The Quest for the Perfect Shaving Bowl

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brothers
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Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:18 am
Location: Oklahoma City USA

Post by brothers »

I had not heard of the Texas version of the Moss scuttle. Sounds interesting, so I'll go now and check it out. Funny how new stuff happens and I remain hopelessly oblivious.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
95%
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Location: North Carolina

Post by 95% »

An inexpensive yet effective solution for keeping your lather warm is a self-watering flower pot. I found one at the Walmart garden center for $10. It's a pot within a pot, made of heavy ceramic. You fill the large outer pot with hot water and slip the smaller pot down into it. The small pot is plenty large and deep enough to create all the lather you want with a brush of any size, and the bottom, unglazed surface is roughly textured to facilitate mixing.

I use it only for creams. My soaps I keep in cups and mugs, and I lather directly in them. Therefore a soap shave isn't as luxuriously warm as a cream shave for me, though I run hot water over the cup at the beginning of the lathering process. Some fellows - I think Mantic demonstrates this in one of his videos - allow the mug to float in the sink filled with hot water throughout the shave.
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Blue As A Jewel
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Location: Winnipeg, MB, Canada

Post by Blue As A Jewel »

cadfael_tex wrote:I really like the Moss (SB) but I think the shipping and the price difference between in an the DB may be a deal breaker on it. For me I think it would come down to twice as much if I go for the Texan.

@ Blue as a Jewel: You bowl lather in the large Moss? I have a Vie Long Toro Ganso as my only brush right now so it's not one of the largest candidates (middle of the road?).
I would have to agree that the shipping costs are a real consideration - the cost of the scuttles themselves have also gone up since first introduced due to their popularity, so you have to look at the whole package.

I've used every size brush in my Moss from 22mm to 30mm. I swirl, pump and slap that brush (not the handle) back and forth - and it yields a luxurious product.
- Ravi -

You can mistrust me less than you can mistrust him. Trust me.
Greenhouse
Posts: 211
Joined: Tue Jul 12, 2005 5:04 pm

Post by Greenhouse »

I use a large Moss scuttle -- and I lather directly in the scuttle's bowl. I never understood why I should lather in one bowl and then transfer the soap and lather to the Moss. I recall back when I bought the scuttle, there were a lot of dogmatic statements on this forum about how the Moss is "supposed" to be used only for storing an already-lathered brush.

Anyway, I've been very happy and successful with the Moss. It works very well with a medium-sized brush (e.g. Simpson Polo 8) but is a little small for larger brushes. I'm going to check out the Dirtybird and others mentioned here and see if it's worth getting a second scuttle for the "big-brush" days.

The first time I used the scuttle was like an epiphany -- it elevated my shave to a new level of enjoyment.

Greenhouse.
scaryshoes
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Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2007 1:44 pm
Location: Southern New Jersey

Post by scaryshoes »

I have been using a Robert Becker Scuttle from the bay, keeps lather warm at a very reasonable price...

In the summer months I have just been lathering in the scuttle without the hot water..it works just fine this way as well. Like you I am a bowl latherer....
Anthony

God is good all of the time.
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brothers
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Location: Oklahoma City USA

Post by brothers »

Blue As A Jewel wrote:
cadfael_tex wrote:I really like the Moss (SB) but I think the shipping and the price difference between in an the DB may be a deal breaker on it. For me I think it would come down to twice as much if I go for the Texan.

@ Blue as a Jewel: You bowl lather in the large Moss? I have a Vie Long Toro Ganso as my only brush right now so it's not one of the largest candidates (middle of the road?).
I would have to agree that the shipping costs are a real consideration - the cost of the scuttles themselves have also gone up since first introduced due to their popularity, so you have to look at the whole package.

I've used every size brush in my Moss from 22mm to 30mm. I swirl, pump and slap that brush (not the handle) back and forth - and it yields a luxurious product.
Free USA Shipping from Georgetown. Georgetown Scuttles are beautiful.
http://www.georgetownpottery.com/8-16-10.html
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
cadfael_tex
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Joined: Sat Aug 07, 2010 12:01 pm

Post by cadfael_tex »

@brothers: have read here and elsewhere that the Georgetown doesn't work as well as the Dirty Bird or Bonnyman.
brothers
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Post by brothers »

cadfael_tex wrote:@brothers: have read here and elsewhere that the Georgetown doesn't work as well as the Dirty Bird or Bonnyman.
I don't have one, or any of the others. Georgetown's current model is the G5 (the fifth generation), and I've heard and read, as you have, that the currrent generation Georgetown is excellent. Hands down, it's the most attractive, in my opinion. So I guess it depends on whose opinion one is reading at any given time. If I was going to have to buy a new scuttle (not happening, because I love mine, and have two backups) I honestly don't know which one I'd get first.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
Sando
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Joined: Mon Nov 26, 2007 12:28 pm
Location: Orange County, CA

Post by Sando »

The perfect shaving bowl (for me) was a Christmas gift a few years ago from my daughter. She hand painted it at a pottery store. I'd recommend something similar as it's just the right size for soaking your brush and/or making lather and the hand made touch from your own child can't be beat.

I can also recommend the perfect espresso cup...:D
...Ray

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Flash G
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Joined: Thu Feb 05, 2009 2:01 am

Post by Flash G »

I have a bowl and a scuttle. The scuttel is an S-scuttle from Schwarzweisskeramik which I got for Christmas back in '08. Lathers very well and keeps the lather nice and warm, but I feel it's to large for every day use. I like the Soap Lid very much, though. Then have a Pillivuyt Onion Soup Bowl with Ears wich is very easy to hold securely in several ways while lathering, but this, too, is a bit to large.

So, currently I'm waiting for a EJ bowl to see if it fits me and my sink better... :roll:
Eric
cadfael_tex
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Joined: Sat Aug 07, 2010 12:01 pm

Post by cadfael_tex »

Well, ordered a dirty bird 1.5 to see how it goes. Also got a couple of other pieces with Christmas around the corner.
notthesharpest
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Post by notthesharpest »

When I was bowl lathering (I wasn't at it a long time) I used a huge latte mug I got at [a dollar store? I forget; someplace cheap anyway]. It had thick walls so it held some heat. Very nice, very cheap, no problems. Having a usable handle is an advantage not to be overlooked.
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