Mitchells Wool Fat

I posted this on another forum, so this is a bit of a cut and paste job here:
Everyone says I came up with this method for hydrating new pucks of MWF, but I can't take all the credit. I was inspired by a post from someone (I think it was @stingraysrock) or @lradke when he left a wet triple milled soap in a Tupperware container for several weeks and opened it to find that it had softened to the consistency of shave cream.

I looked for my original post, and like many things on the internet, it has disappeared into the mists of time.
(Edit: Found it! Aug. 23, 2012)
PLANofMAN said:
I've found that the best way to use MWF is to keep it hydrated. If you have the MWF ceramic bowl, fill it with water until the water barely covers the puck. Let it sit overnight. Continue adding water every day or two as the puck absorbs it. within 3-5 days the puck will swell to fill the container perfectly. Now that it is properly hydrated, it lathers just like any other quality soap, with no special treatment required.:happy088:
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My method speeds up the natural process of adding water to the puck and having the puck absorb water over time, which is what happens if you use Mitchell's Wool Fat several times a week.

Back when I first proposed this method, I didn't take pictures, but after the course of several years, I eventually used up all my MWF. This time, I took pictures. :)

(Edit: MWF is also rebranded and sold as Kent Luxury Shave Soap and Bluebeard's Revenge)

The ideal container for MWF, is unsurprisingly, the MWF ceramic soap dish.

Several minutes after covering the new MWF puck with water. (Fill the container almost to the top).
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After 12 hours.
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After 24 hours I pour off the water on top of the puck, leaving the little that remains on the sides.
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At this point, the puck has absorbed almost all of the water it can hold. It has swollen to almost fill the container, and the edges of the lid barely touch the top of the soap. After the puck has absorbed the remaining water, or the water evaporates off the top of the puck, whichever comes first, it will be ready for use.

I'm convinced that the good people at Mitchell's envisioned their soap filling these containers. The size of the ceramic dish isn't a coincidence. It is perfectly sized to hold an unused, fully hydrated puck of MWF.

After 29 hours, the puck had completely filled the bowl. I poured off the remaining water and rinsed off the puck. I then loaded my 20mm New Forest 2-Band on it for 7 seconds, then lathered it in a bowl for about a minute.
IMG_20150807_050821035_zpsarzeel5z.jpg

Good to go!
Edit: That's enough lather for three passes, but people expect to see "results!"
So...Here's the 26mm Stirling Soap Co. synthetic, also loaded for 7 seconds and lathered for a minute to a minute and a half. I forgot to keep track the second time around.
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That's enough lather to shave my dog. I did squeeze out the brush for the second photo, as the Sterling will release the lather on the face, but tends to swallow it otherwise.
 
Good write up - I'll take that advice and hydrate my puck (sounds almost rude). I get variable results with MWF - I think it's very much down to the amount of water used in the initial loading process. So, maybe having a fully hydrated soap will make a difference.
 
Omp said:
I wonder if the hydration method would work with all of those Trumpers pucks I have lying around?
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Possibly. The puck wouldn't fit in the wooden bowl afterwards though. I've never been able to get a good slick lather out of Trumper's with anything but a synthetic knot. I find it quite vexing, as I don't particularly like synthetic knots. I prefer the scrubby feel of two-band badger or boar.

I've never tried this method with anything other than MWF, which is a tallow based soap. Trumper's current formula is vegetable based, so if you try it, let me know how it works out for you.

Edit: I do know that trying this on a French style (Potassium Hydroxide only) soap can actually cause them to decrease in performance. Not something you need to worry about with Trumper's.
 
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@PLANofMAN, I've found that hydration definitely expands the puck, but I've not noted any additional benefit in terms of loading or otherwise from the puck having absorbed the water, it's always been ridiculously easy to obtain mountains of rich, creamy lather.

Certainly worth a punt for anyone who does struggle to get optimum results from The Fat however.
 
For those who have no problems with MWF, all hydration does is give you 30% more soap (FREE!!!) and when it dries out a little bit, you can read your future in the cracks on the surface of the soap. :D

It does help most people that have trouble lathering this soap. It drops the difficulty level down to "Prorazo lather."

This method also works with William's Mug Soap, from what I've read. The only use I've ever found for William's was as strop dressing on the linen side. (Although it would make a decent urinal puck too).
 
PLANofMAN said:
For those who have no problems with MWF, all hydration does is give you 30% more soap (FREE!!!) and when it dries out a little bit, you can read your future in the cracks on the surface of the soap. :D

It does help most people that have trouble lathering this soap. It drops the difficulty level down to "Prorazo lather."

This method also works with William's Mug Soap, from what I've read. The only use I've ever found for William's was as strop dressing on the linen side. (Although it would make a decent urinal puck too).
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I've heard that about Williams :D Not found any in the UK though as of yet to test the theory :D
 
Never had trouble lathering MWF but I found it left my face feeling greasy/over moisturised.

I kinda like that slightly dry feeling after using a hard soap, same way I like the almost raw feeling after using a straight.

Greg
 
I'm with MoodyMick on this - I don't get the moisturised effect that others seem to - I always need far more moisturising balm than with other soaps.

Maybe the lanolin does different things depending on your skin type.
 
UKRob said:
I'm with MoodyMick on this - I don't get the moisturised effect that others seem to - I always need far more moisturising balm than with other soaps.

Maybe the lanolin does different things depending on your skin type.
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Must do, I have quite oily skin and never use balms/moisturiser. MWF leaves my skin almost tacky, like I overdid the glycerine.

Shame because I really like the scent.

Greg.
 
Likewise, my skin is well conditioned, so much so I am now using quite strongly alcoholic aftershaves with three or four applications to bring my skin back to dry. Balms are horrid, for me. MWF is a soap which gives me a nice dry, tautness from the off. Curious how it does different things to different people.
 
Based on a very un-scientific sample of four posts - it seems that people with oily skin benefit from the soap's drying nature - whereas, anyone like me with naturallyy dry skin need something with a bit more nourishment. It will never be in my top 10 soaps - it doesn't even come close to Insitute Karite - which seems to be a similar soap, On the face of it. IK is, in my opinion, one of the shaving communities's unsung heroes.
 
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