Moss Scuttle - is it worth getting

Who doesn't like warm foam?

Here's how I get mine now:
Fill the sink w/ hot water, put in the bowl and fill it with hot water too, soak my brush in it. Then I pour water out of the bowl, leave the bowl in sink and cover with it lid, work on the soap cake / cream, lift lid and work up lather in the bowl. After I put lather on my face, I leave the brush in the bowl with the lather and cover all with the lid. All stays in the water. Has worked fine so far and the bowl cost like $4 or so. It is also nice Ferrari red color :D Foam stays warm much longer than 15 min (I take quite some time to shave) but it does get lukewarm by the end of my shave.

So now I am thinking if paying $40 is worth it. To be honest, I am skeptical. The Moss scuttle does not even have a lid, and I'm sure heat escapes more readily than from my current set up. Also, someone on another forum mentioned warm lather for only 15 min... It does look nice, I admit

Thanks
Ivo

Hot lather is nice, but I have not really experimented with it too much. I might have to try that technique out with my new scuttle someone gave me.

Thanks for the info though, but I am not sure what the Moss scuttle looks like but I will look around fo rpics now :)

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 realize the purpose of the scuttle is to keep the lather warm so maybe the small isn't built for soap but creams. Actually maybe it isn't built for soaps at all and just lather.) I may get a large version and save the small to try creams out. But I don't think there is a pic of the top of the scuttle. If you picture an open mug with a small "pull" at the lip (like a pouring spout) then put a lid on top in the shape of a bowl (the lid is fixed to the mug) that's what it looks like from overhead.

The box was really big and crushed but Sara packed it so well it survived!

John

Technically, the Moss Scuttle is designed to keep the lather and brush warm. Although some gents do work up their lather in the scuttle, I find it too small, even with the large scuttle. I still use my stainless steel mixing bowl for creating the lather, then transfer it to the shuttle. For me, this works great.

RT

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rtaylor61

Technically, the Moss Scuttle is designed to keep the lather and brush warm. Although some gents do work up their lather in the scuttle, I find it too small, even with the large scuttle. I still use my stainless steel mixing bowl for creating the lather, then transfer it to the shuttle. For me, this works great.

RT

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RT,

This would be too much for me, I'll have to deal with limited counter space, the transfer of foam itself, cleaning, etc.

I am leaning to the opinion that the scuttle looks really nice, is a quality hand-made artifact, and most probably works ok. Right now I have something decent that works ok too, so spending 65 or so (with shipping) can wait because the enhancement of my shaving process shall be mostly aesthetic - which is important, but at present I am focusing on various razors, soaps / cremes, and hones.

Cheers
Ivo

I love my Moss scuttle. Unfortunately I haven't found it since I moved. I still have a few boxes to look through but none of them are boxes I *expected* it to be in. Can't figure out what in the heck happened to it.

Hope I don't have to buy a new one.

-- Gary F.

I was considering buying a Moss Scuttle
a few weeks back but talked myself out
of it. I wish I could do the same with my
desire for razors.

Received one from Joe yesterday and have
another on the way from Bill. This one will
make 10. Not bad in 8 months I suppose.



Terry

Quote:

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Originally Posted by wvbias

I was considering buying a Moss Scuttle
a few weeks back but talked myself out
of it. I wish I could do the same with my
desire for razors.

Received one from Joe yesterday and have
another on the way from Bill. This one will
make 10. Not bad in 8 months I suppose.



Terry

---

No comment. (Oh and Terry don't look at collecting shaving mugs either. Oh and brushes. Oh and...)



Ivo if it matters the site for the Moss scuttle is in Canadian dollars. Just make sure your credit card company converts it. I'm contesting that now. Not Sara's fault in any way. It's my bank.

And RT would a cake of shaving soap fit well enough in the large scuttle and create some lather. (I'm thinking no but maybe you have a big brush.)

John

No comment. (Oh and Terry don't look at collecting shaving mugs either. Oh and brushes. Oh and...)

mrcleanhead,

For some reason the "bug" hasn't bit me on
these yet..... hopefully it won't. Currently for
soap I have been using small stainless steel
bowls.

But it's been fun aquiring the razors. I'm enjoying
all of them.


Terry

I would have bought a Moss Scuttle already if I even needed warm lather for the second pass. Sometimes I do, but mostly I can go straight to the hot water hunt and peck finish. I still like the idea of a ceramic though. I've been using a stainless steel bowl.

X

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.

Quote:

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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.

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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

Quote:

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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

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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

Quote:

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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

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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

Quote:

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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

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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

I bought the large scuttle a couple of weeks ago, before that I was using a cappucino mug.

I find it works great for building lather with creams or with soaps. For creams I use a slightly bigger/softer brush, swirl the brush in the cream then transfer to the scuttle to build the lather. For soaps I use a smaller/stiffer brush, load the brush up on the soap cake until lather starts to form, then transfer to the scuttle to build the lather.

I doesn't work any better/worse than a lathering bowl, just it looks nice in my bathroom and keeps the lather warm. I'm very happy with it. :)

hello randy and john,

don't get me wrong, i didn't just go and buy a shaving kit and everything was perfect...far from it. i am just now getting to the point of narrowing down what works great and that which can be left behind. right now as it stands it is 2 razors (and one collectible), 2 mugs, 2 brushes, 2 types of blades, 2 aftershaves and about a half-dozen soaps.

thanks,
mike

Quote:

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Originally Posted by rtaylor61

Mike,

You've already made one huge discovery that many miss...find what works for you and stick with it! Nothing wrong with experimenting...

RT

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Quote:

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Originally Posted by mrcleanhead

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

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Ahhhh Mike you are a better man than me. Moderation? What's that?

Oh btw is your collectible razor the nice long monkey tailed Depew from Bill Ellis (also in your pic)? I was eyeing that for a loooooong time. Nice choice.

John

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mrcleanhead

Will a meat chopper be more fun than my 5/8s?

John

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YES! ! :D

sorry I couldn't help myself!

What was I thinking when I wrote that? I'm a good "straight" man huh JL?

hello john,

you betcha!

the only other vintage razor that i would truly like to get is a 7/8 wedge grind barber notch wolstenholm IXL razor (with custom bill ellis desert ironwood scales of course).

thanks,
mike

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mrcleanhead

...Oh btw is your collectible razor the nice long monkey tailed Depew from Bill Ellis (also in your pic)? I was eyeing that for a loooooong time. Nice choice.

John

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I have got to stop hanging out in this place, it's beginning to cost me too much money. I ordered my Moss scuttle today, or I should say scuttles. I couldn't decide which color I liked, brown or blue, so I ordered both, and figured I give one as a Christmas present. Maybe. Hopefully I'll see them by Christmas. What did you guys who have ordered them say the shipping charges ran? I got the small ones.

Jim

Quote:

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Originally Posted by VintageBlades

I have got to stop hanging out in this place, it's beginning to cost me too much money. I ordered my Moss scuttle today, or I should say scuttles. I couldn't decide which color I liked, brown or blue, so I ordered both, and figured I give one as a Christmas present. Maybe. Hopefully I'll see them by Christmas. What did you guys who have ordered them say the shipping charges ran? I got the small ones.

Jim

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I'll pm you my mailing address! :y

I think shipping was in the low $20 dollar range. Sarah REALLY packs these nicely. I can't see two running much more than one.

RT

Shipping of mine was $45, but I live in the UK. :cry:

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mrcleanhead

.....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...

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You have 100+ razors, Several brushes, more soap than you'll ever use in your life time, Your mailman is giving you the hairy-eyeball for receiving so many damn packages, you make special holding containers for your new 'pretties' and your wife, well, she'll never understand (even when you try to draw the parallels with her shoe collection).

As for the "big Blade" hype. Don't buy into it! From what is written on these beasts they were made that large for people who had little dexterity, i.e. the elderly or handycap. However, with that said, they do shave nice :) BUT, if you can hone a razor, you can get a nice shave out of a quality brand, despite the size.

NOW, go and buy as much razor stuff as you can, and get back to us.....

C utz

Hmmmm Chris you wouldn't be posting any razors on ebay would you? :hmmm:

I like shaving creams since they are easier just a dab on my brush lather on my face. The moss scuttle will just be something else to clean up. In my humble opion..

Quote:

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Originally Posted by mrcleanhead

Hmmmm Chris you wouldn't be posting any razors on ebay would you? :hmmm:

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Why, funny you should ask!
YES I AM!
Any one see "mr.ginishi" on eBay, buy his stuff ;)

(hm. am I THAT transparent?! I need to work on that...)

But in continuation with the thread, I agree with RichZ. Shaving creams are great...in a tub or a tube, a little goes a long way, and no bowl's to worry about. Also, for traveling, can't beat it!

C utz

I just got my Moss Scuttle and can't believe how cool this thing is. I usually shave with cake soap, but really lathered up some creme on the brush and the scuttle kept it warm thought out the shave. Awesome!!!! Highly recommended.

Lynn

Quote:

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Originally Posted by adjustme69

I just got my Moss Scuttle and can't believe how cool this thing is. I usually shave with cake soap, but really lathered up some creme on the brush and the scuttle kept it warm thought out the shave. Awesome!!!! Highly recommended.

Lynn

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Lynn,
Did you get the large or small one? I find that with the large one, I can whip up enough cream to shave everyone on my block!
-Fred

Hi Fred,

I got the small one, but it's big enough for almost all my brushes. I can't believe how warm the lather stays in this thing. Just a great idea.

Lynn

Yeah they're good aren't they. I had the large one and used to make my lather up in it as I found there was enough space, though that's not what it was designed for. They do the job of keeping the lather hot very well, and are really well made.

I sold mine as I have a really tiny bathroom in my rented apartment and I don't have lots of space, also my sink is made of glass and I was always paranoid about dropping my scuttle into it! As mentioned above it's one other thing to clean up after the shave.

Not essential, but definately a nice thing to have. :)

They are nice in summer and awesome in winter. I wasn't much of a cream guy until I got this thing. Almost as nice as a Campbell lather machine!
-Fred

well i think this has been touched on a few times in this thread but i still wanted to add my contribution, I started getting in to this hobbie a little while back when i was a little skint, so i popped to my local Range store (UK) and brought a stainless steel bowl this works great, all i do is float the bowl in the bowling hot sink water, the only thing i did notice was that i had to leave the brush standing on the side otherwise the weight of it in the bowl would sink the bowl. so when i was at work i was looking at my large mug and decided to start using that so now i fill the mug with boiling (close to it) water and put the bowl in the top, and then put the mug and bowl in the sink as well seems to work ok, all i need is the rubber O ring to stop the steam from excaping from between the mug and silver bowl.

Confused?:thinking: