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Should a shaving bowl be made of copper ?

I was watching a Burt Wolf's cooking show and learned that the bowl you use makes a difference when you are whipping egg whites. I know next to nothing about chemistry but ,apparently, copper plays important role in various chemical reactions that go on during the whisking of the eggs.
It stiffens the foam, stabilizes the air bubbles etc.

Now, you know where I am going with this. I wonder if a bowl made of copper would produce a better lather.
If the answer is no, then does it matter what material the bowl is made of?
 
finegelernt said:
I was watching a Burt Wolf's cooking show and learned that the bowl you use makes a difference when you are whipping egg whites. I know next to nothing about chemistry but ,apparently, copper plays important role in various chemical reactions that go on during the whisking of the eggs.
It stiffens the foam, stabilizes the air bubbles etc.

Now, you know where I am going with this. I wonder if a bowl made of copper would produce a better lather.
If the answer is no, then does it matter what material the bowl is made of?
What you witnessed was the of the eggs albumen proteins interacting with the copper. The primary protein responsible is conalbumin which has an interesting property of being able to bind metal ions to itself. The complex of conalbumin with copper ions results in a much more stable product. When conalbumin has bound metal ions to itself, it becomes much more difficult to unfold resulting in recipes, requiring the volume of egg whites, acquiring a much greater resistance to deflating.

I don’t believe this would be desirable for shaving creams. Although you may be able to create an incredible amount of firm lather, if the lather has indeed bound with metallic ions it will not denature itself on your face. The result would be beautiful lather lacking the remaining efficacy properties highly sought after.
 
Rik said:
What you witnessed was the of the eggs albumen proteins interacting with the copper. The primary protein responsible is conalbumin which has an interesting property of being able to bind metal ions to itself. The complex of conalbumin with copper ions results in a much more stable product. When conalbumin has bound metal ions to itself, it becomes much more difficult to unfold resulting in recipes, requiring the volume of egg whites, acquiring a much greater resistance to deflating.

I don’t believe this would be desirable for shaving creams. Although you may be able to create an incredible amount of firm lather, if the lather has indeed bound with metallic ions it will not denature itself on your face. The result would be beautiful lather lacking the remaining efficacy properties highly sought after.

Wow Rik im flabbergasted !!!!!!!!!!!! :c2:

you live and learn each day eh ? very cool if that is so, I would need a copper bowl to whip up those eggs for my Tiramisu and I just thought that recipy couldnt become any better. yeeehaa...
 
SSLStudio said:
Wow Rik im flabbergasted !!!!!!!!!!!! :c2:

you live and learn each day eh ? very cool if that is so, I would need a copper bowl to whip up those eggs for my Tiramisu and I just thought that recipy couldnt become any better. yeeehaa...
mmmmm...Tiramisu :drool:
 
I think a shaving bowl / mug should (a) insulate the contents from cooling down and (b) transfer heat to the lather. That suggests a thick, ceramic outer bowl and a thin, copper inner bowl.

The problem with the Moss scuttle (and the other similar scuttles that have sprung up) is that both the outer bowl and inner bowl are made of the same thick, ceramic material. Ideally, the bowl in which you froth-up the lather should get the heat from the water within the scuttle very quickly.

I posted something about such a design here on B&B a few years ago but I keep waiting for someone to come out with this bi-material scuttle.

Thanks,
Danny
 
Copper is too efficient a heat conductor (which is why it is used on the underside of cooking pans), and as such if hot lather is what you're after copper will suck that heat away, and dissipate it.

I tried a copper lather bowl once upon a time. Quite a dissapointment.
 
well I'm impressed with the scientific analysis. The underlying questions remains unanswered: what makes the best lathering bowl?
 
Copper is too efficient a heat conductor (which is why it is used on the underside of cooking pans), and as such if hot lather is what you're after copper will suck that heat away, and dissipate it.
I thought what was being described was mutually exclusive: a good thermal insulator as well as a good thermal conductor. That is, until I read the rest of the post: he's describing a scuttle with a ceramic water bowl and a metal lather bowl. That might make sense.

I use a small ceramic lather bowl (a Dirty Bird Pottery "soap bowl"), and just float it in a sink of hot water to keep the lather warm. Works for me.
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
I think a shaving bowl / mug should (a) insulate the contents from cooling down and (b) transfer heat to the lather. That suggests a thick, ceramic outer bowl and a thin, copper inner bowl.

The problem with the Moss scuttle (and the other similar scuttles that have sprung up) is that both the outer bowl and inner bowl are made of the same thick, ceramic material. Ideally, the bowl in which you froth-up the lather should get the heat from the water within the scuttle very quickly.

I posted something about such a design here on B&B a few years ago but I keep waiting for someone to come out with this bi-material scuttle.

Thanks,
Danny

I have on order a Dirty Bird 1.5 scuttle, and plan on liking it. The reviews are great. Nevertheless, I believe you are exactly correct in what would be an ideal scuttle.
 
This thread has risen from the void.

Since I'm here, I do have a Turkish copper shaving bowl and I think it's great. I dropped it once, and boy am I thankful this bowl is made out of metal.
 
This thread has risen from the void.

Since I'm here, I do have a Turkish copper shaving bowl and I think it's great. I dropped it once, and boy am I thankful this bowl is made out of metal.
The Turkish Copper shave bowl is the best ever made & I love mine! BTW.... Butterfingers!:001_smile:w00t:
 

Chan Eil Whiskers

Fumbling about.
The Turkish Copper shave bowl is the best ever made & I love mine! BTW.... Butterfingers!:001_smile:w00t:

That is great news. It looked to me like a no brainer. Good looking. Good size. Not too deep. Wide enough. Very inexpensive. No major worries about breaking it. A textured interior which may help with lather building.

Your comment makes me wish mine would arrive before tomorrow's shave.
 
A shaving bowl can be any cool little bowl you find. I've used a Corelle ramakun before and a Chinese rice bowl. Have settled on a marble pesto bowl but I face lather most days so that bowl just holds a lathered brush while completing a pass.
 
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