First shave with Mitchell’s Wool Fat

[back_to_shaving]

I tried my old puck today. Ran into he disappearing act.

Soaked my brush for a few minutes in warm water. Soaked the puck as well. Did mantic's thing of loading upside down and face lathering as well as adding water to the tip of the brush. Sucks because I really like the smell.

 

[TexOkie Shaver]

Alright y'all. I finished my donut of Arko and pulled out The Fat this evening. It was purchased from Maggard at the first of the year. I used the new WCS hand thrown bowl my wife got me for my birthday. It was gotten especially for The Fat as I made a comment that I didn't have anything big enough to fit the puck in. My biggest cup has my puck of Tabac in it. (I'm still good Sabbatical members).

I used my Boarzilla brush with the huge knot from Shave forge a purchased back the first of the year. I used it based on what I have read and it was way too much brush. In used my Maggard Slant with a Voskhod blade on shave no. 10. The Fat was a brand new, freshly opened puck.

I started by soaking the brush during my shower as normal in my scuttle. I then dumped the water from the scuttle and dribbled about a tsp. of water into the bottom of the scuttle from the brush. I then went right to the dry puck. I started loading the brush and tilted the bowl over my scuttle and let everything just run into the scuttle. I loaded less than 30secs. and started working it in the scuttle.

Here's the pics:

Before I started:

View attachment 1099748

After 30secs or less:

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On my face: I finished the lather on my face. Less than 30 secs. to cover my face in thick yogurty goodness.

View attachment 1099752

After half of my face done for one pass and a 5 minute phone call from work:

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And after 6 passes- 3 face and 3 head; Boarzilla was too much brush:

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The end result:

View attachment 1099755

I had zero issues at all. Easy peasy, lemon squeezy. The lather whipped up smooth and creamy, almost like yogurt and was super slick. I even added a little more water between my face shave and head shave because it had gotten a little too thick. It just came right back to life. I didn't do anything different than I do for any soap I have; Artisan or commercial. I always start the lather in my scuttle and finish on my face. I will use my synth or my smaller boar from now on though to not have so much lather left afterwards.

My skin is so soft right now. No post shave products at all. I usually use Glycerin infused Witch Hazel but it was not needed today. The Fat just earned a permanent place in my rotation along with Arko, Cella, Tabac and Williams with an occasional MdC.

Isn’t it amazing how soft it leaves your skin. My wife loves it. Plus I’ve gotten some of my best shaves from the fat, even though I can’t get it to lather very well.
You didn’t mention how much water you left in the brush?

 

[Brian C.]

Isn’t it amazing how soft it leaves your skin. My wife loves it. Plus I’ve gotten some of my best shaves from the fat, even though I can’t get it to lather very well.
You didn’t mention how much water you left in the brush?

Just whatever was left after shaking the tsp full into the scuttle after emptying the scuttle. Probably just less than sopping wet. It wasn’t dripping wet at least.


BOSC;AoM; B.O.S.S.;Knight of the Veg Table;WISE;CoA;4yr/10yr Sabbatical

 

[Demaratus]

Thanks for the tips. Here is what I got following your instructions.

Starting out with a 3min load
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Working in the bowl, adding few drops, swirling gently, repeating.
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Different methods, same result

I think my fingers are going to crack before getting this down, haha.

View attachment 1099177

Good photos. Looks like not enough product so the water is overwhelming too little soap. Soak the puck overnight and try a boar brush like a cheap Omega. The soaking will make the soap softer so more will load, and a boar will have barbs to grab soap. After soaking a synth may work fine. I think you’re close to lather greatness!


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[Demaratus]

Here’s my puck after about 50 lathers or so:

I soaked it overnight when I got it, which caused it to expand to fill its bowl completely. I also feed it a little water every few days if I don’t use it and keep it covered so it stays hydrated.

Notice the sheen the soap has now: it’s soft enough rubbing my finger on it now will pull a little off.

I think those of you having trouble, based on the photos, have dry pucks that aren’t releasing enough product. You definitely shouldn’t need to load more than 1 minute.

Try soaking overnight and/or use a more abrasive brush that will pick up more product. I think soaking is your best bet, though.


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[fightingillini22]

Moisture and water hardness were the two biggest factors for me. I promise the work to really dial it in is worth it!

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[Ted Danson]

So I thought I would give an update on my struggles with MWF. Last night I examined my puck to see if anything was similar to the posts above. It was not. Mine was non-cracked and non-hard – so much so that I was able to make it form in an old Wholly Kaw soap container. This morning I decided to give it another try. I did not bloom the soap. I used my Shavemac synthetic and ran some hot water in the sink. Dipped the brush in and got it wet. Wrung out the excess water and started to load a damp brush to a dry puck. Loaded for about 60 seconds and then used the proto-lather to moisten my face. When straight to face lathering. It was nice, thick, and pasty. I keep working it in using painter strokes. It was working!!! I added a touch of water and started to scrub a bit and bamm – more lather. Did that a second time, again – bamm – more lather. When back to painting strokes and everything is looking good. Did I do it? Did I finally make a good lather using MWF? I noticed the lather was a bit dry and I decided to add just a bit more water – and BAMM – airy messy BS lather again… Ugh… I never could get it to come back after that. I had to lather 3 times during my first pass because it kept fading out on me.

 

[Timeclo]

So I thought I would give an update on my struggles with MWF. Last night I examined my puck to see if anything was similar to the posts above. It was not. Mine was non-cracked and non-hard – so much so that I was able to make it form in an old Wholly Kaw soap container. This morning I decided to give it another try. I did not bloom the soap. I used my Shavemac synthetic and ran some hot water in the sink. Dipped the brush in and got it wet. Wrung out the excess water and started to load a damp brush to a dry puck. Loaded for about 60 seconds and then used the proto-lather to moisten my face. When straight to face lathering. It was nice, thick, and pasty. I keep working it in using painter strokes. It was working!!! I added a touch of water and started to scrub a bit and bamm – more lather. Did that a second time, again – bamm – more lather. When back to painting strokes and everything is looking good. Did I do it? Did I finally make a good lather using MWF? I noticed the lather was a bit dry and I decided to add just a bit more water – and BAMM – airy messy BS lather again… Ugh… I never could get it to come back after that. I had to lather 3 times during my first pass because it kept fading out on me.

Well, glad you got some improvement. It seems like MWF works the best right out of loading. Once I add water, the lather seems to break down more and more as you mentioned. Quite the mystery for me...

 

[Ted Danson]

Thanks. It for me, appears to be a very fine line between hydrated and a mess.

 

[xiletero]

I just have one thing to add, maybe skip the last adding of water.... Or reload 20' to save the thinner later.
I do use synthetic (muhle brush, it's a bit "harder" than the others) and it seems to work. No blooming. I add water in 1ml increments (because that is what i have).
Cheers....and remember: it isn't a beauty competition, what matters is the glide you get.....
Enjoy the shavings.
I also have some RR soap/croap w lanolin...now that one is easy to lather....probably not as good.

 

[TexOkie Shaver]

Thanks. It for me, appears to be a very fine line between hydrated and a mess.

That’s been my experience as well. Figuring out the fine line between enough lather and a soupy thin mess that disappears in a couple of minutes is difficult.

FYI, the guys at west coast shaving said just give the brush a couple of shakes. Don’t wring it out. They said I’m not getting enough soap in the brush and the wet brush will help. I haven’t tried that yet, but it’s next up.

 

[BudgetShaverGuy]

Send me your defective MWF pucks I'll put 'em to use

 

[Rustyshackelford]

I typically use a boar brush to load MWF, as I find it makes the process and the soap lather like any other soap. However last night I reached for it and loaded with a synthetic. I loaded 50% longer than normal and began to face lather. I observed what most report having issues with, a foamy drying lather that seems to want to dissipate, no matter how much you work it with the brush. I kept the faith in the soap and just added copious amounts of water and worked the brush enough just to distribute the water before I repeated the process all over again. Once the soap had enough water it started to really lather quite nicely, as well as it does for me with a boar. The secret to MWF is to hydrate frequently until you notice the characteristics of the soap change and react then you’re good to go. With a synthetic, it just needs more water before it will allow you to put it to work.

Good soap, just has some personality.


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[Visage77]

This is the thing there are a lot of mixed reviews from its the best thing since slices bread or I cant get it to work. Still undecided on this one so convince me....

 

[galopede]

Been using it for years with no problems. I always face lather with a synthetic though, never got on with a bowl.

I wondered if if was water hardness you all have problems with. Bradford in Yorkshire where the soap comes from has very soft water, but Gloucester where I live has Hard to Very Hard so it can't be that!

Never loaded the brush for more than about 30 seconds, straight to the face and it works just fine! Just bought another direct from Mitchells, along with some of their bath soaps. Great stuff.

Gareth

 

[AimlessWanderer]

This is the thing there are a lot of mixed reviews from its the best thing since slices bread or I cant get it to work. Still undecided on this one so convince me....

Nope. You have to try it, and decide for yourself.

 

[TexOkie Shaver]

Been using it for years with no problems. I always face lather with a synthetic though, never got on with a bowl.

I wondered if if was water hardness you all have problems with. Bradford in Yorkshire where the soap comes from has very soft water, but Gloucester where I live has Hard to Very Hard so it can't be that!

Never loaded the brush for more than about 30 seconds, straight to the face and it works just fine! Just bought another direct from Mitchells, along with some of their bath soaps. Great stuff.

Gareth

I keep hearing water hardness affecting the lather as well. I have very hard water, so I’ve been trying with distilled water and get the exact same results. Watery thin lather that disappears within minutes. Everyone says I’m not using enough water, but I think it’s not enough product in the brush. At the end of my three pass shave, the brush cleans up in seconds. On my TOBS cream I have to clean on the brush for quite a while. I keep saying to myself that I’m going to make a video and post it to YouTube so the experts can tell me what I’m missing. But I keep putting it off.

 

[JoWolf]

Good news, a buddy from another forum decided to send me a sample of his working-perfectly-fine MWF. I'll be able to compare mine to his and make a better conclusion. Let's see how it goes.

Hand lathering is a great way to check out a soap. I’ve been breaking in brushes with hand lathering and started to switch and compare soaps while I was at it. You can learn a lot and fine tune your technique for that lather. I’ve found the back to back compassions very revealing and interesting.

 

[TexOkie Shaver]

Hand lathering is a great way to check out a soap. I’ve been breaking in brushes with hand lathering and started to switch and compare soaps while I was at it. You can learn a lot and fine tune your technique for that lather. I’ve found the back to back compassions very revealing and interesting.

Don’t leave us hanging like that. Spill the beans. What have your observations been?

 

[JoWolf]

Don’t leave us hanging like that. Spill the beans. What have your observations been?

Ok now that you’ve asked. Hand lathering MWF back to back with Proraso Red. With a developed lather finger swiping the Proraso removes lather right down to wet skin. Swipe MWF lather comes off but slick film remains on skin. Water rinse Proraso no residue felt on skin. Water rinse MWF and a very comfortable film remains on skin. Four hours later comparing lathered to non lathered hand a slightly glossy film still on the lather hand. My bold statement, going forward I will not face and head lather a new soap before hand lathering it. You get to know the soap before you shave with it.

Shaving the back of my head by feel is not a good time for me to try to figure out different lathers.