Thread: Williams is great soap!

Originally Posted by Sticky

The new stuff has Sodium Tallowate, but it's probably not as good as regular Tallow. Why fix what wasn't broken....

As numerous others noted:
Sodium Tallowate is made from sodium hydroxide (lye), steam, and animal fat (tallow). So a tallow/ sodium hydroxide soap and a soap made with sodium tallowate is the same stuff. Sodium tallowate implies that
the tallow was saponified (see saponification) in a factory/ chemical factory and delivered in bulk to be used as an ingredient. It should also not have the risk of excess or insufficient amounts of lye that might exist in hand made soaps.

Sodium tallowate - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

I might add that the OLD soaps have a chance of fully reacting should it not have
when made. Even if the component ratio was identical, time can mellow such
reactions that take time even if accelerated by heat (steam).

As others noted this component is the same except for the possibility that the old formulation had a little excess lye that does soften hair. If someone has a pH kit for a pool and both old and news soaps it might add some info here. I thought I saw a pH kit for an aquarium that might work.

I can tell yuo from that ingredient list that coconut oil is the most expensive ingredient on there so cutting the amount of this would allow them to save money. Now here is a list of the properties coconut oil brings to soap

A few of Coconut Oil's qualities are as follows:

* this semi-hard, white oil produces soap that is hard, cleansing and has a beautiful full lather.

* it has excellent storage qualities (lasts a long time) and produces a quick trace.

* creates an oily, protective barrier on the skin.

* great for dry and itchy skin.

All sorts of stuff we look for in a good shaving soap. So lessening the amount of coconut oil in the mix would make it a poorer shaving soap.

Originally Posted by Wildtim

I can tell yuo from that ingredient list that coconut oil is the most expensive ingredient on there so cutting the amount of this would allow them to save money. Now here is a list of the properties coconut oil brings to soap
.......

Good stuff.

Looking harder at a Google search of home made shaving soap the low percentage content of the ingredient list seem to make a big difference. Subtle changes in the recipe and process can result in a very different product.

One is clay, bentonite or montmorillonite that helps limit friction on the skin. While only 2 teaspoons (some use two Tablespoons, three times as much) are added in three pounds of soap it along with an increase of oils like castor oil change the feel and lather-ability of a soap dramatically. Another common filler is titanium oxide to whiten the puck but apparently does little else.

Castor oil, olive oil, almond oil, coconut oil, lanolin and the like can also be added in excess after the primary fat to super-fat the soap changing the fragrance as well as the feel.

I guess the bottom line is we each like what we like because of differences in our water, methods and our personal needs and preferences.

If you are one that likes the current Williams -- bonus -- it is very inexpensive
and consistent.

I recently tried an expensive soap because it came with a very nice container and found that it did not lubricate well and my razors would stutter and not glide. The nice thing about that container is that it now holds a puck of Mitchell's Wool Fat that shaves so much better. The Mitchell's puck is a bit taller than other pucks and does not fit my stainless steel shaving bowl with its cover on by just a little. Good thing I have the bowel.

Santa was good to me this year... two of my new soaps are two thumbs up and the Williams may get to age a while. The expensive soap got used up experimenting with lathering methods and cleaning an abused strop -- it did smell good made a nice lather with all my brushes but just did not shave well for me.

Ok I have use Williams for a year now on and off. It was just OK not great and the lather died very quick, even while on your face, UNTIL I tried it This way:

Originally Posted by Fozz7769

Cover the soap cake with hot tap water while I shower, i put my brush in the bowl too. With the shower over & done with, I drain off the water from the brush & cake. I then load the brush with product. I rinse my face with hot water & face lather ....you will tell when it is right, it is thick n creamy & has that sheen to it

I was leaving the water on the cake for only 10 seconds or so, which works great with softer soap but not with williams.
Some fine points.
1. If you have a bagder hair brush hold on to the bristles so you can bite into the soap, get much more soap into the brush.
2. Add water into the brush and work up a lather about 30 seconds or so. It will be rich and soft if you do it right.
3. For the second and third passes don't be afraid to add a little more water into the brush.

That for that great post, It has help me get back to a cheap, and available soap.

Crom

I received a puck of Williams soap last year for Christmas. My in laws bought it for me because they knew I was straight shaving. I use MamaBear soaps, but something told me to just put it away just incase I needed it.

Months later, I needed it. Having never used anything else but MB soaps, I have to say I noticed a difference but it wasn't a bad shaving soap.

I started with Williams soaps a long time ago. I hated canned shaving cream. I despised spraying the gel, or foamy all over my hands. I bought a cheap brush and a cake of williams. I was fat dumb and happy, (old navy expression) until I found this site and MWF, CF, SRD, T&H etc....I never really looked for anything else, never gave it a second thought. As far as I knew, if I wanted to use a brush, Williams was what I would use. It worked good. Granted, it's not going to make gobs of lather like today's high end stuff, but it's good. I personally don't like TGQ. I don't think those soaps perform well at all, nor the shave creams, that's my personal opinion after trying them four times, and at least 60+ others....Just for old time sake, I may break out a cake of Williams today. If you Uber it, Lather will come!

Sodium Tallowate, Tallow, same thing. Tallow comes from different sources, Animal fat. That could have to do with the Williams thing. Maybe they use a different type of tallow then what was available 100 years ago. You know the saying. They don't make it like they used too.....Standards were lower, you could do what you wanted 100 years ago. no FDA, No WWF, etc....
Depends where you get yours. You all saw fight club, apparantly, the human body is the best source for fat for soap making? Hmmmmmm? Anyone up for an experiment?
Krissy Prarie Creations uses Beef Tallow....She lives in the west, Go Figure....

Is it true that the vintage Williams has a rose scent? If so, I gotta keep my eye out for some