PLANofMAN's MWF Hydration Method

Everyone says I came up with this method for hydrating new pucks of MWF, but I can't take all the credit. I was inspired by a post from someone (I think it was @stingraysrock) or @lradke when he left a wet triple milled soap in a Tupperware container for several weeks and opened it to find that it had softened to the consistency of shave cream.

I looked for my original post, and like many things on the internet, it has disappeared into the mists of time.
(Edit: Found it! Aug. 23, 2012)

My method speeds up the natural process of adding water to the puck and having the puck absorb water over time, which is what happens if you use Mitchell's Wool Fat several times a week.

Back when I first proposed this method, I didn't take pictures, but after the course of several years, I eventually used up all my MWF. This time, I took pictures.

(Edit: MWF is also rebranded and sold as Kent Luxury Shave Soap and Bluebeard's Revenge)

The ideal container for MWF, is unsurprisingly, the MWF ceramic soap dish.

Several minutes after covering the new MWF puck with water. (Fill the container almost to the top).

After 12 hours.

After 24 hours I pour off the water on top of the puck, leaving the little that remains on the sides.


At this point, the puck has absorbed almost all of the water it can hold. It has swollen to almost fill the container, and the edges of the lid barely touch the top of the soap. After the puck has absorbed the remaining water, or the water evaporates off the top of the puck, whichever comes first, it will be ready for use.

I'm convinced that the good people at Mitchell's envisioned their soap filling these containers. The size of the ceramic dish isn't a coincidence. It is perfectly sized to hold an unused, fully hydrated puck of MWF.

After 29 hours, the puck had completely filled the bowl. I poured off the remaining water and rinsed off the puck. I then loaded my 20mm New Forest 2-Band on it for 7 seconds, then lathered it in a bowl for about a minute.

Good to go!

That's enough lather for three passes, but people expect to see "results!"
So...Here's the 26mm Stirling Soap Co. synthetic, also loaded for 7 seconds and lathered for a minute to a minute and a half. I forgot to keep track the second time around.

That's enough lather to shave my dog. I did squeeze out the brush for the second photo, as the Sterling will release the lather on the face, but tends to swallow it otherwise.

Edit: I'd like to reiterate that the hydration method only speeds up a natural process of water absorption through regular use.

However, people who use MWF on a regular basis, seem to be the ones who have little difficulty using MWF.

...fancy that.

Edit 2: While the above method works just fine, after years of using MWF, I find it better to fill the container a quarter to half way at first. Use cold or lukewarm water. The use of hot water, or too much water, has the potential to leach a small amount of glycerin from the soap. Some people say it's lanolin. I wouldn't know which it is, and for me the loss of it never seemed to affect my shaves. Either way, the puck still softens and swells to fit the container, and there is no loss of glycerin or lanolin if done this way.

 

With my method, if you use the soap several times a week, rinse the puck off after each use, and keep it covered when not in use, a 10 minute soak before each use is unnecessary (or any soak at all, for that matter).

 

Each brush was loaded for seven seconds. Those are separate lathers.

I normally load my brush a bit longer and lather on my face, but I wanted to make a point. MWF is easy to lather if the puck is properly prepared.

 

No. The lather in the Sterling brush bowl needed to be worked for a couple minutes longer and have more water added before it was shave ready. The lather in the photograph would be a little too dry for a comfortable shave.

 

The only time I pick the dish up is to rinse it off after my shave. I'm careful to dry my hands first. In 8 days, it will have survived 3 years of weekly use.

 

If you do, you won't regret it. Lathering it isn't an issue. I've yet to read a post by someone who pre-soaked their puck and wasn't able to get a good lather out of it.

I do think some people get hung up on the scent. It's a mostly "soapy" scent, with a blend of lavender and geranium (to my nose). The geranium gives it a spicy edge that blends perfectly with the soft lavender. It's a very masculine scent, yet flowery enough to be unisex, and best of all, it's so light, it won't interfere with your aftershaves and colognes.