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MWF misunderstood?

Face lathered the same way I would do with any other soap. I have to admit, it took way more effort than lathering a tallow based soap.

...

The slick layer of protection that lanolin leaves behind is simply amazing and surpasses the results I'm getting from tallow soaps.

Small point but MWF is a tallow soap
 
MWF seems to have a thin, bubbly "fool's lather" which fades quickly (although this stuff is so slick & lubricating even a bad lather can still give a good shave...)

The fool's lather seems to happen when you add water too quickly. If you start out with a soaking wet brush you're probably going to have problems.

My (synthetic) brush will be damp not wet. I'll dribble a few drops onto the puck and swirl away until the surface of the puck starts to dry out. Another few drops of water, more brushing, and so on. Repeat until you've got a good amount of soap in the brush.

(Alternatively, make a shave stick. This should be an easy way to get a generous layer of soapy goo on your face and avoid any loading problems. If you soak a puck in water for a few days it will get soft enough to form into a stick).

Once you've got a good load of soap in the brush, paint it onto your face and start adding water just a little bit at a time. Use the brush as if you were painting a wall. Work the water in until it's been absorbed evenly and repeat several times. You'll see a thin cream start to build.

Finally, when the soap seems nice and slick, and maybe a little runny, splay the brush and whip it up into a thick lather with the usual vigorous, circular motions.

You might find the lather dries on your face mid-shave. You'll still have a white cream but now it's dry and sticky v the slick lather you started with. Add more water next time.

MWF likes a drink but it seems to want it in lots of little sips. Most the problems I've had seemed to boil down to adding too much water too soon.

Once you've figured it out, it's lovely stuff. The lubrication & residual slickness are off the charts.

I recently bought MWF and have been struggling to make good lather. The steps described above work for me. Thanks.
 
If you can’t get lather to your liking with MWF, try adding a little cream from TOBS or one of your favorite creams. You’ll end up with the slickness and skin loving lanolin of MWF and the rich lather of your cream.

Thanks for the tip, will give this a try.
I've used MWF 3 times now since it has been soaking for over a week.
The puck has nicely extended to fill the ceramic bowl, and it is much easier to whip up after so much hydration.

Whereas before I had to beat the hell out of it in my shaving bowl to get a little bit of wispy bubbly lather, now it is quite easy to fill it up with a much better consistency.

My first 2 shaves it was still a little bit airy and bubbly, likely due to my water content being off a bit.
Yesterday I finally got it right, and got it nice and peaky, without the airiness.

I need to experiment a bit more to get the technique down, but I bloomed the soap and soaked my brush for a few minutes while showering, then splashed my face with the run off.

I loaded the wet but not dripping brush for 30-45sec upside down, really making sure it was chock full, and catching the wet foam falling off the dish into the shaving bowl.

Then I whipped it all up for another 45 sec to a minute or so, and it looked good, way less airy this time.

I rubbed some of the spillage onto my face for a nice slick starting layer, and lathered up.
This is the first time I got it to lather almost like the other soaps I've tried.

Usually I have problems by the 3rd/4th lather, but this time it went really well.

I had the impression that even with airy/bubbly/wispy lather, it gave me a very close and smooth shave, and the slickness is a bit better still than my tabac (though not as thick and luxurious).

There has to be something to this (probably the lanolin), because yesterday was one of the closest, smoothest shaves I've had so far.
Especially my moustache area, which I usually struggle with on the XTG pass, is less tricky with this soap it seems.
The blade seems to glide just that little bit better, making a noticeable difference for me.

I am going to keep at it, try to get my technique down so I can achieve this good lather more often.

The smell isn't bad, but certainly not my favorite either, and it definitely is still more tricky and less luxurious than other soaps, but the slickness and closer shave I get with this is worth it to me.
 
Thanks for the tip, will give this a try.
I've used MWF 3 times now since it has been soaking for over a week.
The puck has nicely extended to fill the ceramic bowl, and it is much easier to whip up after so much hydration.

Whereas before I had to beat the hell out of it in my shaving bowl to get a little bit of wispy bubbly lather, now it is quite easy to fill it up with a much better consistency.

My first 2 shaves it was still a little bit airy and bubbly, likely due to my water content being off a bit.
Yesterday I finally got it right, and got it nice and peaky, without the airiness.

I need to experiment a bit more to get the technique down, but I bloomed the soap and soaked my brush for a few minutes while showering, then splashed my face with the run off.

I loaded the wet but not dripping brush for 30-45sec upside down, really making sure it was chock full, and catching the wet foam falling off the dish into the shaving bowl.

Then I whipped it all up for another 45 sec to a minute or so, and it looked good, way less airy this time.

I rubbed some of the spillage onto my face for a nice slick starting layer, and lathered up.
This is the first time I got it to lather almost like the other soaps I've tried.

Usually I have problems by the 3rd/4th lather, but this time it went really well.

I had the impression that even with airy/bubbly/wispy lather, it gave me a very close and smooth shave, and the slickness is a bit better still than my tabac (though not as thick and luxurious).

There has to be something to this (probably the lanolin), because yesterday was one of the closest, smoothest shaves I've had so far.
Especially my moustache area, which I usually struggle with on the XTG pass, is less tricky with this soap it seems.
The blade seems to glide just that little bit better, making a noticeable difference for me.

I am going to keep at it, try to get my technique down so I can achieve this good lather more often.

The smell isn't bad, but certainly not my favorite either, and it definitely is still more tricky and less luxurious than other soaps, but the slickness and closer shave I get with this is worth it to me.
After a week or so of using MWF, you will find it easier to work with, and your skin will be amazingly soft. MWF is a jealous soap and does not like it when you cheat with another soap.
Glad to hear you are getting the hang of it. Enjoy.
 
After a week or so of using MWF, you will find it easier to work with, and your skin will be amazingly soft. MWF is a jealous soap and does not like it when you cheat with another soap.
Glad to hear you are getting the hang of it. Enjoy.

That is my issue with MWF. I have a six month rotation of soaps. By the time I get back to MWF, it is dried out.
 
Small point but MWF is a tallow soap
Oh true. My bad!
I didn't check the ingredients list... I just "assumed" it wasn't.
I'm surprised that lanolin is actually quite far back on the ingredients list.

Envoyé de mon SM-N950W en utilisant Tapatalk
 
I do not think MWF is misunderstood. I think your experience mirrors that of many shavers. It takes a fair amount of effort to load and lather MWF. Once you get a decent lather, the performance of the soap is excellent.

I have know some folks who use MWF as their daily soap. It works best that way as the puck never dries out completely, making it easier to load and lather. I have a very large collection of soaps and found that the process of loading and lathering MWF is so different than most other soaps that I did not enjoy using it. I gave mine away to the friend who uses MWF daily. If I were a soap minamilist and wanted to use only one soap every day, MWF would be a suitable option.

+1! MWF likes to get used; the more frequently the better! :a29:
 
I stayed away from MWF for a long time because I was worried I'd have issues with it.

Yeah, that has happened yet

The only issue is remembering it really lathers fine and not overdoing the loading and ending up with enough lather for three shaves.

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No problems here. I use cold water in all my shaves, regardless of soap, I am not sure if that's a factor. The Fat has always been consistent for me, over the years.
 
I stayed away from MWF for a long time because I was worried I'd have issues with it.

Yeah, that has happened yet

The only issue is remembering it really lathers fine and not overdoing the loading and ending up with enough lather for three shaves.

View attachment 1219067
View attachment 1219068


If the lather you picture works for you, that is great. Unfortunately, I would not be satisfied with that lather as it has far too many visible bubbles. Such a lather fails to protect my skin and I would get irritation from the shave. With a little more work, I could eliminate the bubbles, but I refuse to spend more than 60 seconds lathering any soap. I have many soaps that will produce a bubble free lather in about 30 seconds. They have spoiled me to the point I won't waste my time and money on soaps like Mitchell's.
 
There are other products that have lanolin in them though that don’t have this kind of rep of being well inconsistent. Haslinger seems to be the close competitor except I’m yet to see a thread saying that someone has received a dud puck. There isn’t any mystery to shaving...most people know how to lather. If it’s not working...it’s the product not the person.
 
Oh boy...all this talk of thin but slick lather, feeding it water, soaking to swell it, dry brush, wet brush etc etc etc.

I've been using MWF since 2008 (in a rotation), no soaking, no blooming, no nothing.
I've gone through around 8 pucks over these years.

I grab a damp brush (synth, boar or badger), load 20 seconds and face lather. Adding tons of water until the lather is dense, rich and shiny.
It's a silky looking lather that no other soap has matched thus far.

Aside from the dud pucks that surfaced from March 2020, I just can't explain all the experiences guys have with MWF.
 
The FAT is certainly a source of debate. Personally I love the lather it produces. I find it super protective and I also like the mild scent. Im glad I stuck at it, and changed my brush and hydrated the puck etc which brought about great results - when previously the later was thin and useless. So im in the happy Fat camp. That said, i completely get why people move on if it isn't working for them. I read a post somewhere about life being too short for a soap where you have to do a rain dance and sprinkle angel's tears on it to get it to work.
 
Hydrate puck



Bloom puck ahead of use - warm water not hot



Stiff brush is better



Shake all drops off brush & make sure puck isnt covered in liquid



Load hard for minimum 60 seconds upside down



Unglazed bowl if possible



Add small water gradually (less with badgers)



Whip it slow



Whip up longer than youd expect to



If not used regularly, bloom to avoid drying out




FWIW when i was struggling with the Fat i watched a few videos and this list seemed to be the store of assembled wisdom. This works for me but i can see why people conclude its not worth the fuss when other soaps are so much easier.
 
Hydrate puck



Bloom puck ahead of use - warm water not hot



Stiff brush is better



Shake all drops off brush & make sure puck isnt covered in liquid



Load hard for minimum 60 seconds upside down



Unglazed bowl if possible



Add small water gradually (less with badgers)



Whip it slow



Whip up longer than youd expect to



If not used regularly, bloom to avoid drying out




FWIW when i was struggling with the Fat i watched a few videos and this list seemed to be the store of assembled wisdom. This works for me but i can see why people conclude its not worth the fuss when other soaps are so much easier.

Exactly! I like using soaps that I can load in 10 seconds, lather in 30 seconds, apply it to my face and be shaving in less than a minute. Life is too short to mess around with soaps that are difficult to lather.

Mitchell's Wool Fat and along with Tabac are the only two traditional soaps I recommend. Once lathered, they will both provide a great shave. Of the two Tabac is much easier to lather so it remains in my den while MWF was sent to another shaver who has the patience to lather it.
 
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