Scuttle questions

[mrb7]

I recently bought a lot of stuff from the bay to get a particular Ever Ready handle.

Included in the lot was a small scuttle, but being a face lathered I paid little attention to it.

Now that it's turning cooler the idea of warm lather sounds appealing, so I got it out for a look.

I was under the impression that a scuttle was a bowl affixed to the top of a reservoir for hot water. But this bowl part has holes that drain down into the ht water store.

How, exactly, are you supposed to use this thing?

The bowl is really too small for a puck, so I had assumed you just lathered in it. But the lather creeps down through the holes.

I found a couple of others of similar design on eBay listed as a British shaving mug, whatever that is.

Obviously I'm missing something. Help.

 

[Guest111]

I think those are just meant for soaking your brush and loading it, not keeping lather warm, but I could be wrong.

 

[Black Adder]

It sounds like you're describing an early type of scuttle, one made during the days when hot water was unavailable as a plumbed option. Hot water from a kettle was poured into the lower portion of the scuttle, and a soap puck was positioned in the upper portion over the drain holes. I think the idea was to use the water in the lower portion with the brush to work up a lather on the puck, and then face lather. The holes were for drainage to prevent the soap from sitting in water. You're right, there isn't a bowl or receptacle to hold or build a lather on these scuttles, and the scuttles manufactured today almost all are designed around that large reservoir surrounded by the hot water "sleeve" or jacket.

I've never had one, but have seen them. I can't give you any tips on how to use it because it is completely different from the scuttle I use. In effect, you're not building a hot lather reserve, but providing hot water for the shave, something modern plumbing now provides. I hope this was of some help!

Don

 

[Mick]

Modern scuttles are of two types

A lathering scuttle (you make your later in it like you would in a bowl but the water surrounding it keeps the later warm:

A brush scuttle: Large enough for a shaving brush only, you "park" your brush in it and the water surrounding it keeps the brush and lather warm. This type is for face lathering as it only keeps the brush warm

 

[ackvil]

Take a look at this video concerning an old scuttle.

 

[Black Adder]

Take a look at this video concerning an old scuttle.

Nice video!

I sure hope I don't earworm that song in the background for the rest of the day........

Don

 

[The Dean]

Take a look at this video concerning an old scuttle.

Nice, thanks for sharing. That dude really needs to clean his sink.

 

[mrb7]

Ok, it isn't that I failed to understand a modem scuttle. It's that what I have is not a modern scuttle. Got it.

Looks interesting. What I need is one of those old UK electric tea kettles to sit next to the sink. But my "essentials" are already spilling out of the room.

It's amazing I "need" 5 times the stuff Gramps did just to shave in the morning. And I still cut myself.

Good thing the cave is heated and cooled. If I had to build a fire in the mouth of the cave at nights I'd need a store of jet fuel to start it.

MB

 

[Mick]

Here is someone using a "new" old style scuttle without all the "extra" steps

 

[kamhafiq]

Modern scuttles are of two types

A lathering scuttle (you make your later in it like you would in a bowl but the water surrounding it keeps the later warm:

A brush scuttle: Large enough for a shaving brush only, you "park" your brush in it and the water surrounding it keeps the brush and lather warm. This type is for face lathering as it only keeps the brush warm

Turtle,
I love the lathering scuttle: is it yours and do you recommend one? I would love one for the winter months, so is there a good manufacturer of them?

 

[jrtaster]

One or two "old line" British firms, possibly Taylor?, make a scuttle-size soap cake, which should fit your scuttle, if you are interested in using it for the purpose for which it was designed. Classic Shaving also used to make their proprietary soaps in a size that may fit. If you have any Haslinger soaps they MAY also fit.
I have a similar one marketed by Conk which never gets used as it seems to me to be uniquely awkward!
It may make an attractive piece to adorn your shave area.
jr