Thread: Mitchell's Wool Fat shaving soap - first time user

Indeed, indeed.

Ok, now on to the MdC. Oh my, this is some luxurious shizzle. Holy smokes! I love it, I love it, I love it. This has to be what heaven smells like. Easily by far my new favorite scent. Performance, very very nice, akin to MWF, I feel no difference between the two. They are my top two, top tier soaps for me. And, I can see that this 15 gram sample is going to last quite awhile. I see no need to buy a big jar of it, but I will at a tip of a hat so to speak...

I refer you to my first post in this thread:

MWF is a good soap but is thirsty. Don't be put back by the cracks as it dries. Put some water on the puck before your next use.

Arko is a very good soap and for the price one of the best buys for shaving soap.

Once you try MDC and Tabac you may be spoiled. They are two soaps I will always have in the den. MDC requires very little loading. 8 or 10 brush swirls is sufficient for two passes.

Since this thread has veered off topic a touch I wanted to +1 something Bob said about a broken in boar brush. I remember when I got my boar(S) and how pitiful they performed in the break in period. Similiar to a walmart boar except they got consistently better and better and it could be me but a couple years later and I think they are still getting better. The walmart boar never did get better, at all. This may be a factor for some newb problems with different soaps and face lathering. A boar that is still in the break in period or using an inadequate brush.

No, brushes are a good diversion being they play such a large part in your results. I've just been using the Van Den Hul brush that came in the kit. Seems to work well for all my soaps so far. Some take a little more time to whip up but I relate that to the hard water we have here in silicon valley.

Wow. If you can use that brush with hard water you will have no problem with any other soaps or brush. Impressive.

Well, for some of us, that particular hand motion is something really similar to something else we've gotten quite good at.....lol!

Not the easiest of soaps to lather I agree about soaking I drop mine in the sink for 5 minutes cover with really hot water, to get the best out of that soap attack the puck like you hate the damn thing load the brush heavily would be my advice, the one thing I will say about the Fat it's post shave feel is pretty exceptional always leaves my skin feeling fantastic.

MWF is a staple in my rotation and for a reason.....great stuff with a pleasant light scent. I love Proraso white tub as well which you eluded not a top tier and to each their own. I have found some greats along the way and Tabac is one that has a scent that is well received and right up there with MWF for me.

I will never do without MWF in the diet of soaps for sure. Not sure it is lanolin alone that makes it great or just a all around well made soap.

But I have found everyone's mileage varies and Arko is to me like that newly installed urinal cake that has a weird but drawing scent in a freshly cleaned urinal that you say to yourself but would never admit to anyone, "Hey, that smells good!" Never would I admit it except here where no one knows my face!

I have each of the Proraso's and they really are excellent performers. I don't really know where to draw the line when it comes to tiering soaps, if I even know what that means. Probably comes down to scent primarily and secondly ease of blade glide.