Thread: Bowls, Scuttles, and Mugs?

Which is for what? I haven't gotten my supply's yet, but I have a mug, soap and a brush on the way. Also a strop and a razor from a different place. Do I put the soap in the mug to use, and then need a scuttle to finish making lather in and to keep it warm? Or if I don't care about warm, do I need a bowl to finish making lather? Or Do I put the soap in a bowl and use the ceramic mug as a scuttle? Is the scuttle really needed or is it optional? More questions to come. Thank you all very much. And I have read all I could find here about making lather, and these are the questions I have after reading.

Scuttle is optional, it's a vessel designed to keep lather warm while you shave. They normally have a void that you fill with hot water, (like a double boiler). You build lather in the scuttle. You could load your brush from the mug then build in the scuttle, or load from the soap container, or shave cream container and transfer it to the scuttle. Not needed, nice to have.. A mug and brush is just fine as is....

Mugs: A cup that holds your soap

Bowl: Generally a specialized device which facilitates the easy whipping of creams into usable lather.

Scuttle: A specialized device which includes a scuttle-like device on the top as well as a chamber on the bottom for hot water to be stored. This device helps facilitate not only a usable lather, but also keeps the lather warm during your shave.

I don't use any of this stuff. I just load the brush directly from the puck in my mug (a coffee mug) and proceed to produce the lather directly on the face. Items like scuttles were created during a time before indoor plumbing. Outdoor well water would be brought into the house and heated over the wood or coal stove and then poured into the bottom of the scuttle to keep the lather warm during your shave. It's a completely optional piece of equipment in today's modernized era. Since we all have indoor plumbing these days, if you want warm lather just place your coffee mug containing your soap into your sink once it's about half filled with hot water...viola...warm lather.

I would suggest starting with a cheap bowl from a department store to see if you like lathering from a bowl. Some people swear by building lather in a bowl and some by building a lather on your face or in the palm of your hand. No sense buying a nice bowl to lather in if you aren't going to use it!

I am happy with the bowl I swiped out of the kitchen cabinet at this point. I feel it works better for me than a mug.

Try stuff out and see what works for you.

Hi-

I use a mug (pewter) to make whip my lather in. This is after loading my brush with soap by swirling it around on the soap puck and adding glycerin to the mug.
I'm curious about the use of a scuttle, as I enjoy warm lather. Currently I soak my mug and brush in hot water prior to loading the brush and whipping the lather in the -hot water- soaked mug.
I'm rather new to this, but I think you could get away with a mug and brush, for now.
Beware acquisition disease, though...

Thank you all for the reply's. Guess I have a little experimenting to do.

I thought I'd mention that I use a $.99 rice bowl as a lathering bowl. Very cheap, very effective from my local Asian grocery store.

I have a Scuttle I rarely use and a couple of mugs... I really haven't found the mixing bowl of my choice yet.

I've only been SRS for four+ months, but so far I choose an old soup mug with a handle on it. I am a man of simple means and it serves its purpose.

I build a sufficient amount of lather in the bowl and build the rest on my face as needed. If I start to dry out a little, I dip the tip of the brush in the water, lather up a little more and apply.

You're shaving... not undergoing a surgical procedure (although, after my first few shaves seemed like it...LOL)

Just take it easy... your face will tell you what you are doing right and what you are doing wrong.

As I have said before,this can be as complex or as simple as you want it to be.That's why it's so cool. Put in perspective this way.....you can do it simple with nothing more than mug,brush,blade n strop . Orrrrr you can start making your own personal shave den/barber's nook in your bathroom like some of us are doing. How much do you wanna pamper yourself is the question .