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Is Mitchell's Wool Fat the best ever shaving soap?

In contrast, I ordered MWF + ceramic bowl from The English Shaving Company. The ceramic bowl showed up cracked. The package was well padded, so I can only assume the bowl was cracked pre-shipment in it's box.

One email with a picture and they responded 30min later to say they were sorry, and are sending me a replacement. They even opened the new one to make sure it is in good shape prior to shipment. How is that for service.
I emailed twice, spent significant time on the phone twice with MWF and WCS. MWF said they would send a replacement lid, and never did, and WCS had a “tough luck that’s how they come” attitude and when pressed offered me a measly $5 discount, even though the ceramic co Rainer as compared to the soap in plastic cost $25-30 more. All I requested was a lid that fit- not a return, an extra or even more soap. Sounds like English Shaving Company runs a good business. I will definitely check them out. I won’t bother ever buying anything again from WCS or MWF. Too many good, reputable companies with good service who stand behind their products and services to waste time with those who don’t. My time is far too valuable to waste chasing small issues, which is what disreputable companies count on from the second they put you on hold….
 
I emailed twice, spent significant time on the phone twice with MWF and WCS. MWF said they would send a replacement lid, and never did, and WCS had a “tough luck that’s how they come” attitude and when pressed offered me a measly $5 discount, even though the ceramic co Rainer as compared to the soap in plastic cost $25-30 more. All I requested was a lid that fit- not a return, an extra or even more soap. Sounds like English Shaving Company runs a good business. I will definitely check them out. I won’t bother ever buying anything again from WCS or MWF. Too many good, reputable companies with good service who stand behind their products and services to waste time with those who don’t. My time is far too valuable to waste chasing small issues, which is what disreputable companies count on from the second they put you on hold….
Yah, I know, that sucks, sorry for that hassle. It's a small gesture to step up, but Customer Service is what seems to separate the good from the great.
 
It's worth it for the decoration and to store your back up MFW pucks. That's all I use mine for. I keep my user MaWF in a tin with a screw on lid so the soap stays hydrated.
 
I was considering getting one just for the ceramic bowl, but I'm not sure if it's worth ~$25 or so.
MWF has its fans and adherents, but as with most things shave related, there's an amount of YMMV involved. In my case MWF just didn't work out. I'm glad I didn't decide to spring for the bowl on a blind buy.

OTOH, I did blind buy Tabac in the bowl and loved it. In fact, I loved it so much I bought refill pucks. I also blind bought TOBS Sandalwood in the bowl and also loved that enough to buy refill pucks.

Good luck with your decision.
 
MWF has its fans and adherents, but as with most things shave related, there's an amount of YMMV involved. In my case MWF just didn't work out. I'm glad I didn't decide to spring for the bowl on a blind buy.

OTOH, I did blind buy Tabac in the bowl and loved it. In fact, I loved it so much I bought refill pucks. I also blind bought TOBS Sandalwood in the bowl and also loved that enough to buy refill pucks.

Good luck with your decision.
TOBS sandalwood is a great performer and probably the best non-tallow hard soap out there IMO.
 
MWF has its fans and adherents, but as with most things shave related, there's an amount of YMMV involved. In my case MWF just didn't work out. I'm glad I didn't decide to spring for the bowl on a blind buy.

OTOH, I did blind buy Tabac in the bowl and loved it. In fact, I loved it so much I bought refill pucks. I also blind bought TOBS Sandalwood in the bowl and also loved that enough to buy refill pucks.

Good luck with your decision.
Which Tabac, tallow version or the new non-tallow version? I recently acquired the latter and have been pleased with it. Great lather that is easily produced with my synthetic brushes. While the aroma was very strong right out of the box I was surprised at how fast it dissipated in an open bowl. Quite pleasant at current milder level. Since this is a MWF thread I'll provide the obligatory comparison. Lather quality is similar, so long as I use my stiffer boar on MWF they are both just as easy to lather. Like both aromas (for Tabac after it's open for a couple days). Give MWF an edge on post shave feel thanks to the lanolin.
 
Which Tabac, tallow version or the new non-tallow version? I recently acquired the latter and have been pleased with it. Great lather that is easily produced with my synthetic brushes. While the aroma was very strong right out of the box I was surprised at how fast it dissipated in an open bowl. Quite pleasant at current milder level. Since this is a MWF thread I'll provide the obligatory comparison. Lather quality is similar, so long as I use my stiffer boar on MWF they are both just as easy to lather. Like both aromas (for Tabac after it's open for a couple days). Give MWF an edge on post shave feel thanks to the lanolin.
I've only used the tallow Tabac. There have been plenty of positive reviews about the new non-tallow formula, but I'm well-stocked enough in Tabac (for now?) that I haven't gotten any of the non-tallow pucks.
 
No it's not the best soap! Everyone will have a different soap. For me it's currently MDC.I now only use soaps kind to my skin of which there are 4 outstanding in this respect.
 
For me, MWF is a top of the line soap. Not sure it's the very top of the line and, at a certain point, the differences become awfully minor. From my experience, my very top are: Ethos soaps, particularly, Vanilla Safi; A&E soaps (all K soaps are great, but K2e is exceptional); Grooming Dept Mallard and Kairos SE soaps; T+S's current base; and perhaps, maybe, MWF is in that rarified group. Every time I use MWF I say to myself, "this is great stuff." I do think, however, that MWF works a touch better at my beach house than my main house, perhaps because the water is different. But this is all really splitting hairs. Today, there are a lot of excellent soaps being made. For instance, I also love SV, which some folks here have put at the top, but I don't quite get the exact same level of performance as the others I've mentioned. But I sure use it, and I used it this morning, and I had a great shave. And I use a whole lot of others. Variety is what keeps me trying new stuff all the time.
 
Yep, there are other great soaps at the top, some that are exceptional. MWF ranks right up there amongst them at the top. The Fat leaves y skin feeling better though.
I like to use my soaps in rotation for a week, minimum. Unfortunately I am not able to do so with MWF. I used to believe it was the lanolin which would break me out after 3-days use or so. However, I have noticed that the trend happens with me using other mutton tallow soaps; which may or may not include lanolin. I must review.

I plan on using MWF at some point early next year as a SOTM, however I will need to modify my shaving frequency to do so.

Re: TOBS soaps, I find the soap to be ok, the creams are better performers for me. That said I find SV, MdC, Floris to edge them in tallow-less options.

Standard T&H pucks I find above TOBS as well; standard because I have yet to put the latest Apsley formulation in use yet - but I have high expectations given the recipe similar to Floris
 

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There are a lot of really good soaps out there, but every time I use the fat, I realize I could use MWF and nothing else for the rest of my life and be happy. I guess I should say I live in a location with the very soft water.
 
I like to use my soaps in rotation for a week, minimum. Unfortunately I am not able to do so with MWF. I used to believe it was the lanolin which would break me out after 3-days use or so. However, I have noticed that the trend happens with me using other mutton tallow soaps; which may or may not include lanolin. I must review.

I plan on using MWF at some point early next year as a SOTM, however I will need to modify my shaving frequency to do so.

Re: TOBS soaps, I find the soap to be ok, the creams are better performers for me. That said I find SV, MdC, Floris to edge them in tallow-less options.

Standard T&H pucks I find above TOBS as well; standard because I have yet to put the latest Apsley formulation in use yet - but I have high expectations given the recipe similar to Floris
Maybe I apply a different technique with them(?), but I find TOBS soaps to perform right up there, or at least close to MWF? I also find them easier to lather due to having fewer variables to navigate with them.
 
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