Shaving mug

[Don Carter]

This is a shaving mug for my brother to go with his brush I made him for Christmas. This box is made from red gum and has a loose fit lid with an ebony handle. I have put on one coat of Minwax AO with two more to go.

Also, a spalted sycamore bowl that is not completed. I still have to turn the bottom and a couple more coats of AO.

What do you think?

All the best.

Don

[Bernie Weishapl]

Don he is going to like that. Really nice looking piece. Well done.

[alex carey]

I love the shape of the box, the bowl has some really nice coloring also. well done.

[Bill Bolen]

He's gping to love the mug...know I would! The bowl sure has some nice spalting working in it. Looking forward to the finished product...Bill...

[Steve Schlumpf]

Everything looks really good Don! Great looking wood for the shaving mug! Your brother is going to really appreciate your efforts! Bowl will really come alive with some finish on it! Great spalting! Looking forward to seeing it finished!

[David Walser]

Don,

Great job on the shaving mug. My question is how durable the MinWax Antique Oil finish will be in such a wet use? I've thought of turning my own shaving mug, but I thought I'd need to use some two-part epoxy finish or the daily exposure to hot water and soap would ruin the mug in a fairly short time. Can you really "get away" with an oil finish for such a use?

[Don Carter]

David:
A question that I have rolled around a lot! That is why I am having my brother act as a test pilot.;)

I have had somewhat good luck with the CA finishes on the the shaving brush handles but I am not so sure of the mugs.

I did some research on the mugs made by some of the pro's. They do not really divulge their finish secrets but most have what appears to be some sort of penetrating finish.

Any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks for all the nice comments.

All the best.

Don

[Jon Lanier]

Don that is a really good. I like the idea too! I use a brush and then use a tupperware cup for my soaps.

[Jarrod McGehee]

Nice mug Don. I really like the color on the bowl. Nice job

[Mitchell Cholewinski]

Don
Very nice work Don. Your brother will like the mug. I know I would. I just use an old coffee mug for mine. T:)hanks for the swell Idea. Mitch

[Frank Kobilsek]

Don,

I made a use a shaving cup that I made in early 2004. It is segmented cherry, the wood being left over fill strip from the bathroom remodel that winter. The cracks are growing so I hope it makes it to Memorial Day this year so it will be 5 years old.

I glued it with Titebond 3 thier most water resistant product. It was finishes with several coats of oil, probably Danish at that time, then many many coats of spray poly. The outside still looks pretty good depsite the slowly expanding joint failures. The inside of the cup water stained within weeks for first use. It is nearly black on the inside. I don't think a customer would have been impressed with the life of the finish on the inside of the cup.

Frank

[Don Carter]

Frank:
Do you have any suggestions on finishes that would hold up to the daily shaving routine?

All the best.

Don

[David Walser]

Don,

Alan Lacer has a picture in his website gallery of a bathroom sink he made out of mesquite. There are no details on the sink's finish, but IIRC the sink is coated with a two-part epoxy finish. I recall reading a blurb about the sink in some magazine, but I cannot recall where. IIRC, the magazine mentioned the finish -- but there were no details about how it was applied.

[Don Carter]

David:
Thanks, I recall seeing that as well. I will see if I can find it.

All the best.

Don