Thread: Bowl vs Mug vs Scuttle

I use a noodle bowl to hold hot water, and put a soup bowl in it to mix my lather, the soup bowl is exactly the right size for its rim to sit on the rim of the noodle bowl, got the two on salefor about $9, they are both just plain white crockery, but I quite like the aesthetic. I am only a week in, so am fairly slow with the razor but the lather stays good and warm.

I am cold water shaver, so scuttles aren't of great interest to me.

About 75% of the time I face lather. Then I remember what a great lather I can build in a bowl and spend the next untild number of shaves using either a large cereal bowl I got at an overstock store for $2, or a Dirty Bird Bill Bowl. Both are large enough to whip up a lather without clanking the brush against the sides.. I know, some folks love that sound, but not me. The Bill Bowl has a lip at the top that is turned inward to keep the lather from climbing up and out of the bowl.

I read somewhere that scuttles were popular when hot water wasn't on tap so that you could have a nice warm lather for the whole shave. If your boiler is a long way from your point of shave (like mine) resulting in hot water delay that might be the way to go...

I just ordered a 009 scuttle from Robert. It has a brush soaker and a lid. I'm looking forward to trying it out. I looked here, there, and everywhere and finally settled on this scuttle as being the best bang for my buck. That didn't stop me from buying a Large Slate Moss Shaving Scuttle by Sara Bonnyman Pottery on EBay this morning. It has a small chip in the spout that is purely cosmetic. For $41 with free shipping, it seemed like a worthwhile piece.

I lather in a mug. I keep the soap in one and fill another mug with water for rehydrating purposes during the shave.

Since I cold water shave (ambient temperature, not really cold or hot) now I don't have to worry about keeping things a certain temperature. It has also lowered my shaving time and now it's a piece of cake to straight shave every day.

When I hot water shaved I gave myself luxurious warm lather in a scuttle, and then moved over to the two mugs. First of all I'd microwave water in a Pyrex-type container to about 160-170 degrees (forgot how long it took) before pouring it in a scuttle, because you risk cracking your scuttle if you used boiled water. Then I got an electric kettle and boiled it to speed things up a little bit, which is why I switched from scuttles to mugs. I live in a semitropical climate and have my hot water heater on a low setting, which is why I couldn't get the tap water warm enough. They were all great.

The mug I recommend is the rubber Marvy mug because you can't ruin it! I got a vintage Hazel Atlas milk color glass mug when I was still using hot water and the moment I put water in the mug the bottom popped out like a cannon backfiring a projectile! That's what got me started on rubber mugs, it is John proof!

Originally Posted by CaliforniaCajun

The mug I recommend is the rubber Marvy mug because you can't ruin it! I got a vintage Hazel Atlas milk color glass mug when I was still using hot water and the moment I put water in the mug the bottom popped out like a cannon backfiring a projectile! That's what got me started on rubber mugs, it is John proof!

If they make rubber Marvy wine glasses you would have the undying gratitude of SWMBO I swear those things jump off the shelf whenever I look at them committing suicide. I can keep mugs around forever and a day, but my wife cannot keep wine glasses. I don't try to break them but they just seem to disintegrate around me.

Have a dirty bird scuttle just love it...

I loooooove the idea of a good scuttle, but the truth is my short shaves on my sparse whiskers just doesn't rate one. I use a rice bowl.

At this point I'm making a pseudo-wishlist over at SRD with a few items I would love to have. Perhaps, when my next raise at my job rolls around I can treat myself.

I use in summer a nice glassbowl and in wintertime a swk scutle.
Winters i prefer the hot lather more than in summer when i use more menthol soaps.

So yes i say imo you need a bowl and scuttle to have te perfect setup.