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

Originally Posted by Demetrius

Here's what works for me. I squeeze the brush more dry that I would for most soaps. Then I load it like I hate it and want to get rid of it...the puck is huge so don't worry....then I face lather and keep adding water, just a few drops at a time, until the lather explodes. It takes some patience and some trials, but, Oh Man, is it worth it.

Thanks. I'll give the Mitchell's another try. I usually add water by running the tap lightly and dipping the brush tips in the splash in the sink. Am I adding water too quickly?

Maybe. I keep the water running into the sink and dip the tips into the water and then swirl on my face repeated times until the lather is right. With MWF, you have to add water just a little bit at a time.

How long must I wait until I can once again meet with the glory that MWF is!?
I ask you! How long?!
I yearn to feel that wondrous lather clinging to my skin!

Use it everyday if you want.

In the "old" days people had a soap. That was what they used. The internet allows us to find soaps that would never be stocked in our local stores.

For me, this is my number one shaving soap. I have tried many many soaps and there are good ones and then there are great ones and then there is MWF! Mitchell's is the ONLY one that leaves my face protected, moisutized, and promotes healing. It is amazing! It only takes me 4-5 swirls and I have enough lather for a 3 pass shave and I rarely need that many passes. It lasts forever! A very hard puck that has lasted me well over a year and still going strong. I use it maybe 4 days out of the week. I also have some Shannon and mikes soaps which have lanolin and I believe are equally as good BUT being much softer and for around the same price as a refil puck of MWF they don't last near as long and are therefore not anywhere near the value. I also love the soft fragrance of Mitchell's.

Many other soaps and creams are just as good BUT IME don't have the post shave effect of MWF. It is as if it heals my face and for a super hard puck that lasts forever and is easy IMO to get thick clouds of lather there is no match.

So Steel... 4-5 swirls to load your brush? What brush are you using? How long do you soak the puck before loading? Do you soak with cold or hot water? Do you grate the puck into a separate bowl?

I cover mine with cold water before my shower. My January brush is a Rod Neep 26/52 3-band. I load for at least a minute and end up with thin proto lather that is rarely enough... I always have to go back to the puck for more. Frustrating. I don't have this problem with other soaps. I'm tempted to dig the puck out of the jar and grate it. But I hear others rave about it and have to believe the problem is me.

I don't soak my puck at all. I use all types of brushes both boar and badger. Omega pro semogue SOC silver tip badger. I have never had a problem with really any soap except one vegan soap. I don't really soak my brush either. Maybe for 30 seconds and that's it. I use hot water and shake out maybe 50% of my water so I use maybe a slightly wet brush and then add water a few drops at a time if needed. I do have soft water. Like I said I have never had problems.

Maybe experiment with a brush that has 95% of the water squeezed out, load it up, and then add a few drops at a time until you get good lather and then keep adding a few at a time until it is too wet and runny in order to find the range of water to soap ratio?

I do not grate my soap but I do pour boiling water quickly over my new pucks in order to get them to stick to my bowl. This may have some positive effect? Not sure.

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.