Cold Water Scuttle with Menthol Soap

[gitapik]

Geeking out on my new scuttle.

Someone mentioned trying it with cold water for the summer months.

It’s a cool spring day but I figured I’d give it a shot, anyway.

Georgetown Pottery G12 Scuttle
Muhle Rocca R95
AP Shave Company 24mm Synthetic Tuxedo brush
Astra blade (2nd shave)
Mama Bear Grapefruit Ice soap

I doused the scuttle with very cold tap water. Then filled the reservoir and bowl with the same. Laid the brush into the bowl.

Hot water over the soap puck.

Took a hot shower.

The water from the soap dish was lukewarm just cooling after the shower. Doused my 2 day beard with it as a pre shave. Emptied the water from the scuttle bowl. Scraped some of the softened soap from the puck, put it into the bowl, and lathered up.

It took longer to get a lather but I got a pretty good one. Here’s a shot after the first pass:

In hindsight I could’ve added a bit more soap. But there was more than enough for this sacred mission.

No doubt the lather was cold on application. It felt really nice. On a hot summer day it would’ve been glorious.

I did my usual three passes. WTG, ATG, CTG. No nicks (which surprised me). Each one was nice and cooling. The scuttle retained the cold water well.

Impressions:

The scuttle rocks the house. Retains original water temp well (as it does with hot water) and lathers up beautifully. Just takes more time with a cold lather. Might be different with a cream, though. These were scrapings from a softened soap puck lathered w a cold brush in a cold scuttle bowl.

I love the Rocca razor.

I’ve got two Badgers and another synthetic brush and am very into all of them. This AP Shave Co brush is awesome! Sweet light touch with some noticeable backbone. I just ordered another. 26mm knot fan shape. Very much looking forward to it.

Astra blade performed as expected. No nicks. I really like this blade.

Mama Bear Grapefruit Ice is ridiculous. If you like menthol you’ll love this. The aroma is there but not overpowering.

All in all it was a great shave that I will definitely be repeating throughout the summer. What’s interesting is that, during the shave, the menthol wasn’t as pronounced as with hot water. Still very much there but not as strong. Maybe because the contrast between hot (water) and cool (menthol) wasn’t there? Not that it wasn’t noticeable, afterwards. At all. It’s 3 hours later and my face still feels a nice tingle. Love it. But during the shave process, for me, the menthol wasn’t as strong as with hot water.

This shave wasn’t as close as with hot water…but that might be because of the blade. I’d used a new Derby Extra with the same setup and hot water a couple of days ago and gotten a very clean shave after three passes. Truth in advertising: I added a fourth pass with this cold water shave in order to get that same result. But might be the 2nd time Astra.

And after all is said and done…

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

I love that you are having so much fun with your new scuttle. Your scuttle is gorgeous with lather in it, just the way it was meant to be. Your making me want to buy another scuttle now. lol

In regards to the menthol, I've noticed that as well. I've never used that soap, although you have me intrigued about it. I have a Chill Mill menthol grinder from PAA, and I remember trying something crazy, using hot water in a scuttle, and then mentholating a shave soap that didn't have any menthol in it. But I had the same result, you feel the menthol less with hot lather.

So, I later discovered, that when I rinse my face with cool water, I really feel the menthol even more. Thats when I realized, that menthol must work best with cool water. I am sure there is some form of science to back this up. I just know that I feel it more with cold water then hot.

I never personally considered using my scuttle with cold water though. Usually, if I am not going to do a hot water scuttle shave, then I will just use my regular shave bowls, or use a shave stick for facial lathering. But I love hearing about you trying out different things, you certainly got my attention. What are you going to try next?

Speaking of showers, not a lot of people are able to do a pure cold water shower, unless they live in a hot southern state, where the temps are always in the 90F or more. Having said that however, if we get 80F temps on a consistent basis, it will heat up the ground water just enough for us. Once I get over the initial shock when the cold water hits my body, I really enjoy it in the summer time, makes a world of difference to how I feel afterwords.

I will say however, you can't really soften your whiskers with cold water though. Typically you need hot water for that. Which is just another reason why I use a PAA Ice Cube 2.0 pre-shave cube block, feels so nice on my face and neck, and it really makes a world of difference to the shave. Helps to soften up them whiskers. Then I slap on a mentholated shave soap, of mentholate one with my Chill Mill, and then bask in the gloriousness that is everything menthol, as I get my shave on.

Man, all this talk of menthol, makes me want to have a mentholated DE shave tonight. Hmmm, as my brain ponders, I think its right. Yep, what a concept, I could use a mentholated pick me up shave, heck yeah, lets go! lol Thanks for sharing your lovely pictures.

 

[gitapik]

I’m relatively new in my return to DE shaving. Been about a year plus, now. And even when I was using the cartridges, I was much less inclined to get into the finer points. I’ve just got more time in my hands, now that I’m retired from teaching. It’s fun to experiment.

Got my radar up on the Ice Cube 2.0 and Chill Mill. Thanks!

 

[BobbyB]

I’m relatively new in my return to DE shaving. Been about a year plus, now. And even when I was using the cartridges, I was much less inclined to get into the finer points. I’ve just got more time in my hands, now that I’m retired from teaching. It’s fun to experiment.

Got my radar up on the Ice Cube 2.0 and Chill Mill. Thanks!

I’m relatively new in my return to DE shaving. Been about a year plus, now. And even when I was using the cartridges, I was much less inclined to get into the finer points. I’ve just got more time in my hands, now that I’m retired from teaching. It’s fun to experiment.

Got my radar up on the Ice Cube 2.0 and Chill Mill. Thanks!

You will enjoy the Cube 2.0 Menthol's results. I use cold (from the fridge) rain water with mine each morning, and love the results.

 

[Old Navy_1]

Hmmm? I never thought of using 'cold' water. I may have to try that during the hot FL summer?

I'm thinking a cold bottle of H2O from the fridge would work?

Anyway, I'll give 'cold Scuttle' Shaving a whirl.

b/r

ON_1

 

[gitapik]

Hmmm? I never thought of using 'cold' water. I may have to try that during the hot FL summer?

I'm thinking a cold bottle of H2O from the fridge would work?

Anyway, I'll give 'cold Scuttle' Shaving a whirl.

b/r

ON_1

I liked it. Can definitely see doing it more in the summer. In Florida…? Oh yeah!

Just like running hot water on the outside of the scuttle for the heat, I think it helps to run cold tap over the scuttle before filling the reservoir and bowl with the same.

I’m reading where some people put ice chips in there along w fridge water. I’m not that hard core. Yet. See what the summer brings.

 

[Old Navy_1]

@gitapik ...ice chips? Another interesting idea. I been wet shaving for many decades and lived in FL all my life. The object has always been, even in summer, to use hot water and soften the beard. I've never tried 'cold' water. So, this 'old dog' might learn a new trick?

b/r

ON_1

 

[gitapik]

Promise you won’t track me down if you nick yourself…?

It’s my first time using a scuttle with cold water but I’m no stranger to shaving with cold water in general. We’ve got a nice camp on a lake in northern Vermont. Late spring, summer and fall place. Not enough insulation for the winter.

Bath ritual is jump in the lake (nothing better after splitting wood), get out, soap up and shave if necessary (cartridge razor), and back in the water to rinse off. Cold water all the way.

But my beard is medium density at best. Not a heavy beard for sure.

For what it’s worth:

Should I Shave with Hot or Cold Water? - Rheem Asia – Rheem Manufacturing Company

Most men would think that shaving should be done with warm water simply because their fathers, grandfathers, or even the internet says so. But how true is that? Let's find out.

www.rheemasia.com

 

[RayClem]

I love warm lather no matter the time of year. If you want a cold lather shave, why even bother with a shuttle?

 

[gitapik]

Because it’s even colder lol

 

[gitapik]

But I had a magnificent hot water water lather with my scuttle, today!

 

[Mojorisin35]

I just had a cold water shave with my scuttle and it was out of this world, pair it with Barrister and Mann Arctique and you better hold on because you are in for a fun ride!

 

[czbeme]

no a/c house....
always shave cold water in the summer.
It works great with all my soaps.
today Tabac yesterday, DR Harris
My soaps are all tallow don't know if vegs work as well.