Hi all I recently got some mwf soap for my birthday and used it for the first time tonight. I was quite disappointed to be honest it didn't lather very well and it smelt lovely as a bar but on my face nothing. Now I could be royaly screwing it up but I have used loads of palmolive shave sticks and I have some Taylor of old bond street sandalwood soap witch is absolutely amazin the lather the smell everything. So is there a nack to the mwf or has anyone else experienced this. I have read great reviews on it so im guessing its me or I have a dud. Any input very much appreciated many thanks Nathan.
You're not the first to struggle with MWF. That's why I don't buy it anymore. There are too many other good soaps out there that I don't fight with to get a good lather.
Try distilled water. I never could get MWF to lather until I had a water softener installed. Now MWF and modern Williams both explode in lathery goodness.
Must say I never had a problem lathering the MWF... It just requires a bit of technique to some details, one of the most important being to pre soak the soap in order for it to soften a bit.
There's a lot of reports that hard or soft water makes a difference so the distilled water may help. Soaking the puck, a tip I think I originally got from planofman, can also help. If you have the ceramic bowl, just ad some water, put the lid on and let the puck absorb the water for a day or so. If you don't have the ceramic bowl, any container that can be covered will do. You don't need a lot of water. As far as scent, there's not much, it's almost as if it's scentless.
I've had problems with it too. I gave up. I can't get it right no matter what I do. My lather is either too thin, too dry, or too runny. So I will probably end up selling mine.
The biggest two mistakes I have seen with people having issues with MWF is not using enough product and starting with a brush that is too wet. I have some of the hardest water around and I have no problems lathering it. Soak your brush and Put a few drops of water on the top of the soap while you shower. Shake and or wring your brush nearly dry before loading. Then load plenty of product! Add a few drops of water at a time to create the lather you desire. Try it, it works!
Use a stiff brush, soak the puck, load upside-down, load twice as long as for other soaps, etc. FFS! who wants to use a soap that requires all this special treatment to do what many other soaps do without it? I've often thought I might get around to trying MWF, but now I don't think I will. I guess for some the extra effort is worth it but I don't think it would be for me.
I have very soft water and lather MWF like any other soap. I have hydrated the puck using Mr PLANofMAN's excellent procedure, and I am sure that helps. The lather is thinner than most other soaps, but still very good. I don't really like MWF that much, but I do not understand why since it always performs really well and gives me a great shave. Marco's Method is supposed to work really well with this soap. My soft water may make this an exception, and last time I used it I started with a dryer brush
I used the Mantic method from the start and have never had trouble. MWF is one of my favorites, it takes me no more time or effort than any other soap, just different.
Some parts of the UK do have hard water which will have an effect on MWF and not a very good one, Im NW based unlike you and I have good when I use MWF. As well as other factors mentioned ie to much water on brush not enough product, but with you already lathering well with other products, im inclined to think its the water, distilled water is an option as mentioned (Just for you to see if that works and if you like the soap). Good luck with whatever you choose to do.
Obviously, there are a signifcant number of wet-shavers who do prefer MWF. The popularity of MWF can be attributed, in my opinion, to some of the puck's unique attributes (the feel on the face, slipperiness, richly emollient and extra dense lather) that it provides which many other soaps cannot quite reproduce. Certainly, it can be more work, especially for those not accustomed the processes required to maximize MWF's capabilities. But count me in as one of those enjoy using MWF on a regular basis.
I've tried several methods suggested. It took a lot, but I got it. Every time I think about selling it, I change my mind and tell myself to try it again.
I took the liberty of lathering up this soap using Marco's Method, and I must say that I got a great pile of lather out of it. Not perfect, but more than adequate. I soaked the boar brush for three minutes, did not shake out the excessive water I merely allowed it do drip for a few seconds. I then started to gently load the brush for ninety seconds. After that I started working the lather in my lathering cup, and a few minutes later this is what I got.
Honestly, just lather it like any other soap. It is a tough one to break in and the more you use it consecutively, the better it will perform. It isn't something that can be used once or twice a month, it just won't perform if that's what happened. But give it a few goes and you'll see...it gets better.
I agree with this 100%! I believe not only does your technique with this soap get better but the soap gets better as you use it more consecutively. I truthfully do not do any thing different than I do with any other soap other than I prefer to use warm water with this one. It just works.
I had issues with MWF until I tried Mantic's method. Now I use a hybrid between Mantic's way and my own. Get amazing lather. Keep at it, it is well worth it and makes my skin feel great. As for the scent, it is pretty mild and will easily be overpowered by an aftershave.
