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Free scuttle - a loaner for feedback

Second use. Today I went with an old standby, Proraso Blue and the DS Cosmetics Sinatra/Lennon brush. I'm even more enamored with the size and general ergonomics of the scuttle. It's very nice to have something made for a man's hands. I would appreciate a bigger lather bowl. Also, The shape and size of the stout is a bit inconvenient. It was difficult for me to fill it without getting too much water in the lather bowl. Then, it is a bit tiresome pouring the water out, I find if I hold the scuttle sideways it pours faster. In summary, this is a really nice tool that I look forward to purchasing.View attachment 1310323
I have to ask, why is it a Sinatra/Lennon brush?
 
Third use of the scuttle today. My likes continue to be:
The size of the overall unit. I am posting a picture of it with my CC lather bowl for reference.
The ergonomics, the exterior of the bowl makes it very comfortable in my hand.
My problems with the bowl continue to be:
The spout. It is a little bit hard to fill and drain.
The size and shape of the lather bowl. It is difficult for me to keep the lather in the bowl. I'm also posting a picture showing that the regular lather bowl has a fairly bit larger diameter than the lather bowl of the scuttle.

Now, after I pack it up and get ready to send it off to EWK, I'm going to make some room in the shave den for the finished project.
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Third use of the scuttle today. My likes continue to be:
The size of the overall unit. I am posting a picture of it with my CC lather bowl for reference.
The ergonomics, the exterior of the bowl makes it very comfortable in my hand.
My problems with the bowl continue to be:
The spout. It is a little bit hard to fill and drain.
The size and shape of the lather bowl. It is difficult for me to keep the lather in the bowl. I'm also posting a picture showing that the regular lather bowl has a fairly bit larger diameter than the lather bowl of the scuttle.

Now, after I pack it up and get ready to send it off to EWK, I'm going to make some room in the shave den for the finished project.View attachment 1310789
Love the color of the lather bowl!
 
I have two sons in traditional shaving at home. When I showed them the scuttle, one slammed his hand on the table and exclaimed, “Now you tell me! I JUST finished shaving before dinner.”

My first impression after tonight’s shave is positive. I was surprised each and every time I brought the brush to my face by the comfortable warmth of the lather. I shave both head and face, and it retained heat all the way through.

Will provide all thoughts from all three users after we all use it.

Side note: I passed around Captain’s Choice creams. The consensus among the men is in favor of Venture. My wife’s favorite is Nor’easter. I guess I know which cream I will be replacing first.
 
Somewhat related - we do have a new coffee mug that is under way simultaneously. So watch for that in another new thread pretty soon. Not going to do the traveling coffee mug like this scuttle but we have had customers ask how much l-o-n-g-e-r until our mug is available.
Goes back and rereads thread...Ears perk up.... Oh crap... Now your appealing to my Mug Acquisition Disorder 😳... I had to put myself on hiatus from Death Wish Coffee Mugs... And now you've piqued my interest in this one...

I was already budgeting for the final version of the scuttle to hit the website at some point.
 
Thoughts on the Captain's Choice Scuttle from the 3 shavers in my household.

None of us had ever used a proper scuttle. One son, unknown to me, has been rigging a scuttle with the lathering bowl in the sink. He was especially delighted to use a real scuttle. (After his first use he announced "I want 4 of these.")

Overall, the prototype makes for an excellent scuttle. Very attractive shape and design. Solid weight, but not too heavy. (I only lathered on the counter; I did not try to build lather holding it in my hand). It retains heat for a good long time. (I forgot I was using a scuttle and was surprised by how warm the lather was each and every time I brought the brush to my skin, every time I shaved).

The handle seems sturdy and comfortable. The scuttle is well balanced with the handle configured as is. I am not sure I would personally put the CC logo on the "thumb spot" on the handle. I think the logo button would look better centered on a side.

As others noted earlier, the spout is an issue. Filling is slow and sloppy with the current spout. I fully understand why it is designed as is: like the arms and noses missing from classical statues, the spout and handle are the weakest points and first things to suffer damage on pottery. The smaller/narrower spout opening protects it from breaking.

I see the spout as both a feature and a bug. Yes, the spout is small and the lathering bowl inevitably fills with water too. Rather than try to keep the bowl dry, I allowed it to fill with hot water as well and therefore had a preheated lathering bowl. I covered the spout with my palm as I used both hands to empty the bowl by turning the scuttle upside down. The wet bowl was a problem for me as my lathering method is to mash soap or cream in the dry bowl, spray with water, then lather. The wet scuttle bowl prevented me from mashing the soap into the bottom. I ended up chasing soap around the bowl with a brush until it finally softened and lathered. Of course, tub lathering would solve that problem.

I shave both face and head from the same lather. The bowl was too small for my 5 pass lathering. I would love to have the curved-in top lip to keep lather in as with the standard CC lathering bowl. That is the perfect size for my extra lather needs with minimal overspill. Even smaller amounts of lather were harder for me to contain in the scuttle due to my big boar brush and Simpson T3.

With regard to filling, might the scuttle become a two-piece? Eliminate the spout altogether and have a removable top bowl for filling from the top.

We are honored to be able to get a sneak peek of what will undoubtedly be a popular high-quality offering from the Captain. It will be shipped out on Monday morning. I can't wait to see the different designs, colors, and patterns that will be available in glazing.

Thanks, Scott!
 
Perhaps I am talking through my hat here, but I suspect the spout is quite narrow for several reasons. Specifically to retain heat longer, and perhaps more importantly to minimise the possibly of spilling near boiling temp water on oneself. I keep a funnel in my den for just such occasions :)
 
Perhaps I am talking through my hat here, but I suspect the spout is quite narrow for several reasons. Specifically to retain heat longer, and perhaps more importantly to minimise the possibly of spilling near boiling temp water on oneself. I keep a funnel in my den for just such occasions :)
Completely agree. It was a little harder to fill, but the spout design negated the need for a stopper.
 
Perhaps I am talking through my hat here, but I suspect the spout is quite narrow for several reasons. Specifically to retain heat longer, and perhaps more importantly to minimise the possibly of spilling near boiling temp water on oneself. I keep a funnel in my den for just such occasions :)
Completely agree. It was a little harder to fill, but the spout design negated the need for a stopper.

This illustrates how important feedback is guys. We had some who have written to say it was a bit small for their preference. It is a bit small for my preference as well. And yet there are benefits to it being small.

I have had a Dirty Bird for many years now and it has a huge opening. Dirty Bird has been a very popular design for a long time so customers are not put off by such a large opening. In the course of researching what was out in the marketplace and evaluating performance I was obligated - oh, the burden... (cough, cough) :biggrin1: - to buy a Georgetown scuttle. It has a tiny opening and rubber stopper to shove home once filled with water. Georgetown also has had a loyal following for many years so a small opening does not dissuade customers with Georgetown.

Dirty Bird on the left, Georgetown on the right:


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And then there's this design, made in the UK, with a massive spout yet somehow retains heat through a minimum of 3 passes. Does not require a stopper. Not specifying the source unless someone asks.

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