What size bowl for lathering cream?

[markw]

I've been looking at some of the bowls on classic shaving's web site, and wanted to get some feedback from folks with experience.

How big does a bowl need to be for lathering shave cream? Or is this a matter of technique? (some people get by with smaller). Have people had much difficulty managing with smaller bowls, rather than something closer in size to a cappuccino mug?

I'd like to avoid throwing lather all over the sink/mirror/etc as I'm trying to build it up.

I'm thinking of something like this:
http://www.classicshaving.com/catalog/item/522952/431854.htm

I'll probably ask the folks at classic shaving as well, but I thought I'd ask you guys, too.

Thanks,

Mark

 

[rusirius]

I think a lot of it would have to do with the size of your brush, etc... However, here's a few things to consider.

First, make sure it's THICK and HEAVY... The idea here is that more mass means it can store more energy (i.e. heat)... So the thicker and heavier it is, the longer your lather will stay nice and warm.

Second, I find cups and mugs, even larger cappacino sized ones to small for my personal liking. I can use them sure, but I like something a little larger. My personal favorite, and what I've been using since my beginnings in wet shaving is a "Rice Bowl" I found in wal-mart. It's thick, it's heavy, it stores heat like mad, and it seems to be the perfect size for me. (It's about 6 or 6 1/2 inches in diameter and probably 3 inches deep.)

Last but not least, and this could just be me, but it seems to make a huge difference. This rice bowl I have is made from some sort of clay and has some sort of glaze fired on it. The point is, it's kinda textured inside, not perfectly smooth. This seems to really help getting a great lather. Now don't get the wrong idea, it's not like this thing is sandpaper or something, and you can barely feel the texture, but it's there and in my own testing it does seem to make a big difference.

It's cheap (I think I paid like $6), available locally (wal-mart, target, etc), and works great!

here's a pic of something similar to what I have...

 

[netsurfr]

Agree with the above comment. I have used a large cappacino mug for some months now and found it to be too small. Also looked at the crocks on ClassicShaving site and they were even smaller or more shallow. I found a pottery crock in a kitchen store that is thick, wider (about 5 inchesor so) and about 2.5 inches tall. Seems to be working out perfect.

Good Shaving,
Steve

 

[ScottS]

I use a fairly small pyrex bowl. Whatever size you choose, I'd avoid all the doodads hanging off of it like the one you pointed to at classicshave. They'll just get in the way.

 

[Scotty]

I use a Corelle berry bowl I bought at Wallymart for my shaving bowl.
Scotty

 

[Jim]

Go into your kitchen and root around, find a bunch of different sizes cereal, soup, tupperware- all are good places to start. 5-6 inches accross and not to deep are the sweetspot for me.

 

[SA_bmatth]

Home Trends "Rave" bowls from WalMart...cost like $2.25...measures 6" upper diameter, 4.5" lower diameter, 3" height, 4 cups(32 fl. oz.) volume. It's the perfect size for me. I tried one smaller and the lather just overflows and you spend half your time scooping it back into the bowl.

 

[galpman]

Whatever happened to the beloved Moss Scuttle?

 

[Jim]

Whatever happened to the beloved Moss Scuttle?

I build my lather in a bowl and dock my brush in the scuttle,works like a charm.

 

[MacTel456]

I ended up buying a small stoneware bowl from Target for like $4.00

 

[galpman]

I build my lather in a bowl and dock my brush in the scuttle,works like a charm.

Jim, explain how you dock the brush. Is it in the empty bowl part of the scuttle? Thanks

 

[Jim]

Jim, explain how you dock the brush. Is it in the empty bowl part of the scuttle? Thanks

 

[BroJohn]

I ended up buying a small stoneware bowl from Target for like $4.00

I heartily agree.

I wouldn't spend $$ for a product that is a shave specific mug or bowl. Regular kitchen/serving ware is just fine, and it needn't be costly. Target, K-mart and the like have inexpensive items that work just fine.

For size, I recommend something 4 1/2 to 5 1/2 inches in diameter by 1 1/2 to 2 1/2 inches tall. Something that is crockery or stoneware that will capture heat. For color I prefer something other than white for the interior color so you can easily see and judge how the lather is developing.

At the discount places like Wal-Mart, etc, these go for cheap --$2~$5. They also work better than the $15~$50 'shaving bowls' which tend to be too small and are frequently metal and simply shed heat rapidly.

-- John Gehman

 

[Bob Dobbs]

Add another vote for the cheap crockery bowl!

I use an old 5-inch ceramic soup bowl, fill it with hot water and let it sit while I'm in the shower. By the time I'm done whipping up my lather it's still nice and warm.

 

[ratcheer]

I got two heavy, black ceramic bowls at Wal-Mart for 76-cents each and they are perfect, for me. I think they are about 6-inches diameter, maybe 7. They are about soup or cereal size bowls.

Tim

 

[rafikz]

Salad bowl

 

[BroJohn]

I'm thinking of something like this:
http://www.classicshaving.com/catalog/item/522952/431854.htm

Mark --

Well, it looks like it'd make a fine cigar ashtray. j/k.

Frankly, I wouldn't spend that kind of money on a lather bowl. Use the money for other shaving stuff instead.

-- John Gehman

 

[markw]

Thanks everyone. I think I get the hint

My wife had been looking around for shaving-related gifts for me, and had asked me about these sorts of bowls. She thinks it would like nice on the vanity.

I'm sure I can come up with other ideas.

mark

 

[Ronnie]

Take a stroll through value village they have some real jems for $2.00 to $3.00

Well worth the effort

Ronnie

 

[perry]

I bought a Corelle bowl at Meijer. They have a small selection of open stock stuff and I decided it would be a good size after making several laps around the kitchen section. I think it said it was 6" across -- had been using a bowl that I'd stolen from my kitchen that was about 7" and I thought it was too big. $4 I think it was.

http://www.corelle.com/index.asp?pageId=50&pid=8 -- that's the color I got. Almost perfect match for the color of the C&E jars. Corelle stuff is supposed to be chip resistant which is a good thing for clumsy people like me

Most of the ones I've looked at online look like they'd be too small for my liking.