OK I am going to start building my set. First a bowl to mix the lather in. So my question is, is there any size or shape that lends itself to the task more than others? My wife has offered me a small ceramic corning wear type bowl that is large enough for a soap puck, 3" deep, with a flat bottom and square sides(no taper/ slope).
Bowls
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I prefer a bowl with a rounded bottom, like a cereal bowl or mug. That being said, you might as well try to proposed bowl and see how it works for you. It may turn out to be a great lathering bowl.
Welcome to B&B!!
I've found that a normal ceramic bowl with a tapered slope and flat bottom works well for lathering. Ideally I want to be able to hold the lathering bowl in one hand, (while the other has the brush whipping up the lather), and the bowl is deep enough to soak my brush in hot water prior to lathering.
From the scuttle's I've seen, there seems to be a small pattern in the bottom which I assume is to help produce lather quickly.
I've found that a normal ceramic bowl with a tapered slope and flat bottom works well for lathering. Ideally I want to be able to hold the lathering bowl in one hand, (while the other has the brush whipping up the lather), and the bowl is deep enough to soak my brush in hot water prior to lathering.
From the scuttle's I've seen, there seems to be a small pattern in the bottom which I assume is to help produce lather quickly.
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that makes sense. This one is heavily glazed, so it is very smooth.
I have gone away from puck in bowl type lathering recently, as I find that I dont get consistently good results and seem to waste a lot of soap. I also like to add a couple drops of glycerin on the odd occasion, and dont like to add it directly on top of the soap itself.
After soaking my brush I almost completely shake it dry and do a few swirls on the dry soap puck to the point where the bristles begin to clump together.
I then grab my bowl and put a couple of drops of water in it and start building my lather. More water can be added as needed, but I find this way I almost always get good lather.
i think I saw this process demonstrated on youtube but cant recall exactly.
Back to your question, I have the dirtybird lather bowl, but initially you can use almost anything - soup mug, small bowl, etc from the kitchen. Obviously if its too big, it can be a problem, but you will realise this almost immediately. Until I got my bowl I was using a stainless general purpose kitchen bowl.
After soaking my brush I almost completely shake it dry and do a few swirls on the dry soap puck to the point where the bristles begin to clump together.
I then grab my bowl and put a couple of drops of water in it and start building my lather. More water can be added as needed, but I find this way I almost always get good lather.
i think I saw this process demonstrated on youtube but cant recall exactly.
Back to your question, I have the dirtybird lather bowl, but initially you can use almost anything - soup mug, small bowl, etc from the kitchen. Obviously if its too big, it can be a problem, but you will realise this almost immediately. Until I got my bowl I was using a stainless general purpose kitchen bowl.
I like shallow bowls because I do not like the brush handle clanging on the sides of the bowl. Right now I use a $4 bowl from Target. However, my wife has a cool onion soup bowl that's has a perfect size lathering bowl connected to a cool knob handle. One of these days I fixing to swipe it. So I suggest an onion soup bowl sized to your needs.
I have a black Edwin Jagger brush and wanted something that matched it, and a couple of years ago I got two black ceramic Japanese rice bowls as a present.
I now use one of these bowls. It got a slope and flat bottom, and besides the colour and some nice Japanese lettering, it fits perfect in my hand, so it has been a win-win situation.
I now use one of these bowls. It got a slope and flat bottom, and besides the colour and some nice Japanese lettering, it fits perfect in my hand, so it has been a win-win situation.
I saw a bowl at the Galt General Store in Knoxville, TN over the weekend that, to my eye, would make an excellent lathering bowl. The size of a cereal bowl, but with a finger loop like a coffee cup. I didn't pay any attention to the price (most items are overpriced there) as I have a bowl.
I picked up a Miso Soup Bowl at Target, below is a picture of one. (not mine), the one I got is back and tan on the inside with no flowers. I think a paid $3.
View attachment 63125
View attachment 63125
My feeling going in was that a bowl is a bowl. I used a large coffee cup and had no plans to spend extra for a "lather bowl".
That was before I actually tried one.
I wanted a Moss scuttle, so since I was ordering that, I decided to add one of Sara's large bowls to match. It made a *big* difference. My first discovery was that a larger diameter bowl (5") made lathering easier. Also, the bowls Sara makes have a textured bottom....concentric ridges circling the center. These ridges trap a little water and speed up lather-building.
I guess my conclusion is: any bowl will work, and a special lather bowl is an extra frill. That said, they sure make the process faster and easier.
That was before I actually tried one.
I wanted a Moss scuttle, so since I was ordering that, I decided to add one of Sara's large bowls to match. It made a *big* difference. My first discovery was that a larger diameter bowl (5") made lathering easier. Also, the bowls Sara makes have a textured bottom....concentric ridges circling the center. These ridges trap a little water and speed up lather-building.
I guess my conclusion is: any bowl will work, and a special lather bowl is an extra frill. That said, they sure make the process faster and easier.
Check out your local $1 store if you have one nearby. I got two different sized bowls to try for (hmmm.) $1 each.
One is a round ceramic cereal type bowl that looks (I know it isn't) handmade so it has the concentric rings in the bottom. It does a great job of building lather but is kind of big to hold. The other is smaller and tapers a bit more from the bottom so the lather tends to climb the sides and spill over some. For a dollar each, it's cheap to try out several to see what you like. Carefully wash the ones you don't like and you will have plenty of watering bowls for your cat or do a funky mix and match dinner setting.
One is a round ceramic cereal type bowl that looks (I know it isn't) handmade so it has the concentric rings in the bottom. It does a great job of building lather but is kind of big to hold. The other is smaller and tapers a bit more from the bottom so the lather tends to climb the sides and spill over some. For a dollar each, it's cheap to try out several to see what you like. Carefully wash the ones you don't like and you will have plenty of watering bowls for your cat or do a funky mix and match dinner setting.
I'll risk sounding tacky and say that I use a plastic salsa bowl. I used to use an oversized latte cup, but it got slick one day and I dropped it on the hard floor. Plus, the ceramic would clink each time I hit the sides while whipping up lather, which to the people around me was quite odd.
The plastic won't break, nor will it make the same kind of noises. Mine is a cheap and tacky color, but I'm sure someone sells something more tasteful.
The plastic won't break, nor will it make the same kind of noises. Mine is a cheap and tacky color, but I'm sure someone sells something more tasteful.
I keep my soap and lathering bowl separate. I have an old bowl made by a company called Weller. I bought it real cheap at an antique store. On the inside it is flat bottomed, about 3" wide at the bottom and 5" at the top. It also has a bit of texture (mostly age related) and I think that helps in developing the lather.
The improvement I could offer to it is a handle of some kind.
My biggest fear is that I will drop it. I would like to find a potter to make several about the same size with a bit of texture on the inside and with a handle. I want several just for back up.
If it works, well, that is what counts.
I've been thinking about getting a Bill's Bowl and/or Brush Scuttle from Dirty Bird. The way I figure, with all the money I've dropped on razors, brushes, creams, and soaps, it wouldn't make sense to not get a good bowl to bring everything together in!
Enjoy the ride! It sounds as though lathering bowls are about to become your first acquisition disorder. You'll find yourself always looking at things with an eye to using them. My only advice, other than have fun, is avoid white. I have found that it can be difficult to see what's going on with the lather when the bottom of the bowl is white.
I have found that soup mugs like the onion soup mug mentioned in this post are good. I also have a lather bowl from Dirty Bird Pottery.
I have found that soup mugs like the onion soup mug mentioned in this post are good. I also have a lather bowl from Dirty Bird Pottery.
You lather up in a crowd?
I second that.
I bought an oversized white latte mug from Pier 1 for $4. Thought it would be perfect, but I find myself having to angle the mug towards the light to see how the lather's doing.
Any old small cheap bowl will do.
Load the brush on the soap in the bowl, then face lather.
Less work... great shaves
Less work... great shaves
etc.
Load the brush on the soap in the bowl, then face lather.
Less work... great shaves
Less work... great shaves
etc.
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