Thread: Using a vintage mug

Originally Posted by Hawkeye9086

My barber is giving me a two vintage shave mugs one from the 1920s and one from the 1950s. I was planning on using them as my personal shave mugs. Tonight I was talking with an old friend of mine and he was saying that back in the day the reason everyone had a personalized mug at their barber shop was to prevent the getting of a type of rash that you could get if you used someone's mug. Is this true? Can I use these mugs or not? I know this sounds a bit paranoid, but does anyone else use vintage mugs?

Don't listen to them! You're right to be paranoid.

All you need is to post pictures of them here at SRP. This effectively sterilizes them.

If you don't post pics then your face will rash up and scab all over. It'll swell and the skin will slide off.

...note, sarcasm liberally applied in this instance!

Some vintage shaving mugs are rare and can be quite valuable, some not so much. The majority are rather worthless from a collectors point of view. Anything from the 1950's is probably not so collectible, unless possibly if it's a hard to find Sportsman's mug. Mugs from the 1920's are at the end, but still within, the "Golden" era of collectible barbershop shaving mugs. Just be aware that if you do have a collectible mug and it breaks, it's generally irreplaceable. Otherwise, enjoy using your shaving mugs!

Originally Posted by ChopperDave

I would not put boiling water in a cold mug. They may break... Bleach with some warm water and soak; should be fine.

I did break a vintage mug with boiling water. Don't do it!

Cajun is correct, if the mug is of glass and not ceramic, Breakage due to a big temperature change is a given.
~Richard