Problem With Mitchell's Wool Fat?

[Night Cap]

I've been having a problem when I try to lather and shave with Mitchell's Wool Fat. I live in the mountains and all my water comes from a well, so I'm not sure if this is the problem or not, but whenever I use Wool Fat it dries up very fast and flakes off my face. It got so frustrating that I ended up switching to Sir Hare's Barbershop soap which worked out really well.

I really want to enjoy Wool Fat so I tried it again this morning after about a year and the same thing happened. I finish part of my face and the rest is dry and flakes off. I shook my face and it looked like it was snowing, amusing and not at the same time.

Had anyone else has this problem with Mitchell's Wool Fat?

Any suggestions for soaps that work good on well water? I loved Sir Hare's and will get more asap, but would like a bit of variety.

Edit: Correcting my auto-correct.

 

[naughtilus]

More water should fix it.

 

[cryhavoc]

Definitely needs more water, MWF can be a thirsty soap.

 

[ScottChapin]

That happens to me on different soaps. I add more water and it stays wet for me. It doesn’t take a lot more water though.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[sugardaddy]

More water!

Sent from my phone using Tapatalk

 

[balesofhay91]

What they said about adding more water. When you think you have too much water, keep adding more. Here's a tutorial that might be able to help you.

If you decide that MWF is more trouble than it's worth, then look at Tabac. That soap pretty much lathers itself in all types of water. Other good ones are Palmolive, Arko, Derby, and GZD.

 

[sarimento1]

Love my MWF!!

Try this...add a few tablespoons of water to your MWF puck and leave it for a few days, then pour off the excess.
Let the puck rest another few days.
Then try shaving again.
As mentioned above, load lots of soap and use lots of water!!
With a little practice, you'll master the Fat!!

 

[MHBru]

I gave up on the stuff.. rave reviews and fans not withstanding... there are too many other great soaps that aren't as finicky.

 

[MntnMan62]

I agree with everyone else. You need to add more water. It could be that you have hard water but it may not be. MWF does need more water than many soaps. But don't add too much too fast. Do it gradually, a very little bit at a time. Do it until it is thick and tight with no bubbles, with soft peaks and has a sheen to it in the light. When you see that sheen you are ready to go.

 

[BigJ]

Definitely needs more water, MWF can be a thirsty soap.

+1! Yep!!

 

[BigD]

Hmm, another soap that takes skill and more process to lather properly like Modern Williams? I must try this soap now. I must master the Fat.

 

[jaro 101969]

Ive heard others had problems with mwf but i have never tried it before.. I hope you get it figured out.....

 

[jaro 101969]

I gave up on the stuff.. rave reviews and fans not withstanding... there are too many other great soaps that aren't as finicky.

Sorry. I havent tried mwf yet but want to try it some day... I wish you luck if you ever try it again...

 

[ScottChapin]

I don’t know. I just put a splash of hot water on the puck before I brush my teeth and soak my brush. It never gives me any hassles. If I don’t bloom the puck, it takes a little doing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[skibik]

I bought it a few years ago when I started DE shaving. I bought it because my skins dries during the cold winters we have and thought it would be a good soap to try. I have hard water and being less than a year on how to get a good lather and same as you I failed in getting a lather so I sold it in a lot with other soaps. Now a few years later I have been thinking about trying it again but with the number of soaps I have I just can't bring myself to buy it. But, if I do, I would use my synthetic brush so I can abuse the soap. Like most soaps that I have a slight problem with I load the living daylights out of them and that seems to work for me.

The thin and drying up to me is lack of soap and water. If you feel the need to keep trying it, try the "load it like you stole it" or "load it like your last shave on earth" kind of lathering and see if that help. If you want cheap practice and don't want the waste your MWF trying buying a cheap puck of Williams mugs soap and go to town on that. If you can get the hang of lathering that stuff you shouldn't have any problem with "The Fat".

 

[Diggity]

I don’t know. I just put a splash of hot water on the puck before I brush my teeth and soak my brush. It never gives me any hassles. If I don’t bloom the puck, it takes a little doing.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

When I first purchased MWF, I had very hard water. My lather was thin at best. After putting a little water on the puck before shaving, the lather was much better and borderline great. I then ended up buying bottled water and that soft water made all the difference. But, "soaking the puck" definitely helped and I would try that.

 

[Batchief909]

I bloom the puck with warm water before I shower. Never have any issues getting great lather.

 

[It's Hedley]

I received the MWF in the nice ceramic container with the puck wrapped. Because the puck didn't fit the container snuggly, I grated the puck using a large sized cheese grater then packed it in the ceramic dish. The soap has worked amazingly well every time with no blooming or other special treatment. My water is what you would consider hard. I would recommend this technique to anyone getting a new ceramic dish of MWF.

 

[AimlessWanderer]

I received the MWF in the nice ceramic container with the puck wrapped. Because the puck didn't fit the container snuggly, I grated the puck using a large sized cheese grater then packed it in the ceramic dish. The soap has worked amazingly well every time with no blooming or other special treatment. My water is what you would consider hard. I would recommend this technique to anyone getting a new ceramic dish of MWF.

I don't mind the dish being oversize, as it allows space for the cake to expand as it takes on water. I may however revert to grating should the cake break up later, as it can be prone to cracks after a few changes of size

 

[JamesBlades]

The soap has worked amazingly well every time with no blooming or other special treatment. My water is what you would consider hard. I would recommend this technique to anyone getting a new ceramic dish of MWF.

This is exactly what I was going to say. While others have stated that you should try and soak the puck for a bit (blooming), that doesn't work for me. With my water, I find that the performance of MWF goes down if the puck gets waterlogged. So I never bloom it or wash it off after a shave. I simply load a lightly shaken synthetic brush for about 10 seconds on a dry puck, and I'm provided with a wonderful lather that will last for well over 3 passes.

If the above suggestions don't work for you, try letting the puck dry with the top off for a few days, and then do as I outlined.