Vintage shaving scuttle methods and maddness

[Rusty Blade]

Apologies if this is a repeat of another thread...I looked but didn't find one...

I have spent some time recently trying to unlock the secrets of the vintage shaving scuttle The modern variety scuttles vary among scuttle makers, but in general they have, in addition to the water reservoir and opening for a brush, a large bowl in which you build a lather. I am more interested in your thoughts on the real vintage models...as in the pic below.

Lots of YouTube videos later and reading posts it seems everyone has a slightly different approach to using the vintage type of shaving scuttle.

The vintage scuttle top-bowls are often smaller and often have one or more holes in the base of the top-bowl. Some, it seems, use the top bowl to house a small puck and they build their lather right off the soap puck. Others load their brush with whatever soap they are using that day and then lay the brush in the bowl to warm the lather while they shower. One added some cream from a tub or tube in the top bowl and built their lather from that. Some use the brush hole to fit in a DE and a brush. Some boil their water first, others use hot tap water.

btw...these vintage scuttles were quite an invention...nothing nicer than a hot lather first thing on a cool morning.

My method: I add in hot tap water and put the brush to soak. Add in a almond size dollop of a cream like GFT in the top bowl to warm up. Then I shower and when I am ready to shave I remove my brush, give it a few shakes and then build my lather in the top-bowl of the scuttle. Presto, warm lather and a great shave.

How do you use your vintage shaving scuttles?

 

[emwolf]

i used this for hard soaps and found the holes in the top to be a lather sucker. instead, i would warm my brush in hot water below, heat my soap in the upper bowl, then load my brush and either face lather, or use another lather bowl to build a lather. i've moved on to the modern scuttle which i find much easier to use and gives me a nice warm lather.

 

[KeenDogg]

I wonder this same thing. I love my boar scuttle but how do I use it as intended?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

 

[Rusty Blade]

I wonder this same thing. I love my boar scuttle but how do I use it as intended?

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

Nice looking scuttle. Here is what I would suggest: add in hot tap water in the...er...um...snout...and put your brush in to soak. Add a small dollop of your favourite cream in the top bowl to warm up. Then shower and when you emerge from the shower all squeaky clean you will be ready to remove your brush, give it a few shakes and then build your lather in the top-bowl of the scuttle. And magic...warm lather. Or...if you are using a hard soap puck either put the puck in the top bowl to warm, or just load your brush from the puck and set it in the top-bowl to warm while you shower.

 

[KeenDogg]

Nice looking scuttle. Here is what I would suggest: add in hot tap water in the...er...um...snout...and put your brush in to soak. Add a small dollop of your favourite cream in the top bowl to warm up. Then shower and when you emerge from the shower all squeaky clean you will be ready to remove your brush, give it a few shakes and then build your lather in the top-bowl of the scuttle. And magic...warm lather. Or...if you are using a hard soap puck either put the puck in the top bowl to warm, or just load your brush from the puck and set it in the top-bowl to warm while you shower.

Thanks for the compliment. My only problem is that it's so small of a dip. It maybe 2×3×1. I don't know if any of my brushes will fit. However I do believe the warming of the soap idea may be something I could do with it! It would have to be a snurl, there's no fitting a puck in there as was stated in your op.

Thanks!
Adam

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

 

[Rusty Blade]

Thanks for the compliment. My only problem is that it's so small of a dip. It maybe 2×3×1. I don't know if any of my brushes will fit. However I do believe the warming of the soap idea may be something I could do with it! It would have to be a snurl, there's no fitting a puck in there as was stated in your op.

Thanks!
Adam

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G900A using Tapatalk

I understand. Brushes must have been smaller years ago. Not all of my brushes will fit in the opening of my scuttle. I wonder if a Haslinger soap puck would fit in the top-bowl? They are the smallest size pucks I own. Must give it a try...

 

[Rusty Blade]

i used this for hard soaps and found the holes in the top to be a lather sucker. instead, i would warm my brush in hot water below, heat my soap in the upper bowl, then load my brush and either face lather, or use another lather bowl to build a lather. i've moved on to the modern scuttle which i find much easier to use and gives me a nice warm lather.

One of these days I must give one of the modern lather scuttles a try. It shows human ingenuity to continue to evolve the old style scuttle to meet the needs of moderns shavers. If warm lather is the goal then the age and style of the scuttle shouldn't be the deciding factor. Must keep my eye open for a modern scuttle.

 

[Ice-Man]

I bought a wade scuttle and it looks ok I cannot find a brush that fits, but I can get mamma bears soap in the top but no room to build a lather. so it must have been done on the face, that's why its been put away out of sight.

 

[Cumberland Sausage]

I believe the main point of the old style scuttles was to provide somewhere to warm your brush and a reservoir of hot water with which to create lather, not as something in which to build it. The soap holder at the top was just that -- a receptacle with holes in the bottom so the soap didn't go slushy. In those days, most homes would not have hot running water, so the scuttle would be handy for those who didn't fancy cold water shaving.

 

[BSAGuy]

I believe the main point of the old style scuttles was to provide somewhere to warm your brush and a reservoir of hot water with which to create lather, not as something in which to build it. The soap holder at the top was just that -- a receptacle with holes in the bottom so the soap didn't go slushy. In those days, most homes would not have hot running water, so the scuttle would be handy for those who didn't fancy cold water shaving.

This makes sense, especially in an era with no running water.

 

[Rusty Blade]

btw...I tried a Haslinger soap puck in the top-bowl and it is a perfect fit. While I have been lathering creams in the top-bowl it is nice to know a soap puck of the modern variety fits.

 

[freebird0064]

IMO , The vintage scuttle was not used to build lather in as most modern ones are. The old ones were from a time when people didn't have running water. Water was put in the base to soak the brush in. Many of my vintage brushes are smaller diameter and don't flare as much, so they fit easier. The soap was left in the top bowl portion. The brush was loaded and you face lathered. Remember shaving was not the luxury process many have turned it into, just something that needed to be done. The holes were to allow the un-used lather and moister nto drain away from the puck.

 

[Rusty Blade]

I believe the main point of the old style scuttles was to provide somewhere to warm your brush and a reservoir of hot water with which to create lather, not as something in which to build it. The soap holder at the top was just that -- a receptacle with holes in the bottom so the soap didn't go slushy. In those days, most homes would not have hot running water, so the scuttle would be handy for those who didn't fancy cold water shaving.

Sounds about right! In fact I remember my Grandfather holding the puck in one hand and brush in the other. Brush was loaded and soap went back in its holder...how sensible!

 

[FoxInfinitySunset]

This is my scuttle, it's a modern throwback from Burgess & Leigh (Burleighware). I use it to soak my brush in the bottom and sometimes store a soap on top. I've had a go at building lather in the upper part but the drain holes... drain. So I mainly use it ad a place to rest my razor between shaves. I will note that you can squish a soggy Williams puck into it.