MWF - came back like a bad penny

[brothers]

I got frustrated and gave it away. You guessed it, the lucky recipient kept it about 2 weeks, hated it, and was getting ready to toss it. I've still got a warm place in my heart for it, and offered to take it back. Right. It's got me twisted around it's little finger, I guess. Anyway, for a couple of days I just wore it, and myself, out, still trying to outsmart it, but that was a dismal failure like always. Ho hum, so what's new.

Tonight I was going to have another practice run with it, this time with my soft and gentle little BK4. I was kind of absent-mindedly going through the motions, a dash of moisture on the dry puck, got the brush wet with warm water, then something happened, my mind wandered and I started thinking of something else.

Anyway, I forgot all about the dryness of the brush, all the shaking and squeezing out the water, instead I just doodled around with the "too wet?" brush, thinking, oh, I'll just start all over again, what's wrong with me, now I've got too much water. But no. I kept rubbing the brush on the puck for about 30 or 40 seconds, and noticed how much of the initial light lather/suds was starting to come out of the brush and work its way up the sides of the bowl from the puck.

I had fun with that for a few more seconds, then on a cool dry face, I started to paint it on, back and forth, up and down, and not once, I swear, did I add any water. Not one drop. To this point, it was very much like a haphazard and careless face-lathering I might perform with any cream and silvertip brush. The lather came like, well, like a little wooly avalanche. It was that good, stiff, tight, a fine smooth lather with substance. Dang it, I'm hooked for good now.

Not shaving, I then squeezed the lather up and out of the brush, and it felt like I'd grabbed a stick of butter, it was that large and almost, not really, that thick. I've only had maybe one lathering, maybe none that were that luxurious and successful since the fateful day that stuff first came into the house.

I've been trying too hard. From now on, I'm just going to treat MWF like every other soap and cream I use. No special treatment or pampering. It's on its own, and big deal, if it does or doesn't work that well every time or ever again, so what. We'll see how that strategy works.

It's too easy to give or throw it away. I admit I must have developed an addiction to the stuff.

[dash maverick]

Well if you ever get the urge to give it away again, I'll gladly take it off your hands.

[Adeptus_Minor]

All these MWF threads...
Makes me think maybe MWF is taking over for boar brushes as the new hot topic.

[Flash G]

I always thought it was the other way round

[brothers]

All these MWF threads...
Makes me think maybe MWF is taking over for boar brushes as the new hot topic.

It's a sickness.

[jww]

All these MWF threads...
Makes me think maybe MWF is taking over for boar brushes as the new hot topic.

It's a sickness.

Speak for yourself. I see my attraction to the Fat as more of a connoisseur's appreciation than an all-out illness.

Of course, ymmv.

[2clfrwrds]

Gary, your post describes something that always troubles me when I alter my technique to suit The Fat. I really don't want to change the routine that gives me fine results with Trumper, TOBS, Cade, and AOS soaps, just to coax lather from a quirky soap with special needs.

If ignoring MWF's peculiarities works, well, that sounds ok. Otherwise, this stuff seems like the gorgeous ex-girlfriend who's just too psycho to deal with anymore.

--Glenn

[Adeptus_Minor]

Well, since MWF was only my second shaving soap experience, I didn't have a hardwired technique to overcome.
However, now that I'm giving Tabac a go, it's made the lathering differences abundantly clear.

[drumana]

Glenn

I've had one of those before (psycho girlfriend). She's getting married, I heard. Poor fellow.

[pj_rage]

I've yet to try MWF, but it's on my short list for new soaps to try. It's funny though, MWF is like this shining halo of mystery, debate, and awe, in a similar way that feather blades are for their sharpness.

The most talked about soap and the most talked about blade. As far as mystery and awe goes anyway.

I was surprised when I loaded up a feather blade for the first time that it didn't start glowing and a little angel didn't come down to tell me that I'm about to make a huge mistake and to be extra careful. It was just a blade, with a little different feel than the others. (FWIW I do happen to like it much better than other blades I've tried so far).

I still fully expect, however, to get little to no lather on my first MWF lathering, and to have the same small angel from my dreams come down to let me know that once I get it, it will be worth it. Also, I expect that when I do get the MWF lathered, it will be glowing radiantly

[brothers]

I think the gentleman in your link said it quite well when he refers to:
"this weirdo combination of incredible love goddess and, like, freako banshee demon from beyond hell". Sums it up quite nicely, say I, referring of course to the un-named little wooly puck of soap that is the object of some unnatural attractions from some un-named gentlemen with shaving their facial hair on their minds.

If I hadn't milled mine into a nice glass bowl with an airtight lid, valued at approximately $0.75. I'd have thrown it over the house about a month ago. And here it is, the week leading up to St. Valentine's day, and I'm finding myself getting all mushy and disoriented over the dream of a handful of almost legendary lather.

I really think somebody should have compassion, and send me a puck of pre-reformulation English Fern Shaving Soap from Pen's in a last-ditch effort to divert my attention away from this harmful beast of a substance before it's too late. Anyone?

[jww]

... Otherwise, this stuff seems like the gorgeous ex-girlfriend who's just too psycho to deal with anymore.

--Glenn

You mean like this?

[2clfrwrds]

Nice find, Wendell! Thanks.

--Glenn

[gr_elias]

All these MWF threads...
Makes me think maybe MWF is taking over for boar brushes as the new hot topic.

hahahahaha




Really I can't understand how people find problem lathering with MWF. From the first time I tried it the lathering was very easy.... I don't know if it works good with the water we have here in Athens, but this is a really good soap and I can use it every day without irritation, the scent is very nice and I don't get dizzy!
Also is half the price of Harris, T&H and other soaps!

[jww]

Nice find, Wendell! Thanks.

--Glenn

My pleasure -- I used to stop everything to watch it when it came out. I thought it was just so cool. It is still is pretty good, to be honest.

[brothers]

. . . .I forgot all about the dryness of the brush, all the shaking and squeezing out the water, instead I just doodled around with the "too wet?" brush, . . . .I kept rubbing the brush on the puck for about 30 or 40 seconds, and noticed how much of the initial light lather/suds was starting to come out of the brush and work its way up the sides of the bowl from the puck.

I had fun with that for a few more seconds, then on a cool dry face, I started to paint it on, back and forth, up and down, . . . . The lather came like, well, like a little wooly avalanche. It was that good, stiff, tight, a fine smooth lather with substance. Dang it, I'm hooked for good now.

I've only had maybe one lathering, maybe none that were that luxurious and successful since the fateful day that stuff first came into the house.

I've been trying too hard. From now on, I'm just going to treat MWF like every other soap and cream I use.

***Update: Since then I've had nothing but great lathering experiences, I've shaved with the MWF every day and had a half-dozen practice runs, and am pleased to report that it works for me every time.

Your own experiences may be different than mine, but here's my description of how I make a good lather with MWF every time: this is what I do, and it works for me. I'm not saying it will work for anyone else.

Forget dryness. That piece of advice is what screwed me up from the very start and caused me a lot of silly jack-assing around. Use a good badger brush that creates and holds a lot of lather. Soak but don't squeeze or shake all or most of the water out. Lather long and well on the puck, and don't be in any hurry to stop.

Take the lathered up brush to a dry face. Don't work it vigourously on the face. Just paint it back and forth, up and down for a while until the lather is as dense and thick as necessary.

If it appears that the quantity of lather's diminishing, I can lightly moisten the brush and go back to the puck for some more lathering before going back for the next pass.

I've thoroughly enjoyed my WMF this week. I'll miss it until the next time when I've got a full week of it in the rotation. That is the one criteria that I apply to the other shaving products that I keep and use. I want to be able to look forward to and enjoy the shave every day. Who knows what tomorrow might bring? Best Regards gentlemen,

[jww]

Gary gets this week's Attaboy MWF Latherer award. What, you have never heard of this before??????

I think it is interesting all the talk about the Fat being difficult to lather and all -- and here Gary comes up with a technique that works for him, but is not as successful for me -- I am a dryer brush starter myself, adding water as I build lather.

More and more MWF is really a ymmv thing -- that will respond to multiple lathering techniques if you can take the time and exercise the patience to figure out what works for you.

All Hail The Fat!!

[brothers]

Greetings, Wendell. It just goes to prove the adage, where there's a will there's a way. Thanks for your encouragement. This illustrates one of the many benefits we receive from participating in the forums. Shaving makes a great hobby. Everybody does things a little differently, and when one spends time focusing on something and eventually comes upon a pathway to success in the endeavor, viola! By the way, that is a handsome photo you just posted, sir!

[marsos52]

i guess the magic of MWF is that if you want it to work it works

seems the guys that just treat it as any other soap to lather get it
and the ones that have to make it lather using more of this and less of that dont get it

i am right?

[sas71]

Well if you ever get the urge to give it away again, I'll gladly take it off your hands.

ditto..i wish i had friends that were into shaving like this so we could trade off products.

all my buddies shave like i used to..either with elecs or disposable/cartride razors and foamy goo. i wish i could convert them but i know id either get a .."ah man i dont have time for that" or "thats too much trouble". so i havent even tried.