Farewell to Mitchell's Wool Fat (MWF reformulation)

Discussion in 'Shave Soaps' started by PLANofMAN, May 24, 2023.

  1. Paul Turner

    Paul Turner outside the quote(s) now

    luvin' my 3 Kent combs. :)
     
  2. Paul Turner

    Paul Turner outside the quote(s) now

    Chris, sadly I never becme ONE with MWF;
     
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  3. Paul Turner

    Paul Turner outside the quote(s) now

    Someone took away MY pacifier when I received my large Rise order....it was Rise SUPERfoam, not the original. But aaaahhhh, I still loved it.
     
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  4. ChrisB

    ChrisB Well-Known Member

    Thanks Ryan, duly noted and recorded. As usual you are a wealth of information.:happy088:
     
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  5. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    There was a recent discussion on another forum about the difficulties of lathering MWF with silvertip badger. I figured, "how hard could it really be?" and grabbed my floppiest (aka luxurious) badger and went for it.
    IMG_1686073428406.JPEG IMG_1686073428691.JPEG
    I did my usual routine. Damp brush, well hydrated puck. Loaded, loaded some more, added water and waited for the big bubbles that are my cue to start building lather. Nothing. Added some more water. Still nothing. Added a few more drops. Still nothing. Frustrated, I splashed a puddle into the bowl. Finally saw the big bubbly lather start forming. At this point I pulled the brush back from the puck, and started to go into lather building mode, where the tips of the brush just skim the surface of the puck. The result?
    IMG_1686073429218.JPEG IMG_1686073429382.JPEG
    Squeezed the lather out and topped the brush like a sundae.
    IMG_1686073428860.JPEG
    IMG_1686073429051.JPEG
    That is a good lather. It's also about half the amount I normally generate and took four times as long to make.

    My conclusion? Using a 'luxurious' silvertip on MWF is like fighting a forest fire with a squirt gun. It can be done, but it's going to take a very long time and it isn't the right tool for the job. If you're working with the tallow MWF/Kent, use a scrubby brush, like two-band badger, boar, or a stiff synthetic.

    MWF is twice as dense as the average triple-milled soap. That doesn't always translate into 'harder' than the triple-milled soap, but you get the idea. Save the silvertips for creams and softer soaps... or for the new formula MWF, which is reputedly much easier to load and lather.
     
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  6. ischiapp

    ischiapp New Product Bloodhound

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  7. wristwatchb

    wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

    If you decide to order shaving soap from Kent (and have any hair left on your dome :rofl:), add a couple of pocket combs to your order. I trashed most of my cheap plastic combs a few years ago after trying a Kent comb.
     
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  8. Frijolero

    Frijolero Well-Known Member

    No, there are others that will always be in the rotation. Variety is the spice of life. These should be enough to last me many years. Maybe all of them.
     
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  9. ischiapp

    ischiapp New Product Bloodhound

    Maybe more ...
    :rofl::rofl::rofl:
     
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  10. Paul Turner

    Paul Turner outside the quote(s) now

    Were those combs, to quote from the Gordon Lightfoot song, "The kind that drugstores sell"?
     
    Last edited: Jun 7, 2023
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  11. Michael_W

    Michael_W Well-Known Member

    Several reasons most likely, I suppose including beef and mutton shortage due to climate change and diseases wiping out livestock, trends toward vegetable-based soaps as tallow factories shutter due to world events affecting economies hard especially in Europe, and more customers preferring to go with vegan or vegetarian over animal-based products. Tabac and Fine Accoutrements lost their tallow soap base when the factory that produced it shut down, forcing them to find alternative ingredients for their products. Williams altered its formula years ago and it never really recovered from the loss of customers upset at the change. Corporations do respond to consumer pressure, but at the end of the day other factors limit what they can do to maintain product formulas.
     
  12. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    I ordered 5 soaps from Kent (first time doing that). Didn't add any pocket combs. I already have a Kent made military hairbrush, and a vintage shaving brush. My wife also exclusively uses Kent hairbrushes as well these days. If you want quality, it's hard to beat Kent products.

    This puts me up to 13 1/2 pucks.
    Nope. But I will use it at least half of the time. I figure it's a 25 year supply at that rate. And quite honestly, if I was forced to only use one soap for the rest of my life, I would pick MWF every time, Ralph Lauren Safari for Men being unavailable these last 20 years now, and me being on my last puck of that.
     
    Last edited: Jun 7, 2023
  13. wristwatchb

    wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

    That sounds good, Ryan. It appears that you are well-stocked and quite familiar with the Kent lineup.

    I have two Kent shaving brushes and several pocket combs to cover loss, breakage, gifting, etc. My wife has a couple of their makeup brushes. Years ago, I recall my sister having one of their manicure sets. If you buy in bulk, it's less expensive to order from them direct. They are a first-class company, and they could not have handled this current situation any better.

    I ordered 12 pucks of Kent soap for me and a friend. Combined with my stash of Tallow Tabac, I'm set for awhile also.

    I appreciate all the updates you've shared on the MWF reformulation. This has been helpful and educational. Thank you.
     
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  14. brit

    brit in a box

    on the way ..
    [​IMG]
     
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  15. wristwatchb

    wristwatchb wristwatch "danger" b

    Congrats, but just one, Gary? ;)
     
  16. brit

    brit in a box

    yes sir just one.:Dit's a fine soap.i buy another at the inflated price of $60(old spice price) when i am 85 or so..just for nostalgia's sake..;):eatdrink047:.i have way too many others,-just bought a captain fawcett tub also-to worry about mwf.it was and always will be a special occasion soap.:)
    [​IMG]
     
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  17. brit

    brit in a box

    i bought the kent version as to not contribute to mitchell's new reform ingredients..:D
     
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  18. PLANofMAN

    PLANofMAN Eccentric Razor Collector Staff Member

    Moderator Article Team
    IMG_1686180563822.JPEG IMG_1686180564017.JPEG
    My wife needed a hairbrush that she could blowdry through, and this ventilated brush fit the bill. It's also exceptionally lefty friendly, and very light, which was just a bonus. It was one of her Christmas presents this past year, and one she has really appreciated. It's rare to find a really ergonomically designed brush for left handed use. Kudos to Kent for doing so.
     
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  19. clint64

    clint64 Blind Squirrel

    Congrats on the Kent and Capt. Fawcett soaps. What scent of the Capt Fawcett did you get?
     
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  20. Paul Turner

    Paul Turner outside the quote(s) now

    Questiomn about that Kent soap....is it a twist-off top, like most artisan soaps of which we know? Or is there more to it?
     
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