How do you use a Shaving Scuttle properly?

[mook]

hi chaps ive recently gained a shaving scuttle first time user looking for what i should be doing to use it properly any advice would be greatly appreciated. its a C&E mason one from the late 80's and looks like a mug teapot lol

Cheers gents
PS if the mods think this needs to be somewhere else feel free to send it on a vacation to another forum

[Cheech]

I haven't used that type of scuttle before, but I imagine its not too different from other scuttles.

I believe you simply put a cake of soap on the top bowl and fill it with hot water through the "spout." Then, put the brush in the "spout" to warm it up. To lather, work up a lather on the soap, and the excess water drains down into the scuttle.

I'm curious how well these works. I haven't seen anything written about them. But, since T&H, C&E and others put out the design, I have to imagine they work pretty well.

[mook]

ok gents just used it and it was rubbish lol looking for someone who uses on of these to set me on the path please!

[mkevenson]

Old scuttle styles vary greatly from new scuttle styles. A pic would be helpful.

[cvac]

The old style scuttles don't keep lather warm.

They are basically just a jug to hold warm water and have a little cup on top for you to put your soap puck. There is no lathering bowl or anything with them. You just lightly dip your brush in the water, then load on the puck and lather directly on your face.

See here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Rh9hTuDBKU

Watch how the guy does it at the beginning of the video.

and here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iVPqFNObhEI

I believe they were designed to hold the warm water because not everyone had running water in the bathroom and everywhere else back in the day. Now they are basically novelty pieces.

If you want something to keep the lather warm, you'll have to get a new style scuttle: Dirty Bird, Moss, Georgetown Pottery, etc. are some brand names. These have water chambers in them and lathering bowls built in. They don't hold a puck of soap but they will keep your brush and lather warm.

[MrPiper]

Do you have to use creams with the newer style of scuttle or can you still use a puck of soap and just load your brush before whipping the lather?

[falkor27]

Do you have to use creams with the newer style of scuttle or can you still use a puck of soap and just load your brush before whipping the lather?

It's basically an insulated mug, so using soap, cream, or both together is no problem. I mostly use mine to soak my brush since I started face-lathering, though creams get a bit of whipping beforehand.

[dar8888]

The old style scuttles don't keep lather warm.

Huh, mine sure does.

[gabiavaz]

i just use drops of hot water directly on my brush inbetween passes to warm up the lather
is my approach right??

[Go West Young Man]

Huh, mine sure does.

If it does, that's a pleasant side-effect, but not the point of the scuttle.

[Col Wilburforce Buckshot]

On a recent antiquing foray I found this:



In an attempt to discover how to properly use it I discovered this thread.

It may have served some dubiously useful purpose in the past but nowadays, with the advent of indoor pluming, it's redundant.

I have found it does not keep the lather warm.
It's cumbersome to hold while loading one's brush.
I have managed to spill water all over the place while attempting to use it.
Modern brushes do not easily fit into the spout.
The drain holes in the bowl are useless as the soap occludes them.

Mine will serve as a decoration only as it has no practical application. I'm glad I found one at an antique store for less than $10.00 before I parted company with $90.00 plus shipping to Truefitt & Hill.