My Mitchell Wool Fat soap and container

[Mysterious Mose]

About a month ago, I bought a puck of MWF shaving soap and started using it with a TOBS cream container. I love the soap but have two concerns:

1. What are those cracks in the puck? See picture #4. After I use the soap, I leave it open to dry for about half a day. Is that enough or is the problem something else? Hydration? Drying? I use this soap about once every five days.

2. In Soap container. My best. What is yours? - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/soap-container-my-best-what-is-yours.628748/#post-11907468,
VerbaVolant wrote that there should be some space between the edge of the puck and the container wall. Otherwise, "you will end up with the dreaded soap doughnut." What is this "dreaded soap doughnut?" There isn't any space between my MWF puck and the container. So, should I worry? Should I fix it by scraping off some of the puck perimeter or by transferring the puck to a bigger container?

 

[VerbaVolant]

Soap donut hole. Plenty of examples in the My Guess... 3017

My Guess... 3017 - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/my-guess-3017.128392/page-1236#post-11913053

Soap use causing hole in middle -- donut? - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/soap-use-causing-hole-in-middle-donut.127281/#post-1768425

What do you do with the last bits of soap in your mug? - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/what-do-you-do-with-the-last-bits-of-soap-in-your-mug.425491/#post-6719714

No, you shouldn't worry. I set no rules on how to shave and only express opinions.
Cheers

 

[FarmerTan]

Yep, no need to worry. If you used that soap daily it wouldn't crack. It's just dehydration. Just enjoy the soap.

 

[VerbaVolant]

Oh, I didn't answer your first question. MWF will develop cracks for some reason. I believe it is related to the fact that it does absorb some water during lathering process then it dries out. Maybe homogeneity has something to do with this.
I really don't know, but it is common. I am a big fan of MWF and they all cracked. What I noticed is that they develop more cracks if you leave them unused for longer periods of time. Some sort of separation anxiety.
I use mine pretty much every day and, as you can see, it still cracked a bit. Nothing to worry about.

In my opinion, MWF is the best value soap on the market now. For me, it is one of the best performers and its lather is amazing.

Enjoy.

 

[VerbaVolant]

The appearance of that soap at the surface makes me believe you don't rinse the soap after you load the brush. Am I right?

I rinse the soap thoroughly after I load the brush and it appears very smooth, with no visible cracks on the surface. Just a few on the radius.

Customary close up photos:

 

[VerbaVolant]

I would like to reformulate one of my statements.
MWF is the best value soap on the market now. For me, it is one of the best performers and its lather is amazing.
Qualities shared with its esteemed competitor, shoulder to shoulder, the venerable Arko. Where is the bow emoji when you need one?

 

[FarmerTan]

I would like to reformulate one of my statements.
MWF is the best value soap on the market now. For me, it is one of the best performers and its lather is amazing.
Qualities shared with its esteemed competitor, shoulder to shoulder, the venerable Arko. Where is the bow emoji when you need one?

You are both a gentleman AND a scholar my friend! I can hear our friend @Marco applauding all the way from Italy!

 

[Marco]

You are both a gentleman AND a scholar my friend! I can hear our friend @Marco applauding all the way from Italy!

The sound of clapping hands crossed the Atlantic as fast as a lightning!

 

[Mysterious Mose]

The appearance of that soap at the surface makes me believe you don't rinse the soap after you load the brush. Am I right?

I rinse the soap thoroughly after I load the brush and it appears very smooth, with no visible cracks on the surface. Just a few on the radius.

Correct. At that point, its all sudsy. I count to 150 for loading and another 150 to bowl lather. I don't rinse out the soap/puck until I finished. So now I'll try rinsing it out sooner. Thanks for the observation.

 

[MoreArtful]

Correct. At that point, its all sudsy. I count to 150 for loading and another 150 to bowl lather. I don't rinse out the soap/puck until I finished. So now I'll try rinsing it out sooner. Thanks for the observation.

I allow all of my shaving soaps to dry naturally and no problems there.

 

[Lane101]

When you think of all the issues faced by those living in other parts of the world we are fortunate to be able to worry about cracks in our shaving soap.

Per the posts above they are not a problem so you should just use the soap. Note that this happens to me occasionally and I've found that shortly after using a soap it is more malleable from the recent water infusion from the lathering process. At that time you can often just push the cracked elements of the soap together to eliminate the cracks.

 

[DEgeezer]

When you think of all the issues faced by those living in other parts of the world we are fortunate to be able to worry about cracks in our shaving soap.

Hear, hear!!

 

[CCS]

BTW, you can mush the soap back together quite easily if it crack and bothers you. I only came to that realization recently as I'd never tried to. I only use mine about once every couple, three weeks as I've got 15-20 soaps and creams in the cabinet at any given moment so I see the crack thing quite often.

 

[BigJ]

Yep, no need to worry. If you used that soap daily it wouldn't crack. It's just dehydration. Just enjoy the soap.

+1! No problems! The soap is just fine. Enjoy!!

 

[nav]

About a month ago, I bought a puck of MWF shaving soap and started using it with a TOBS cream container. I love the soap but have two concerns:

1. What are those cracks in the puck? See picture #4. After I use the soap, I leave it open to dry for about half a day. Is that enough or is the problem something else? Hydration? Drying? I use this soap about once every five days.

2. In Soap container. My best. What is yours? - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/soap-container-my-best-what-is-yours.628748/#post-11907468,
VerbaVolant wrote that there should be some space between the edge of the puck and the container wall. Otherwise, "you will end up with the dreaded soap doughnut." What is this "dreaded soap doughnut?" There isn't any space between my MWF puck and the container. So, should I worry? Should I fix it by scraping off some of the puck perimeter or by transferring the puck to a bigger container?View attachment 1517876View attachment 1517877View attachment 1517878View attachment 1517879

Do you live in a dry climate?

Do you soak/wet the soap prior to use?

 

[Mysterious Mose]

Do you live in a dry climate?

Do you soak/wet the soap prior to use?

I don't think I live in a dry climate.

Yes, I leave water on top of the soap for a minute or two before using it. Isn't that called "bloom?"

 

[Shave Souffle]

Since the MWF tends to absorb water more than most soaps, what would be the problem with storing it a little damp without letting it dry out? Seems like unless in a humid environment mold shouldn't be an issue. I'll likely try this once my MWF comes from acrosss the pond.

 

[KW Driver]

In my experience, if it cracks at all, it’s too dry. Keeping it moist and hydrated will result in better, easier loading, and less water added while building the lather. So long as it’s not mushy, I keep it hydrated.

I leave any soap residue from loading in it, and cap it as soon as I’m done to maintain a moist microclimate in the tub between uses. When it’s properly hydrated, it doesn’t need to be bloomed. When it’s hydrated it will also swell and possibly touch the container sides. That doesn’t bother me at all, because if I get a donut I can usually run my thumb around the high sides and fill the center then smooth it flat.

I’ve bought some really dry pucks that were well cracked and just grated it down, lightly wetted it all and packed my container to set. Then give it drops of water for a few days until I’m satisfied with its hydration

 

[NorthernSoul]

If you use it every day, the cracking doesn't happen much at all. The problem is the soap expands and contracts as it absorbs water and then loses the water to evaporation. The ideal environment for this soap is to keep it slightly moist. Keeping it in the MWF ceramic dish can help if you use the soap frequently.

If it bothers you, you can grate the soap and press it into the container. It will also load onto your brush more quickly.

 

[CCS]

Or you can just press around the cracks with your thumbs and it will seal right up. I've never had it so dried out I couldn't achieve that. I only use it once every couple of weeks but do try to leave it moist when put back in the cabinet.