Thread: Scuttle vs bowl for creating a lather and keeping it warm

Originally Posted by Obie

Jack,
I'm sure you will be pleased with a scuttle in your shave den. Good stuff.

The two scuttles on Georgetown Pottery are 12 oz. or 20 oz. of water. I think the prices are close enough that it won't matter so how much difference does the amount of water make? I'm sure the more water the longer it can stay warm (I suppose). But I'd rather have the smaller one as long as it will stay warm for 20 minutes. 20 minutes max is all I need to shave. So if 12 oz of water will do that I'd rather have a smaller size. But if after 15 minutes I can feel the later being cooler I want the larger one. But if it holds twice the amount of water I figure it's almost twice as big. What do you (anyone) think about the larger one holding almost twice as much water and any difference in the amount of time the thing will stay warm?

Thanks for the replies guys. I'm getting the info that will hopefully result in me buying one and being happy with it.

Jack

I don't really like my scuttle... I found my mug and stainless bowl not only worked better (made/kept my lather hotter), it was way less fuss.

Georgetown also makes what they call jam jars, about 4 inches wide and 4 inches deep with a cover and they are great soap containers and for lather making and with the cover keep the scent really well over the long haul.

Originally Posted by thebigspendur

Georgetown also makes what they call jam jars, about 4 inches wide and 4 inches deep with a cover and they are great soap containers and for lather making and with the cover keep the scent really well over the long haul.

When I first started straight shaving a friend gave be 5 or 6 soap pucks. A couple of them had fragrances. Every one of them seemed to irritate my skin except the Mitchell's Woolfat. I really like that soap. OTOH, my shaving technique as well as my honing and stropping were not adequate so a dull razor and improper shaving may have contributed to the irritation. Either way, the Woolfat is the only one I liked. I just bought some "Taylor of Old Bond Street Jermyn Street Collection Shaving Cream for Sensitive Skin". I used it for the second time this morning and I think it's one of the best shaves I've had. My skin even feels soft to the touch. This has no fragrance though. I have a 4 puck soap holder with a lid. It's a ceramic jar and lid. The lid just sits on top and it's not air tight. I don't know if that would keep the fragrance or not. Do I understand you in that a soap with fragrance will loose it over time if left out in the open? I haven't heard anyone mention the scent not lasting over time. So I'm thinking I might not have a lot of options when it comes to choosing a soap. So far the only ones I like have no fragrance. I'll check though. Maybe Woolfat or this new soap do come with a fragrance.

I found another scuttle this morning on ebay I like. It's very similar to the ones on Georgetown except the hole where you put the water in is big enough to use as a brush holder. I think I like that. Normally after I soap my face I sit the brush in the bowl with the lather. If I need to add a little water and I had this scuttle I could dip the brush in brush holder hole to dip the bristles in hot water. I plan on putting water in the scuttle and heating it in the microwave. Right now I sit my coffee mug in a dish with water and I have another small bowl I heat water in to let my brush soak. That is 3 dishes. This scuttle with a large water hole seems like it would make the shaving routine a little easier. I would only need it and not 3 seperate dishes. I had no idea when I decided to start using a straight razor there would be so many different things to consider. It does seem though that when someone finds his perfect collection of razor, soap, bowl, brush, etc. a shave can be a very pleasant thing. Something to look forward to. All of my life I've considered shaving a necessary evil. In fact for about 4 years prior to using a straight razor I hadn't shaved at all. I just trimmed my beard with scissors when it got down to my belt buckle.

I do enjoy forums like this where people are eager to help the new folks.

Jack

Scuttle from Georgetown will be my next purchase. $60-75 hurts, but I know I'll eventually bite the bullet.

Originally Posted by MajorEthanolic

Scuttle from Georgetown will be my next purchase. $60-75 hurts, but I know I'll eventually bite the bullet.

What hurts more than the single purchase is spending $50 trying to save a couple bucks and never being quite happy with the item. The best thing for me to do when I want something and am falling a bit short on the money is to hang on to the money, add a little more later and get what I want instead of getting the lower priced item due to impatience. That's the smart thing because if I get something I'm not 100% satisfied with I will end up getting it anyway in time. That makes the first purchase the un-wise one. I've done that before and I'm sure I'll do it again.

Jack

Originally Posted by jackknifeh

What hurts more than the single purchase is spending $50 trying to save a couple bucks and never being quite happy with the item. The best thing for me to do when I want something and am falling a bit short on the money is to hang on to the money, add a little more later and get what I want instead of getting the lower priced item due to impatience. That's the smart thing because if I get something I'm not 100% satisfied with I will end up getting it anyway in time. That makes the first purchase the un-wise one. I've done that before and I'm sure I'll do it again.

Jack

You hit the nail on the head with that one.

The fact is waiting to save for the item you really want seems like torture but 6 months after you have attained it you forget all about the waiting and just enjoy the item. The other way you wind up spending more in the long run and spend months more being upset and regretting the purchase.

I just ordered my Georgetown scuttle today... straight shaving is worse than crack.

Originally Posted by jackknifeh

I was looking at scuttles several months ago and fell in love with the ones on georgetown pottery. I didn't get a scuttle because I had just begun straight shaving and had no idea what I needed or just wanted. I had forgotten what site that was though so you just reminded me. Thank you. I may put one of those on my Christmas list for wife. I'll have to wait of course but if I don't give her items I really want she gets stuff only to have more packages under the tree.

Jack

I am using a George Town scuttle (20 oz.) and I love the product. I have a Bunn coffee maker only a step or two from the shave den. I run a carafe of just hot water (you can put it in the microwave too). The GT scuttle has a pewter topped stopper (don't put that in the microwave) which makes carrying it without spilling easy. A little bit of hot water in the bottom of the soap cup really helps transfer heat.

I can easily get three passes of hot lather out of this scuttle. I picked the black scuttle because it matches my first brush and soap mug. The set looks great and works even better. I have in the second pass (if I'm too slow on pass one) been surprised by lather that is initially too hot!

I love my GT scuttle. I've also turned the hot water heater up a bit. I can have great warm lather this way too. Typically I load the scuttle with hot water and let it pre-heat for about three minutes. I charge up a brush and make lather. I lather my face and enjoy a hot towel (warmed in the microwave or hot tap water) as beard prep for about 1.5 minutes. When I come back to re-lather for the shave, the lather in the scuttle is still hot.

I can't say enough nice things about this great product.


Best,

Ed

[edit1] Ed nailed it for the G-20.[/]

Love my G-20. The inside is glazed which really helps in keeping clean and mold free. A good shake while still warm and it is bone dry inside. You can nuke (microwave) them too but I found this too hot. 140 degree tap water lasts me through several passes.