How to keep my MWF from cracking

I have learned to love Mitchell's Wool Fat. It's not that expensive (a $15 cake lasts me 2+ months).

Anyhow, the last one I had started developing cracks, as I store it open, and ultimately shattered into a lot of little pieces.

How do I keep it from cracking? Cover it? I bought the refills, not the ceramic container ($15 refill, $40 in a ceramic case) and store it UNcovered.

Should I just cover it?

Also, how do I melt the old stuff back together so it's easier to lather it up?

Thanks,
William

I keep mine in a Mama Bear plastic bowl, very cheap and she sells them empty. I just screw the lid on when I'm done and have had no cracking. From what I have seen here most don't worry about it. I wouldn't try to melt it, either smash them together or cheese grate it and smash together.

It only lasts you two months? You should be getting a little more use from a cake than that. It usually takes me the better part of a year to use one up.

The cracking is probably because the cake is drying out. Is it exposed to sunlight? I'd keep it moist and covered to preserve it.

Mind will develop small crack even in the ceramic container if it is out of the rotation for a couple of weeks - It makes no difference to me the cracks fill in the next time I load by brush.

Anyway a small tupperware container should solve most of the issue if it is bothering you.

Only 2 months from MWF? I use mine just about daily and I get about 6 months out of a puck.

I was getting cracks in my puck and was getting worried because I like to hold the puck when loading the brush. I realised that when I used a really dry boar brush, it would start cracking. When I used a slightly wetter brush, it would fill in the cracks and not start cracking again. This is my experience so now I take a slightly wetter brush to the puck.

Why do you care if it cracks?

You only get two months use out of if?!?!? What are you shaving a Wookie?

Hahaha! Maybe I should be more careful with my estimates, but it was definitely less than 4 months.
I was also just learning to lather for a lot of that and lathering on-puck with a stiff vdh boarhair brush.


Aside from that, thanks for the tips. I'll probably get the mama bear container, or just find another way to keep it covered. A crystal candy dish with a lid might (miiiiight) work.

Happy shaves,
William

A sure fire way to keep MWF from cracking is to use it frequently.
With MWF that's an easy task.

I would be more worried about how long the MWF puck lasts rather than worry about cracks. If it cracks into pieces you can grate those up and pack into smaller containers.