Checking in

**charleton** · 09-01-2006, 07:33 AM

Gene Charleton in College Station, Texas, here.

I'm not especially a newbie to wet shaving, but this forum is opening my eyes to how to get a good shave out of the process. For years I've been using an old Gillette open comb and a ratty old brush I got from my dad a mort of years ago. But I'm learning that it can be lots better than I've been getting if you lather properly. The advice I've gotten on this alone is worth the price of admission. My shaves have improved immeasurably.

Now -- a question. One of the best bits of lathering arcana I've gotten is using a lather bowl to work up a good lather. I've only been working on this for a week or so, using an old bowl from the back of the kitchen cupboard. In the photo series on lathering, I've seen some nice looking shallow bowls. They look like they would be much easier to manipulate the brush in than the deep one I'm using.

Does anyone have suggestions on where to find a nice shallow lathering bowl?

Thanks.

Gene.

**Steelforge** · 09-01-2006, 07:45 AM

Well I just ordered a Moss Scuttle; but for my current bowl I simply went round the home sections is several local supermarkets, looking at coffee cups and cereal bowls until I found one I liked. I ended up with a wide but shallow coffee cup, with curved/sloping rather than vertical sides. It was really cheap too.

**fatt_tony** · 09-01-2006, 07:48 AM

I went to a resale/ second hand store and found a nice ceramic round rice bowl for like 90 cents. I works really well for lathering nice rounded inside, sometimes it works too well ...... my lather runeth over.

**Jim** · 09-01-2006, 07:56 AM

Welcome Gene, Happy hunting!

**mantic** · 09-01-2006, 07:59 AM

Try viewing this video. It even uses an Aggie latte' cup from the MSC bookstore!

--Mark

**charleton** · 09-01-2006, 08:33 AM

Well -- I dunno about the Aggie latte cup, but I will spend a while this weekend cruising the resale places. That's a good idea, one that hadn't occurred to me.

Thanks, guys. I will report back on what I come up with.

Gene.

**Queen of Blades** · 09-01-2006, 11:26 AM

Welcome to B&B!

**TomH** · 09-01-2006, 12:53 PM

Welcome Gene,
enjoy staying here and have fun

Thomas

**rtaylor61** · 09-01-2006, 10:36 PM

Is this going to turn into an "Aggie" joke thread? I know hundreds!

Randy

**Scotto** · 09-02-2006, 01:47 PM

Just haunt Target or Walmart and you'll find some great bowls for pennies.

**rtaylor61** · 09-02-2006, 11:33 PM

Gene,

I use a stainless steel mixing bowl:

I picked it up at a thrift store for less than a buck! It fits in the palm of my hand, has plenty of work room, and, until you decide to buy a Moss Scuttle, you'll find it is easy to tilt and let hot water run over the bottom to help keep the lather hot.

Randy

**charleton** · 09-04-2006, 08:38 AM

In search of a good bowl, I visited our local Salvation Army resale store on Saturday and came away with a nice heavy stoneware bowl, fairly shallow and about 5-in. across. I think I like the bigger bowl better than small. I've used it twice and it seems to be what I was looking for. The color even goes vaguely with our bathroom. And it set me back a whole quarter.

Gene.

**Leisureguy** · 09-04-2006, 08:44 AM

One of the pleasures of wet-shaving is finding just the right lathering bowl. I've tried everything, and have come back to the one I started with: a large soup cup, which has a handle.

**Creslin** · 09-04-2006, 11:30 AM

I too have a large soup cup. It's 4 1/4" wide and 2 3/4" deep. Having a handle works perfect and after I build my lather I let it sit in the sink of water which lets my lather get nicely warm.

**readyme** · 09-04-2006, 12:56 PM

I started with a plastic cereal bowl, but my lather was always cold. Then a lightbulb came on and I switched to a very wide Starbucks coffee mug. The ceramic material keeps warm, thus my lather is now warm...what a difference!!!