Mug/Bowl shape/size?

**Brance** · 04-20-2011, 05:41 PM

I'm fairly new to this. I've been lathering in a bowl for about a month now. I'm wondering if there is a preferred size and shape for a lather mug/bowl?

**Wetshavemike** · 04-20-2011, 05:56 PM

After using a few different ones I settled on a mug about 4" across and 1 1/2" deep, with a handle. Maybe a soup bowl. It is not the best, but it works very well and cost me $1.50. I wish it had some texture on the bottom and a lip that rolls inward slightly, but I am bound to drop it, and I always look for a better one at the second hand store.

**Leonard1** · 04-20-2011, 06:01 PM

I recently bought this for $3. It's called a Cordon Blue Lionshead soup bowl. Check out local housewares departments to find it cheap - or order it online.

it has replaced my Dirty Bird 1.5 Scuttle as my go to bowl. At least for a bit.

**Brance** · 04-20-2011, 06:18 PM

I've been using a bowl, but it seems a little wide and the sides are sloped in such a way that the lather tends to move toward the top edges of the bowl and I'm constantly trying to get it back down.

I tried using a large mug this morning, but it seemed to deep and hard to get into with the brush.

I'm just looking for the right combo of size, diameter, shape to make lathering he easiest on this noobie.

**The Count of Merkur Cristo** · 04-20-2011, 06:54 PM

Originally Posted by Brance

I'm fairly new to this. I've been lathering in a bowl for about a month now. I'm wondering if there is a preferred size and shape for a lather mug/bowl?

Brance:
I use my Sterling Silver Baby Cup (as my soap mug), my Mother (finally!!!), gave me (as my family Keepsake), many...many 'moons' ago. This cup brings back many old memories of my childhood and it was like 'pulling teeth' to get Mother Dear to finally give to me after much badgering (no pun intended), provided I hang on to it as my fanily Keepsake & Heirloom...and give it to my oldest son when I am much older.

And yes...the handle is in the shape of a rabbitt...after "Peter Rabbit" (which Mom says I quit crying when her and/or Dad read one of the books of the Beatrix Potter Collection).

My cup is also is engraved with my full name/birth date and later (after the cup was mine!!!), I added these engraved quotes; "To Smoke is Human...To Smoke Cigars is Divine" and "A Great Lather is Half the Shave". Not only does it hold my VDH Deluxe Soap, but also builds Uberlather (I add a few drops of glycerine), which I then 'load' my brush, then work in the lather on my face (about 2-3 minutes).

The great benefit of my cup is that it is small enough (2 ½in wide), to easily fits my soap perfectly...unwrap...in the cup...no hassles...no issues and at the same time being only 2in deep, it prevents almost all shave brush 'clanking'.

The key here is to find a cup/mug that fits your soap (not too deep and wide), 'to-a-tee' without too space /room that will result in 'clanking'. There are many vintage silver cups/mugs (which you can then later engrave with quotes), on Ebay if you already know the dimensions of the puck you wish to use.

Christopher

"Life is [like] a razor, you are always in hot water or a scrape" Anonymous

**Leonard1** · 04-20-2011, 06:57 PM

Originally Posted by Brance

I've been using a bowl, but it seems a little wide and the sides are sloped in such a way that the lather tends to move toward the top edges of the bowl and I'm constantly trying to get it back down.

I tried using a large mug this morning, but it seemed to deep and hard to get into with the brush.

I'm just looking for the right combo of size, diameter, shape to make lathering he easiest on this noobie.

The shape of my bowl above contains the lather really well. you can lather it as aggressively as you need to w/o the soap getting out of the bowl, due to the lip of the bowl.

**retiredguns** · 04-20-2011, 08:03 PM

I saw this bowl in another thread so I headed to K-Mart to look at it. For $1.49 it is an awesome lather bowl. Perfect size, unbreakable, double walled & holds heat better than expected. Molcajete 10oz Plastic Salsa Dish Made in USA.

**Koken** · 04-20-2011, 08:20 PM

Try to find a bowl 4-5" wide by 3" deep that has a semi coarse swirl on bottom, this is one I recently purchased...

**TimButterfield** · 04-21-2011, 05:52 PM

Originally Posted by retiredguns

I saw this bowl in another thread so I headed to K-Mart to look at it. For $1.49 it is an awesome lather bowl. Perfect size, unbreakable, double walled & holds heat better than expected. Molcajete 10oz Plastic Salsa Dish Made in USA.

Thanks for that recommendation. I just picked up one here in the Chicago 'burbs for $1.59 as a bowl for my first kit. I'll get to test it as soon as the rest of my kit arrives.

Tim

**HoosierTrooper** · 04-21-2011, 05:58 PM

This one from the Vermont Country Store is my favorite. The wide top gives me plenty of room for the brush and my hand.

**slider643** · 04-21-2011, 06:28 PM

When I first started, I commandeered a Japanese rice bowl from the kitchen, which of course got me in trouble. But it's the perfect size for me and it comes in a variety of different materials, colors and designs. And they can be had for cheap so it's not costly if you want to change up the look of your sink.