Thread: MWF question

I had a hard time making lather with MWF until I submerged the whole puck in water. After my shower, I took it out and began to load my brush. The brush knocked off pieces of a thin layer of something off the puck. Paper or maybe an extra hard layer of soap? After that happened I was able to make good lather. Is that common? What was that stuff?

Now that is a puzzle. Put my MWF refill puck in a container, loaded the brush and face lathered. Never had to soak it in water and never had anything break off. Wonder what is happening.

Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

Now that is a puzzle. Put my MWF refill puck in a container, loaded the brush and face lathered. Never had to soak it in water and never had anything break off. Wonder what is happening.

Bob

Maybe it developed a thin crust? I don't know but it's working a lot better now.

Yea, I guess it could have dried out a bit and got a skin. All's well that ends well.

Bob

Gentlemen, yes, every shave den should have a puck of Mitchell's Wool Fat. As for the top layer peeling, I, too, am baffled. In the end, to paraphrase my friend BobH, everything seems to have worked out. Now for many good shaves with Mitchell's Wool Fat, which, by the way, loves water. Good stuff.

The only thing I've seen with MWF is it tends to crack over time and it develops like little whiskers on it. I never had any actual layers come off.

Before that thin layer came off, the puck was left in a small mug. It was really dry and it had a bunch of small cracks and a really big one. That was my fault, I left it exposed and rarely used it. I now have it in it's official container. I've been using it regularly now and the small cracks are gone. My lather is getting better every time I use it.

Yep, the thin layer was just your dehydrated top layer. If you were to soak the pieces, they'd bounce back. The cracking vs layers depends on the shape of the vessel, time & humidity. No worries. (This layer is different than "soda ash," which is a harmless whitish layer that can form on the surface of newly made soap).