Replacing my shaving bowl ... choosing between two types

[JCinPA]

I broke my favorite lather bowl I've had for 12 years! I loved this thing!

I don't like plastic, don't want fringe stuff like textured marble, I have a scuttle, so I'm looking for a plain shaving bowl. This was smooth inside and I never had any issues using it, I don't feel the need for texturing, glueing coins in the bottom or anything. I'm looking for ceramic, and they are not expensive. I'm looking at three types.

First is a retro bowl because it is so similar in size, shape, feel to what I broke. Example:

The next one I'm looking at is also smooth, just a different shape, and fairly popular. Also ceramic. Example:

The third option isn't really textured, per se, but rippled on the bottom, still smooth finish. Example:

Simply because I used the broken soup mug for so long, I'm leaning toward the top one, but I am open to one of the others. I'm not going to start collecting shave bowls I'm just getting one that I hope lasts another dozen years before I inevitably break it.

Thoughts?

 

[JCinPA]

Pics fixed

 

[JCinPA]

I could also just shop some handmade pottery sites, I suppose, need not be a "shaving bowl". The original was a soup mug, I guess.

 

[lasta]

I could also just shop some handmade pottery sites, I suppose, need not be a "shaving bowl". The original was a soup mug, I guess.

View attachment 1903757

Thumbs up for the 4th choice!

The first looks too small.

Second doesn't have enough surface area, edges of your brush might clank.

Third wall is not tall enough, lather spillage.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

I like the first one, assuming it's big enough. I use a Frankoma soup mug that I got at the local antique shop for $10.

 

[DrakeMegrim]

I like three and four.

 

[JCinPA]

I'm looking at a potter's site I think this is the ticket, just trying to pick a glaze. Man, I loved that bowl.

https://www.etsy.com/listing/772136328/ayers-pottery-soup-bowl-six-glaze-colors?plkey=0d5dfe6189a29954d94d156214b4296285603a60%3A772136328&variation0=4632906046

 

[Jay21]

I have two Fendrihan mugs, the smaller and larger sizes. They are nice if you have a barber style brush, but the mugs are narrower than you may expect. You are likely to clang the brush and hit your fingers with a more traditional brush.

 

[JCinPA]

I like that Frankoma soup mug, I think I'm sticking with a pottery artisan soup mug, it's closest to what I had in terms of ergos.

 

[jaro 101969]

Have you considered

kintsugi.

Its the Japanese art of repairing broken "pottery"..

And " repairing " your broken bowl , depending on the extent of the damage to it ??
I mean you did say you loved that old bowl and you might could salvage it !! It's just a thought...

 

[jaro 101969]

Oh I spotted this on eBay BTW....

 

[jaro 101969]

This is in a buy it now....

Hand Thrown Pottery Soup Mug chocolate brown drip Glaze signed | eBay

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;">Hand Thrown Pottery Soup Mug chocolate brown drip Glaze signed. Cute soup mug good condition no cracks or chipped minor scratches only signed </p>

www.ebay.com

 

[BigJ]

Another option would be a Vintage OS mug, simply classic IMHO!!

 

[Brutus]

For me, it’s the ergonomics that matter and those with a “coffee cup” handle, let alone those with no handle at all, fail in this respect, because you don’t hold a shaving mug like a coffee cup, you grip it and secure it on the side away of from the palm of your hand with one or two (for apothecary bowls) fingers.

If you keep the shaving soap at the bottom of the bowl, a deeper, but narrower (ideally the size of the soap puck) bottom works better than flatter designs. Conversely, if you only use the shaving bowl to whip up lather (e.g. by putting shaving cream in the bowl or into the shaving brush) a somewhat flatter mug with grooves at the bottom will work quite well..

Hence, my preference is for an “apothecary shaving bowl” design like the ”Fendrihan” bowl that you showed.
It may not be the most attractive design, but it is a design that works.


Of course, all sort of mugs have been pressed into duty as shaving bowls and one can get quite used to some designs that were never intended for that purpose.



B.

 

[JimmyCB]

I broke my favorite lather bowl I've had for 12 years! I loved this thing!

View attachment 1903734

I don't like plastic, don't want fringe stuff like textured marble, I have a scuttle, so I'm looking for a plain shaving bowl. This was smooth inside and I never had any issues using it, I don't feel the need for texturing, glueing coins in the bottom or anything. I'm looking for ceramic, and they are not expensive. I'm looking at three types.

First is a retro bowl because it is so similar in size, shape, feel to what I broke. Example:

View attachment 1903747

The next one I'm looking at is also smooth, just a different shape, and fairly popular. Also ceramic. Example:

View attachment 1903744
The third option isn't really textured, per se, but rippled on the bottom, still smooth finish. Example:

View attachment 1903742
Simply because I used the broken soup mug for so long, I'm leaning toward the top one, but I am open to one of the others. I'm not going to start collecting shave bowls I'm just getting one that I hope lasts another dozen years before I inevitably break it.

Thoughts? I have a copper version of your third option. Love it. Produces great lather and is virtually unbreakable.

 

[Phoenixkh]

I know you said no plastic, but the CaYuen shaving bowls are so beautiful and whip up lather in short order. They are resin, so not exactly plastic. I’m partial to Rich’s copper ore design, but he makes lots of interesting patterns. I order from his Etsy store.

 

[JCinPA]

Wow! Lotsa replies! Just pulled the trigger on that soup mug @jaro 101969 linked, thank you, sir!

For the rest of you, I have seen kintsugi it's beautiful, but I'd likely need it a second time after I drop this one! Mine shattered into some pretty small pieces, and some got down the drain, no fixing it, but I like that mug with the stag head on it!

About the ergos of a soup mug, may not work for you, but work perfectly for me. For a dozen years I've been using that mug sitting in my palm with my thumb looped through the handle. I love the soup mug ergos.

And @BigJ I do have a vintage OS mug! I keep soaps in it, it's holding a puck of tallow Tabac right now. But I don't like it for bowl lathering, I prefer the soup mugs. I lather right on top of whatever puck I have in the OS mug and shave or load and take it to the other bowl or my face, depending.

And the CaYuen bowls are gorgeous, if a little spendy. I did not check the one I just ordered for free shipping and paid $10 more for it than I would have for the Ayers with free shipping, but that's OK. I like it. That's all I'd spend on a shaving bowl, though. I waste a lot of money on other nonsense, but not shave mugs. At least so far.

Thanks, all! Will post a pic when it arrives.

 

[jaro 101969]

Glad you liked that bowl. I'm sorry I didn't see the shipping price though. I tried to find something similar to what you had with the medallion on the side.. The kitsungi BTW takes into account for small missing pieces because you just fill in where the missing pieces are. Well I'm glad you liked the looks of that bowl. I hope you enjoy and get as many or more years of use from it as your previous..

 

[dotKomo]

Not a work of art, but the Timeless lather bowl is great!

 

[DEgeezer]

Love my bowl!