I have a DB Travel that matches my DB 1.5. I use the Travel Scuttle when I face lather to keep the brush and lather warm between passes. Works Great.
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It looks like here soon, my foray following this thread, will take me back to the plain mug & soap. I am quite enjoy the scuttle, warm lather and nicely soaked brush. The only thing I think i will prefer is the mugs easier portability and moving. So far I only look forward to not leaning over to make lather. The "Feats of Clay" scuttle hold a bit too much water to feel comfortable holding by the handle and lathering. I am afraid I might see the handle come off in my lifetime if I did that. Plus the brush soaker and water level appears I run a chance of getting water everywhere, no biggie but why clean a mess you dont have to make? Even if it is just a quick wipe up of standing water.
+1 on leaving the scuttle on the bathroom sink for storage and mixing, if you have the counter real estate. Scuttles are a bit heavy to hold in ones hand while lathering. I move mine only to fill, empty and clean it. I use a Steve Woodhead scuttle which keeps my lather warm as long as I need it. If you do not have the counter space for permenant scuttle storage, consider a set of shelves above a nearby WC tank for additional storage space. I keep frequently used shaving supplies over the WC tank on shelves and move what I need for my day's shave to the sink counter as needed. However, my straights are stored in a dryer more secure location when not in use.
I use the scuttle only for keeping lather warm. My soaps are kept in mugs or ceramic shop ramkins of suitable internal diameter. I fill my scuttle with hot faucet water and let it sit with my brush soaking while I shower. I drain and refill the scuttle with hot water before making lather.
Hard milled soaps such as MWF and Tabac soak in warm water in their mugs while I shower. After showering, I drain the mug, shake out the brush, and make lather in the mug. I dribble the lather from the mug into the scuttle as I mix the lather in the tipped down position. Often, I add 8 drops of glycerin and a dollop of Bigelow cream to the scuttle with soap before I whip up my lather. Softer soaps such as ProRaso and Cella do not need a presoak.
Nothing that I have used so far beats MWF or Tabac with the glycerin and cream additives. I believe that I bleed less frequently and have less irritation while using these soaps based on appearance and the frequency and intensity of aftershave lotion burning sensation. The cream and glycerin give me more glide, cushion, and drying face time which is desirable for straight razor shaves as I am slower shaving with a straight than when using only a DE razor.
The lather does start to dry faster in the scuttle from its heat than in a room temperature mug, but this is easily and quickly corrected by adding some water to the brush and remixing. You can see Chimensch rehydrating soap in his scuttle in his 30th anniversary straight shaving video.
Chimensch's Shaving Video - YouTube
http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?...c&feature=plcp
Scuttle and bowl use.
Have fun.
I have a Dirty Bird 1.5 and a Dirty Bird Travel Scuttle and I dig them both. Tons of hot lather thanks to Julie!
if your water is incredibly hard, perhaps it's worth buying a bottle of distilled water from the supermarket, you could heat it up in a jug and use a dash in your scuttle to make a lather.
Having lived a few places with very soft and very hard water I think you'll be quite surprised at the difference it makes.
Your other alternative of course is to opt for the dreaded goo in a can.
Personally I like to avoid it at all costs because I really appreciate the hand made soaps I use as well as the hand made ceramic vessels I use to make the later, the actual process itself reminds me a bit of when I did a little sumi-i ink/ brush painting, the process of grinding ink on a stone is actually very, well zen as goofy as it sounds.