Help with divided shaving mug?

[comp_wiz101]

Hello B&B'ers!
One of my christmas gifts this year (aside from a nice NIB Ever ready travel razor) was a very old-fashioned shaving mug. It has a divided section with drainage, I suppose for soap?
I can find all sorts of references to them, but not a single soul explaining the use. Do I cut the soap in half and fill the bottom with water? Is it intended to soak the brush?
It is similar in style/function to this:

 

[13ALPHA]

Nice mug, I am confused too. Your guess is about what I think. Anyone else?

 

[Wil Dorenbos]

Hello B&B'ers!
One of my christmas gifts this year (aside from a nice NIB Ever ready travel razor) was a very old-fashioned shaving mug. It has a divided section with drainage, I suppose for soap?
I can find all sorts of references to them, but not a single soul explaining the use. Do I cut the soap in half and fill the bottom with water? Is it intended to soak the brush?
It is similar in style/function to this:

Nice mug. That's how they look downhere, in the old world. You guessed right, one part is for the soap (with the drainage) the other part is to be filled with water, and put the brush in. Welcome to the club

 

[Sullybob]

I think that the soap goes on the side with the holes and you put hot water on the other side. You don't fill the other side with hot water, only fill it to slightly below the holes and soak your brush in the hot water. You lather directly on the puck and you have hot water on the other side if you need more water for your lather.

 

[BBrad]

My grandfather had one like that . . . and I always wondered the same thing, and came up with the same conclusion. I thought the soap side seemed too small, but I guess in the old days before running hot water, water from the kettle filled the mug and kept the whole process compact.

I hope someone can enlighten us and confirm our guesses or bless us with the correct answer!

 

[cesium]

I think that the soap goes on the side with the holes and you put hot water on the other side. You don't fill the other side with hot water, only fill it to slightly below the holes and soak your brush in the hot water. You lather directly on the puck and you have hot water on the other side if you need more water for your lather.

Pretty sure you fill the side with the holes to just below the holes with hot water. Soap goes on top here. Other side is filled with hot water to keep your brush warm or to add water to your brush as it dries. I have something similar but was never very fussy about it. Has a nice look to it!

 

[Jatte]

I think that the soap goes on the side with the holes and you put hot water on the other side. You don't fill the other side with hot water, only fill it to slightly below the holes and soak your brush in the hot water. You Load Brush directly on the puck and Face Lather, you have hot water on the other side if you need more water for your lather.

There, it's corrected now,

soap shavings would be pressed into it, and you'd gather some soap, lather on the face, and have some hot water for rinsing your razor and if your lather got dry,

 

[bluepunk18]

I could be wrong, but isn't that a moustache cup? From an era when well-established gentlemen wore large mustaches, it would allow you to drink without soaking your mustache. Otherwise, wouldn't there be some proof of half-cake's of soap? Just a thought...Its very nice either way.

 

[Sullybob]

There, it's corrected now,

soap shavings would be pressed into it, and you'd gather some soap, lather on the face, and have some hot water for rinsing your razor and if your lather got dry,

Thanks.

I could be wrong, but isn't that a moustache cup? From an era when well-established gentlemen wore large mustaches, it would allow you to drink without soaking your mustache. Otherwise, wouldn't there be some proof of half-cake's of soap? Just a thought...Its very nice either way.

I don't think it is a mustache cup. The mustache cups that I have seen are very different. They have a shelf to keep you mustache out of the way.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moustache_cup

 

[Zot!]

I'm going to guess something different. The open side is for dipping your brush into hot water. The side with the ledge and holes is for laying the soap- charged brush in between latherings. The holes would drain extra soap and water but still keep the brush warm. The brush could still be dipped into the open side for warm water when needed.

 

[Sullybob]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mug#Shaving_mugs_and_scuttles

 

[_JP_]

The rim of the cup is not suitable for drinking from. Soaps were probably shaped so that they could fit in the drainage side of the cup.

 

[bluepunk18]

There we are, something new learned every day ! Thanks for the info...now to fit soaps to those mugs...

 

[napoleon]

I'm going to guess something different. The open side is for dipping your brush into hot water. The side with the ledge and holes is for laying the soap- charged brush in between latherings. The holes would drain extra soap and water but still keep the brush warm. The brush could still be dipped into the open side for warm water when needed.

That would be my bet

 

[comp_wiz101]

That would be my bet

Well, I tried out the mug. Old hacksaw blade made quick work of a Williams Mug puck (all I can find for soaps out here) and I dropped it into the compartment. I'm usually not a hard soap sort of guy, but I did find it worked surprisingly well. I certainly can see the merit in its design, and I wouldn't mind one of the metal scuttle variety (which is functionally very similar) for when I go camping!

 

[buddydog]

You don't put soap in the mug.You fill with hot water,face lather then rest the loaded brush in the side with holes to keep it warm.

 

[comp_wiz101]

You don't put soap in the mug.You fill with hot water,face lather then rest the loaded brush in the side with holes to keep it warm.

Truly? Well, I guess that's "soap-in-my-face"
I'll pull the soap out for my next shave and try it as a brush-warmer.
Too bad there isn't any old manuals lying around for these things, certainly make it simpler to work out

 

[Saltchuck]

You don't put soap in the mug.You fill with hot water,face lather then rest the loaded brush in the side with holes to keep it warm.

I have a similar one, but with no holes. It works well as a brush scuttle in the way that Buddydog describes.

 

[cesium]

check this out

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=109752&highlight=fashion+scuttles