Kent/Mitchell's Wool Fat (MWF)

there's not much to say, to me is great, one of the best that I have

A bit light on the scent, but that's okay, this puck produces oodles of lather very quickly and rinses without drying. My blade glides easily without snags of any sort. I really like this soap and might be a convert.

Well, after reading about 1 billion post/ reviews about this great soap i really was about to pull the trigger. I did order a refill ( no need for fancy stuff) from ebay, great price by the way. I have previously tried Musgo Real with some lanolin content and i was impressed by the way it performed. Now back to soap. I made my regular prep ( Kyles), i did sank the soap in the hot water tub and it just exploaded ( using synthetic Omega) Wow! I have heard someone saying hard to get a proper lather, gentlemen this soap is a bomb! Shaving was ok but not that great as my D R Harris Arlington soap. I did cut myself twice, maybe just was not careful enough. Anyway, nice soap but it just not qualify for my top 3 best- in my subjective opinion.

The Fat! My experience with MWF is limited to a 1/2 oz grated sample I purchased from Garry's Sample Shop (insert shameless plug for Garry being an amazing resource and businessman here). You may have heard that the Fat is very difficult to lather. It's definitely not Proraso, but with about 60 good swipes of pre-soaked product (cheapo VDH boar brush) and almost no water at all (YMMV), I immediately was greeted with a shaveworthy lather. After 1 WTG pass, I could tell I was getting a smooth shave, and after the second pass (XTG), I had about the smoothest cheeks I've had in awhile with no effort at all from the razor! Yes, this is good stuff. My face was squeaky clean, and didn't feel dry at all. This has been my experience with MWF nearly every time I use it.

I say 'nearly' because for me, if the smallest amount of unnecessary water is introduced, or if I don't soak the soap, the lather is diluted, short-lived, and barely effective. Also, the somewhat sophisticated, "green" scent could be stronger (if you know the Mr. Taylor fragrance from TOBS, it's awfully similar...). Other than that, this is amazing stuff! Give it a try! Yes, it's worth it! Compared to Proraso, TOBS, Cella, and St. Charles, the Fat takes the cake!

I was really hesitant to try this soap in the beginning that I kept putting it off to buy it because I kept hearing and reading that it is a difficult soap to lather. Then I posted a couple threads about it. I got a lot of recommendations on how to lather MWF and other suggestions, so I went ahead and purchased it. When I got it I decided to try it right away. After soaking the puck in water before showering I used a boar brush and started to lather and I was super surprised. I got an explosion of lather that went over my cup and all over my sink. I loaded the brush for like a minute and the lather was all over the place. Some lather even landed on my chest while I applied it on my face.

The lather was thick and I left it on my face for about 10 minutes and it did not disappear. The shave itself felt good with a lot of cushion. The second pass felt even better because my beard was now gone and the razor glided with ease. I did a quick third pass and some soap was still left on my face after I cleaned up. I then applied an aftershave and my skin felt great and smooth. Even before applying the aftershave my skin felt very smooth and soft. This soap has something in it that makes your skin feel that way. Maybe it’s the lanolin in it. This soap will definitely stay in my rotation. Anyways do not hesitate to try this soap.

I give MWF soap 10/10

This is the slickest and most moisturizing soap ever made. This is my #1 soap and it will always be in stock at my house.

First off, I'm reviewing the MWF cake, not the Kent. To get a great lather, I had to shake the brush fairly dry, PINCH THE BULB to stiffen it up and work the cake for about 90 seconds. The resulting lather was about appearance wise about 90% of what you expect in terms of volume, well defined peaks and overall appearance. The resulting shave was stellar. MWF moves to the top of my rotation.

I have never had a problem getting MWF to lather but I have had trouble getting a consistent lather from this soap. However, even when the lather is not optimal it performs well. I get my closest and most pleasant shaves with MWF and MdC. Unlike MdC, I find the scent of MWF very nice. MWF really shines after the shave because it leaves your skin well moisturized. It's a fantastic soap that I would recommend to anyone.

Chances are, you know the story with this soap. It's very tempermental and you've gotta get it just right for a good lather, but once you get it down, you'll get an amazing lather, plenty of it and your skin will thank you for it.
There's almost no scent, which can be good or bad depending on how you look at it. I love the lather you get with this soap, but the precision it takes and lack of scent make it a bit more utilitarian than some.

I have been wet shaving for two months so I was both excited and worried to try MWF. I was excited given the reputation but worried give the issues people had with lathering.

It is expensive given I purchased a puck of L'Ocittane for $12 but the puck is huge and I assume will last a long time.

Luck was with me and I had no problem lathering this soap. I did not have to use any of the tricks from the videos or listed here. I just followed my usually routine for bowl lathering and it produced copious amounts of rich lather.

The scent is very light and that is what I prefer. I don't want the scent from the soap to interfere with me as or asb scent.

MWF made a very slick surface for my shave. Using my favorite blades, Personna med preps in my most dependable razor a Merkur 38C with a long handle I got an amazing shave. So tried a couple more shaves all with the same result. No nicks, cuts or razor burn.

MWF gave me the confidence to try my vicious Muhle R41 Grande. When I tried this razor in the past I was left a blood sore mess. With the MWF I got the closest shave ever with just a two weepers and a little razor burn. A massive improvement over past experience with this razor. It may also be to improved technique.

The soap is too rich and moisturizing for everyday use in the summer but I use it every couple of days now. In the dry winters here I expect it see almost daily use.

In my experience MWF lived up to it's reputation. It's hard to choose my favorite either MWF or Tabac.

I finished my puck of MWF after a few years of using it on and off. I finally decided to give it a proper chance and used it exclusively for around 2 months on a daily basis.

The soap has a very mild scent. It's clean, I can't say much about it. The lanolin will leave your skin soft after the shave (if you're not allergic to it, of course).

This soap is a great performer but you got to work with it. Make some tests and see how you can adjust your ratio because it's not the easiest product to make lather from. Sure, some do it perfect everytime, but this product require work from most users.

The price is somehow a bit high. I think it's a quality product but in the end, it's a shave soap! I think there are equally performing products out there for half the price. I don't think your should be discouraged by the price, try it at least once. The scent is unique.

After all that, when you get this little bomb right, it's right!

Mitchell’s Wool Fat Soap Note: The high price $38.50 USD includes the handsome wooden bowl provided under the Kent label. I really like the bowls and don't mind paying extra. A puck of MWF costs about $18.00 USD on Amazon.com now. Considering how little product it takes to achieve three passes -- and the quality of the product -- I believe MWF to be an excellent value. I must preface this review with an admission: I have only been DE shaving for about four months – and have used only three shaving soaps or creams, namely Proraso shaving cream (sold under the C. O. Bigelow label), D. R. Harris Marlborough shaving soap, and now Mitchell’s Wool Fat Soap (sold under the Kent label). My point is that I have only tried a few products in my short journey into DE shaving.Overview: That said, I cannot even imagine a shaving soap more suited to my skin and whiskers. It’s that good. The lather is rich, thick, and slick. The scent is mild and pleasant – but hard to describe. It smells extremely familiar both to my wife and me, but neither of us can place it. A quick internet search revealed that others are similarly confounded when trying to describe the fragrance of MWF. The shaving experience is just this side of Heaven – BBS shaves or nearly so every day – with absolutely no irritation. I did not know this was possible for me, as I have incredibly thick whiskers coupled with exceptionally soft and sensitive skin. Back in the dread Mach III days (shudder), I could only shave every three to seven days – and I could only get three to five shaves per cartridge. With the Proraso and Marlborough, I could get a SAS or DFS most days, with the occasional BBS with extreme care and effort. I note that some of my Badger & Blade brethren have either had extreme difficulty achieving a suitable lather with MWF – or have had to develop a special technique to do so. Many believe that MWF (like most soaps, shaving and otherwise) performs poorly in hard water. The water in my modest Mississippi town is extremely soft, which probably explains the ease with which I can achieve perfect lather – time after time. I must have stumbled across the optimal lathering technique on my first try.The simplest way to review the product is to walk through my shaving routine, from beginning to end. I hope no one finds this approach tedious. That kind of detail will make it easier to compare my review to others here on Badger & Blade – and elsewhere. As always, each man has different skin, different whiskers, and different angles on his face. What works for me may be horrid for you. Shaving Preparation: My shaving prep routine is simple. I put hot water in my stone lathering bowl and let my mildly stiff Col. Conk brush soak about ten minutes while I shower. In the shower, I first wash my face with a very mild glycerin soap. I’ve had it for years and cannot remember the brand. It smells like grapefruit. I put a small amount of this soap on an exfoliating scrub pad and gently buff the dead skin from my face. This small step has radically improved both the quality of my shaves and my complexion. Then I put a very thin layer of The Art of Shaving Sandalwood Pre-Shave Oil over my entire face. I then complete my shower normally, letting the AoS oil do its work. This step has also greatly improved the quality of my morning shave; it really softens my whiskers better than anything else I’ve tried. Lathering: Once out of the shower (properly prepped), I put more hot water in the stone bowl (to keep it warm for the rest of the shave), gently squeeze the brush, and load it with about 30-40 gentle swirls on the MWF soap. That’s an estimate; I mostly tell by looking. Once the brush is properly loaded with soap, I pour out nearly all of the hot water from my stone bowl – leaving about a quarter-sized pool of water in the bottom. Then, I start lathering, using brisk swirling and whipping motions in the bowl. The lather appears a bit weak and bubbly for the first 15 swirls or so, but then fairly explodes into a rich, slick, aromatic lather – a beautiful sight to see. I alternate circular and paintbrush motions until the lather forms peaks – like I’m making whipped cream. Sometimes I have to add a few drops of water to achieve a proper lather, but I’ve been able to do so every time. Shaving: I then put extremely hot water from the sink on my fact for about a minute, as my face cools somewhat during lathering. Then, I begin shaving. The lather produced in my modest (and small) Col. Conk brush easily lasts through three passes – WTG, XTG, and ATG. The quality of the lather for the first two passes is nearly identical. On the third pass, the lather is less foamy – and a little thicker. I actually prefer this consistency for my ATG pass, as I use a thin layer of lather for that. My Merkur Futur (set on the very aggressive setting of 6) simply glides over the MWF lather – which is very slick. I don’t know why it lubricates so well; I have assumed it’s the lanolin. The lubrication is superior – but the lubricating layer is not so thick that it prevents a close shave (like some pre-shave oils I’ve tried). It is during this step that I start to feel the moisturizing property of MWF. I dearly love the smell of MWF, which adds to my enjoyment of the shave. After the third pass, I rinse my face clean with warm water. Post-Shave Routine: At this point, I run a moist alum block over the entire shaved area (which is most refreshing), then rinse with cold water. Finally, I use two pumps of AoS Sandalwood After-Shave Balm and spread it over my damp face. The moisturizing properties of MWF combined with that of the AoS balm leave my face feeling smooth and soft all day. Conclusion: With this routine – using Mitchell’s Wool Fat Shaving Soap – I achieve a BBS shave on four days out of five, and a DFS the remaining day. The same routine with my other two soaps (Proraso and D.H. Harris Marlborough) yields a DFS most days, with a SAS occasionally – and every so often a BBS shave. What can I say? MWF has led me to shaving Nirvana.

A lot of people that discuss english shaving soaps leave Mitchell's out of the conversation. It does not come in a variety of scents, and it does contain lanolin. A lot of people complain that it is tough to lather, once you get the hang of it, you will see, and understand what all of the fuss is about! Might be costly compared to some other soaps. I tried the refill first, decided I liked it, and eventually bought the ceramic dish too. It has a pleasant mild scent that is difficult to describe, and I never grow tired of it. This soap, like many others have said, leaves the skin feeling very moisturized. I guess an AS balm is optional for post-shave routine. This product has been around for a very long time, and hope it continues to be!

Wanted to try it afther all those positive reviews. I was a bit disepointed in the scent or the lack of.

Easy to load the brush in the ceramic bowl; easy to face lather. A pleasant, clean soapy smell. Slick lather providing great protection/cushion. Leaves the face feeling smooth and moisturized all day. Now I know what all the "fuss" is about!

MWF is a must-try. The soap is very hard, so a puck seems to last forever. The scent is faint and inoffensive -- a powdery juniper to my nose. I've never had problems building lather with MWF using a boar brush and lathering in a bowl, although it does take a little more time than most soaps. The lather it creates is among the very best -- rich, creamy, and very slick. To me, the lather feels identical to Palmolive shave stick, except MWF has much better skincare. It leaves my face feeling soft and supple. However, this is also the soap's downfall, for me at least. I cannot use MWF more than once a week without breaking out in a slight rash, probably because of the lanolin, which is the ingredient that is so beneficial to skin. So while I love this soap, I usually reach for Palmolive instead.

Ive only been at it for 3 months. I purchased 6 pucks f various soaps in my first week, MWF being one. Now, 3 months later, this is the go to soap. I rated the scent a 6 as I find it rather mild, pleasant and not really an issue either way, positive or negative.With my dry skin, it feels amazing.

I have the MWF version. Really like the soap but the smells not great (not too bad though either). Lathering is hard at first until you get the hang of it. The bowl is expensive (but is very nice) and the puck was resonably priced. Would recommend.

Great moisturizer but takes too much effort to make lather and has no distinct scent

I have decided to write a review on Mitchell's not to be confused with Kent's. This is the real deal with ceramic bowl. Sure it cost $35.00 from WCS but that includes the bowl, just by it's self the soap is $13.00 which is very reasonable. So why do I give it 10 across the board? Well simple it deserves a 10. Now some people will complain the lather is difficult to make and hard to repeat. I say bull donkey! After using this product 30+ days in a row with hard water it's fantastic and works perfectly. It's easy to shave with, leaves my face super soft and has a light wonderful scent. Here are my simple steps to creating a perfect lather

1. Fill ceramic bowl with hot water
2. Soak brush with hot water (shake 3 times)
3. Soak brush again (shake 2 times)
4. Dump water out of bowl and insert brush and whip
5. Whip 30-45 seconds if lather is to thick add more water to brush and keep going
6. Face Lather 45-60 seconds
7. Make pass 1
8. Soak brush in the center for a split second with hot water to warm lather
9. Make pass 2
10. Soak brush again warm lather
11. Make pass 3

If you follow those basic instructions you can not fail with this soap. It is consistent day after day and just works perfectly. The plan is to continue to use this soap until it's all gone and then move onto another one and write another review. My last thoughts on this soap is like anything in life, it takes time to learn, don't write it off too quick or you will miss out. Take your time and enjoy it!