First shave with MWF

[ieschwoch]

I received my long-awaited puck of Mitchell's Wool Fat soap in the mail today and decided to give it a try. Here are my observations:

1. I followed the "lathering with soaps" tutorial and had no problems generating mounds of rich, cushiony lather with my EJ Super Badger brush. I would be willing to bet money that the people who have issues lathering this soap have hard water since this lathered up very easily for me with a brush not renowned for its ability to lather soaps.
2. The ceramic dish is very elegant and very annoying. I mean seriously, the soap and dish are made for each other, so is it too much to ask for the soap to fit tightly in the dish? I had to hold the soap in place with one hand while I loaded my brush since the puck kept sliding around. I may have to end up re-milling the soap back into its own dish. If I had it to do over again, I'd just get the cheap wood bowl from Kent as the soap at leasts fits into it.
3. This soap shaves like a dream and is very moisturizing to boot. It has a very light, clean scent and doesn't irritate my face in the slightest. Several creams have irritated my face considerably so this is a key feature.

Overall, I would highly recommend this soap and plan to keep it high in my rotation. I would NOT recommend getting the ceramic dish, however, since it doesn't even fit snugly around the soap. Get a cheap wood bowl or mill it into another container and save yourself $30.

 

[MrGuy]

Don't go milling that soap yet! I didn't get the MWF dish, but I started with a bowl a little too large as well. After a short while the soap had expanded quite a bit to fit very tight into the bowl. In fact, when I found a nicer bowl that I wanted to put the Mitchell's in I couldn't get it out of the first bowl without completely destroying the puck! From what I have read on the boards, it seems to be something that this soap does. Given enough time and use, the puck should fit the bowl.

 

[Tone deaf]

That puck'll stick and fatten up.

 

[Gogo]

Don't go milling that soap yet! I didn't get the MWF dish, but I started with a bowl a little too large as well. After a short while the soap had expanded quite a bit to fit very tight into the bowl. In fact, when I found a nicer bowl that I wanted to put the Mitchell's in I couldn't get it out of the first bowl without completely destroying the puck! From what I have read on the boards, it seems to be something that this soap does. Given enough time and use, the puck should fit the bowl.

+1
I have the ceramic dish and for the first go, I put my finger in the bowl to hold it still. To my surprise, the next day the soap was firmly cemented to the bowl. I'm sure the same will be true for you.

 

[Ru4scuba?]

+1 to that...glad you like MWF!

 

[strat1117]

I have a puck of MWF with the bowl on order. I'm glad I read this thread before it came because the soap being too small for the bowl at first would have annoyed me too.

Thanks.

 

[grumpy old codger]

How can you destroy a puck? Seems to me that it will lather as well even if it's prettyroughed up. I've removed a few glycerin pucks from mugs, but have not noticed any detrimental effects in terms of their ability to lather.

Don't go milling that soap yet! I didn't get the MWF dish, but I started with a bowl a little too large as well. After a short while the soap had expanded quite a bit to fit very tight into the bowl. In fact, when I found a nicer bowl that I wanted to put the Mitchell's in I couldn't get it out of the first bowl without completely destroying the puck! From what I have read on the boards, it seems to be something that this soap does. Given enough time and use, the puck should fit the bowl.

 

[MrGuy]

How can you destroy a puck? Seems to me that it will lather as well even if it's prettyroughed up. I've removed a few glycerin pucks from mugs, but have not noticed any detrimental effects in terms of their ability to lather.

The puck still works fine, I just had to get a little "midieval" on it. It ended up for the better, I guess. When I mashed the chunks into the new bowl, I must not have done a great job. Enough water got soaked up in the little nooks and crannies that the whole thing eventually softened to a very thick cream consistency. I was able to mash it all down evenly in the bowl and let it dry out for a week or so. I wouldn't recommend doing that, but my puck seems no worse for the wear. So I guess I only physically destroyed the puck, not latherally

 

[ieschwoch]

It's good to know the soap will expand to fit the bowl on its own. How long does it take for this to happen?

P.S. I had my second shave with MWF today and the results were again wonderful.

 

[ctakim]

??Not sure I understand what is being said here. I have MWF in the ceramic bowl and the puck is a bit smaller in diameter. With a few rounds of use, the puck adheres to the bottom of the bowl and does not move or rattle around. But it does not physically increase in diameter to create a snug fit in the bowl. Of course YMMV, but I'd be surprised!

 

[instpasr]

??Not sure I understand what is being said here. I have MWF in the ceramic bowl and the puck is a bit smaller in diameter. With a few rounds of use, the puck adheres to the bottom of the bowl and does not move or rattle around. But it does not physically increase in diameter to create a snug fit in the bowl. Of course YMMV, but I'd be surprised!

+1

Of course you could always do what I do. I mill all of my soaps into sealable anchor hocking bowls. You can get them in a 3 or 4 pack at wally world. They work fine for me.

 

[CriticalMass]

For what it's worth, I covered the puck in the dish with some distilled water and then left it alone for a few days. The soap soaked it up, anchored to the dish, and expanded to fit, for the most part. I think on the third or fourth day I lightly pressed the edges into the sides. The soap completely fits, never developed cracks, and lathers just fine.

I keep distilled water in the house, so I used that. I don't know if it makes a difference or not.

 

[MrGuy]

??Not sure I understand what is being said here. I have MWF in the ceramic bowl and the puck is a bit smaller in diameter. With a few rounds of use, the puck adheres to the bottom of the bowl and does not move or rattle around. But it does not physically increase in diameter to create a snug fit in the bowl. Of course YMMV, but I'd be surprised!

When it comes down to it, I think the expansion of the puck comes from not allowing it to dry all the way before a lid goes on, making the soap absorb too much moisture. Quite a few people have reported this happening with MWF, and some with Tabac as well. I seem to recall a few posts where people suggest "fitting" the soap to a larger container by leaving a small amount of water in the bowl and sealing it to encourage the expansion. Again, not really something I'd recommend, but it seems to have worked for them.

EDIT: While satisfying my obsessive proof reading, CriticalMass verified my "fitting" theory, and added his view that it didn't affect the soap negatively.

 

[CriticalMass]

EDIT: While satisfying my obsessive proof reading, CriticalMass verified my "fitting" theory, and added his view that it didn't affect the soap negatively.

I should also say I don't wet the soap at all since that initial 'soaking'. Just go at it with a shaken brush.

Different strategies for different soaps. I keep Tabac as dry as possible, or it pits and cracks. Cade I have to wet every time or it's too hard to lather. We all have tricks that work for us.

 

[MrGuy]

I should also say I don't wet the soap at all since that initial 'soaking'. Just go at it with a shaken brush.

Different strategies for different soaps. I keep Tabac as dry as possible, or it pits and cracks. Cade I have to wet every time or it's too hard to lather. We all have tricks that work for us.

Agreed, different strokes for different soaps