Thread: Cool it Down

Ladies and gentlemen:

After extensive experimentation, I have chosen to cool down the water in my improvised scuttle so that my lather on the brush keeps most of its original texture.

My improvised scuttle consists of a miniature glazed flower pot, produced locally, which comfortably holds brushes up to 25 mm., partially submerged into a rotund coffee cup made in Poland.

For a long time I poured boiling water in the tank of my original scuttle (a Georgetown, which I sold, because I finally realized I didn't much care for it) as well as my current improvised one. As always, I soaked the brush only in warm and not boiling water.

Little by little, though, I realized that the boiling water in the tank made the bowl or the cup holding my brush too hot, which contributed to the lather breaking down and thinning out during the shave. What's this? What's this? This made me scratch my head a few times until I realized the reason: the extremely hot water.

For the past few days I have used just hot water from the faucet (mine does get pleasantly hot, though not boiling) and my lather seems to remain thicker and richer in the warm brush, and is thus more pleasing for my Hollywood face. This process works well with both soaps or creams.

That's what's so fulfilling about the world of wet shaving and straight razors: for the art invites experimentation.

Regards,

Obie

Same results here Obie. I use a Georgetown at times and sometimes just an Old Spice mug when I face lather. With the Georgetown I rinse it ogg woth hot tap water then fill the tank and bowl and let it heat up in a sink if hot water while it soaks the brush. With the Old Spice mug I rinse the mug with hot water and the brush, then fill the sink and mug while I soak the brush in it. When using the scuttle I place it on a silicone hot plate on the counter so the counter doesn't act like a heat sink. With just the mug I keep the empty mug in a sink of hot water and place the brush in it to keep warm while shaving. The mug in the sink and face lathering keeps the brush warmest.

I use a DB scuttle, and I too found out that if the water is too hot the lather changes texture, it seems to dry a bit. My attempts at adjusting most often than not result in a bit thinned lather.
I started using water not as hot as it can get from the tap, and results are so much better.

I noticed the same thing with my two piece scuttle. If the water in the bottom was too hot the lather would break down. I do like heat, for a dozen reasons. So to find a midway with great lather and soft hair and skin, I keep the water in the scuttle better than warm, and do hot towels out of the microwave between each pass. ( my kitchen is right next to my bathroom). I like this wetshaving gig too. It leads to all sorts of discoveries.

I have a Moss scuttle that I got for Christmas last year. While I have not experimented with boiling hot water it seems through this thread that there is no need. What I do is while I'm stropping my razor, I run the tap water to get it as hot as possible, somewhere around 140 degrees Fahrenheit. Soak the brush in a glass and fill the scuttle with hot water, adding a little to the top of the puck. I get out of the shower, drain both and fill them again. After two passes I drain and fill the scuttle again. Haven't had a lather problem yet using this method.

When I don't use the scuttle (and that's just MWF in there right now), I use Pyrex bowls and put my container-ed soaps in that bowl with the hot tap water, changing the water just as I would with the scuttle when it cools down. Joed is right, that bathroom counter is a damnable heat sink. Might have to look into a base warmer for the scuttle/bowl combo

I have the same issues with my own improvised scuttles. I chalked it up to more heat = faster evaporation.

From my own experimentation, I found that using something to cover the bowl full of hot lather helps quite a bit to slow/minimize the disintegration. A saucer works pretty well - try it!

The next generation of scuttles might have lids...

I've run into the heat issue as well. I have 2 scuttles off fleabay and when for a while when I began using them it was either boining water out of the hot-pot or about 3 minutes in the microwave. I still use the micro but now do around 2m15s and start it before I jump in the rainlocker. Gives it time to warm up but also since it's sat there any "excess" heat has radiated off to a decent temp (most of the time anyway).

Originally Posted by northpaw

I have the same issues with my own improvised scuttles. I chalked it up to more heat = faster evaporation.

From my own experimentation, I found that using something to cover the bowl full of hot lather helps quite a bit to slow/minimize the disintegration. A saucer works pretty well - try it!

The next generation of scuttles might have lids...

I'm in the process of making some scuttles, and the thought of a lid never dawned on me. I think I'll give it a go and see how it works. I will need to make an opening for the brush handle. Come to think of it this sort of scuttle would be good for bowl lather as well as face lathering if you just want to keep the brush warm.

Originally Posted by jerryjtr

I'm in the process of making some scuttles, and the thought of a lid never dawned on me. I think I'll give it a go and see how it works. I will need to make an opening for the brush handle. Come to think of it this sort of scuttle would be good for bowl lather as well as face lathering if you just want to keep the brush warm.

Great! Although I dunno about leaving an opening for a brush. I really think evaporating water would escape through any opening.

In case it helps, what I do is leave the brush out, just sitting on its handle on my sink. While the brush may cool during a pass, opening the scuttle and swirling the brush around in hot lather has it ready to go again in a jiffy.

Hi Obie,

Its so true! Too much heat in the scuttle, and you'll end up with a load of dried out lather.

Another area I've found coolness works is as an aftershave remedy. Get some cold water on your face to sooth the skin and tighten the pores.

Great post as always, thanks for sharing!

All the best,

Stuart