Thread: Mini-review: 5 scuttles

Great cpmparison CaliforniaCajun!!

Could you inform:

Ambient temperature (Aproxim).
Where do you put the termometer

Best regards

Originally Posted by Jerry01

Great cpmparison CaliforniaCajun!!

Could you inform:

Ambient temperature (Aproxim).
Where do you put the termometer

Best regards

I heat the water in one of those large Pyrex pitchers in the microwave, 3 cups for 4 minutes. I stick a candy thermometer right in the gut of that water and consistently got 165 degrees before testing all five scuttles. I left the thermometer in the water about one minute to make sure that was an accurate temperature.

I put the thermometer in the spout of each scuttle as far as it will go every five minutes and leave it there about one minute to make sure that was an accurate temperature. On the Georgetown, I used the rubber stopper between temperature checks since I use it when shaving.

Periodically I put my fingers in the bottom of the lathering bowl just to satisfy myself that it felt somewhat different when the temperature changed.

I also shaved with each of the scuttles the previous week and the warmth and fluffiness of the lather was about the same on all of them.

So given all of these circumstances, I honestly feel each scuttle performed about the same and the testing was consistent.

The Georgetown is the one I really don't understand, because although it fared the worst in the heat retention test I honestly got the same lathering results. I can't explain this.

Another thing is that these pottery makers are quick to point out that one piece can vary slightly from another. I am sure I was either told or read that the Georgetown G5 held 10 ounces of water and definitely read that the reservoir capacity doubled over the G4. But mine only held 6 1/2 ounces of water. I wonder how much one scuttle can vary from another.

I really feel that someone should purchase the one that appeals to him the most aesthetically because they all work, provided they aren't defective. If money is a problem, the Becker performs as well as the others and is considerably less expensive. If they didn't work, these companies wouldn't be in business.

My thermostat at home is at 80 degrees F so I would say that was ambient temperature during the testing.

Originally Posted by RayG

My small Moss scuttle was the single smartest shaving purchase I have ever made. I use it everyday. Thanks for the comprehensive review.

Do you prefer a small scuttle to a large, or did you just hit the jackpot with the first one you tried and have been using it ever since?

Also, do you use a small or a large brush?

Originally Posted by CaliforniaCajun

The Georgetown is the one I really don't understand, because although it fared the worst in the heat retention test I honestly got the same lathering results. I can't explain this.

Some things to consider:

The thickness could work for or against a scuttle maybe. If you heated the entire scuttle up (i.e. GP recommends filling the scuttle with hot water, filling the lather bowl with hot water and letting it heat for several minutes. Then dump all the water and fill the reservoir with fresh hot water) the thicker ceramic might stay hot longer.

As it is, there is more ceramic to heat up and that may cause the initial fill of hot water to dissipate heat into the ceramic faster.

Truthfully, you don't want the water to stay hot, you want it to transfer its heat to the lather. If the water was retaining heat in the reservoir, where you were measuring, it might mean that it was not transferring as much heat to the lather.

Just some thoughts. My experience with scuttles is similar to yours in the end:
They all keep the lather hot and I can't tell the difference between them.

Thanks for putting this test up!

-Rob

Originally Posted by CaliforniaCajun

Do you prefer a small scuttle to a large, or did you just hit the jackpot with the first one you tried and have been using it ever since?

Also, do you use a small or a large brush?

All of the above.

I started out with the GP version 1 when it was just being conceived 12/07. I was able to get one of the first runs when Jeff, their master potter, was still making them freehand. It was a beautiful scuttle, but it did not hold heat for long, due to the small reservoir and thick walls.

Since then, I have changed to facelathering soaps, almost exclusively. I use brushes from a Chubby 1 to a Chubby 3 in size. I settled on the small Moss since the size is just right, particularly with a large brush. The moss works really well, especially when the brush is snug, due to better heat transfer. The water reservoir is larger, and the wall of the inner bowl is much thinner.

Lathering in the scuttle or transferring all the lather from bowl to scuttle never really worked well for me. I found that my lather would tend to break down after some time.

Even on days when I bowl lather, I just swirl the brush in the bowl to pick up lather for the next pass, and plop the brush in the scuttle to heat up.

I never tried the Oskars since I did not care for the look, but people swear by them.

Hello, CaliforniaCajun:

Thank you for your excellent review of the scuttles.

Once upon a time I used the Georgetown scuttle and found it unsatisfactory. I now improvise my own scuttle and it works quite nicely by keeping my lather comfortably warm and pleasing.

Of course, scuttles are a matter of taste for individual gentlemen shavers. You have provided them a comprehensive list of options. Well done, sir.

Regards,
Obie

Thank you for your in depth review. I too started with the GTP G5 and was quickly disappointed. Although it is nice to look at it, It does not work as advertised IMHO.
All the extra steps involed to make it work properly are hardly worth it, Fill it, wait, dump it, refil it, microwave it...

One thing I've done that I believe helps, is put little rubber feet on the bottom. This keeps the scuttle off the cold countertop. I guess you could use a pot holder, or any other barrier...It should help with heat retention....

I've also done this with hones attached to wooden bases, like some of the J nats....It definitely makes them much more stable...

Originally Posted by zib

Thank you for your in depth review. I too started with the GTP G5 and was quickly disappointed. Although it is nice to look at it, It does not work as advertised IMHO.
All the extra steps involed to make it work properly are hardly worth it, Fill it, wait, dump it, refil it, microwave it...

One thing I've done that I believe helps, is put little rubber feet on the bottom. This keeps the scuttle off the cold countertop. I guess you could use a pot holder, or any other barrier...It should help with heat retention....

I've also done this with hones attached to wooden bases, like some of the J nats....It definitely makes them much more stable...

A couple of weeks ago I got one of those cell phone pads you put on the dashboard of your car and I now place it underneath my scuttle when in use for traction.

Thank you so much. I wish I had read this BEFORE I bought my G5. It is a nice looking scuttle - but you validated what I already knew - poor heat retention. Maybe I need to get a tea cozy for the thing. But then the "manly" police would come and take away all of my equipment for buying a "cozy" anything!

Originally Posted by sicboater

Some things to consider:

The thickness could work for or against a scuttle maybe. If you heated the entire scuttle up (i.e. GP recommends filling the scuttle with hot water, filling the lather bowl with hot water and letting it heat for several minutes. Then dump all the water and fill the reservoir with fresh hot water) the thicker ceramic might stay hot longer.

As it is, there is more ceramic to heat up and that may cause the initial fill of hot water to dissipate heat into the ceramic faster.

Truthfully, you don't want the water to stay hot, you want it to transfer its heat to the lather. If the water was retaining heat in the reservoir, where you were measuring, it might mean that it was not transferring as much heat to the lather.

Just some thoughts. My experience with scuttles is similar to yours in the end:
They all keep the lather hot and I can't tell the difference between them.

Thanks for putting this test up!

-Rob

That is how I warm up my scuttle and it still peters out before the end of my shave. At $45 clams, this thing should retain heat better.