Mitchell's Wool Fat Shaving Soap

[Royall Lyme]

I don't care for MWF either and I have hard water and oily skin. I didnt like the smell of MWF either.

By all means do not give up on it until you have experimented with all options. Try distilled water, bowl and face lathering, drier brush etc. Once you get it going...its good stuff!

 

[noahpictures]

I used this stuff for the past week, I don't like it.

I must confess I am a cream guy, I have not used a soap in quite some time but I can't get this soap to lather well.

I have been using my Simpson super badger brush to rub the soap for about 45 seconds and then 'trying" to face lather. I don't get much lather and the lather that is there is not very protective. I have multiple nicks using my Merkur with feather blades (this is my regular combo and I never get nicks).

Is Mitchell's all that and the problem is me, or is it over hyped?

MWF is one of the best performing soaps in the world. In my experience the only other soap that equals it in performance is Tabac. The easiest and quickest way to lather MWF consistently is to make it into a stick. It took me less than 15 minutes. Here is the link.

 

[joglander]

Here's an easier variation on lathering with MWF that works for me. I wet the top of the puck with about a half teaspoon of water before my shower. When I get out, I use a short loft (stiff) brush. I use the same temperature of water that I use every other day (hot) and I face lather. I think I am getting a bit more product because the soap is wet, but I am finally getting consistently excellent lather with little effort. It's a bit tricky to learn to lather, but worth the effort.

 

[Masterkova]

Have you used the soap daily? I find that the lather from MWF improves considerably after 3 or 4 days of daily use (presumably as the puck absorbs water). At first it's a bit thin and temperamental, but after a few days, I get truly amazing lather.

Consequently, when I bring the MWF out it's for two or three weeks of steady use. If I were only going to use it one day in ten, I think I might pass.

 

[ofelas]

MWF really is all that. I have never found it to lather badly in hard water.
It needs a brush with decent backbone, and the performance of the lather far outweighs how it looks.

 

[joshmpdx]

You'll also need to adjust your technique with your razor based on how much cushion vs slip is happening with your lather product. If you're used to creams the tranistion to something with more glide/slip can be exceptionally substantial.

 

[Go West Young Man]

Interesting. I put my soap bowl in my water heater for about ten minutes to warm the soap. I've never had a problemo with lather, but I'll try this and see if I notice a difference. Mind you, I'm not talking about MWF here.

Warm soap is usually OK - the problem comes when you overheat lather, can cause it to break down prematurely.

 

[Doc226]

Some people attribute its success/failure to soft vs hard water.

I have a water softener so I don't think that is the problem

I always stayed away from this soap because of it's issue listed here. Perhaps I need to revisit it.

Not from what I have found so far, I'll update later

I couldn't get a protective lather from the the Fat no matter what I tried. It's too bad because I really liked the scent, fresh, soapy, nice.

It does smell great.

Nothing beats a cream in my world.

I'm starting to think that as well, my favorite is Acca Kappa

Warm soap is usually OK - the problem comes when you overheat lather, can cause it to break down prematurely.

I like it hot.

 

[rajagra]

Try my foolproof method:

Take 3 teaspoons of water. I have a small plastic cup that I use for mouthwash, though it may have originally been a medicine cup. It holds 1 fl oz. Half of that is 3 teaspoons so I use that as a measure. You could just as easily do it by eye with practice.

Pour the 3 teaspoons of water on the puck of soap in its mug. Stand the brush in that mug to soak in water from the tips. 5 minutes is OK, but doesn't need to be precise. I only soak to soften the bristles to prevent breakage, it shouldn't be necessary to do this to make the method work.

Work the brush into the soap until all the free liquid is taken up and the protolather is the right consistency.

Face lather. (Or bowl, or palm, your choice.)

 

[Captain Coconut]

Looks like you've made up your mind, Doc.

Off-topic observation- I'm actually surprised that people's complaints about MWF are very similar to their complaints about Williams (can't get a decent lather), but many people will just say that Williams sucks while trying very hard to make MWF work for them when it doesn't. Admittedly they're not the same quality, and the complaints aren't entirely the same, but some people will work their butts off to make a $15 soap work and can't be bothered to put in nearly the same effort for a $1.50 soap. In the end, if it doesn't work for you, then it just doesn't, no matter what it cost you or how well it works for others.

 

[Sunburst]

I have fairly hard water, but you can see what I got in this video. I'll admit, my video is aimed at a sub-set of the B&B population simply because I know my technique isn't textbook. I don't want to face the wrath of the pressure gods. However, I have hard water. I use a Berkeley in this, it's a great brush that performs as well as you can use it. I don't remember if I mentioned it in the video, but I loaded for a minute. Which was too much. I did start with a pretty dry brush. These days I start with a more dry brush for soaps and creams as it's simply easier, but more time consuming to get the lather that I like best.

Here goes my first B&B posted video.

 

[ruebis]

One of the best soaps around. Period. Also one of the more difficult to really get up in a lather and the ratio of water to soap is a bit finicky. All my opinion, naturally.

Stick with it.

 

[DaveNJ74]

I always stayed away from this soap because of it's issue listed here. Perhaps I need to revisit it.

I'm going to revisit the Fat this week.

 

[Catalin]

It works like a charm for me; it's one of my favourites. Great lather, slick and protective. Don't give up yet; it truly is an awesome soap!

 

[DC_MPA]

Mantic59 has a killer video on youtube regarding MWF. He shows you the trick to getting it to lather like a thick cream.

 

[Doc226]

Mantic59 has a killer video on youtube regarding MWF. He shows you the trick to getting it to lather like a thick cream.

I'll look for the video tonight.

 

[Loner16]

Looks like you've made up your mind, Doc.

Off-topic observation- I'm actually surprised that people's complaints about MWF are very similar to their complaints about Williams (can't get a decent lather), but many people will just say that Williams sucks while trying very hard to make MWF work for them when it doesn't. Admittedly they're not the same quality, and the complaints aren't entirely the same, but some people will work their butts off to make a $15 soap work and can't be bothered to put in nearly the same effort for a $1.50 soap. In the end, if it doesn't work for you, then it just doesn't, no matter what it cost you or how well it works for others.

My thoughts X-actly!!

 

[rajagra]

Ah, but does Williams make your skin look and feel 10 years younger?
They should sell MWF as a women's beauty treatment at £100 a puck. I'd bet good money it does a better job than all those poncy creams they sell with pseudo-scientific buzzwords.

 

[Kramerica]

+1 on the Mantic video (well, all of his videos, actually.)

My secret is load, load, and load. With a barely damp brush. Then, as many have said, add warm water slowly in your bowl to build the lather. I don't like face lathering, but I suspect that might work well too.

MWF is awesome. I like it especially when my face is irritated or otherwise unhappy with the shave the day before. MWF calms everything down.

 

[Sunburst]

I went at it for 30 seconds today instead of a minute with my Berkeley. Did 3.5 passes when you consider my trouble spots and touch-ups. I still easily had 2 passes of lather left. And it was crazy good lather. Not as dry as yesterdays. Just really amazing. I'm using it all week. I try to get all of my weekday shaves up on YT, so you know, if you want to to watch, feel free.