Mitchells Wool Fat Shaving Soap is no longer Tallow based

[Ravenonrock]

I don’t give a gee whiz about MWF making changes. I like the current formula and have a backup. If I ever try the new formula, I’ll give it a fair shake like all the other new soaps I’ve tried. There are a lot of great soaps out there both vegan and tallow based. I’ll enjoy it while it lasts…and nothing lasts.

 

[PLANofMAN]

...

Is there anyone here who had heard about MWF pre-2000? Obviously the internet has changed how easy new products are to encounter, but surely at least a few shavers in the UK would have seen MWF on a shelf at some point. I’m just so curious how deep the rabbit hole goes!

I remember seeing it in a few magazines around 1992-1999. Holiday gift rags and the like. Also in old "Museum Replicas Ltd." catalogs. These were listings for the hand soap and bath soap. I don't recall the shave soap being listed.

The soap is not going to change. A lot of people, including me, have relied on it to heal their skin and keep it hydrated. It is recommended by some doctors and sure is better than those things that come in bottles that the pharmacists recommend. I'd be surprised if they changed the original soap.

Well, us wet shavers were surprised they changed the original shave soap too...

SAPONIFICIO VARESINO FELCE AROMATICA 4.3 SHAVING SOAP 150G = $50CAD
Saponificio Varesino Shaving Soap Refills = $55.00CAD

MWF tallow splendor = $10CAD

Thank you very much. They can go SV style, if they choose so. It is their business after all. Not mine.

Just because they charge that much, doesn't mean it costs that much to make. A large part of the cost is fragrance oils, and that is presumably cheaper in a product like MWF.

And yes, the cost of SV was a large part of the reason I stocked up on MWF, since 7 pucks of MWF are about the same price as two of SV. Even though an SV puck lasts about twice as long, it's still cheaper to stock up on MWF.

Here in the US, MWF is about $12-15, and SV is about $45-50.

 

[lancre]

4 pucks? It's almost like you just ordered enough to qualify for free shipping...

I looked on Big River and saw 2-packs for about $30 with free shipping. I decided I could afford 2 of those. Then I noticed that @Mens Room Barber Shop was selling them a little cheaper. So I ordered the 4 pucks from them.

The fact that the order just cleared the free-shipping threshold was a happy coincidence, although I admit if my order had been within $10 of that mark, I would have found something (probably more MWF) to get me over the top.

 

[Loner16]

Please allow us to mourn the loss of a dear friend. This is what is happening in this thread, in case you are still wondering. This will take all five stages, denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. Just give us time to heal. Would that be too much to ask?

It is their choice to make. Irony is part of life and makes it more interesting. How boring would be without it. Can anyone imagine a totally predictable life? Yacks...


Critical thinking. Some have it, some don't.

What a great, thoughtful post!

For me, the way I shave harks back to tradition. When something traditional changes, I bemoan it's loss... but that's just me. In my book, others are free to carry on as they see fit. This is a "No Judgement" zone.

 

[eezee]

I shaved with MWF today and its performed fine. I purchased the puck within the last 4-6 months. I honestly don't know if it is with or without tallow or if is reformulated or not. It did well for me today.

If it is reformulated it certainly didn't suffer like L'Occitane Cade. I've really liked that soap for years and my most recent purchase was nothing short of bitter disappointment.

 

[PLANofMAN]

I shaved with MWF today and its performed fine. I purchased the puck within the last 4-6 months. I honestly don't know if it is with or without tallow or if is reformulated or not. It did well for me today.

If it is reformulated it certainly didn't suffer like L'Occitane Cade. I've really liked that soap for years and my most recent purchase was nothing short of bitter disappointment.

It would most likely be the tallow formula.

 

[Lane101]

"Hey, what's the number on that soap formula you are working on?"

"This one? It's, uh, formula number 1893."

"Excellent!"

Marketing department: "How about 'Original 1893 Formula,' as a tag line?"

Similar thought came to mind when I saw the info showing MWF was launched sometime after 1979, likely in the 1980's. I'm guessing at that time that they were looking at distribution via a few niche specialty stores with no idea how the internet would expand the market while connecting users where assessments of how likely the product really was based on a recipe from 1893.

Surprising that they did not take the recent reformulation to remove 1893 from the package copy and replace it with something like "classic shave soap formula" or equivilant that still sounds good and is not misleading. Interesting that they still claim "1893 formula" with very different ingredients.

 

[madmedic]

Similar thought came to mind when I saw the info showing MWF was launched sometime after 1979, likely in the 1980's. I'm guessing at that time that they were looking at distribution via a few niche specialty stores with no idea how the internet would expand the market while connecting users where assessments of how likely the product really was based on a recipe from 1893.

Surprising that they did not take the recent reformulation to remove 1893 from the package copy and replace it with something like "classic shave soap formula" or equivilant that still sounds good and is not misleading. Interesting that they still claim "1893 formula" with very different ingredients.

Probably still ok. If you read their website blurb there is a LOT of wriggle room. The statement says BASED on the 1893 formula....not THE 1893 formula

 

[PLANofMAN]

Similar thought came to mind when I saw the info showing MWF was launched sometime after 1979, likely in the 1980's. I'm guessing at that time that they were looking at distribution via a few niche specialty stores with no idea how the internet would expand the market while connecting users where assessments of how likely the product really was based on a recipe from 1893.

Surprising that they did not take the recent reformulation to remove 1893 from the package copy and replace it with something like "classic shave soap formula" or equivilant that still sounds good and is not misleading. Interesting that they still claim "1893 formula" with very different ingredients.

I long ago resigned myself to the fact that it probably was a reference to the scent profile, rather than the soap itself.

 

[Keyvan]

This thread is obviously about the fairly recent news that MWF has changed. Anyone who has seen this play out before knows full well that those who liked the soap as it was are going to be worried (rightfully so) and possibly complain about change.
Let's say there's a 50% chance the change makes it better, a 25% chance it's just as good and a 25% chance it makes it worse.
The way it was before the change, the people who liked it had a 100% chance they would like it. Now they face a 25% chance it's going to be worse, and they won't like it. That's not terrific odds, even if the numbers are just an example.
Let me ask a return question to yours:
Why is it of anyone's concern that people who like a product might complain that it is being changed? It's certain that you don't appear to be concerned about it, but there are those who are concerned. Let them have their opportunity to voice their worry.

When something is more or less a gold standard, and judgement is subjective, changes rarely “make it better”. Coke’s decision to improve the formula didn’t work out very well for the management team that made that move.

If MWF made the decision out of necessity (e.g. raw materials constraints, regulatory considerations), I completely understand. Any other line of reasoning for the change, would mean that the decision makers don’t understand their customers.

In an environment where artisan soaps are getting all of the promotional efforts, they are not going to gain market share with a new formula. Imagine how much another soap maker would have to invest in order to get as much positive press as MWF got by “word of mouth” on this forum alone.

I wish that they would license the production of the original to a location outside of Europe. Alternatively, they could have invested in an “organic”formula that got rid of the preservatives. An all natural version of it, would have gained market share and even justified a price increase.

What can you do?

 

[PLANofMAN]

When something is more or less a gold standard, and judgement is subjective, changes rarely “make it better”. Coke’s decision to improve the formula didn’t work out very well for the management team that made that move.

If MWF made the decision out of necessity (e.g. raw materials constraints, regulatory considerations), I completely understand. Any other line of reasoning for the change, would mean that the decision makers don’t understand their customers.

In an environment where artisan soaps are getting all of the promotional efforts, they are not going to gain market share with a new formula. Imagine how much another soap maker would have to invest in order to get as much positive press as MWF got by “word of mouth” on this forum alone.

I wish that they would license the production of the original to a location outside of Europe. Alternatively, they could have invested in an “organic”formula that got rid of the preservatives. An all natural version of it, would have gained market share and even justified a price increase.

What can you do?

Yeah. If they had kept the tallow and lanolin, and made improvements to the rest of the the soap, in much the same way as Saponifico Verisino has done with their 4.0, 4.1, 4.2, and 4.3 releases over the years, I would have cheerfully doled out an extra $5 a puck.

...and yes, there are a few people who think those SV soaps went backwards in performance. I tend to think they are in the minority.

So far, the only improvement that I've read about, is ease of lathering. Everything else seems to be on par with the old formula or a step backwards, some things are a small step, some are large. A person's perception of whether something is better, equal, or worse is a matter of personal perception.

Those who have had issues lathering MWF will probably prefer the new formula. Maybe their praise will be enough to carry the brand, once the furor dies down.

 

[Doc Dan]

I was feeling a bit disgusted over the whole thing, knowing there isn't a good shaving soap out there to replace it anywhere near the price range. I found two Barrister and Mann soaps at a discount and bought those, knowing they would perform well. They were pre-Omnibus and that's why they were marked down.

I have enough soaps of various kinds to last me many years. My problem is that I like The Fat. It performs as good or even better than a lot of these new artisan overpriced soaps. If i had had to choose only one soap it would have been MWF. I liked everything about it. I haven't tried the new formula as I still have three pucks of the tallow soap. However, though I haven't liked many of the new reformulations, I can't say that about the Geo F. Trumper Rose hard soap or cream. I actually like this soap (didn't like MdC as much). So, if MWF did it right, maybe there is hope.

 

[AJMiami]

MWF tallow is special, serving as my reference soap because it was in production and readily available. I would use MWF as a benchmark when judging other soaps.

I appreciate many non-tallow soaps and creams as well, such as I Coloniali and Saponificio Varesino, La toja, to name a few. Despite Martin de Candre (MdC) lathering beautifully, it has never provided me with the level of protection that I can get from a soap like MWF.

As for the new version of MWF, I enjoy it because it retains the original character, although it’s not the same as the original.

If you’re a fan of tallow MWF, I would recommend that you stock up on it before it’s gone.

Don’t expect the new formulation to be better than the original.

 

[VerbaVolant]

MWF? What MWF? This is a nightmare of Kafkaesque proportions. "M" is from the grotesque metamorphosis. What about the rest? You ask. Well..., it is no longer MWF but currently MLF. Mitchell's Less Fat.

 

[VerbaVolant]

Soon to be released the Kale and Spinach soap, with a hint of carrots, as a middle note.

 

[NorthernSoul]

MWF? What MWF? This is a nightmare of Kafkaesque proportions. "M" is from the grotesque metamorphosis. What about the rest? You ask. Well..., it is no longer MWF but currently MLF. Mitchell's Less Fat.

As Gregor Samsa awoke one morning from uneasy dreams he found himself transformed in his dish into a generic palm oil soap. He silently cursed to himself, "What the Puck” !

 

[Contact_vs_Feedback]

If you like good value, tallow soaps, now is the time to stock up. With whatever is left on this fast depleting market.
Yesterday I looked over my inventory of soaps I considered of excellent value, and the ones I bought... ok...ok... hoarded.

Tallow Speick
Palmolive stick
Tallow Mitchell's Wool Fat
Tallow Tabac
D R Harris
La Toja
Wilkinson Sword stick
Williams
Arko
Lea stick
Cyril R Salter

Can you tell me which ones I can still buy today?
Yeah, that's right, I can still buy artisan's $20 (and up) croaps. If I wanted.

IMHO, only a few of the listed are easily available, others need bartering or searching deep into the lesser known vendors in hopes of getting old stock soaps.

I'd definitely get:

Lea stick
Cyril R Salter (lavender) soap
La Toja stick

These are easily available and still have old formula, I think La Toja is soon going to be out of stock or scalper prices.

I haven't used D R Harris soap, so no comments on it, best prices for them is at Connaught Shaving. If you get better prices on D R Harris, please let me know - asking for a friend.

 

[VerbaVolant]

...If you get better prices on D R Harris, please let me know - asking for a friend.

Apparently, the cloak of invisibility hid 5 Quid, so all you can see is 4 and a different storefront sign. If you are into pink-yet-purple fragrance, I have heard (only heard) that the name showing under the cloak is Cyril. Wow, not a Rotely you might say. Heck, not even a Harris. However, some are happy with a Cyril, if you close your eyes and open your mind.

 

[PLANofMAN]

IMHO, only a few of the listed are easily available, others need bartering or searching deep into the lesser known vendors in hopes of getting old stock soaps.

I'd definitely get:

Lea stick
Cyril R Salter (lavender) soap
La Toja stick

These are easily available and still have old formula, I think La Toja is soon going to be out of stock or scalper prices.

I haven't used D R Harris soap, so no comments on it, best prices for them is at Connaught Shaving. If you get better prices on D R Harris, please let me know - asking for a friend.

La Toja is several reformulations away from tallow at this point. The most recent reformulation removed more of the minerals and added sodium chloride (aka table salt).

Edit: if anyone knows where the tallow version can still be found at a reasonable price, I wouldn't mind knowing.

 

[NorthernSoul]

I haven't used D R Harris soap, so no comments on it, best prices for them is at Connaught Shaving. If you get better prices on D R Harris, please let me know - asking for a friend.

Cyril R Salter Solid soap is really close to DR Harris Lavender. There's only the one scent available. Connaught has the 70g size for 4 GBP. There is a 100g size that is often out of stock for a little more. That will probably be my choice to replace MWF.

Connaugt's prices on DR Harris are the best I've seen.