The captain's choice bowl in stainless steel would be ideal

Merkurologist

Forum GOD!
I have a Aesop bowl, which is merely a small Sori Yanagi bowl. Stainless Steel. It's smooth but the metal has very fine lines in the finish that make working up lather very easy. I also have a ceramic bowl that is completely smooth inside. No swirls in the bottom that people insist are necessary. I can whip up an amazing lather in the exact same amount of time in that bowl as any other bowl I have with the swirls or texture. Ultimately it's the whipping action of the brush that makes it all happen. That said I would love a Captain's Choice lather bowl in the thick heavy weight copper. It's a nice looking bowl and as others have said, won't break when you drop it. But I think those who claim that texture makes a demonstrable difference are merely trying to justify the purchase of another bowl. Nothing wrong with that. After all, we are Shaving Enablers.
I have the aesop bowl too and you're spot on with your description of it. It's my travelling bowl now but I have several ceramic bowls that I use, including captain choice regular and large... both very good.
 

SweeneyTodd

Forum GOD!
I bought a couple of these, and they're very good for lathering. I also got one of the giant "Lickimat Wobble" silicone bowls, which is just the thing for those wobbly morning-after shaves. Apart from working well, the big advantage of these is that they will not themselves break, nor will they shatter a washbasin, which is a distinct possibility with the heavier ceramic bowls, mugs and scuttles (e.g. Woodhead's).
 

Zhang Doe

Forum GOD!
^
These do break. Where the material folds eventually will thin and tear. I had one of these, albeit without the nubs, for when I went out with the dog. I didn’t even use it much. Just a case where I didn’t win the lottery with a cheap China-made product.
 

SweeneyTodd

Forum GOD!
^
These do break. Where the material folds eventually will thin and tear. I had one of these, albeit without the nubs, for when I went out with the dog. I didn’t even use it much. Just a case where I didn’t win the lottery with a cheap China-made product.
Mine are in static use, so I have no need to fold them, but, as you rightly point out, they are rather thin all round. I'm impressed with the lather that can be produced, although it does seem a little hit-and-miss, which is probably just down to my technique.

Looking at some of the stainless bowls in the kitchen today, it occurs to me that a similar finish to that in the Aesop might be achieved with some wire brushing, sandpapering or similar. If I can pinch one without getting caught, I may give it a go, but the problem in these times is that the Cook is more in the house than out of it, which makes larceny a little harder.
 

Sami

Forum GOD!
Why not the copper version? I have the copper and it's awesome.
Bit of a late reaction but a reaction nonetheless the reason I don't like the copper version is the surface is rough making it more difficult to clean (unlike stainless steel wich is smooth and easy to clean) and it also patina after a while this comes very close https://hendrixclassics.com/collections/razors-and-blades/products/shaving-bowl took this from Chris iamcdb if only this was available in the eu cause shipping makes it more expensive than it needs to be
 

gwsmallwood

Legendary Member
Bit of a late reaction but a reaction nonetheless the reason I don't like the copper version is the surface is rough making it more difficult to clean (unlike stainless steel wich is smooth and easy to clean) and it also patina after a while this comes very close https://hendrixclassics.com/collections/razors-and-blades/products/shaving-bowl took this from Chris iamcdb if only this was available in the eu cause shipping makes it more expensive than it needs to be
I saw that Hendrix bowl. I wouldn't mind checking one out, it's just not very high on my priority list at the moment.
 

SweeneyTodd

Forum GOD!
As the owner of sundry silicone dog bowls and an assortment of ceramic bowls and scuttles, all of which do the job just fine, I have nonetheless been hankering for years after a metal shaving bowl. I thought about the Aesop, but stainless bowls don't really do it for me, and the copper tinned Turkish bowls, which I think are used there for eating rather than shaving, look good apart from the brass handles.

I did consider getting a Turkish bowl and making a handle more to my liking, but that idea went quiet.

Next best thing in metal looked like the Captain's Choice copper bowl, but I really couldn't be doing with importing it from the USA. Fortunately, Shaving Time have now got them, so that's me sorted (for the time being).
 

SweeneyTodd

Forum GOD!
The Captain's Choice bowl has now shewn up, and it looks to be everything I had hoped it would. Too late for today's session, but I'll probably have a first run tomorrow.
 

Sami

Forum GOD!
The HC&C Stainless steel shaving bowl is perfect since i bought that shaving bowl i used it exclusively for like almost 2 months now and i can say i don't need any other shaving bowl, im very pleased with it.
 
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