I am looking into getting a self watering plant pot to use as a scuttle and they are unfinished on the inside where I would make my lather. My question is will whipping up lather in this bowl that is rough inside mess up my brush? It seems like a good idea but I don't want to ruin my brush.
Will an unfinished bowl hurt my brush?
- Thread starter breadstick
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Good question. I honestly don't know. However, if I were in your position, I wouldn't get it, for two reasons. One, if you don't know if it's safe to use, it's better not to use it. Two, I would think it would be easier to use a glazed scuttle, since the rough surface of the plant pot would likely add resistance and make working the brush more difficult. If you're going to do it, do it right: get something made for the task for which you intend to use it.
Have you seen http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=111242 (bob.e's "my poorman's scuttle" thread)?
Have you thought about going to a local potter and having the inside glazed? I doubt it would cost very much and you might get a great scuttle on the cheap.
I use a mortar (as in the wife of the pestle) which has an unglazed bottom.
It hasn't given me any grief with my brushes. In fact, I sought out one with an unglazed interior base so that the extra friction would whip up lather faster.
I say go for it. It works well for my creams and I.
It hasn't given me any grief with my brushes. In fact, I sought out one with an unglazed interior base so that the extra friction would whip up lather faster.
I say go for it. It works well for my creams and I.
I would think a rough surface would have the opposite effect, since it breaks the surface tension of the lather and prevents it from building. Granted, I haven't use a non-glazed surface, so I'm just theorizing here. However, whenever I go a few days without shaving and have a good amount of stubble, my lathers are always sub-par on the first pass, for the same reason - the rough surface created by the stubble prevents a good lather from developing.
I would guess that the uneven surface would mimic the ridges or fins that better lathering bowls have, allowing air and water to mix into the lather more efficiently.
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I took the plunge and bought the $5 self watering plant pot from Wal-Mart. I also got some bathtub silicone that is waterproof and mold proof in 8 hours, so I will give that a go tomorrow morning at my next shave. It took away the porous-ness of the surface and I left it sort of swirled to mimic what Go West Young Man was talking about with the higher-end lather bowls. I'll report back with results.
Thanks for all the replies.
Thanks for all the replies.
Glazing the bowl will help keep the wear down on the brush. Basically, you are lightly "sanding" the brush every time you use it, albeit the wear would be partly mitigated by the lubricating action of the shaving cream and water.
My response has less to do with the effect on the brush than the bowl itself. If I'm not mistaken, an unglazed piece of pottery will absorb moisture. You sure that's what you want your scuttle to do?
