It seems trying to find a small bowl that is not glazed is a little more difficult then one would imagine. Many shaving bowls or mugs seem to let the soap/lather slide around. I did experiment with a small terracotta platter that was not glazed and there was a world of difference it building great lather, but a bowl with edges is needed. A small garden pot is to narrow at the bottom plus most have a drainage hole. I have looked on several sights and been to the Pottery Barn, Lowes, Home Depot, but I have yet to find that perfect small bowl. If anyone has a suggestion or a internet site then post it. I have seen a few bowls that I almost bought, but they wanted $53 and I am willing to live with soap/lather that slides around in a shaving bowl.
Stoneware or terracotta bowls that are not glazed.
- Thread starter mctmatt
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I might be able to help you out! I am fireman by trade, hobby potter on my off days. I'm working on getting a bisque kiln filled right now. It could be a few weeks before I've thrown enough greenware to fire, but I will have a few shave mugs/bowls in this firing. Then I will glaze the bisqueware and hi-fire the stoneware. I would be happy to leave one unglazed on the inside and PIF you one. but like I said, a few weeks to the bisque firing and a couple more untill a Hi-Fire. I'm working in a tan stoneware clay and also a dark brown clay at the moment, could throw you one in either. Send me a PM with what specs you might like(ie. curved or flat bottom inside, height, width, ect...) and I'll throw it for you tomorrow and send you a pic of the greenware.
After everything I've learned here in the past couple of years, It's time I Payed it Forward.
After everything I've learned here in the past couple of years, It's time I Payed it Forward.
- Thread starter
- #4
bnalley that would be great and I will get you the information. I would also ask that you actually try using it and compare it to the ones that you glaze and just to see if you also detect an improved difference for building lather. Like I said many times when I am building or trying to build my lather the slickness of my bowls be it glazed, or stainless steel the lather slides around a great deal. I have found that a surface that has some grit or roughness to it really allows me to build a much better lather. I would really like your input and perspective if that is alright.
My only concern would be what an abrasive finish (unfinish?) might do to the brush. I'd imagine it could tear it up pretty good before too long. You might do better to go the molded in ridges/whorls like I see in a lot of the scuttles. I'd imagine there would also be the issue of keeping the lather properly hydrated, wouldn't an unglazed material like that suck up a lot of water? I'm not potter and apart from a summer class back in the 80's I have no experience with pottery so my concerns may be unfounded, but they are my first thoughts. Be sure to report back what the results are.
My wife bought a morter and pestle from target that the outside was glazed and the inside was not. The nice thing about the inside was that it has the great crisscrossed grooves in order to help the breaking up of spices. She walked in the kitchen the other day and I was holding it. She knew what was on my mind and just said no. Then she said, you buy me a nicer one, you can have that for your shaving.
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- #7
Legion you might have some good points. The brush I usually use is an Omega 10049 and a Parker Badger hair. I figure if it can take the difficulty of a beard it should probably be able to handle this. I usually load my brush from the soap container then work my lather up in the shaving bowl. I really don't use that much water maybe a tablespoon at most so hopefully that would not be a problem and just like a pizza stone just run water over it and then let it dry.
Good question,
Hi-fired stoneware is not like terra-cotta which is a low fired clay. It will not absorb water as it actually turns to "stone" when it gets fired. The roughness can be managed with a slip coating of another type of clay on the inside or even a light sanding after firing. ridges or a spiral finger mark on the inside would aid in lathering I would think, but make lather in my glazed pottery every time and have no trouble.
Brett
mctmatt,
Ive tried to PM you back, But I'm not sure if it went thru. let me know if you got it.
brett
Ive tried to PM you back, But I'm not sure if it went thru. let me know if you got it.
brett
Check this website for a unique scuttle, www.varonia.com look for the calentador de espuma. It's in Spain. Put scuttle in the microwave for 1 minute and you will have a great warm shaving cream that lasts through 3 passes. I bought one a few weeks ago, it's fantastic! Excellent service from Varonia. Scuttle arrived in the States within a week. It a little expensive with shipping but worth every
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- #11
Brett is going to create a shaving bowl for me and he is planning on posting pics beginning Monday thru the entire process so this will be great for all of us to see the project from finish to end. Thanks so much Brett !
Great generosity with that PIF! Another reason why B&B is a great place!
What are the dimensions of this scuttle?
I use a glazed cup from an antique store and have never had a problem with soap "slipping around." I place a new puck in the bowl and microwave it slightly until it is semi-melted. I then firm it down by hand to perfectly fit the bowl. Perfection!
- Thread starter
- #15
When I say the soap/lather is sliding around I am talking about loading my brush from the container that the soap came in such as QCS or RazoRock King Louis Lavender. Then I take my loaded brush and proceed to my shaving bowl to build the lather. (Face lather is not my preference, but will at times.) In a glazed bowl or a stainless steel bowl ( I have and use both) the soap/lather tends to slide around as there is no surface friction thus it makes it a little more difficult to build a great lather. I have used an terracotta platter that has not been glazed and it worked great, but being a small platter the lather tends to build and over flow very quickly before I have the consistency that I prefer.
I use a cheapo $2.25 mug/bowl/thing from Wal-mart that is slippery as all heck on the inside.
I, too, could use any help I could get building a lather...all attempts so far have been less than ideal..heh.
Doesn't help that my water is one step away from pure limestone.
I, too, could use any help I could get building a lather...all attempts so far have been less than ideal..heh.
Doesn't help that my water is one step away from pure limestone.
Here are the pics of this project so far. The finished specs ,as per toms request, for this bowl will be 2 3/8" in height and 4 7/8" in width.
It started life as a 10oz. ball of cone 6 tan stoneware clay.
After a few minutes on the wheel. still very wet and shiney! I love the look of fresh thrown clay.
Tomorrow, when it is "leather hard", I will trim the outside of the bowl to a pleasing "Bowly" shape and post more pics of the project.
Was thinking a white kaolin slip applied in the japanese "Hakeme" style would look very pleasing on this shave bowl since it is to be unglazed. It would be a very muted, subtle, and natural look I think.
I think I may throw another that has a slight "pouring lip" where a brush could rest between passes and put a pic up too, then you could pick whichever you may like.
Brett
It started life as a 10oz. ball of cone 6 tan stoneware clay.
After a few minutes on the wheel. still very wet and shiney! I love the look of fresh thrown clay.
Tomorrow, when it is "leather hard", I will trim the outside of the bowl to a pleasing "Bowly" shape and post more pics of the project.
Was thinking a white kaolin slip applied in the japanese "Hakeme" style would look very pleasing on this shave bowl since it is to be unglazed. It would be a very muted, subtle, and natural look I think.
I think I may throw another that has a slight "pouring lip" where a brush could rest between passes and put a pic up too, then you could pick whichever you may like.
Brett
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Oh wow, that looks REALLY nice! I see what you're saying about the change once fired, kinda like how concrete changes when it cures. Once you get the details figured I'd be more than willing to buy one of them if you were to do a run. Keep us posted for sure!
- Thread starter
- #19
WOW! I am totally blown away. That looks great Brett and I want you to be as creative as you like. I learned from an old furniture maker who loved to create in the style of Shaker Furniture. People would often try and tell him I want this to be this way and this piece to look like this and the old furniture maker would just say I can only do what the wood will let me do and you have to trust that it will be special. He was right as every piece he made was the true work of a true craftsman.
Here is the bowl after the foot has been trimmed. it is next to a couple of other shave bowls/soap bowls
Here are a couple more, same measurements, with a lip for a brush handle to rest in
Here are a couple more, same measurements, with a lip for a brush handle to rest in
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