Thread: a scutle, is it worth the money

Will most often asked but .....
I was wondering: a scutle,gives this an additional value to a nice shave?
I am considering a schwarzweisskeramik xl but was wondering is it worth the money.
have i too high expectations and will i be disappointed or is it heavenly and real luxe whit that hot lather.

I have the L version of that scuttle.
I have used it every single day since it arrived some 18 months ago.
It keeps my lather nice and warm, and it is big enough to hold enough lather for 6 passes( 3 face/3 head)
Should mine break, I would order a new one the very same day

I've had several diferent kind of scutles and lather bowls, but since I bought my SWK scuttle approx around the same time as Birnando (limited edition, but same size in the bowl as a L or XL, as I understand it), I haven't used anything else. For me, it has been the best possible scuttle... I shave my head too and if there's a down side it could be that I whip up to much lather - becuase it's so easy, it's great fun and I have super soft water where I live.

Mikael & Birnando - thank you!

I use cold water and face lather, so the scuttle has always been a mystery to me. Is your lather whipped up inside the scuttle? or do you lather in a bowl and then leave the lathered brush in the scuttle? I'd rather ask the dumb question than remain dumb about the topic.

Also - good to know who shaves heads. I get asked about it & know absolutely nothing about it. My head is mostly naturally shaved , somewhere between a cue ball and the Friar Tuck look.

Thx again, Gents.

Yes, I whip up the lather in the scuttle.
If you prefer cold water shaves, then fill it with cold water, it will keep the lather tempered in that direction too

If you're a face latherer, you can buy a brush scuttle (that keeps the brushs bristels/hair warm, or cold )...

EDITED:
I'm sorry Robert, I didn't notice it was you, at first! I've got a brush scuttle I don't use, but shipping to you would be a pita though. Scuttles should have, I think, thick walls and plenty of room for hot or cold water in the "chamber". If a bowl also have some patterns to get the best possible lather.

Originally Posted by Mikael

I've had several diferent kind of scutles and lather bowls, but since I bought my SWK scuttle . . . I haven't used anything else . . . it has been the best possible scuttle

Mikael, I've a Dirty Bird scuttle on the way. I was just wondering if you had used one of these? If so, I'd like to know your thoughts on how it compares to your SWK. I'm getting the 1.5 scuttle here Dirty Bird Pottery - Wheel thrown and hand crafted home goods, kitchenware, gardenware, shaving pieces and more...

I haven't used one, but those are very well known and well praised and I would be surprised if you didn't like it (if you like scuttles that is ). To be honest, I've looked at those scuttles more than once in the past.

Dont buy a scuttle and expect HOT lather,they make warm lather. I use mine in the winter months.Roberts Feats of Clay make a work horse of a scuttle for cheap,it wont win any beauty contests and it has a lid,which comes in handy keeping the lather warm.

I purchased a Robert Becker Scuttle (link) and it is wonderful. It's molded clay, as opposed to thrown, so it doesn't have quite the style and elegance of some of the others, but it gets the job done and the price is right! I went for the large scuttle which allows me to lather in the scuttle itself, as well as soak my brush in the hot water in the reservoir.

Here are some photos of mine:




He has several different models and sizes, as well as a variety of colours. If you face lather, my understanding is a Moss Scuttle (link) is smaller and designed to keep a lather-filled brush warm, though it can be used to build lather, as well. Dirty Bird Scuttles are also quite popular (link) and they make very nice shaving gear there. I've seen a few other brands and makers around, but can't recall them off the top of my head. The Schwarzweisskeramik (link) scuttle is a thing of beauty and I hope to own one some day, but they are quite costly and the shipping is also expensive from Germany over to Canada, so that held me back. Also, I wasn't sure I'd like it, so the Robert Becker made for a less risky trial scuttle.

It turns out that I love my scuttle and it does a great job of delivering three or more passes of warm lather to my face whenever I shave. While not as fancy as some of the other ones, it is a fixture in my shaving routine and gets used in the majority of my shaves.

So yes, I recommend trying one. Check your options and choose accordingly, as there is quite a bit of variety.