poppi
Lather Catcher
Posts: 555
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Post by poppi on Jun 30, 2018 11:29:50 GMT -6
We all had to do it sometime. You know, make lather with Williams Mug Soap. Some have done well, others not so much.
As for me, the 1st time was about 4-5 months after I started using a brush and soap. I had recently gotten an Omega boar brush (still have it) and was using it with VDH Deluxe. A nice combination that gave me good shaves. But I saw Williams on the shelf at the local drugstore and said, "Why not"? Took it home, put it in the mug and thought, "Tomorrow"
Tomorrow came and I grabbed the Williams, soaked the Omega boar brush, shook it out and started to make lather. No soaking/blooming of the soap either.
It was AMAZING!! Tons of rich creamy lather that gave a great shave. And I've been using it since. Not every day but enough to know that this is an American treasure.
So there it is. Now it's your turn to share.
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Post by wchnu on Jun 30, 2018 13:07:46 GMT -6
I have been using Williams for so long I do not remember my first time. It has always worked great for me!!!
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Post by jayaruh on Jun 30, 2018 14:17:06 GMT -6
We all had to do it sometime. You know, make lather with Williams Mug Soap. Some have done well, others not so much.
As for me, the 1st time was about 4-5 months after I started using a brush and soap. I had recently gotten an Omega boar brush (still have it) and was using it with VDH Deluxe. A nice combination that gave me good shaves. But I saw Williams on the shelf at the local drugstore and said, "Why not"? Took it home, put it in the mug and thought, "Tomorrow"
Tomorrow came and I grabbed the Williams, soaked the Omega boar brush, shook it out and started to make lather. No soaking/blooming of the soap either.
It was AMAZING!! Tons of rich creamy lather that gave a great shave. And I've been using it since. Not every day but enough to know that this is an American treasure.
So there it is. Now it's your turn to share.
I like that: an American treasure.
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zykris
Lather Catcher
Tuggy against the grave...
Posts: 882
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Post by zykris on Jun 30, 2018 15:15:24 GMT -6
At first, I didn't make lather with it all too well but now that I've gotten better at it, works just fine!
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Post by pisces0 on Jun 30, 2018 18:46:30 GMT -6
I distinctly remember my first Williams lather about a year or so ago. Lackluster would be an understatement.
After reading many polarizing opinions on both sides of the Williams debate I figured I should try it out for myself. A whopping buck-nineteen later I was armed with my first Williams puck (cake?). The initial lather was too wet, very airy and dissipated almost immediately. I had to reapply twice during that first shave just to get thru it.
I didn't give up, though. I kept trying varying levels of water, lathering time, mug vs. face lathering and different brushes. A few months back I started getting decently good lathers with a boar brush and a thicker application of soap. Progress was being made.
This month (June) I used Williams exclusively. A big fat boar brush (SOC) and a thick face lather, with the addition of some water towards the end of the lathering process produced AMAZING results. Great slickness and protection! Polar opposite of my first experience.
I'm a complete Williams believer now. This stuff is locked in to my soap rotation. And all this for just $1.19 per cake.
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Post by ordinaryshaver on Jul 1, 2018 5:14:49 GMT -6
poppi here is the true unbridled secret to Williams. Get the absolute hottest water you can, pour the water directly on top of the puck, and allow it to stand for 8-10 minutes. It works better if you have a lid to cover the soap with. That soaking time, allows the water to penetrate the soap, and makes loading and lathering SO much easier. Also, sometimes you can add a bit of barbasol to the puck if you didn't t have time to wait. There is only one potential drawback, sometimes a brick comes flying toward ya. But the old man stopped using the stealth bricks, so now you hear em coming. Try my method, I think you will be in for a treat, as well as a great experience.
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Post by pisces0 on Jul 1, 2018 20:08:17 GMT -6
poppi here is the true unbridled secret to Williams. Get the absolute hottest water you can, pour the water directly on top of the puck, and allow it to stand for 8-10 minutes. It works better if you have a lid to cover the soap with. That soaking time, allows the water to penetrate the soap, and makes loading and lathering SO much easier. Also, sometimes you can add a bit of barbasol to the puck if you didn't t have time to wait. There is only one potential drawback, sometimes a brick comes flying toward ya. But the old man stopped using the stealth bricks, so now you hear em coming. Try my method, I think you will be in for a treat, as well as a great experience. Blooming and molesting. Ugh, this ought to get interesting very soon.
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Post by ordinaryshaver on Jul 1, 2018 21:40:02 GMT -6
Sometimes you gotta make sure the old man is still on his toes!😉
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Post by wchnu on Jul 2, 2018 17:54:18 GMT -6
poppi here is the true unbridled secret to Williams. Get the absolute hottest water you can, pour the water directly on top of the puck, and allow it to stand for 8-10 minutes. It works better if you have a lid to cover the soap with. That soaking time, allows the water to penetrate the soap, and makes loading and lathering SO much easier. Also, sometimes you can add a bit of barbasol to the puck if you didn't t have time to wait. There is only one potential drawback, sometimes a brick comes flying toward ya. But the old man stopped using the stealth bricks, so now you hear em coming. Try my method, I think you will be in for a treat, as well as a great experience. Blooming and molesting. Ugh, this ought to get interesting very soon. There will soon be an opening for a MOD looks like..... Just saying.
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Post by carlfrommo on Jul 4, 2018 20:34:23 GMT -6
Well, I did it. When I was at the grocery store, I spent $1.79 on a box of Williams Mug Soap.
Went home, put it in the bottom of a wide coffee mug, filled it with warm water and dropped the boar brush in with it to soak. About a minute later, all the water was poured out and the brush was shaken a bit to remove excess water.
Then, I just started swirling. I made the lather right there on top of the soap. First foam, then airy cream, then thick shiny lather. Perfect!
I'm not sure what all the bad press is about. Maybe it is sensitive to mineral levels in the local water? I don't know.
It wasn't really time to shave, but what the heck, another pass won't hurt. The Williams provided a nice slick, protective lather. The smell was a bit reminiscent of Arko, so people might be put off by it.
I'm not going to "back shelf" my Stirling, Pre de Provence, Valobra, Muskgo, Arko, etc., but I will definitely put this Williams in my rotation.
Super bargain for less than 2 bucks.
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Post by wchnu on Jul 5, 2018 8:07:49 GMT -6
Well, I did it. When I was at the grocery store, I spent $1.79 on a box of Williams Mug Soap. Went home, put it in the bottom of a wide coffee mug, filled it with warm water and dropped the boar brush in with it to soak. About a minute later, all the water was poured out and the brush was shaken a bit to remove excess water. Then, I just started swirling. I made the lather right there on top of the soap. First foam, then airy cream, then thick shiny lather. Perfect! I'm not sure what all the bad press is about. Maybe it is sensitive to mineral levels in the local water? I don't know. It wasn't really time to shave, but what the heck, another pass won't hurt. The Williams provided a nice slick, protective lather. The smell was a bit reminiscent of Arko, so people might be put off by it. I'm not going to "back shelf" my Stirling, Pre de Provence, Valobra, Muskgo, Arko, etc., but I will definitely put this Williams in my rotation. Super bargain for less than 2 bucks. Welcome to the club. No need for the blooming you know!!
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Post by carlfrommo on Jul 5, 2018 8:42:13 GMT -6
Is that blooming? My thought was, "What would they do two or three generation ago?" Based on some of the old brushes I see for sale, it looks like some of the gentlemen stored the brush bristle-end down in the mug. I figured they might not have bothered with a separate container to soak the brush, and maybe they soaked it in the same mug as the soap. Next time I will try a pre-soaked brush on a dry cake. I suspect the results will be the same.
BTW, this morning was lather numbers 2 and 3. I used a Badger brush and had a great lather ready, then the brush dropped right in the sink full of water and I lost it all. Rinsed off the brush and tried again. Lather 3 let me have a great shave.
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Post by carlfrommo on Jul 8, 2018 7:50:43 GMT -6
Update: The fourth lather was with a dry soap, and a wet brush. Put the wet brush in the dry mug and started swirling. It took and extra 5 seconds, but the results were the same in the end.
I like making the lather right on top of the puck. Very easy to make adjustments to the water level. Once, a thick, shiney lather is created, you stop swirling. If you keep going, it will blend in too much soap off the cake and make it too thick, like drywall compound.
Oh, and for the times when the lather is just too runny, just tilt the mug over the sink and let some runny lather drop into the sink, it's cheap enough. Then, resume swirling.
As you might have guessed, I don't worry about the lather overflowing the mug and getting all over my hands. It's soap. It will wash off.
So give this a try if you have had trouble making a proper lather with Wiliams.
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Z-2
Shave Master
Posts: 136
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Post by Z-2 on Jul 8, 2018 13:13:52 GMT -6
Williams works well. I haven`t idea how much $$ is in the stores there (unfortunately, not available outside US), but I think it`s great competitor to those modern artisan soaps I use often Arko stick, which cost me $0.35 (35 cents) from local store and also get the job done. Yes, some people hate the smell, but I am not from them Bulgaria produce some creams, but I prefer soaps and Arko is the only available soap here. I can order Proraso on internet too, but it`s way too expensive ($5 per tub of 150ml). I also remember, in US there are VDH Deluxe soaps. I tried one, also good alternative for me
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Post by wchnu on Jul 8, 2018 13:36:50 GMT -6
Is that blooming? My thought was, "What would they do two or three generation ago?" Based on some of the old brushes I see for sale, it looks like some of the gentlemen stored the brush bristle-end down in the mug. I figured they might not have bothered with a separate container to soak the brush, and maybe they soaked it in the same mug as the soap. Next time I will try a pre-soaked brush on a dry cake. I suspect the results will be the same. BTW, this morning was lather numbers 2 and 3. I used a Badger brush and had a great lather ready, then the brush dropped right in the sink full of water and I lost it all. Rinsed off the brush and tried again. Lather 3 let me have a great shave. Ahh yes. The ole drop the brush in the sink...been there a few times. Glad your into Williams!
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