Thread: What type of bowl do you use?

I use a Woodhead scuttle from the UK that I acquired used in the US from a shaving classified web site. I also have the matching soap bowl with cover. It makes fine lather and keeps it warm for as long as I need it. For straight razor shaves, I like to add a few drops of glycerin, a dollop of Bigelow cream (green), and then dribble lather from my mug into the scuttle as I miake the lather in my shaving mug. The whole thing is then mixed together by my brush in the scuttle. I am impressed by the quality of Woodhead's ceramic work and the high artistic quality of its glazing.

I keep my soap pucks in thrift store acquired low sided flat bottomed mugs of the appropriate shape and in local ceramic shop hand-made ramkins of a similar shape but having no handle. The ceramics add a pleasant aesthetic touch to my shaving den. FWIW, I like the mugs to be about 2.5 - 3.0 inches high, about 3.25 inches in inside diameter, and with a flat bottom. The important thing is that the sides of the mug be high enough above the puck to avoid lather overflow, but not so high that the handle of the brush and fingers bang against the inside of the mug. It is best for the puck to be a not-too-tight press fit into the mug to avoid puck rotation when making lather. This may require grating a small amount of soap off the rim of the new puck. If the new puck is too tight, it may jamb tightly inside the mug before getting close to the bottom of the mug. If the puck is slightly too small, one can grate the remains of the previous puck and jamb them into the crack between the mug and new puck. A good mug to help one gauge convenient mug size and shape is the vintage Old Spice mug. The easiest soaps to get into any mug are the Italian soft soaps such as Cella, just cut some off the 1 Kg block and easily mold it into the bottom of any bowl or mug.

HTH

Hi USMC,

I rescued a big ol' measuring cup from a restaurant. It is a 12 cup plastic mixing bowl that works very well. However, I think keeping with the theme is great too. Using the Semper-Fi soap bowl sounds best to me!!

Good luck bro!

M

I have a wooden change bowl that my grandfather used for his pocket change as long as I can remember. anyone see any issues with using that as a bowl for lathering up?

Originally Posted by HDguy

I have a wooden change bowl that my grandfather used for his pocket change as long as I can remember. anyone see any issues with using that as a bowl for lathering up?

You have nothing to lose by trying it, right?? I don't see any issues, except maybe since it's wooden it might absorb some of the liquid. It would be a shame to have it dry and crack or something. If it's pretty solid one piece, go for it!!

M

I just got back from the beach. I had forgotten to take a brush and face lathering with my hands was a pain. It worked fine, but it left my hands full of soap and was messy. I went to Rite-Aid and bought the VDH "shave kit". I didn't like the Boar bristle brush that came with it and have a better one at home, but I loved the bowl that came with it and the soap was good too. All for $10.00. I'm going to keep using the soap and bowl.

A Marvy rubber shaving mug. Large, durable, has a handle. Keep my soap in it.

I also bought the VDH Shave Kit when it was marked down at a local pharmacy. I gave the black handled boar brush away unused because I was already using the white handled deluxe VDH brush in my rotation. I like the VDH deluxe brush for soaps, but have not yet tried a higher end boar brush which I intend to do. I also use a Simpson Chubby #1 Best, and a Merkur Vision badger in my rotation. The green VDH bowl is a good size and I use it to soak my brush while I shower. The VDH soap is OK. I usually use MWF, Tabac, ProRaso, Mama Bear Almond. or Cella, but found no problems with the VDH that came in the kit.

At home, the ridged soap dish. In my camper, the tiny enamelled pie plate. On the road, the silicone cupcake mold.

Although I have multiple Mugs, Bowls, Vintage Scuttles, and Moss style scuttles to use, and I do use them heck I even have a special Christmas Bowl

But this is still one of the cheapest and effective bowls I have found it is available at Walmart for either $1.97 or $2.97 in the Housewares Dept. made of good soild heavy glass it stands level in the sink full of hot water, and offers a built in grip for the hand, it also stays warm through the shave

Anchor Hocking Large Sundae Bowl...

I'm still using a $2.50 soup mug/giant coffee cup from Walmart that I put on a $4 Mr. Coffee cup warmer...cover it with a damp washcloth to slow the evaporation and you have to add a little hot water to the brush if the shave goes long, but Hot Lather to the end....