Bowl talk

[Tonikallinn]

So.... shaving bowls. I currently have a Yaqi silicon collapsible bowl. It is on the smaller size, there's not much room at the bottom to swirl the brush around. But that's not the main issue. It seems it is very easy to add too much air into the lather with this bowl, especially at the start. I'm thinking that the drag from the silicone may have something to do with it?? The only way for me to bypass the issue, is smudging the soap around the bottom of the bowl, and starting with as little water as possible in the brush. Soap becomes a very very thick paste, and that way by slowly adding water, before going to my face for a face lather, i get a good, non-airy lather.... SO, here i am asking for opinions on bowls. And i have absolutely no idea what im looking for

I looked around Etsy for ceramic bowls, and found a seller called DougSmithPottery. There are varying types of bowls. Any bowl latherers tried his bowl? What is the ''optimal'' shape for a lathering bowl? Are metal bowls fine? (Captains Choice copper bowl) or do they also introduce drag?

I mainly use my bowl for picking up soap like Stirling, where i don't want to introduce water to the puck. I tried bowl lathering some TOBS, but got too varying results. Mostly too airy, which may lead back to the bowl

 

[Leverspro]

I've used a Doug Smith for years. Very nice bowls. The handle fits the hand very well.

 

[Sherlock40]

I am a bowl latherer and have tried many types of bowls. For me, the best bowl out there is Shave Nation’s ceramic bowl. It is the perfect shape and allows you to create a great lather. I have had the Captain’s Choice copper bowl and thought it was too shallow and it just didn’t work well for me. I also had some of the Captain’s Choice ceramic ones and just didn’t like the shape. A lot love those bowls, though. I have had a Symmetrical Pottery one that, while beautiful, was heavy. And I think that grooves a or bumps are overrated and are not necessary at all to create a good lather. The Shave Nation one is smooth inside with a small indent called the Lather Spot. I always come back to the Shave Nation one and have stopped looking for other bowls. See it in picture below:

 

[Tonikallinn]

I am a bowl latherer and have tried many types of bowls. For me, the best bowl out there is Shave Nation’s ceramic bowl. It is the perfect shape and allows you to create a great lather. I have had the Captain’s Choice copper bowl and thought it was too shallow and it just didn’t work well for me. I also had some of the Captain’s Choice ceramic ones and just didn’t like the shape. A lot love those bowls, though. I have had a Symmetrical Pottery one that, while beautiful, was heavy. And I think that grooves a or bumps are overrated and are not necessary at all to create a good lather. The Shave Nation one is smooth inside with a small indent called the Lather Spot. I always come back to the Shave Nation one and have stopped looking for other bowls. See it in picture below:

View attachment 1770318

I've seen videos with Geo using that bowl. It seems to work well with creams, and he seems to use a form of ''The Marco Method'' where he starts off with a lot of water in the brush.

I wonder how it would work with scooped out Stirling

 

[Tonikallinn]

I've used a Doug Smith for years. Very nice bowls. The handle fits the hand very well. View attachment 1770294

That! Oh... how am i going to word this.... The walls/sides of the bowl, they dont go straight up. They slowly... ''curve''? As i mention with my Yaqi bowl, there's not a lot of area to swirl the brush around. The diameter of the bowl isnt the largest, and the sides/walls also go straight up, lessening the area even further (English isnt my first language, i fully understand if you have a hard time getting what i mean)

I'm having a hard time figuring out from Doug's pictures and description, exactly how the bowls look and are shaped. But from the looks of things, that bowl would allow me to swirl the brush around better, especially when splaying a bit

Dont remember a bowl with a handle, though....

 

[gpjoe]

Dont remember a bowl with a handle, though....

He (Doug Smith) calls them "mugs" essentially bowls with handles. If you pull down the menu at Etsy, and select "shaving mugs" you get this:

Shaving Soap Mug, Wheel Thrown, Traditional - Etsy

This Shaving Brushes & Cups item by DougSmithPottery has 42 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Candler, NC. Listed on Mar 18, 2024

www.etsy.com

 

[Tonikallinn]

He (Doug Smith) calls them "mugs" essentially bowls with handles. If you pull down the menu at Etsy, and select "shaving mugs" you get this:

Shaving Soap Mug, Wheel Thrown, Traditional - Etsy

This Shaving Brushes & Cups item by DougSmithPottery has 42 favorites from Etsy shoppers. Ships from Candler, NC. Listed on Mar 18, 2024

www.etsy.com

Ah, lovely. Thank you

 

[Submariner]

I've been very pleased with this bowl: Beau Brummell

 

[nemo]

I've been very pleased with this bowl: Beau Brummell

Don't drop it (unless you're wearing steel toe slippers).

 

[walpan]

I have 2 bowls that I use alternating them. The Pereira bowl and the CaYuen bowl. Both are unbreakable and are both lather machines. I have used others and have either trashed them or given them away. These 2 are the only ones I use. That is not to downplay the others mentioned in this thread. The Pereira bowl has a brush lip to hold the brush and is very practical. The CaYuen is found on Etsy and there are several choices of designs. There are 2 sizes, I have the large. If you worry that the base of the large is too large, Rich at CaYuen can customize it for you. The CaYuen bowls are not only great lather machines, they are just beautiful to display.

 

[4pointOh]

I've been through a lot of bowls and I finally settled on a nice cast copper thing from a flea market.... ridges/bumps are a bit overhyped imho... and I've broke so many glass and pottery type bowls that I feel dumb not just staring with something that's a steel of some sort. But ymmv. Best of luck.

Here's a candidate from the bay....I also like bowls that double as decor rather that just like a earthen ware shave mug.

Best of luck.

Antique Cast Metal Pedestal Bowl | eBay

My late mother collected this bowl in England in the 1950s to 1960s. It has dull, silvery shine, and does not corrode.

www.ebay.com

 

[4pointOh]

Also a fair amount of cool wood bowls on the bay.

 

[Ckmaui]

Timeless bowl is my #1
Captains Choice heavy is my #2

I prefer the shape of the Timeless as its deeper and narrower and just love the way it builds up lather
available in various colors depending on where you pick it up and cheap enough to buy one and try it

the downside to the Captains is the metal the same goes for Ceramic is they clink when the bowl gets tapped by the brush OR when setting down and I just don’t like that silly for sure but just bugs me do wish it was a touch deeper also but do like it

 

[dmshaver]

I've used a variety of bowls, lather bowls, & mugs thru the years. Several years back I got a Captain's Choice Copper Lather bowl & have not looked back. I've gotten rid of all others & only use the Captain's lather bowl. For me, it feels great, looks great, & most importantly - it works great.

 

[Leverspro]

Hmm. Not sure Doug sells this shape of handle anymore. A shame if he doesn't. Grip and feel is excellent and secure.

 

[Tonikallinn]

Hmm. Not sure Doug sells this shape of handle anymore. A shame if he doesn't. Grip and feel is excellent and secure. View attachment 1770391View attachment 1770392

Ah, yeah i'm not seeing these. I'd settle for a normal handle, like are on the mugs he sells now. The colour available, though... it's so... green.

I sent him a message asking if he would do other colors. He has a smaller bowl in black with a red-ish accent, which looks nice

 

[Tonikallinn]

I have 2 bowls that I use alternating them. The Pereira bowl and the CaYuen bowl. Both are unbreakable and are both lather machines. I have used others and have either trashed them or given them away. These 2 are the only ones I use. That is not to downplay the others mentioned in this thread. The Pereira bowl has a brush lip to hold the brush and is very practical. The CaYuen is found on Etsy and there are several choices of designs. There are 2 sizes, I have the large. If you worry that the base of the large is too large, Rich at CaYuen can customize it for you. The CaYuen bowls are not only great lather machines, they are just beautiful to display.

I can somewhat understand the pricepoint for the CaYuen, but those Pereira bowls are pricey... Not to knock the product, as i haven't tried it. 47 bucks for a plastic bowl, and 62 bucks for the ceramic mug. I've seen a few versions of these plastic ones, from Yaqi as an example. Wouldn't that perform the same?

Those CaYuen bowls look very nice, and it's large diameter, does seem very good for swirling the brush around... but again. Pricey, might be well worth the price, can't knock the product, as i haven't tried it.

Either one of these bowls might very well be the last bowl i'd ever buy, but that's all dependant on whether i like them. And it's a huge price to find out!

 

[Tonikallinn]

I've used a variety of bowls, lather bowls, & mugs thru the years. Several years back I got a Captain's Choice Copper Lather bowl & have not looked back. I've gotten rid of all others & only use the Captain's lather bowl. For me, it feels great, looks great, & most importantly - it works great.

Is there any form of ''drag'' with the copper bowl? Or does the brush glide smoothly around the bowl?

 

[NorthernSoul]

I love the Pereira bowl for several reasons, but I got it as a gift, so didn't have to pay for it!

What the Pereira bowl has going for it is the size is good, the shape is great, it is very effective at making lather quickly and it is unbreakable. I'm a fan of the brush rest, too. True, the bowl is made of plastic, but it's a mineral-filled plastic that gives it some weight and sturdiness. It feels like it would survive a drop from a high building. Don't forget that plastic is quieter, no clinking or ringing sounds when making lather. My favorite color is the Terracotta, BTW.

There are many bowls from the Goodwill Store or similar places, that could work well. I prefer something unbreakable since I have tile floors and the bowl is going to get dropped at some point.

 

[Guido75]

I have looked at several bowls while I also got the Proraso one. I still use that one the most, but it is on the smaller side for my bigger brushes. I have looked at a 3D printed one from Roger Quin that is freely available from the net to be printed at a local shop. And that Pereira bowl is excellent as well. I should have gotten that one while it was on sale at a local store here. At the moment however I have settle for a very inexpensive "lathering" bowl that I picked up at one of our local Dollar Chains as you would call them in US I think. It is stainless steel (no ceramic for me for reasons mentioned by @NorthernSoul) and it is hammered outside-in so there is a mild form of friction going on. No brush rest so I use the Proraso bowl for that.

Here's a picture from yesterday's shave - and you also can find these on Amazon with a handle, usually by the name of Turkish copper bowl.

26.12.2023

• Guido75
• Dec 26, 2023

Gillette Red Tip • Perma Sharp (2) • Semogue SOC Cherry • B+M Leviathan

Speaking for myself, searching for the perfect bowl can drive you nuts. So I have decided to use this one and anyone of my shaving mugs - also works very well:

29.10.2023

• Guido75
• Oct 29, 2023

Gillette NEW RFB • PolSilver (17) • Omega Super Badger • Tabarko

Cheers,

Guido.