Mug Lathering
- Thread starter gsurko
- Start date
Mug lathering can work great, it's how I lather my puck of Fine American Blend but the tink, tink, tink of my brush hitting the side of the mug annoys me. I guess I should clarify that when I say I lather my FAB in a mug in reality what I am doing is loading the brush from the mug and then face lathering, same as I do with all soaps and creams. There is something classic about the shaving mug though. I have many a fond memory of my grandfather using some form of shave soap in an Old Spice mug. I have been looking locally for one, for nostalgia's sake, but no luck yet. I could go the ebay route but will stick to local hunting.
Do you build the lather in the mug or load the brush in the mug then face lather? If you build lather in the mug I'd be interested in hearing how you do it and maybe a pic or two of the finished product.
Do you build the lather in the mug or load the brush in the mug then face lather? If you build lather in the mug I'd be interested in hearing how you do it and maybe a pic or two of the finished product.
I have a mug and have a puck I use in it on rotation. I have found that as a NEWB to wet shaving (only a few onths) that it is hard to lather in the mug with not much space to work the brush around. I moved to a larger bowl that is shallow and allows me room to work the brush and it fits in my palm.
It looks cool and gets results but I can't stand the noise of the brush handle hitting the sides.
I use a mug all the time, it is great. I always get a superior lather compared to lathering on the face. That's me of course.
tankerjohn
A little poofier than I prefer
Big mug fan here. I mean, I generally consider myself more of a face latherer, but I definitely enjoy using the mug. Is it heavy loading or truly lathering? I don't know/care. I find lathering in the mug less fussy than bowl lathering and less messy than loading from a soap container. I like having a spot to put my brush between passes, and its just satisfyingly "old school". I think the key to great mug lathering is the right brush - it needs plenty of loft to avoid the dreaded "klink, klink" and plenty of handle to grasp while swirling. I like the Semogue 2000 and 1800.
I'll try to post some pics tomorrow. When I lather in the mug, I take it to kind of a heavy proto-lather. I still have to finish it up on my face. Sort like Marco's Method, I guess.
I'll try to post some pics tomorrow. When I lather in the mug, I take it to kind of a heavy proto-lather. I still have to finish it up on my face. Sort like Marco's Method, I guess.
I love to mug lather, but ever since I broke a glass/porcelain mug from dropping it I have been using a bulletproof hard rubber William Marvy shaving mug and that is great because it is quiet and still retains heat.
I enjoyed using a mug for a little while, but I just enjoy my Turkish bowl more.
I'm a heavy mug user as well - heck, it's all I use unless I'm using C.O. Bigelow and I just squeeze a dab in my wet brush and face lather.
I have 3 mugs dedicated to shaving - an Old Spice mug, a porcelain mug my wife got me a couple years ago, and a metal mug from Duluth Trading Co that my brother got me for Christmas last year. I always have a puck of VDH on hand and all it takes is 10 seconds to load my brush and then I face lather.
I never understood bowl lathering (except for testing out new soaps).
I have 3 mugs dedicated to shaving - an Old Spice mug, a porcelain mug my wife got me a couple years ago, and a metal mug from Duluth Trading Co that my brother got me for Christmas last year. I always have a puck of VDH on hand and all it takes is 10 seconds to load my brush and then I face lather.
I never understood bowl lathering (except for testing out new soaps).
To the OP: I suspect you may be assuming a fact that has not been established. I wouldn't be at all surprised to a plurality of persons on this board eith use a mug or a scuttle, which in my mind is just a "special mug." If so, then your presumption is slightly flawed.
I tend to grip the brush to take the bumps with my fingers; even so, it's not my ideal experience if I don't have to. Also, this tends to work better with the long italian style boar 'professional' brushs for me. All that said, knowing how to do a thing is always worthwhile, and the ceramic apothecary was "my first" true lathering experiences.
I love my scuttle and lather there frequently (although today was face lathering). I need to get my Turkish Copper bowl out and give that a try again.
I keep the Arko in a vintage Currier and Ives mug and lather in that mug. I agree that the tink-tink-tink can be annoying, as can be the impact of the fingers against the inside of you try to grasp the brush handle a little low to keep the noise down. I've tried tipping the mug and just digging into the perimeter but there's still at least a little noise no matter what. To me, part of the appeal of mug lathering is that my father did just that with his Old Spice mug and soap 50+ years ago. Arko does well with mug lathering, but I am yet to find a way of lathering Arko that does not work. It is practically fool-proof.
Arko in an Old Spice shave mug. I mug / face lather exclusively. After, a quick cold rinse to clean out the foam in the mug and it is ready for the next shave.
A mug is just a small bowl for all practical purposes. I like a little more room when I'm whipping the brush. I use a Georgetown G12. Same difference with a little more room and warmer lather.
Agreed, this is my favourite, I snapped it up for less than 4,00 (including shipping) at auction on eBay - A tin lined, hammered copper mug from Turkey
As a rule I face lather with soap, but when I use cream or mix a superlather, this is my mug of choice
Oh! That's nice. I'm a face latherer, but with something like that in my arsenal, I could be converted.
That's what I use. The beauty is that they are not at all expensive.
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