Member
Los Angeles
I have no problem purchasing high priced or expensive shaving products. I have 60 soaps, softs soaps and creams many of which are expensive based on their weight. I have a substantial amount invested in my many brushes as well as paying $299 for an ATT 5 piece razor. There are however, products that I am not willing to pay ridicules prices for. That is not to say that I disagree with those who do purchase such products nor am I attempting to convince others to follow my lead. Everything associated with wet shaving is subjective and should stay that way. The following just represents what I do. There are two products that I have decided to use instead of more expensive ones.
The first is buying a hard soap in the in the company’s bowl. If a refill is available I will purchase it. For instance DR Harris sells for about $35 in their beech wood bowl. But the refill costs about $18. So, for the price of the puck in the bowl you can buy two refills. L’occitane sells a puck of Cade hard soap for $12. The bowl costs $28. Several years ago I came across a product made by Pyrex and now Anchor Hocking makes the same thing. It is a very heavy duty glass container with a sealable top that holds 8 ounces of liquid. They are perfect for hard soap pucks. The Pyrex sells for about $8.00 plus tax for four, about $2.40 each. The Anchor Hocking sells for $5 and change for four about $1.40 each. Thats a lot better than s starting price of $17 for a DR Harris bowl. The tops completely seal the bowl so you can travel without the top falling off. I keep mine in a large draw and they stack perfectly. I currently am using 20 of them. At least 90% of the soaps I purchased fit perfectly in them. I only have a few brands that need trimming. Those that are a little larger can be trimmed to fit. I simply take a very sharp thin knife and carefully trim the edges. I suggest not using a potato peeler. Once I trim the excess off I push the puck into a bowl and press it down. I take the excess pieces and cover the top of the puck, poor water over it and let sit for several minutes, drain it and flatten them down with my thumbs and let dry. After about three or four loading with a brush they appear to be gone. The bowl on the left is an example. The one in the middle was a puck or DR Harris Windsor that fit perfectly and the third is smaller. Wet the bottom of the puck and it glues itself to the bowl.
![[Image: 01FvAw9.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/01FvAw9.jpg)
And the second are bowls to make lather in. For a year or two I’ve faced lathered with at least 90% of my soaps and creams. Recently, I started bowl lathered again after I read a thread “Don’t quit your lather too soon”. The first product I used when I started bowl lathering again was Queen Charlotte, Fougere. I was able to make a half a bowl of lather and had much more than what I needed for three passes. I was very impressed because I never got that much lather from this product while face lathering. This is another product, that I am not willing to buy expensive lather bowls or scuttles. I know and understand that many shavers collect these and there are many people who make custom bowls and scuttles which I think are impressive looking products. In the photo below you can see what I use to bowl lather. Each of the 4 can hold 8 ounces of liquid. The orange, black and yellow ones are actually Salsa bowls that you can generally buy at Mexican food stores. Here in the Southwest there are several very large Mexican super markets that sell these useful bowels. And, the best part, they only cost $1.49. The green one my wife found buried in a kitchen cabinet. I use that one to soak my brush in with distilled water while I shower. I am not suggesting however, that people use these instead of the collection of bowls and scuttles. But, for those starting to wet shave or bowl lathering it is a cheap way of trying.
![[Image: 6FIlPxm.jpg]](https://i.imgur.com/6FIlPxm.jpg)
The first is buying a hard soap in the in the company’s bowl. If a refill is available I will purchase it. For instance DR Harris sells for about $35 in their beech wood bowl. But the refill costs about $18. So, for the price of the puck in the bowl you can buy two refills. L’occitane sells a puck of Cade hard soap for $12. The bowl costs $28. Several years ago I came across a product made by Pyrex and now Anchor Hocking makes the same thing. It is a very heavy duty glass container with a sealable top that holds 8 ounces of liquid. They are perfect for hard soap pucks. The Pyrex sells for about $8.00 plus tax for four, about $2.40 each. The Anchor Hocking sells for $5 and change for four about $1.40 each. Thats a lot better than s starting price of $17 for a DR Harris bowl. The tops completely seal the bowl so you can travel without the top falling off. I keep mine in a large draw and they stack perfectly. I currently am using 20 of them. At least 90% of the soaps I purchased fit perfectly in them. I only have a few brands that need trimming. Those that are a little larger can be trimmed to fit. I simply take a very sharp thin knife and carefully trim the edges. I suggest not using a potato peeler. Once I trim the excess off I push the puck into a bowl and press it down. I take the excess pieces and cover the top of the puck, poor water over it and let sit for several minutes, drain it and flatten them down with my thumbs and let dry. After about three or four loading with a brush they appear to be gone. The bowl on the left is an example. The one in the middle was a puck or DR Harris Windsor that fit perfectly and the third is smaller. Wet the bottom of the puck and it glues itself to the bowl.
And the second are bowls to make lather in. For a year or two I’ve faced lathered with at least 90% of my soaps and creams. Recently, I started bowl lathered again after I read a thread “Don’t quit your lather too soon”. The first product I used when I started bowl lathering again was Queen Charlotte, Fougere. I was able to make a half a bowl of lather and had much more than what I needed for three passes. I was very impressed because I never got that much lather from this product while face lathering. This is another product, that I am not willing to buy expensive lather bowls or scuttles. I know and understand that many shavers collect these and there are many people who make custom bowls and scuttles which I think are impressive looking products. In the photo below you can see what I use to bowl lather. Each of the 4 can hold 8 ounces of liquid. The orange, black and yellow ones are actually Salsa bowls that you can generally buy at Mexican food stores. Here in the Southwest there are several very large Mexican super markets that sell these useful bowels. And, the best part, they only cost $1.49. The green one my wife found buried in a kitchen cabinet. I use that one to soak my brush in with distilled water while I shower. I am not suggesting however, that people use these instead of the collection of bowls and scuttles. But, for those starting to wet shave or bowl lathering it is a cheap way of trying.
Not in my life time. I just don't get it. Unless you are wealthy, whats the point?
