Thread: Mug/Bowl vs Brush size

Is there a "rule of thumb" for pairing a lathering mug/bowl with a given brush? I'm currently using a Kent KB4, and a largish coffee mug. It feels like the mug is too tall, and possibly too narrow - but then again I'm not claiming to have a great technique.

If nobody's thought about this before, but has a particular brush/bowl combination that works particularly well, I'd appreciate your taking a moment to actually look at what you have. How does the height of the bowl compare with the brush length? How is the width compared with the (flared) brush?

I use a lther bowl to build the lather. I pour the water I used to soak the soap into my lather bowl, infuse the brush with the soap, then build the lather in my lather bowl.

I think what your asking is how big should a lather bowl be??? in relation to the brush size???
If that is it, then my answer would just be from my personal opinion, that I look for 1 - 1/12 inches around the handle of the brush...
So if I am using a smaller 19 - 21 mm brush I am looking around 3 inch minimum diameter where a 28mm brush I want about 3 1/2 - 4 inch diameter... I want room to fit the brush, and my fingers holding the brush, so I can swirl the brush easily to create the lather.... I hope that helped but I am not sure that's what you were asking

Yes, that's what I was asking. I was also questioning the depth of the bowl.

Maybe I'm analyzing this too deeply.

I just got a mixing bowl in which the rim is curved into the bowl slightly. Perfect because when you make lather it does not come out of the bowl. It is 4 3/4 inch in diameter and about 1 1/2 inches deep. I like the size because you need a bowl that is big enough to have a good amount of area so the lather can build and not so deep that your brush hits the sides as you lather.


Take Care,
Richard

You might want to browse this thread http://straightrazorpalace.com/brush...den-again.html

There are a lot of ideas in there

Still to this day my favorite shave bowl is an anchor hocking Large Sundae Bowl that you can find at Walmart for $1.97 it has the weight to keep it steady in the sink and a stem that keeps it from floating around the sink check out some of the SOTD post for even more ideas

Can you post a pic of that stemmed sundae bowl? Call me pathetic - not Googling a match.

Looks like those sugar bowls have gone up - almost $2.50 now!

Alright - sometimes (make that usually) I get ridiculous when it comes to purchasing a utensil. It's gotta be "the best".

I also overlook the obvious (read - perform an excellent imitation of an idiot studying to be a moron) when trying something new - and simple.

My first attempt at a lather bowl was a large (well...probably "medium" by some people's standards!) coffee mug. The mug is nearly the height of the overall brush+handle - about an 1-1/2" larger in diameter. This made mixing - difficult.

Then I tried a small wooden salad bowl. Mixed better - had room to whisk in - but the basketweave design would grab the brush. Had concerns about that.

Then I found another mug - wider, shorter (soup mug). Best of the lot - but I'm guessing it's still not quite the right matchup.

Perhaps this helps clarify why I was asking for measurements comparing bowls vs brushes (as well as illustrating the bizarre fashion in which my genuine imported artificial simulated imitation brain works).

I'm considering the Ayars bowl from Sara Bonneyman - but then again...that's a bit of $$ if I can find a Wallyworld alternative.

Here are the best pics I can find

http://straightrazorpalace.com/shavi...berlather.html


I of course looked all through the SOTD and realized that I must have been trying to take artsy pics HA!! because I couldn't find one with that stupid bowl in it

BTW that is a 28mm Shavemac in the pics so a rather large brush and it still has room

Thanks . I've read that post before - but it didn't make sense at the time. Now that I've tried mixing myself a few times - the light begins to dawn. I'll be trying those techniques tonight - and now have something to go looking for again at Wallyworld!

Hmm...I guess this means I'll be getting a few of those sugar bowls - I mean soap bowls - as I'll probably not like the results of soaking in my wooden soap bowl.