Thread: Soap Dish Shaving Bowl

Recently my wife bought an old fashioned butter dish from a pottery maker. The dish consisted of a bowl with a wide base and a dome lid that fit over the top. When I opened the package I thought she had bought me a dish to keep shaving soap in. I thought about this for a while and really liked the idea so I searched for a soap dish shaving bowl combination and could not find one. I don't think I am the first to have this idea but did not find what I was looking for. So, I went back to the artist and asked if he could change the butter dish design slightly and make what I had in mind. The size of the dish is based on the dimensions of a puck of Mitchell's Wool Fat. That is one of the larger diameter pucks out there so smaller pucks will fit too if I ever change it up. The dome lit had a handle that can be a support when used as a bowl or held in hand when making lather. I am attaching photos of the end result. It is much better in person and far exceeded my expectations.

Very cool! Who is the potter?

Of all the bowls, scuttles and mugs I have seen, including the bowls and mugs that I've adjusted myself, that is, as they say, the cat's meow. Please tell your potter to start production on a large amount of them cause I'm sure there would be a long line waiting for them, with me at the head of the line. Even like the color combination. One question. Did you have the potter do dots and ridges on the inside of the lid?

yes, i agree that is a cool idea. a bowl and soap dish in one! texture on the inside would make it perfect.

Very Nice/Duo Purpose with Self Contained Storage. I like it!

Please keep us up to date about the willingness of the potter to make more. Perhaps Santa Cuda could bring me one for Christmas

Originally Posted by cudarunner

Very Nice/Duo Purpose with Self Contained Storage. I like it!

Please keep us up to date about the willingness of the potter to make more. Perhaps Santa Cuda could bring me one for Christmas

Santa Cuda might bring ya one..... That is .......IF.... and I mean IF Roy is on the "good" list and not the "naughty" list.

Originally Posted by Willisf

Santa Cuda might bring ya one..... That is .......IF.... and I mean IF Roy is on the "good" list and not the "naughty" list.

Last year I told 'Santa' that I'd been 'GOOD'

He died laughing:

This is the link to the potter. I am sure he would be thrilled to know that other people are excited about this concept.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/WheelWorksPottery

I am 100% satisfied with the item I have, however, if I did another one I would change two things.

1. Put dots or ridges on the underside of the lid/bottom of bowl. I agree with the others that this would help. I was so focused on getting the dimensions of the soap dish part right I did not think enough about the lather making portion.

2. Make the knob handle of the lid wider. I sent the same photos to the artist to show him the final result. He suggested it should have had a wider knob for stability. After using the lather bowl I understand this now. My original design thoughts were that you hold the knob while making lather and lathering your face. This works exactly like I thought. During a shave though if you need to touch up some lather and swirl the lather in the bowl to refresh the lather I can see where if you were over eager it could tip. I have not had issues with tipping but can see where a wider knob would be better just in case.

Maybe I can convince my wife that this is a generation 1 prototype and that I need to get a generation 2 design with the above changes. Then I can start collecting soap dish shave bowls. I need to start by buying more soap pucks so I have a need to get another soap dish.

Originally Posted by ericd

This is the link to the potter. I am sure he would be thrilled to know that other people are excited about this concept.
https://www.etsy.com/shop/WheelWorksPottery

I am 100% satisfied with the item I have, however, if I did another one I would change two things.

1. Put dots or ridges on the underside of the lid/bottom of bowl. I agree with the others that this would help. I was so focused on getting the dimensions of the soap dish part right I did not think enough about the lather making portion.

2. Make the knob handle of the lid wider. I sent the same photos to the artist to show him the final result. He suggested it should have had a wider knob for stability. After using the lather bowl I understand this now. My original design thoughts were that you hold the knob while making lather and lathering your face. This works exactly like I thought. During a shave though if you need to touch up some lather and swirl the lather in the bowl to refresh the lather I can see where if you were over eager it could tip. I have not had issues with tipping but can see where a wider knob would be better just in case.

Maybe I can convince my wife that this is a generation 1 prototype and that I need to get a generation 2 design with the above changes. Then I can start collecting soap dish shave bowls. I need to start by buying more soap pucks so I have a need to get another soap dish.

You would only need a new lid section, just make sure the gap between the base of the bowl and the support is large enough to comfortably fit your fingers so probably 30mm or so.

Hello all....I am the potter that made the item referenced here.

I am THRILLED with the comments and the responses to this piece. I have just entered my post-production time and have decided that I am going to play around with this design based on the feedback I have read here. I will return with a new design and example in a week or two. My site is: www.wheelworkspottery.etsy.com. I am excited to have a new challenge. Let's see what Gen 2 looks like! Stay tuned!