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What makes Mitchell Wool Fat Soap so popular?

I have hard water, don't mind using bottled/filtered water [...] For those who have, or do use it, is there ANYTHING that is comparable, and easier to lather?

I shave regularly in 3 places with varying water quality. Harder water requires more product loaded, but I can lather anyway.

Mikes is very good, and less expensive to boot.

MB
 
It's many aspects for me:

- scent: not many people comment about MWF scent other than to say it "smells like soap". To my nose, it is very distinct and very pleasing. I absolutely love the scent and no other soap scent comes close for me.

- slick lather: this is where MWF shines. The lubrication is second to none! It is the slickest lather I have ever used and for some reason, it really closes up little nicks where other soaps don't. This is a strange aspect of MWF! It also allows for a closer shave than my other soaps where my shave lasts much longer into the day.

- post shave feel: no other soap comes close to providing the post shave feel of MWF. It never leaves my skin greasy but instead, it leaves behind very soft and supple skin. It is unlike anything else I have used! No other lanolin containing product has been able to match the post shave feel of MWF! You know it's something special when SWMBO can tell the difference!!!

- longevity: one puck will last me an entire year of daily shaving!! Now that is value for money!!!
 
But, there are many soaps that match or best the results of MWF with a TON of less effort.



I'm sure there are, and I know MWF isn't the end-all-be-all of soaps, croaps, or creams.

Out of curiosity, what other soaps/croaps exceed the results of MWF in YOUR opinion?
 
I had beginners luck with MWF. My first lather was superb, but it went downhill from there. I think it's because the puck dried out.
 
Use MwF for the first time last night. It was a reformed puck of shredded soap from Garry's Sample Shop. Lathered up very easily, gave me an awesome shave, and I did notice the post-shave feeling that has been mentioned here. Is it possible that it lathered so easily because it had been shredded?

I will admit that I was a skeptic before last night. I was having a hard time believing all of the love it gets. I wanted to not like it. I really did. I can't. I loved it.

My ranked list of soaps so far:
1. Wool Fat
2. Cella and Tabac (tied)
3. Proraso green
 
I had no problem lathering MWF right from the start. I think it makes more lather than most other soaps bar none. The lanolin does leave your face with a nice feeling. I think it's in a class by itself.
 
Is it the ingredients? The scent? Both?

Is there anything remotely close to it's shaving properties? (slick, great performing soap for sensitive skin?)



Thinking about Mama's Bear (unscented and/or mentholated soaps) & Mikes as possible other options, but I'm just getting my feet wet with soaps, so-to-speak, and was simply curious what makes "The Fat" so popular, despite it's apparent short-coming (learning curve?)?


I have hard water, don't mind using bottled/filtered water, I have pretty sensitive skin, and my lather making ability is "ok", and getting better as I read more, watch more YT videos, and practice lathering every day.. :blushing:

I don't know if "The Fat" is for me, yet. For those who have, or do use it, is there ANYTHING that is comparable, and easier to lather? I'd like to get my hands on a "sample" before getting a larger puck.

Thanks! :thumbup:

To answer your OP, it is both loved and reviled by many members on this site. It is very fickle to hard water (if you lather it with hard water you will likely have issues). Ever since I became a B&B member this stuff, and the fanfare it gets intrigued me. When I bought it and used it in DC, it worked so so (hard water)...now that I've moved, I find it easier to lather. The lanolin is nice on the face and the mild scent is pleasant IMHO. After I went through my first puck, I contemplated whether it was worth buying another (so many soaps out there), but I did. I think I'll always have this stuff in my rotation because it's unique, it's fickle and when it's dialed in, it's one of the best soaps out there IMHO.

As always, YMMV..
 
+2 to Haslinger. I think MWF is a really good soap but I also think it is over rated because it is a lather rite of passage. You have to use it eventually though,just to know for yourself and use it in comparisons.

I gotta say, I'm with this.

Let me preface ALL of this by saying that I mean no offense to anyone. It's not that MWF isn't a great soap; it clearly is. Literally countless people love it, it has stood the test of time and, while mileage of course varies, I personally have had a number of great shaves with it. But is it really so good as to justify the volume of love/attention it receives? I mean, it's not as though shaving soap with lanolin in it is hard to come by these days...

I guess everyone differs, but I can grab tabac, palmolive, speick, etc and whip up just as good of a lather--or better--in half the time with half the pain. If I want lanolin, I can grab one of the many incredible artisanal soaps out there and, frankly, get a lather to which MWF couldn't hold a candle, at least for me.
 
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I like MWF, but actually prefer Mike's and Art of Shaving. Price, the cool name and having the best container of any shave soap attracted me to it. The refill puck costs about the same as a Mike's refill, but lasts much longer. I have 122 shaves so far and have used about 80% of the puck. I figure I'll get around 150 shaves out of it. I have several tins of Mike's. The Mike's Rose and Cedarwood Is about 2/3 gone after 40 shaves. My math puts that around 60 shaves per puck. Although I end up with a thicker, more dense lather with both MWF and Mike's, I'm sure to replace the Fat when it is used up. I just can't see that ceramic bowl going to waste.

Mike
 
I'm sure there are, and I know MWF isn't the end-all-be-all of soaps, croaps, or creams.

Out of curiosity, what other soaps/croaps exceed the results of MWF in YOUR opinion?


Without a doubt the first two that come to mind are Mike's and Tabac. I have every scent that Mike's makes, I like it that much. His soaps produce a thick, slippery, yogurt like lather that protects during the shave and leaves your skin feeling fantastic.

Tabac is the same and you would have to try and not produce a good lather with it and my guess is you wouldn't be able to. It is that easy to produce a top notch lather.

Two others are Pre de Provence and Speick. Pre de Provence is a soap that doesn't get talked about much in these forums but I would recommend it to anyone. It is a regular in my shave cycle, and again, very easy to get an incredible lather with.

Speick, I don't know that I have read anyone who doesn't like it, cream or stick. My only complaint about it is that I wish they made it in a puck.

The Razorock artisan soaps are another that anyone should try.

Just because of this thread I went in the back of my cabinet where I keep my shave stuff and grabbed the MWF to see if by some divine intervention my mind could be changed. Nope, nada.

Same as I remember. Thin, airy, non cushioning lather that drys on my face before I can even finish the shave. And please, no one who is reading this thread needs to try and give me "advice" on how to lather it. I have tried every conceivable manner and it never changes. And, it is not my ability to lather soap. It is the only soap, the only, I have ever tried that gives such a poor lather. I have never, never, had a problem with any, any, any, other soap. I will not use a soap that I have to buy special water for, install a water softener in my house, or any of the other suggestions I have read in threads of this forum, not when there are so many soaps that require nothing but a brush and water out of my faucet.

I do like the dish it comes in and it does leave your face feeling good, much like many other soaps that have lanolin in them also though. I don't feel the need to sing a soaps praises that performs so poorly just to fit in a "Fat" club. There are too many better choices available.
 
I gotta say, I'm with this.

Let me preface ALL of this by saying that I mean no offense to anyone. It's not that MWF isn't a great soap; it clearly is. Literally countless people love it, it has stood the test of time and, while mileage of course varies, I personally have had a number of great shaves with it. But is it really so good as to justify the volume of love/attention it receives? I mean, it's not as though shaving soap with lanolin in it is hard to come by these days...

I guess everyone differs, but I can grab tabac, palmolive, speick, etc and whip up just as good of a lather--or better--in half the time with half the pain. If I want lanolin, I can grab one of the many incredible artisanal soaps out there and, frankly, get a lather to which MWF couldn't hold a candle, at least for me.

I've used other soaps with lanolin and none of them give the same post-shave feel as MWF...which seems to leave the skin much more soft and supple compared to any other soap, even ones containing lanolin. It must be the recipe as a whole that makes it such a fantastic soap.
 
I shave regularly in 3 places...

I'll admit I was a little concerned about where this was going! :001_tongu

MWF has a cool name, history and provides a very good lather. Not an unequalled lather or anything but it is very good. The scent is also pleasingly neutral.

I think it is finicky to use and can see why many decide they can't be bothered with it. Plenty more soaps in the sea and all that.

I think I'll always have a puck around though.
 
+1 Who knows? Maybe they have more lanolin or perhaps there is something special about "wool fat."

I've used other soaps with lanolin and none of them give the same post-shave feel as MWF...which seems to leave the skin much more soft and supple compared to any other soap, even ones containing lanolin. It must be the recipe as a whole that makes it such a fantastic soap.
 
All right.

You've got me interested now.

I am a relative newcomer to wet shaving, a little over two months in.

Where is the best place to acquire this legendary soap?
 
Take your pick of online vendors! WCS, Bullgoose, Amazon, Connaught Shaving, Italian Barber, you name it, it is available.
 
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