Thread: Scuttle/Bowl Ridges

I am curious how many of you find that the ridges or webbing in scuttles and bowls really make a difference?
I have had quite a few scuttles and bowls now and what I have found is that some form of concentric circles or a spiral help to keep a soft soap or hard cream in place while beginning the lather. The problem is the radial lines, they don't seem to be beneficial. I understand the theory of increasing lather efficiency, but it seems like more often than not the cream will fill in these lines and not create lather.
I find myself having to take an unnecessary amount of time running my brush through these ridges to clean the lather out. I currently have three different styles of scuttles and while I like my new dirtybird double more than any other I still pull out one of the other two for hard creams.

I know it was my choice to add them and I will not get rid of this scuttle EVER.

Ya know I was going to order a dirtybird with the web design but the back order was 6 weeks and I was to impatient to wait. I ended up getting an SRD scuttle which has a couple of small ridges on the very bottom.
I felt like you did in that having the web would increase the ability to make a thick lather quicker.
The SRD scuttle works excellent and I think having those ridges just on the very bottom allows me to whip up some good lather and as it builds the lather pushes up the sides.
Part of me still wants a dirtybird but I'll say this.... The SRD scuttle I got is truly awesome and I am really loving using it.

I have a bunch of different samples on the way, some circles, some web, and I am getting one done with no enamel on the inside to maintain a textured surface to see which will be best. I didn't see the spiral ones before I began the design with a local on the Sunshine Coast (north of Brisbane). She does hand made pottery etc and wants to work with me to get a good lather bowl.

Sam

I have a Georgetown scuttle with ridges, and large smooth bottum shavemug from the early 1900s. I don' see a difference in lather building. The georgetown is better for other reasons, such as the thumb hole and it is smaller than the Dirty bird. This allows me to hold it in one hand while building lather....just my opinion though..i am by no means an expert. I used an old spice mug for the first twenty years..

I have to agree with Wintchase, I am sure someone can explain the benefit but I just haven't noted a difference myself either...

ShaveShack/Sam, Watch the textured surface, if it is too textured it will start wearing out your brush

Originally Posted by gssixgun

ShaveShack/Sam, Watch the textured surface, if it is too textured it will start wearing out your brush

+1, the hair will split faster and wear out quicker.

Good point on it wearing out the brush. I am exploring different options.

Originally Posted by gssixgun

ShaveShack/Sam, Watch the textured surface, if it is too textured it will start wearing out your brush

That's why I stopped using my flower pot scuttle.

Gentlemen:

In a scuttle, I feel concentric circles are not a must, but they do help somewhat in trapping the lather. I've had lather bowls without any lines and done quite well creating luxurious lather.

The concept of concentric or radial lines, however, should be taken only so far. What's more, with just enough concentric circles the radial lines become an overkill.

My Dirty Bird 1.5 scuttle had concentric circles from the bottom of the bowl all the way up the walls. That was fine. I also had a choice of asking for radial lines, but opted not to do so, because what I had was just enough. I no longer have that scuttle; I made a gift of it to a good friend, who fell in love with it.

Current I sport the Schwartsweisskeramik scuttle with concentric circles only on the bottom of the bowl. The walls are smooth. That, too, I find just enough and, therefore, ideal. I love the Schwartsweisskeramik scuttle.

I suppose even in a scuttle too much of a good thing is probably too much.

Regards,

Obie

No scuttle here yet; but I have two very different lather bowls; one is the el cheapo VDH bowl from my local pharmacy, and the other is a bowl I found for sale from a potter at the local farmers & dirty hippies market; its intended use is unknown to me but the shape is great although a bit large; it has that lovely circular pattern on the bottom and up the sides; it is more pronounced on the bottom which is nice for harder creams like one of Al's bombs; other than the bomb I haven't noticed any major advantage of the rings; a larger size is nice as are the indentations that I use to rest my brush handle in; attached is a photo for your consideration because we ll know it is not nice to tell without showing.