering how the lather quality is for the rest of you folks. What my experience has been is that the suds is not much better than normal handsoap would produce, and it quickly dries out on my face. Ought I use more water, or get a different soap?

Your thoughts...

Oh, btw, I've tried on the face, in the bowl, and off of the hand, no difference in results

Thanks Steve, I'm checking out the links now

Originally Posted by OLD_SCHOOL

You ought change to TGQ soaps and creams as VW said. They are excellent quality and reasonable price. Colleen offers (or used to) sample packs. I recommend provincial lavender and desert ironwood.

I have used Williams once, the lather wasn't too bad, but once I tried Colleen's soaps, there has been no reason to go back to Williams.

Oh, God. Please, if you're going to shorten it to two letters, make it VW. VD makes it sound like I'm syphilis.


Also, as of a couple weeks ago, the order form for sample packs wasn't working, which I emailed Colleen about, but you can buy the sample bars for roughly the same price anyway.

Originally Posted by papaface29

Thanks Steve, I'm checking out the links now

You really won't regret it. I used 1 brand of shave soap for 99% of my shaving from the time I was 15 or so. I'd try something else every once in a while, but always went back.

I tried TGQ soaps, and after 1 shave, I knew I could never go back. I ended up giving away some of my old stuff because TGQ was so much better.

If you're either really picky about the scent, or have no idea what scent you'd like, TGQ sells 1/2oz sample bars. A 1/2oz bar doesn't last long, but it's more than enough to decide if you like the scent. Of the 3 scents I've tried so far, the lather is pretty much identical.

My personal favorite so far is Highlander. It's listed as lavender, and there's certainly plenty of lavender in it, which my girlfriend loves, but it also has a nice touch of pine to it. Keeps it from being too girly.

Either way, let us know what you get, and what you think of it once you try it.

Since I'm somewhat impulsive and I've been sitting in an office all night, with nothing better to think about than shaving and shaving accessories, I went ahead and ordered the 1 oz bar of sandalwood from TGQ. I've heard some good and bad about the sandalwood scent in general, and thought I'd give it a try. I'll be out camping this week, so it'll be a full week before I can hop back on to share the results. Thanks for the input, as always.

I could be wrong, but I think that if you like sandalwood, you'll like the TGQ sandalwood. It's just that not everyone likes the scent of sandalwood.

Personally, I find sandalwood and patchouli to be the two most offensive fragrances on the planet, (as far as personal care fragrances are concerned) despite the fact that they are very popular.

I have some relatives in a town called Eugene, OR. It's generally the biggest "hippie" city in the state, and I'm not much of a hippie. Every time I smell sandalwood or patchouli, all I can think of is unbathed hippies. If you resemble that remark, no offense intended. It's just not my thing.

Anyway, if you like the lather, but don't like the scent, just order a bunch of samples until you find what you like.

I actually like the Williams. It's best if you boil a bit of water on the stove and pour that in the mug. Let it sit while you shower and then pour out the water when you're ready to make your lather. The hot water softens it up really well and I get hot lather and a very comfortable shave with it.

Another very cheap soap is Van Der Hagen. It's a bit softer than the Williams, and I like the smell better. Don't pour boiling water on it though. It'll get used up in about 6 or 7 shaves because it will melt away fast. Hot tap water is fine.

Both of these are available at the drug store locally, and both are very inexpensive.

Williams lather:

Sudsy

Quick to dissapear from your face

Zero cushion

Decent glide/slip

I do like the scent


For $10 you can get a puck of Tabac that will last you 10times longer than the $2 Williams, and you will actually get to enjoy the shave as well!

To me Williams is the standard, the 30-06 of soaps all others are compared to it....
This is better than Williams etc:

I give Williams a solid 5/10 on everything but price that bumps it to a 6 overall....

I tell you one thing if you can get Williams to lather well then you can get just about any soap to perform

For me keeping it around is more for nostalgic reasons than any other, Pops only used it or Old Spice so I keep a puck loaded in his old scuttle and take it out now and then....

Originally Posted by gssixgun

To me Williams is the standard, the 30-06 of soaps all others are compared to it....
This is better than Williams etc:

I give Williams a solid 5/10 on everything but price that bumps it to a 6 overall....

I tell you one thing if you can get Williams to lather well then you can get just about any soap to perform

For me keeping it around is more for nostalgic reasons than any other, Pops only used it or Old Spice so I keep a puck loaded in his old scuttle and take it out now and then....

This is quite true!

I tried doing a "week of Williams", using only Williams soap. I so badly wanted to like it, it's kind of cool in it's own way: cheap, old school, etc.

Anyhow, you definitely have to work to get any sort of decent lather (in my opinion) out of it. What ended up happening, is after a week of Williams, my lathering technique on my other soaps was vastly improved. I used to always superlather my soaps (shot of KMF) to get the lather where I wanted it. After dealing with the week of Williams boot camp, I found I no longer needed to do so, and got excellent, thick long lasting lather on all of my other soaps.