Shaving Scuttles - What are they and how to use them?

Shaving Scuttles

What are they and how to use them?

If you have been delving into wet shaving forums and looking through stores then you will have undoubtedly heard about shaving scuttles. But what are they and how do you use them to improve your shaving experience?

This article explains what a scuttle (shaving bowl) is, how to use it, and the benefits that you can obtain to your shaving ritual.

Any wet shaving enthusiast will know that using premium equipment is key to achieving the best shave including a straight razor, shaving brush, shaving cream/soap and maintenance gear. But what about a piece of equipment to build your soap lather in?

What is a Shaving Scuttle?

A shaving scuttle is a double-walled, ceramic bowl used to keep soap lather warm and ready for multiple passes. It is used by filling the bottom bowl with hot water and building a thick soap/cream lather in the upper bowl. This helps create a thick lather using both the heat from the water and any inner grooves in the bowl while also keeping it nice and warm - ready for re-application for any future passes. Some scuttles can also have a wide enough opening so that your shaving brush can also be kept warm and wet with the water in the bottom, however, this is less common. The normal material used in a scuttle is ceramic which has great thermal properties - they have a standard size of 3.5 inches wide and 2.5 inches deep but this can vary significantly based on the potter’s designs and style. You can also get full scuttle kits made up of three containers - a bowl to keep your brush wet, a scuttle for building and storing lather, and a third bowl for storing a soap puck and loading the brush.

Some of our shaving scuttles

Scuttle Alternatives

A cheaper alternative is a shaving mug – which is virtually a coffee mug used to both store soap pucks and build and store a lather without getting your hands soapy. They are often made with a protruded handle for extra ease and are also known as apothecary mugs. They are a simpler method for storing lather to avoid mess but do not keep it warm, and can often have a difficult time due to the shape of the mug. There are a wide variety of shaving bowls and scuttles available online and are a fantastic addition to any wet shaving collection.

Example product title

$19.99
$19.99

How to Use a Shaving Scuttle?

Use the steps below to get the most out of your scuttle:

SHOP SCUTTLES
1

The first step is to fill both the inner and outer bowl with hot top water.

2

Then use the top bowl to fully soak and wet your shaving brush. Leave it for a few minutes until the brush is fully saturated.

3

When the brush is fully wet, empty both bowls and refill the bottom bowl with hot water.

4

Remove any excess water from the top bowl and load up your shaving brush with your favourite soap or cream.

5

Build a thick lather in the top bowl and add extra water as required.

6

Lather your face as per normal.

Conclusion - Phew!

That is everything. At Cut Throat Club we offer custom hand made on a wheel, hand-glazed, glossy black scuttles to improve your shaving experience.
We would be interested in hearing your experiences around using scuttles for building lather and the differences between individual scuttles/mugs.
If you have any questions or queries then please leave a comment below - we love to interact with our customers and readers.

Tom

I’ve same Crabtree & Evelyn Mason Ironstone scuttle for 30+ years and love it.

Jim Morton

I’ve been using a Seto-Marujyu scuttle I picked up for $1 at the Goodwill in Antioch. Love it.

Russ Egan Admin Response

Hi Nichole,
You can use any kind of shaving soap puck or shaving cream to build a lather within a scuttle or bowl.

nichole Trahey

What products do you use in the scuttle?