Thread: Moss Scuttle - is it worth getting

John,

I have the large scuttle, and yes, most cakes of soap should fit fine.

RT

I have a large moss scuttle, have been using it for a while, and like it.

For creams, I usually put a dab of cream in the scuttle and lather right in the scuttle. For soaps, I usually swirl the wet brush in my deep mug with a cake of soap in the bottom, and when the brush is good and soapy with the start of some lather I transfer it to the scuttle.

I don't usually try for great mounds of lather, so the restricted space of the scuttle is fine for me. I do get enough lather so it fills the space between the brush and the scuttle walls, facilitating heat retention.

While a cake of soap would fit in the scuttle there are a couple of problems with that approach. First, the cake would fill up a large portion of the scuttle, and it would be like lathering in one of those shallow wooden bowls. A messy affair.

The second problem and bigger problem is that you would lose much of the heat conduction the scuttle is designed to provide. The cake of soap would insulate your brush from the entire bottom surface of the scuttle, and elevate it past much of the conductive side surfaces.

Before I got the moss scuttle I used a heavy ceramic dish I got at Goodwill for a quarter or so. It was a heavy, clunky affair, probably made by a third-grader in art class. I like it though. It had enough thermal mass that I could heat it in hot tapwater and get the same benefits I get from the moss scuttle. However, I think the moss scuttle does have the edge over my heavy dish in keeping the lather a little warmer, a little longer.

I just use hot tapwater in my moss scuttle. Some people pour in boiling water. Not only is that a lot less convenient, but I found the excessive heat will dry up the lather.

Originally Posted by mrcleanhead

Hi Guys. Just got a small Moss scuttle in the mail. Haven't tried it yet. I use soap and the small one barely fits a disk of hard soap.

I use my large moss scuttle with soap (not so much lately because of the heat). I just lather in the scuttle, I keep the soaps in their little wooden bowls.

In this heat, though, I prefer my lather cold and damp, and the mouth of my scuttle isn't large enough to put ice cubes in...

I have one of these 130024584209 (ebay#) that I got at a yard sale. I have seen them on ebay and at antique stores before. Made in the early 50's, I was told they were used during the Korean War. I use mine for creams to build the lather.
The thick glass holds the heat very well and keeps the lather very nice and warm. For hard soaps a Old Spice Mug works great.

Glen

I use a large cappaccino mug with a small plastic bowl that fits inside. Fill the mug up with hot water and mix the lather in the plastic bowl and then float it in the mug. I think I remember someone over on the B&B forum that used something like this however, he set the whole thing on a cheapy mug warmer that he got from WalMart. I've been thinking of trying this out, if I ever get around to it.

-Pary

hello ivo,

the moss scuttles sure look nice and probably work great if you use shaving cream. however, as i use shaving soap, i prefer apothecary mugs.

thanks,
mike

Originally Posted by mikey

hello ivo,

the moss scuttles sure look nice and probably work great if you use shaving cream. however, as i use shaving soap, i prefer apothecary mugs.

thanks,
mike

Mike,

The scuttle is actually designed to hold the brush and lather, not the soap or cream. It is a "warming" tool. Not specifically for building the lather, regardless of what you use.

RT

hello RT (first name???),

well, what do you know...it is a warming tool (i poked around on SMF and verified that bit of information).

on a side note, i personally have never really understood the whole brush/lather warmer, hot pot, boiling water, distilled water, brush soaking, separate lather bowl/mug/scuttle/etc., cutting forms, "method shaving", secret handshake, whatever rigamarole that is mentioned quite frequently on the other 2 shaving forums (SMF and BNB).

as stated, i use an apothecary mug with a cake of soap, run my brush under hot tap water until saturated, lather the soap in the mug until desired consistency and then shave. at least that's my story and i'm sticking to it <grin>.

thanks for the info,
mike

Originally Posted by rtaylor61

Mike,

The scuttle is actually designed to hold the brush and lather, not the soap or cream. It is a "warming" tool. Not specifically for building the lather, regardless of what you use.

RT

Mike I agreed with that most of my life. Always just used an old spice mug that I bought in high school and a boar's hair brush with Williams soap. But in here (and the other groups) you get caught up in the romanticism of the shave. I'm looking at those big, creamy heads of lather on a fat brush. Asking yourself, "Maybe I should try a cream?", "Bigger knot on a brush?", "What if I get a Moss scuttle to keep the lather warm?", "Will a meat chopper be more fun than my 5/8s?" Next thing you know...

John

Originally Posted by mikey

hello RT (first name???),

well, what do you know...it is a warming tool (i poked around on SMF and verified that bit of information).

on a side note, i personally have never really understood the whole brush/lather warmer, hot pot, boiling water, distilled water, brush soaking, separate lather bowl/mug/scuttle/etc., cutting forms, "method shaving", secret handshake, whatever rigamarole that is mentioned quite frequently on the other 2 shaving forums (SMF and BNB).

as stated, i use an apothecary mug with a cake of soap, run my brush under hot tap water until saturated, lather the soap in the mug until desired consistency and then shave. at least that's my story and i'm sticking to it <grin>.

thanks for the info,
mike

Mike,

You've already made one huge discovery that many miss...find what works for you and stick with it! Nothing wrong with experimenting. And if you poke around the other two forums a bit, you find I mod at both of them...Randy is the name, rtaylor61 is the "handle" on all of the forums, but we have a few guys sharing that name here, so I shortened it to RT here on SRP.

RT