Mitchell's Wool Fat and Hard Water
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- Location: Bellevue, Nebraska
Mitchell's Wool Fat and Hard Water
Any one have any comments on how well (or not) MWF does in hard water? The Fine Vetiver I bought is doing well, as are several others. But I got to thinking about trying MWF again. And that often spells buying something!
John
Re: Mitchell's Wool Fat and Hard Water
John, you may choose to buy another MWF puck, or maybe trade for one. My experience with MWF in the beginning was that I could not force it to lather no matter how hard I tried. I was a failure at it. I gave it to my son and swore I'd never waste any more time trying. After a while I asked him to give it back. I just lathered it like any other soap, disregarding all of the lore and legends about secret methods. Just pretend it's not the magic MWF, but just another no-name soap just like all the rest. It worked. I thought my water was hard, maybe it was. That doesn't matter! I can lather anything that anybody else can lather. It's a semi-conscious instinctive learning process.
Gary
SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
Re: Mitchell's Wool Fat and Hard Water
Very well said and appropriate, Gary. Soap is soap and water is water, the only difference is the lather maker.
Mike
Re: Mitchell's Wool Fat and Hard Water
John, have a look at mantic59's video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_MGLi_m9n_s
The tip that helped me out the most was lathering upside-down. I have very hard (12.6 gpg) water, but I'm still able to get a really good lather with MWF. I did find, though, that if I use my Texan Moss scuttle with really hot water then the lather breaks down quickly.
One variation from the video is that because I bought the refill puck instead of the soap and container, I used a cheese grater to break up the MWF so that I could press it into a mug. Perhaps the extra surface area of the looser soap made a difference, I don't know. I should have tried it without grating but it's a little late now.
Don't give up too quickly! Good luck.
Bill
The tip that helped me out the most was lathering upside-down. I have very hard (12.6 gpg) water, but I'm still able to get a really good lather with MWF. I did find, though, that if I use my Texan Moss scuttle with really hot water then the lather breaks down quickly.
One variation from the video is that because I bought the refill puck instead of the soap and container, I used a cheese grater to break up the MWF so that I could press it into a mug. Perhaps the extra surface area of the looser soap made a difference, I don't know. I should have tried it without grating but it's a little late now.
Don't give up too quickly! Good luck.
Bill
Bill
Re: Mitchell's Wool Fat and Hard Water
Mitchell’s Wool Fat does not like hard water.
I can get it to work if the water is not overly hard but it does take more effort, and I never had to make it work in some regions of the US that have exceptionally hard water.
Haslinger Ewe’s Milk shaving soap has many of the properties that people like about Mitchell’s and is far less emperamental as far as hard water is concerned.
B.
I can get it to work if the water is not overly hard but it does take more effort, and I never had to make it work in some regions of the US that have exceptionally hard water.
Haslinger Ewe’s Milk shaving soap has many of the properties that people like about Mitchell’s and is far less emperamental as far as hard water is concerned.
B.
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.
Bertrand Russell
Bertrand Russell
Re: Mitchell's Wool Fat and Hard Water
Has anyone tried Pereira? mantic59 opines that it's like MWF only better[1] but I can't find any comments on it in a quick search of the SMF archives.
[1] https://sharpologist.com/2018/06/pereir ... pires.html
[1] https://sharpologist.com/2018/06/pereir ... pires.html
Bill
Re: Mitchell's Wool Fat and Hard Water
SMF member/vendor - suffolksupplies - Paul has it in stock at the moment. He operates Connaught Shaving in UK. One of the oldest and quite reliable vendors. You can check his most recent posts here in the Shopping forum.Bill_K wrote: ↑Mon Oct 29, 2018 11:28 am Has anyone tried Pereira? mantic59 opines that it's like MWF only better[1] but I can't find any comments on it in a quick search of the SMF archives.
[1] https://sharpologist.com/2018/06/pereir ... pires.html
Gary
SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
Re: Mitchell's Wool Fat and Hard Water
I dealt with Paul several times a few years ago - he is an excellent vendor.
Gene
"It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly American criminal class except Congress."
Mark Twain
"People shouldn't be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people."
Alan Moore
"It could probably be shown by facts and figures that there is no distinctly American criminal class except Congress."
Mark Twain
"People shouldn't be afraid of their government. Governments should be afraid of their people."
Alan Moore
Re: Mitchell's Wool Fat and Hard Water
My experiences buying from Paul at Suffolk Supplies/Connaught Shaving was always very positive.
- Murray
- Murray
Re: Mitchell's Wool Fat and Hard Water
Nope, no issues lathering MWF in hard water.
However, I should state that I switched over to using RO water for all my soaps. I just find it keeps everything consistent and my lather is just how I like it without any fuss. I use bottled water when away from home.
However, I should state that I switched over to using RO water for all my soaps. I just find it keeps everything consistent and my lather is just how I like it without any fuss. I use bottled water when away from home.
Re: Mitchell's Wool Fat and Hard Water
Throwing in my 2 cents here -- seeing as I am the resident Wool fat evangelist ......
Hard water or soft, you can get good lather from MWF. However, you have to be patient and cautious about the water-to-soap mixture. Hard water can quickly degrade the quality of lather when you add it. The upside-down lathering technique is something I have advocated since I started using this soap -- and it sounds nuts, but it really does work. Having said that, I use that method for all my soaps. For some reason the gravity seems to drive the soap into the knot to produce far superior lather.
Shave on gents!!!! Up with the Woolfat
Hard water or soft, you can get good lather from MWF. However, you have to be patient and cautious about the water-to-soap mixture. Hard water can quickly degrade the quality of lather when you add it. The upside-down lathering technique is something I have advocated since I started using this soap -- and it sounds nuts, but it really does work. Having said that, I use that method for all my soaps. For some reason the gravity seems to drive the soap into the knot to produce far superior lather.
Shave on gents!!!! Up with the Woolfat
Re: Mitchell's Wool Fat and Hard Water
The upside down lathering makes a whole lot of sense!jww wrote: ↑Thu Jan 24, 2019 5:37 pm Throwing in my 2 cents here -- seeing as I am the resident Wool fat evangelist ......
Hard water or soft, you can get good lather from MWF. However, you have to be patient and cautious about the water-to-soap mixture. Hard water can quickly degrade the quality of lather when you add it. The upside-down lathering technique is something I have advocated since I started using this soap -- and it sounds nuts, but it really does work. Having said that, I use that method for all my soaps. For some reason the gravity seems to drive the soap into the knot to produce far superior lather.
Shave on gents!!!! Up with the Woolfat
Gary
SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
Re: Mitchell's Wool Fat and Hard Water
Hi John,
I have extremely hard water (well water) - which affects the performance of every soap (and deposits rust on brushes etc ...)
In my experience, MWF is not affected by the hard water any more than other soaps. With Mitchell's, just don't add too much water and you should be fine ...
... cur
I have extremely hard water (well water) - which affects the performance of every soap (and deposits rust on brushes etc ...)
In my experience, MWF is not affected by the hard water any more than other soaps. With Mitchell's, just don't add too much water and you should be fine ...
... cur
To want what I have
To take what I'm given with grace
For this I pray
To take what I'm given with grace
For this I pray
Re: Mitchell's Wool Fat and Hard Water
Just bought a puck of Mitchell's wool fat, hmm.