Mitchells Wool Fat

pjgh · Sunday September 27, 2015

There's just one variable ... the latherer.

Give me your soap, water and brush, and I'll lather it. I could give you my soap, water and brush, and it just won't for you. That is actually a wonderful thing, that the products can select us. Almost like predestination

Gairdner · Sunday September 27, 2015

chrisbd said:
Got a puck on order, I'm too intrigued not to try it. It certainly seems to divide opinion.

Regards,
Chris

A puck, sir? A PUCK? It is, my dear fellow, a cake and will always be thus.....

chrisbd · Sunday September 27, 2015

Gairdner said:
A puck, sir? A PUCK? It is, my dear fellow, a cake and will always be thus.....

<sound of can of worms being opened>

I beg your puddin' (as a Yorkshire product it has to be pudding). You're quite right, of course. Apologies, too used to frequenting "other" forums for too long.

I think I hear another can of worms being opened.

Regards,
Chris

chrisbd · Sunday September 27, 2015

nick_s said:
Looking forward to hearing your thoughts Don't forget to add your location and lather experience on the MWF map (link in my signature)

Nick,
Given the delivery times and 4-5 days to hydrate it as per PLANofMAN's guidance I reckon it will be a couple of weeks before I get to try it but I'm looking forward to it.

Regards,
Chris

Bechet · Sunday September 27, 2015

Just use it - it's like any other soap.

nick_s · Sunday September 27, 2015

chrisbd said:
Nick,
Given the delivery times and 4-5 days to hydrate it as per PLANofMAN's guidance I reckon it will be a couple of weeks before I get to try it but I'm looking forward to it.

Regards,
Chris

As @Bechet suggests, use it from day one

As it blooms during use, it will hydrate nicely. I did exactly that and before long, the puck expanded to fit the ceramic bowl completely. Better than waiting

chrisbd · Sunday September 27, 2015

I think I'll take your advice. We live not far from Bechet, with the same hard water supply. The only error, then, will be the latherer - still learning - but I'm keen to try.

Regards,
Chris

pjgh · Sunday September 27, 2015

Mitchell's can foam up, quite uncontrollably if you're not aware of what might happen. The great thing is, with working that foam all turns into lovely thick lather. My ONLY piece of advice would be to start with a less moist brush than you might with other soaps and add water gradually.

You'll get it ... dive in and enjoy "the Fat".

Gairdner · Sunday September 27, 2015

Spot on advice - shake that water right out of your brush after its initial soaking. I have lovely soft Scottish water straight off the Pentland hills and would do three 10 second latherings with a brush tip dip of water between each. Mountains of lather! If you have harder water try four or five 10 second bursts of swirling with said tip dip. Alternatively, hunt down some vintage Culmak soap - the one NotTheStig kindly gifted me beats the 'Fat' anyday. Mind you, there was that Surrey soap that dodgy sent me. Slicker than a snail and a very manly woody scent!

chrisbd · Monday September 28, 2015

Thanks for the advice and encouragement, gents, I'll bear that in mind. So many soaps, so little time. What's your opinion on TOBS soaps?

Regards,
Chris

Bechet · Monday September 28, 2015

chrisbd said:
So many soaps, so little time.

Are you ill? old? going to gaol? to the Space Station?

UKRob · Monday September 28, 2015

Nishy said:
I can only get it to work if bloomed over night and lathered with a boar!
Another great hard soap to try which I think has the edge in cushion and scent (prepare to be chastised) is Tabac.

I'm with you on this one Nishy, Tabac is so much easier to work up a really good lather. I can get a decent lather with MWF but there are others including Institute Karite that are better for me.

mikebrownington · Monday September 28, 2015

I do find tabac a better performer than the fat but the scent is a bit much for me... Might give Institut Karite a go

nick_s · Monday September 28, 2015

Bechet said:
Are you ill? old? going to gaol? to the Space Station?

I wonder how The Fat lathers in space.

chrisbd · Monday September 28, 2015

nick_s said:
I wonder how The Fat lathers in space.

Now there's a novel thought.

Getting old, preparing for a long, crotchety retirement where I'll have no money but plenty of time to shave.

Regards,
Chris

chrisbd · Thursday October 1, 2015

pjgh said:
Mitchell's can foam up, quite uncontrollably if you're not aware of what might happen. The great thing is, with working that foam all turns into lovely thick lather. My ONLY piece of advice would be to start with a less moist brush than you might with other soaps and add water gradually.

You'll get it ... dive in and enjoy "the Fat".

I soaked the cake (forgive my earlier pucking lapse) for a couple of hours before use, took up my humble Vulfix 404 Grosvenor boar/badger brush (which I thought I'd squeezed out enough) and dived in. Whisked for a few seconds expecting some resistance and...lather volcano! Transferred that to my shaving mug and worked it for a minute or so, resulting in the creamiest lather I've ever known in obscene quantity.

I did 5 passes and a touch up to see how far it would go without breaking sweat (or weepers) and still rinsed an extravagant quantity down the plughole. Skin left feeling not only baby's bum smooth but baby's bum soft.

Scent reminded me of classic soap, eg Palmolive or Lifeboy from the late 50's/early 60's. Wife thought it reminded her of coal tar soap, which may be familiar to members of a certain age.

I was a daily Cella user, I think I've just found my new daily soap.

Regards,
Chris