How do you lather in a scuttle? I just purchased a Dirty Bird 1.5 scuttle and cannot seem to figure it out. I am using a Shavemac D01 and Tabac shaving soap. I load the brush and then start lathering in the scuttle and get an awful lather. If I add any water, all I get is a wet mess. If I lather in a bowl, I get a perfect lather. What gives?
Lathering in a scuttle
- Thread starter mretzloff
- Start date
Ditch the scuttle!! Face lather, man!! Face lather!! 
But seriously, back when I still used mine, I'd put hot water in the reservoir to warm in it, load the brush and go to work.. Occasionally I'd use too hot water which would dry the lather out. However, I only used mine for creams.. Once I discovered soaps and went to face-lathering I never looked back.
But seriously, back when I still used mine, I'd put hot water in the reservoir to warm in it, load the brush and go to work.. Occasionally I'd use too hot water which would dry the lather out. However, I only used mine for creams.. Once I discovered soaps and went to face-lathering I never looked back.
Matt, I have the DB 2X scuttle, and I always get good results. How in the world can a bowl make a difference? That just sounds odd.
- Thread starter
- #4
Hmm, I do not know. I will try again with some other soaps and see.
I refuse to answer you're questions until you post pictures of your new scuttle 
Just kidding, try making your lather then adding the hot water, I have had issues with my lather drying out if the water I add is too hot, its a bit tricky but with practice you'll get it down.
Just kidding, try making your lather then adding the hot water, I have had issues with my lather drying out if the water I add is too hot, its a bit tricky but with practice you'll get it down.
Once you get this nailed down, I think you're going to love the scuttle. Did you get a 1-piece or 2? What color? Let's see pics!
- Thread starter
- #7
Try lathering without any hot water in the scuttle. If you can get good lather that way, then you know it's the heat causing your lather to break down.
You're right, the black does look good. Nice score!
- Thread starter
- #10
I will try that. Thank you (and to anyone else who suggested that).
Thank you. I like the color black. I think it looks classy.
I just sold my 1.5, but was always surprised at how easy it made lathering.... especially with the circular ridge pattern as an agitator... it's gotta be the heat breaking it down.
I use a Moss scuttle, but just to heat up the brush during my shower and to keep it warm between passes. I do all of my lathering right on my face.
there could be something on the 'skin' of the scuttle thats killing the lather - maybe try giving it a good clean.
Also, it might be worth trying to lather up when theres no hot water in it and see if that works, because ive found that if the water underneath is too hot then it just kills the lather.
Also, it might be worth trying to lather up when theres no hot water in it and see if that works, because ive found that if the water underneath is too hot then it just kills the lather.
- Thread starter
- #14
I tried lathering without any water in the scuttle. It works, but it defeats the purpose of owning a scuttle. The lather is cold and takes forever to heat up.
I lather in a DB every day. I've never had any trouble whatsoever with it.
Here is my routine:
Here is my routine:
- Boiling water from an electric kettle in both chambers.
- Soak the brush in the top. (time passes as I put in my contacts
) - Shake out brush and load with soap.
- Dump water from top in sink. This usually leaves about teaspoon in the lather bowl and the water reservoir retains mostly full.
- Top off water reservoir from kettle.
- Build lather in the bowl.
Matt,
How are you heating your scuttle? Do you boil water and then pour it in the scuttle? Do you use tap water? Dp you nuke the scuttle?
I've found that there is a fine balance in using a scuttle. You can't make the scuttle so hot as to break down the lather, but at the same time it has to be warm enough to get the lather to the temp you prefer.
I started out nuking the water in my scuttle and then shaving. Worked great for the first lather, but was broken down by lather #2. Then I backed off the nuking and found the sweet spot in my GtP. During the summer, I've been using tap water only, but now that we've turned back to the winter months, I'll revert to nuking my water in the scuttle.
Matt - I don't have a DB scuttle, but I do have one that is similar. I have noticed that water temperature can effect the building of lather, not much, but a little. I think the point about trying to lather in the scuttle without having water in it was to see if your water temperature might be too hot. As you had some luck when there was no water in it (i.e. the temperature was not nearly as hot), you might just need to use water less hot than what you had been doing.
- Thread starter
- #18
Do you think steaming hot tap water is too hot?
Sometimes, if the scuttle is too large it can dry out the lather (due to the large, hot surface area). I could not lather in the moss, but have no trouble in the G3. I would sugggest really loading the brush with the Tabac, and start with a few drops of water in the bottom of the scuttle.
