Thread: I can't get hot lather for some reason

Are there any tips to getting (and keeping) lather hot? I use an old coffee mug to lather up the soap, but its never comforting and warm when I put it on my face, and it is definetly not warm the second time around.

Place the mug in a bowl/sink with hot water. For the second pass (because you don't rest the brush on the soap again), you need a scuttle or scuttle-like contraption. Something that is warm where you can rest your brush in.

I have two, but I can highly recommend the Dirty Bird scuttle (I have the brush scuttle). http://www.dirtybirdpottery.com/shavinggear.html

Before you start, put hot water in the cup to warm it up. Then after your 1st lather, rest the cup in a bowl of hot water. Depending on how long the hot bowl of water sits, you may have to refill it with fresh hot water.

I like to soak my brush in hot water and find a way to warm up the shaving soap before I start lathering. Just give it some thought and you will figure it out. When winter rolls around, this becomes a bigger issue than when its hot outside.

Welcome to straight shaving!

Pabster

anyone ever tried just microwaving a coffee cup with about 1/4 filled hot water for about 30 seconds -

When ready to lather - empty all but about 2 tablesppons hot water and lather in the cup - the cup should hold it's warmth long enough to get a shave in.


thoughts to this process (for those without scuttles)

andy

I forgot about the simple option, without having to buy a scuttle. You can always rest a bowl or mug in hot water where you can place your brush in between passes. The more contactarea between the bowl/mug and brush the better. Some have made their own scuttles with 2 bowls and glue. This creates a reservoir for hot water to keep the inner bowl warm and thus your brush warm. I find that such a contraption greatly improved my enjoyment. It didn't do much to the smoothness of the shave, but it's much more pleasurable.

You don't want to use the mug with your soap for this, as this will change your lather.

Purchasing something cheap like this Dip Chiller may help you out. Just a cheap scuttle type bowl. I just ordered mine, havent received it yet but ive read positive reviews from people that use it for straight shaving.

i use a heavy ceramic mug to lather in but first i warm it with hot water and a soaking brush... as long as i can keep it off the marble it stays warm through a 3 pass shave, i use a square piece of silicon sold as an oven mitt. also keeps me form chipping the mug or the marble when i slam it down.

Dirty bird pottery makes a great scuttle that I use and it keeps the shaving cream nice and warm. There is a lot of surface area that touches the brush thats loaded with the shaving cream keeping it warm. Works well now, I bet it is even better when it gets colder outside.

Good luck!

I use a mug with a puck of soap in the bottom, and I generate lather on my face. For the second lather, I drizzle just a little very hot water into the base of the brush-- the water works its way to the tips rehydrating the lather and warms it up again.

-Chief

i went to walmart and bought a candle warmer for $5 and two small ceramic bowls for $1 each. I fill the bottom bowl about halfway up with hot water and put Iit on warmer. I then lather up in the other bowl and place it on top of first bowl. I take a shower and when I shave the lather was nice and warm through 3 passes. I was going to buy a scuttle, but this was much cheaper and available now. Hope this helps!