About a year ago, I bought a puck of Mitchell's Wool Fat (MWF) soap and was not able to get the soap to lather. I researched the crap about of the soap and tried every technique I could find, but the soap would just not lather. I have very hard water. I ended up using the soap in the shower - but even then it was hard to lather.
Then, about six months ago, I bought a tub of Myrsol soap when visiting my daughter in Barcelona and again I just could not get the soap to lather. And after thoroughly rinsing my brush, the soap left a film on the hairs that felt like your hands do after petting a lamb. Myrsol soap is contains no tallow but does contain lanolin.
I kept telling myself it's got to be the water. So, a few days ago, I devised a science experiement - I used the Myrsol soap first with just seltzer water (which just contains carbonated water) and then a second time with club soda (which carbonated water, potassium bicarbonate, potassium citrate and potassium sulfate). For both shaves, I was able to whip up a very satisfying lather and enjoy an irritation free shave. I used my $9 Omega 10066 boar brush.
So my hypothesis should be obvious - it's the water.
Because I don't have any MWF, I am looking for volunteers to participate in a second phase of the experiment - this time with MWF. Here are the instructions:
Then, about six months ago, I bought a tub of Myrsol soap when visiting my daughter in Barcelona and again I just could not get the soap to lather. And after thoroughly rinsing my brush, the soap left a film on the hairs that felt like your hands do after petting a lamb. Myrsol soap is contains no tallow but does contain lanolin.
I kept telling myself it's got to be the water. So, a few days ago, I devised a science experiement - I used the Myrsol soap first with just seltzer water (which just contains carbonated water) and then a second time with club soda (which carbonated water, potassium bicarbonate, potassium citrate and potassium sulfate). For both shaves, I was able to whip up a very satisfying lather and enjoy an irritation free shave. I used my $9 Omega 10066 boar brush.
So my hypothesis should be obvious - it's the water.
Because I don't have any MWF, I am looking for volunteers to participate in a second phase of the experiment - this time with MWF. Here are the instructions:
- Let a (preferably boar) brush thoroughly dry
- Procure some plain/unflavored club soda or seltzer
- Fill a glass with a few inches of the club soda or seltzer
- Use your MWF with only the water in the glass
- Report back your results