Thread: Major update on Mitchell's Wool Fat soap!

Yeah I'm not a soap expert but if I understand it correctly shaving soaps have much more fat. People don't like that much fat in a hand or body soap because it feel like you can't wash it all off. My brother made some lye soap when we were kids from instructions from the Foxfire Book or one of the Foxfire Books, I don't remember which one.

So did granny..

I guess this wasn't very visible in the other pictures.

Had to run out to get a gallon of milk, so I swung into Ace hardware and grabbed a bar. I'll let y'all know my thoughts on it in a few days.



Yeah, Ace is right down the street from me.

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

Yeah I'm not a soap expert but if I understand it correctly shaving soaps have much more fat. People don't like that much fat in a hand or body soap because it feel like you can't wash it all off. My brother made some lye soap when we were kids from instructions from the Foxfire Book or one of the Foxfire Books, I don't remember which one.

MWF actually makes bath and hand soap bars. Can't say what the difference is though.

Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

MWF actually makes bath and hand soap bars. Can't say what the difference is though.

Bob

My wife loves MWF bath soap.

You cannot shave with it.

I love MWF. I can't decide whether to shave with it or smoke it. My puck broke into pieces so it's like playing keep away in the cup. I haven't ordered another yet and just picked up the lye soap because I've been pondering it for a while. I know I have read high fat content is what you want in shave soap and l also know a good lye soap is very high. So far I think this is pretty good. I'm interested to hear what you think Mike.
Edit: I think I am satisfied enough with it that I would keep using it just because it doesn't haven't any fragrance added. I'm one of those guys who doesn't want to go around smelling like a french bordollo

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

I love MWF. I can't decide whether to shave with it or smoke it. My puck broke into pieces so it's like playing keep away in the cup. I haven't ordered another yet and just picked up the lye soap because I've been pondering it for a while. I know I have read high fat content is what you want in shave soap and l also know a good lye soap is very high. So far I think this is pretty good. I'm interested to hear what you think Mike.
Edit: I think I am satisfied enough with it that I would keep using it just because it doesn't haven't any fragrance added. I'm one of those guys who doesn't want to go around smelling like a french bordollo

You could always grate the pieces of your MWF puck into a cup, add a bit of water and press it into a new puck for use.

Bob

That's true I could. Good idea Bob.

So, I have been playing around with MWF for a while. Some complain that it doesn't lather well. I never had a problem getting it to lather up but I do concede that to get a fluffy pillow of lather that lasts and stays fluffy throughout the shave you can't just dip a damp brush into a mug with a dry puck and whip it up like you can with some soaps. I found there are a couple of tricks to make as good a lather with it as I have been able to get with any soap including the high end ones, one that is creamy, slick and lasts a long time leaving the skin smooth and not dried out. The second part just takes a time or two of doing it to create but after that it gets better and better.

First, I added hot water from the kettle after making tea (you can also heat it in a cup in the microwave but it should be at or near boiling) to the mug, enough to cover the whole puck. Then let it sit while showering. You could also do this while stropping if you're not one who showers first. About that length of time is how long it should soak. Because it is a small amount of water it will cool over this period so I put the mug into the sink full of rinse water to keep it warm.

After showering I pour the water into a small bowl I made in a pottery class my daughter and I took. Any cup is fine though. I'll go into why the second cup in a minute. I dip my brush in this water and brush it on my face as a base, ring out the excess into the water cup and then pre lather the brush from the puck, then face lather. The soap is warm to hot like it is from a scuttle and the soaking must release the lanolin from the soap because it is so creamy it is almost like a different soap from what a dry puck produces.

The reason I pour it into a second mug is this. I noticed when I poured out the water into an empty sink that it left a residue from the fats and lanolin. I thought why waste this? So I decided to pour it in a second cup, saving it for next shave and heat it in the miscrowave instead of using fresh water every time wasting all that came out of the puck. As time goes on ṭhe water gets more and more saturated with the fats and lanolin until it becomes almost a paste when it gets to room temperature. You can see here the divot in the middle from my finger.


When it has been heated it becomes a liquid again.


You might not be able to tell from the pictures but in the first one it is almost a puck itself and in the second it is completely liquid.

This not only improves the lather and therefore the shave but it also conserves the soap. I also ring out my brush on the edge of the mug before I rinse and let the lather sit there. Once the mug has the soak solution back in it I work the residue back in. I also sometimes do what someone earlier in the thread mentioned and use this soak solution as a post shave face wash.

Try this trick sometime and I think you'll find it significantly improves the quality of the lather.