We have probably all heard the conventional wisdom that tallow-based soaps cannot be melted or sufficiently softened to mold into shaving stick. In the case of MWF, a tallow-based triple milled soap, this is incorrect. Here is what I did:
1) grated approx. 1/2 puck by hand on a food grater - the 4-sided kind;
2) improvised a double-boiler with a small metal bowl having a rim from which it could be suspended into boiling water in a pot. In other words, the metal bowl did not touch the bottom of the pot;
3) placed the grated MWF in the metal bowl with water underneath at a simmer or slow boil;
4) wait until the grated MWF softens into an easily collapsible mass, 10-20 minutes; note it does NOT melt down to a pourable liquid state, but more like cake icing;
5) while soft and hot, the MWF is loaded with a butter knife into a twist-up tube that has been screwed upwards as far as it goes, and the added MWF tamped down firmly;
6) more MWF is added by screwing the tamped-down mass downward to make more room at the top opening of the tube.
This worked extremely well for MWF, but it did not work for a grated Speick stick, which was eventually moistened and formed into a puck in a tin. Thus, you've got to pick your triple-milled soaps carefully.
I have also successfully used this method with Cella, Mystic Water and Mike's. Apparently, not being triple milled makes them more amenable to softening.
By the way, the MWF stick works fantastically. As good as the puck, but probably easier to lather for those who have struggled with it. I also think that in my hands, sticks may also give a somewhat superior result to the usual puck method. But hey, that's just me.
1) grated approx. 1/2 puck by hand on a food grater - the 4-sided kind;
2) improvised a double-boiler with a small metal bowl having a rim from which it could be suspended into boiling water in a pot. In other words, the metal bowl did not touch the bottom of the pot;
3) placed the grated MWF in the metal bowl with water underneath at a simmer or slow boil;
4) wait until the grated MWF softens into an easily collapsible mass, 10-20 minutes; note it does NOT melt down to a pourable liquid state, but more like cake icing;
5) while soft and hot, the MWF is loaded with a butter knife into a twist-up tube that has been screwed upwards as far as it goes, and the added MWF tamped down firmly;
6) more MWF is added by screwing the tamped-down mass downward to make more room at the top opening of the tube.
This worked extremely well for MWF, but it did not work for a grated Speick stick, which was eventually moistened and formed into a puck in a tin. Thus, you've got to pick your triple-milled soaps carefully.
I have also successfully used this method with Cella, Mystic Water and Mike's. Apparently, not being triple milled makes them more amenable to softening.
By the way, the MWF stick works fantastically. As good as the puck, but probably easier to lather for those who have struggled with it. I also think that in my hands, sticks may also give a somewhat superior result to the usual puck method. But hey, that's just me.