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So I got some MWF. I have never used it before this time and I read that you need to soak it first and then drain the excess water after a few minutes and then create lather. I did this because the first time I tried to make lather with it I was having some troubles. Anyways this trick did help but after I was done using the soap it has a bunch of cracks. It looks like this.
Attachment 182817
Is this normal.
That is nothing unusual with Mitchell's Wool Fat. Add some water to it and you'll be fine.
I have some that did the same thing. Like said above just add water and it'll work.
I was misguided early on and would leave all of my pucks uncovered for 24 hours after I used them. My MWF became brittle, cracked, and I ended up throwing away the last 1/4 of it. By the time I got my replacement puck I had learned a lesson. Now as soon as I'm done lathering the lid goes back on with the soap still wet. Nothing has ever grown in it and the stuff is staying nice and moist.
Yes it cracks but it shouldn't turn brown like that. Must be some strange alien bacteria. it will probably eat your entire face away.
Har har
I do as Jimmy does, cover after use and never a problem with cracking. Like others have said rehydrate it with a skim of water on top. You could even cover it and see what happens over night.
Bob
Well that is a picture of a dry lake bed. I was just too lazy to get up and take a pic of the soap and this looks exactly the same but white of course. I mean I don't care if it is cracked if that is just affecting the way it looks and not the performance.Quote:
Originally Posted by thebigspendur
I have mine in a wooden bowl with a lid and I had mine crack. I took added water them placed a sandwich bag half over the top...no more cracks
you might want to try that
I had the cracking (no biggie, came together with a soak) but I did not not like that it did not fit cleanly in the ceramic dish.
So I grated it and packed it in layers in the MWF dish.
No more cracks and it seems to be easier to work with than before.
If it is out of the rotation for a while it does separate from the edge - this closes up with the next use.
Thanks for the info here guys. I also was ready to through mine out a couple days ago. Like the OP, mine is cracked and looks nothing like it use to. I'll have to get a different bowl for it, something with a lid. I have it only on an open dish now.
I do exactly as Jimmy says, I've had this puck for 12 months now and as you can see, no probs.Quote:
Originally Posted by JimmyHAD
Attachment 182849
Fine grated - packed & tamped in layers in to the container - cover on when not in use - North Central Texas
Attachment 182852
Here's mine. She's cracked out!!!!
Attachment 182853
cosperryan,
+1 on MJCs post.
Fine grate and tamp into container and cover when not in use.
I grate mine into a KlipLok tub (which has an air-tight seal) and the MWF has 'behaved' itself for over a year :)
The advantage of grating is that the soap loads onto the brush with less 'effort' compared to the un-grated puck.
Have fun :)
Best regards
Russ
I don't see this drying out and cracking as a real problem. I have mine in an open stainless steel bowl. It rehydrates in a few minutes when I add warm water, then I pour off the excess and build lather with a damp stiff brush. Viola.
I reserve the soaking water and use it when building a face lather.Quote:
Originally Posted by alden2
Along with the grate & pack it was one of the tips from the forum that made using MWF much easier in the beginning.
its not "excess soaking liquid" but rather "lather building Aqua Vitae"
Smooth Shaving...
I was about to say your camera takes amazing lifelike photos..Quote:
Originally Posted by cosperryan
Mine cracked. I finished the puck last year.....i have another one enroute to me. So far MWF is the only soap i ever reordered.
well the covering it up seems to be working. It is only an aesthetic thing though so it doesn't seem like a big deal. Whats funny is the lather that I make for one shave will actually last me two shaves. I will create lather in a bowl and whatever I don't use for the first shave I will just let dry out and when its time to shave again I will just dampen the brush and use the dried lather suds and create more. Enough for a whole three passes. Now that I have learned this soap it is really easy and fast to make a great lather.
Mine looks just like Harry's mug
http://i1303.photobucket.com/albums/...pse2d41f18.jpg
I grated the puck of MWF so I could more easily press it into the bowl I wanted to use (as well into stick form) and for some reason, it doesn't crack anymore.
