Mitchells wool fat and bananas

I hate bananas, always have done. Every one tells me that they're great and every once in a while I'll try one just to check and every time I check I realise I hate bananas. Same with MWF, everyone in the world says it's the dog's danglies. But I can't get a decent lather out of it, hard water, soft water, cold, warm or hot water. I've face lathered, bowl lathered and hand lathered, but the results are at best mediocre. Once after 15 minutes of whipping up I got a passable shave with My DE, tried it with my straight and nearly took my face of. I've had better shaves with an olive oil and clay monstrosity that someone got me for Christmas. What am I missing?

The answer is obvious: The excess potassium that seeps from the skin of us banana eaters mixes with the lanolin in MWF to create a magical, slippery, and cushioned concoction.

Couldn't say what you are missing as there are numerous different techniques people use to face lather and bowl lather. Trick is to find one that works for you.

I face lather and use boar, badger and a synthetic brush. They all will lather MWF with the good water we have, I am assuming it is soft water. I dunk the brush in cold water and give it 2 or 3 good shakes so it is fairly dry not sopping wet. Next I load the brush, not build lather, by doing circles for a minute or more on the MWF puck with light pressure. Then I dip just the tips of the brush in cold water, give it a shake and load the brush some more. Take the loaded brush, apply it to my wet face and build lather, adding a little water as need by dipping the tips and quick shake method. May have to add water a few times to get the lather I want.

I don't know if you have tried it that way but it does work for the 3 types of brushes I use. If you tried it that way with no success then what you are missing has me stumped.

Bob

A high water to soap ratio is important with MWF. Also remember to pump and swirl with the brush: many people forget the pump and only swirl and grind.

James.

I hate sweet potatoes. But I love MWF.

FWIW --

MWF is _hard_. The trick is to get enough of it on the brush to build a good lather. When BobH says:

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Next I load the brush, not build lather, by doing circles for a minute or more on the MWF puck with light pressure.

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he's not exaggerating.

I found that putting a bit of water on the puck _before_ getting into the shower helped soften the surface for lathering _after_ the shower.

There's a long video by Mantic59 on getting good results from MWF. I use some of those hints.

. Charles

What you are missing is the correct technique for getting a lather with MWF. There are really only a few variables with making lather. The Soap and the Water and motion of your brush so you need to figure out the combination. We can't tell you so many twirls of the brush and so many grams of soap and so many grams of water. You just need to experiment to get it right like we all did.

The only thing I can tell you is it's no big secret so just do it. That's your homework assignment.

I love my MWF puck and have had no trouble getting lather, often from pretty hideous water. I've used middle-quality badger brushes and one boar brush and it's played nice with all of them. I live where the humidity seldom goes above 20%, so keep the soap in an airtight tin and always put it away wet. I wonder if the soap varies a little from batch to batch. I was wary to try it, having heard how moody it can be, but have found it to be very user-friendly. Big shrug.

I find my black badger really helps get my MWF going, better then my silvertip. But both are do-able.
+1 with the drips of water on top before your shower. Helps soften the soap.

Is there a law that says you have to like MWF or bananas? Life is short-go with what YOU like or can make work.

I think there is a law about the banana thing. Or if there isn't there should be: who doesn't love the Banana Splits?

banana splits theme song - YouTube

James.

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Originally Posted by ScoutHikerDad

Is there a law that says you have to like MWF or bananas? Life is short-go with what YOU like or can make work.

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Ah, yes, THIS is the correct answer, I believe.

Funny Jimbo-I remember watching the Banana Splits as a little tyke

I also had a great deal of problems with Mitchells Wool Fat shaving soap. Check out the link below it my help, it did for me. Good luck.

Mitchell's Wool Fat Shaving Soap

Ah, Mitchells Wool Fat....the reason why I love Tabac!

I have to say that reading threads like this is what has prompted me to buy several soaps- the idea that one soap or another can be tricky sparks me to see if I can crack the code... MWF and Williams both come to mind, and what the others have said about it is true... You know how you get to Carnegie Hall, don't you?

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Originally Posted by TheFatFace

What am I missing?

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Possibly technique. Possibly nothing. MWF doesn't suit everyone.

I find that MWF makes a good face soap when you use it as a traditional soap. For shaving, not so much! Actually, the thought of using soap to shave with seemed so foreign untill I started poking around SRP. It doesn't work for me at all. Any soaps. I use creames with my straights only. Soap makes the razor wanna jump around my face which has caused many a "cut of the day" moments!

Over the past year I have solely been using creams (mainly TOBS), however after reading all this hype on MWF, I decided to give it a go. I loaded the brush and transferred it to my scuttle. I must say, it was not that tough to lather, however, the shave left my face feeling like I peeled it off w/ a butter knife! Just raw! I used same technique as always which produces great results, except this time! I'm gonna try it a few more times and if it doesn't cooperate it will be posted on the B/S/T board..

Pkp1903--that's odd, I have sensitive skin and live in a fairly harsh environment, and MWF has always been very gentle. Try adding more water to your lather--you can push in quite a bit before MWF fails--and see if the dilution helps.

I often get irritation from using Maca root shaving cream, I think because I haven't played with it enough and use it too strong. Need to take my own advice, I guess. That raw feeling's no fun.

Same here. I enjoy Williams more than the fat. It's just a boring soap for me. Not a big deal. I have over 15 soaps in rotation anyway.

Same here, I have tried every single lathering method and what I get from the MWF is a "cheap" and unstable lather that disappears very quickly. On the other hand there are a handful of great soaps out there, for example: Mike's natural soaps and Jabonman, which have great scents and are top performers without breaking the bank.