I agree with you 100% - however I think we can all expect a lather to last at least 1 pass. My dealings with MWF has been the lather doesn't last even one pass. And you have to relaod before the second pass. That shouldn't be acceptable to anyone.
First shave with Mitchell’s Wool Fat
- Thread starter TexOkie Shaver
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No, but I’ve never experienced that with any soap, except to have it dry out when learning to use a straight and moving too slowly. It would have to be defective, I would think.
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AimlessWanderer
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I'm sorry to here of these rogue pucks, but it remains the best shaving soap I've used. Even if I do end up getting a rogue puck at some point, and have to discard it, it will probably still be one of the cheaper soaps too. Especially in regards to price per shave. None of that is any consolation to those struggling with it though.
I was given a sample of Sterling and tried it today. I find the lather very comparable to my good MWF puck. It seems to me it may be a very good alternative to The Fat, especially their unscented puck.
BOSC;AoM; B.O.S.S.;Knight of the Veg Table;WISE;CoA
BOSC;AoM; B.O.S.S.;Knight of the Veg Table;WISE;CoA
Stirling is my go-to soap for sure. Veteran owned small batch artisan from Arkansas. Performs well every time.
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- #286
But does it leave your skin baby butt soft like the Fat does. If so, I’ll give it a go. Russellville is just a hop skip and a jump from me.
It does. They have good amount of tallow and lanolin that makes the lather nice and creamy.
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- #288
Today I tried something different. I scooped out about an almond sized dollop from the puck and spread it across the bottom of my shaving bowl. I then took a damp badger brush and started to lather. I added a few drops at a time once the previous water worked into the lather. After adding about three rounds of water, it turned into the lather I’m used to seeing with other soaps and creams. I applied the lather and just stood there and watched it. It stayed on my face and didn’t show any sign of dissipating. I made my first pass and reapplied more lather. The second coating of lather acted just like the first. After my second pass I decided to add more water to see what would happen. That’s when the lather became bubbly and airy and started breaking down.
Apparently these rogue pucks won’t work with very much water. I probably added less than a teaspoon of water. I’ve been told it needs three times that much. But, more water causes a breakdown of the lather.
I will try the same process tomorrow.
One odd thing I noticed is the smell of the puck has gone away and the softness I experience on my face after the shave wasn’t there anymore.
To say the least I’m very disappointed in this experience. The initial lathers, while weak and airy smelled clean and fresh, and left my face as soft as a baby’s skin. I’m not seeing that anymore.
Apparently these rogue pucks won’t work with very much water. I probably added less than a teaspoon of water. I’ve been told it needs three times that much. But, more water causes a breakdown of the lather.
I will try the same process tomorrow.
One odd thing I noticed is the smell of the puck has gone away and the softness I experience on my face after the shave wasn’t there anymore.
To say the least I’m very disappointed in this experience. The initial lathers, while weak and airy smelled clean and fresh, and left my face as soft as a baby’s skin. I’m not seeing that anymore.
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Yesterday I tried MWF for the first time. I ordered a puck on Amazon and found it would not fit in my Old Spice mug so I had to put it in a shaving bowl that came with a brush and soap from CVS years ago. It worked as good as anything I have recently used with a boar brush and I intend to keep using it.
As of today, I'm done with this soap. I've tried every tip/trick I've read about here and elsewhere, and none of them produce more than a very modest lather. There's quite a bit of foam regardless of how wet the brush is. I've tried boar, badger, and synthetic brushes with no difference. I've tried soaked puck, dry, and in between. I've even tried holding the puck upside down as someone recommended. I don't understand why anyone would put this much effort into shaving when there are plenty of soaps and creams that work as well or better without spending 2 full minutes trying to load a brush. Speaking of which, that's what seemed to never happen, getting even a moderately loaded brush. Oh well.
They say some are chosen...and the chosen ones spend :30 seconds loading and an hour rubbing the face post-shave.
Sorry it didn't work out for you, sir.
Consider revisiting it down the road (much like I plan to do with Arko after its year timeout in the back of the cabinet).
One of the things I’ve found that helps is to shake out most of the water into my shave bowl and use a damp brush. I have hard water (calcium, lime, sulfur, mangrove detritus, etc) and can still get a good lather from MWF
I think more than anything, people who struggle with MWF after trying long and hard just got bad pucks. I still haven't improved from my last post and I'm pretty sure my puck is just bad. Not sure if it's a quality control issue or an issue during storage and shipping/delivery, but after someone said his puck was bad but a sample from a friend's puck lathered quickly, it has to be a puck issue.
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Could definitely be a storage issue. It’s happened to me a couple times with other brands. Got a kilo of Vito’s that had been sitting in a climate controlled warehouse for awhile that was barely cuttable and a block of Valobra menthol that looked like a jolly rancher that had been sitting on a dashboard for a couple hours on a hot summer day
What kind of brush is that?
Man y’all are really making me consider getting some mwf. OTOH, this has definitely helped me to realize that I really should be working my lathers more like videos always say to. I guess just because it looks thick and “good enough” doesn’t mean it’s at “full potential.
I’ll come back with my experience if I pick some up soon.
I’ll come back with my experience if I pick some up soon.
It's an Alpha T-400 handle with removable ferule and a Envy Shave Luxury Silvertip badger knot. That is my best and favorite badger brush I have.
Sorry to hear that you are struggling so much. For me it is only slightly harder to use than Tabak which seems to lather if you sneeze at it.
Here is how MWF performed for me this morning:
Mug is a grocery store soup mug and the brush is a 26mm ACE Silvertip knot set in an acrylic handle I spun myself on a wood lathe. I might have allow myself to go a bit far on the handle height but it is extremely comfortable to hold.
Usually, a good lather is smth with not that many bubbles.
