Thread: Williams shave soap ????????????

A little over thirty years ago, I decided to go "retro" and start making my own lather for shaving. I bought an Old Spice mug full of soap and a Dubl Duck brush from the local drug store. When I finished the puck of oild Spice, I couldn't find a replacement puck, but there was Williams, and the price was right! Been using it ever since... Folks have said the formula was changed, but you can't prove it by me and I can't tell the difference!
I still use it quite often and for some good reasons.... "The New World Order" has not yet declared it's use "Verboten," and it still works for me.
I enjoy the smell of.... well.....Soap and I enjoy it.

As in all things, there is no accounting for taste, and YMMV!

I too have used the Van Der Hagen soap sold at Walmart, Walgreens, CVS pharmacy it was my first soap. It was a surprisingly good soap for the money.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

You know how in the reviews you can score from 0-10
To me Williams is a dead solid 6 as it gets all 5's except for price it gets the a 9...
Williams is also a great soap to learn how to make lather, because the simple fact is, if you can get a thick creamy lather from Williams everything else is simple
You should re-visit it in a year, as many peoples problems come from the fact that Williams drys faster then most Newbs can shave, so it isn't that the soap gets better, but you do LOL

A solid 6? Really? I usually think you're bang on Glen, but I have to disagree with you this time. Nostalgia only goes so far as I think you're being a bit generous with this one.

I was able to lather Williams right out the gate, and I was surprised as I had heard many people say how finnicky it can be. Be that as it may, IME Williams provides very little, if any, glide or cushion for a shave, nor does it possess any skin conditioning ability. But for $1.70 I guess I wouldn't expect it too. About the only thing it has going for it is the scent, which I do happen to like a lot and is probably the ONLY reason why my puck isn't in the dumpster.

Like I said before, I think we get accustomed to the luxury products, especially if like me you started with them before trying Williams for the first time.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

A solid 6? Really? I usually think you're bang on Glen, but I have to disagree with you this time. Nostalgia only goes so far as I think you're being a bit generous with this one.

I was able to lather Williams right out the gate, and I was surprised as I had heard many people say how finnicky it can be. Be that as it may, IME Williams provides very little, if any, glide or cushion for a shave, nor does it possess any skin conditioning ability. But for $1.70 I guess I wouldn't expect it too. About the only thing it has going for it is the scent, which I do happen to like a lot and is probably the ONLY reason why my puck isn't in the dumpster.

Like I said before, I think we get accustomed to the luxury products, especially if like me you started with them before trying Williams for the first time.

This is why we have so many choices hehehe... and your right I think I do give it a Nostalgia point or two ...

Don't get me wrong, I don't want to come off as offensive to people that like Williams. It certainly doesn't do much for me, but if it works for others then I say go for it!

Originally Posted by gssixgun

You know how in the reviews you can score from 0-10
To me Williams is a dead solid 6 as it gets all 5's except for price it gets the a 9...
Williams is also a great soap to learn how to make lather, because the simple fact is, if you can get a thick creamy lather from Williams everything else is simple
You should re-visit it in a year, as many peoples problems come from the fact that Williams drys faster then most Newbs can shave, so it isn't that the soap gets better, but you do LOL

Ryan82.. wow. I feel so sorry for you. Not even slickness/glide? Really? See a neurologist.

gssixgun... so right. I've tried sodium chloride and baking soda to soften the water, didn't make much difference. Loading the badger well and gradually adding water, more and more and more. I tend to simply add a wet-tipped badger brush to refresh the lather on my face and all the glide comes back. With repeated applications there is some cushion, but really dependent on the glide with cheapo Williams. I've had too many good shaves off the stuff to think it doesn't deserve a place in my life. I bought 9 pucks for 70 cents each, with the idea that I'd eventually sell a few pucks out to people stranded in parts of the world without Williams [gasp!].

I have some Chelsea's Soap Garden pucks (not good enough for str8-razor shaves (eBay soap seller)) that are great for lathering, they take too long to attain required slickness for a str8, but when lightly combined with Williams it is a pretty decent shaving soap. But I still use Williams plain, it really works. As for skin condition, nothing in my shaving arsenal leaves my skin as soft. I have no other tallow-based soaps to compare to, but if I remove all the residue my skin is fresh, soft, and moisturized.

Originally Posted by AxelH

Ryan82.. wow. I feel so sorry for you. Not even slickness/glide? Really? See a neurologist.

My last post clearly stated that YMMV. I'm sure you'll find that the majority of members here are like-minded , otherwise we'd all be using $1.00 soap instead of these great, luxurious yet expensive European creations.

As for slickness/glide? Try some CF, Tabac, MWF etc and then we'll talk.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

I know from my limited experience with Williams that I was using the new formula, so yeah, it pretty much sucked. Both are tallow based (or sodium tallowate), so out of curiosity how was the old formula better?

From what I understand the first 2 ingredients on the box have switched so the old formula had Tallow first and now it is the 2nd ingredient on the box so less of a factor in the chemical makeup of the soap.

Originally Posted by Ryan82

My last post clearly stated that YMMV. I'm sure you'll find that the majority of members here are like-minded , otherwise we'd all be using $1.00 soap instead of these great, luxurious yet expensive European creations.

As for slickness/glide? Try some CF, Tabac, MWF etc and then we'll talk.

YOU'RE NOT THE BOSS OF ME, RYAN82!!!!!

Okay, seriously. I understand it's not the best, it's the bare-bones, requires refreshing with a wetted brush. I can still enjoy it. I've found the 3 tubes of Proraso to make an excellent lather and shave, and I have 4 tubs of Mama Bear's, which has the glide and protection a straight razor shave requires. If I was to get a new shaving soap it would be from the seller from this thread: SMF :: View topic - Prairie Creations Shave Soap

There may be a link in that thread to B&B. I recall a thread there where a single buyer said his face was slightly burned by one of her soaps, and then a huge debacle where the soap maker was made to be at fault, lye issues and accusations of incompetency/irresponsibility. But from all the rave reviews about her truly tallow-based soaps... looks like she seriously upset the established order, which leads me to question the nature of the B&B thread. So I'm hot for PC tallow soap. Honestly, if she was at fault I think she'd now be better than ever before, having gone through that ordeal.

I just don't have a problem with splashing water on an area already saturated with slick soap, or re-applying with a brush, in order to ensure slickness and a safe, smooth shaving action. I understand VDH (deluxe) makes an excellent lather that maintains its stability over time, and it does moisturize well. Saw it for $1.57 at Walmart the other day. That definitely a better beginner's cheap shaving soap than Williams.

Actually, my fav cheap soap is Proraso - not nearly as cheap as Williams, not really much moisturizing, but a lot better IMO for a few bucks more.

Don't get me wrong, it's not that I despise Williams. I like the scent, I CAN get a shave from it, it's just that I have too many other great performers which I can't ignore. That's probably why I still have my puck of Williams, for the few odd days of the year I'll say "Why not?" and give it a go.