What's new

Bowl Lathering With Badger

I've been "wet shaving" for a little over 12 years, but only been on this forum for a few months. Apparently, I've been doing it all wrong, because I can't tell a badger from a boar and have only used a single bowl/mug instead of a multi-bowl Rube Goldberg set-up of bits and bobbles.

Anyway, I've owned the same two brushes for the whole 12 years. I primarily use one, and save the other one for when I finish the master bathroom and can show-off my shaving tools. They are both Elite Razor's "Premium" knots (they also have Standard and Synthetic) but I'm not sure what animal they came from. I think when I bought them he listed badger / boar instead of premium / standard, but they don't now, and I don't remember. I just know that I bought whatever the "best" was from him at the time.

Regardless, I have been bowl-lathering with them 2-3 times a week and while they have gotten softer, they don't shed or break. They are durable, comfortable, beautiful, and just plain work.
 
Last edited:
Sounds like nonsense; its a shaving brush designed to make lather. I never had any issues using boar brushes to bowl lather or face lather. YouTubers act like DE and SR shaving is rocket science, instead of being as simple as slipping into a pair of Crocs.
Yeah except for the wearing Crocs part... ;) Shaving is so easy once you understand how simple it is but it seems many here watch too many YT videos as though the people making them are qualified to do anything but try to make some money by offering opinions or shilled promotions. One of the few people who's been doing if for years now and has his own shop is geofatboy. While I'm not really a big fan, he knows what he's talking about just like Mantic59. Don't know if he's still making content but there's only so much one can say about how to shave properly.
 
I never watch YouTube shaving videos, but the other day I was watching a few videos on the Lambda Athena because it’s tremendously beautiful and I wanted to see the razor in action (the lather rinse intrigues me). I was recommended a “how to lather in a bowl” video from a popular shaving YouTube creator.
You have to take many of those videos with a pinch of salt; too many show poor technique. Statements not backed up by facts is just as bad.
I use a scuttle and have been using badger brushes daily for about 10 years. I have not noticed any damage to the brushes from lathering in the bowl.
 

musicman1951

three-tu-tu, three-tu-tu
It's always good to remember that there is no requirement for quality or expertise on youtube.

While I suppose it might be possible to produce a bowl that could damage a brush I've never seen one.

Assuming you're not mashing the brush down to the handle in the brush - and that's not much of a standard to expect - I suggest you not worry about it. I've been using scuttles with badger brushes for many years with no problems. Boars, too.
 
I bowl lather vigorously with Badger, Boar and Synthetic brushes.

After building the lather in the bowl, I splay the brush on my face and do a bit of face lathering to apply the lather and then use painting strokes to even things out.

Never have had any issues with shedding or damaged brushes.
That's the next step. I get good lather with the plastic bowl reliably. It was never reliably good with the pure badger since it was carrying part of the water input. The synthetics don't so I only have to worry about 1 source of water.
I've seen bowls with the same kind of speed bumps that the plastic bowl has. So, it should work similar. The ceramic can be heated, and it will heat the lather.
If all theses ifs pan out, I might get hot lather on the face in winter. Being in New England, that would be nice.
 
i have yet (2009-now) lathered from a bowl, face latherer........How is it different?? More time is needed, but is the lather really any better ??
 
Top Bottom