Shaving Bowl Finish?

[Tim Boger]

I have a customer that is interested in a 4-6 inch natural edge bowl to be used as a shaving bowl .. I'm not sure if they intend to keep the soap in the bowl but I guess it's smart to consider this in a worst case scenario. How would you finish it? Would Polyurethane survive?

Thanks
Tim

[Tim Boger]

No doubt an uncommon question, I'm surprised no one had even a suggestion.

Just as well. the opportunity has passed.

Tim

[allen thunem]

i have made shaving bowls out of imported woods and due to their natural oil content and the fact that they would be layered in soap i never put a finish on them and they have lasted for years.
but am not sure native american woods would fair as well.
Not an expert on finishes but am fairly certain a lacquer finish would be my last choice for a finish. An oil based poly might work well or a marine varnish such as eppiphanes.
just my two cents.

[Fred Perreault]

Any finish such as poly or laquer that dries to s shell finish would no doubt eventually peel after water starts getting under it. An oil type finish seems so be something that would protect by penetrating into the wood fibers some, and then be re-newed as needed. Of couse, some native woods (red oak for one), might turn black after a while. Seems like a dicey situation.

[Tim Boger]

Hey Allen, I appreciate your feedback. Great info.

[Tim Boger]

Hi Fred .... does seem like wood selection is critical and the best finish might be none at all.

Thanks for you help.

[Aaron Craven]

I was actually tempted to make a shaving bowl/mug and brush set myself, but have been resisting because I use mine in the shower and it most certainly gets very wet. I know film finishes won't work for the reasons listed above. I wouldn't think an oil finish would endure either (after all, the thing is intended to hold soap lather). One possibility might be stabilized wood (no finish), but I don't know enough about it to know how it would hold up.

Of course, if your customer isn't dead set on wood, one option (though potentially pretty expensive) would be acrylic. It's just plastic, so it should work fine.

I'm interested in the exotic wood option... which woods would you recommend, Allen?

[Larry Matchett]

I use marine spar varnish. I have used mine for years everyday. I will probably have to put another coat on someday. Not yet. I have never had a customer complain. I would not use it in the shower every day but who knows.

[David Walser]

At one of his demos, Alan Lacer showed a picture of a bathroom sink he'd turned out of wood (mesquite, IIRC). He used epoxy (the kind used to finish bar-counters) to put a durable "gel-coat" finish on the sink.

[cody michael]

what about an epoxy bar top coating, out it on 1/16 to a 1/8 thick and I dont see how it wouldn't last.

[Aaron Craven]

Epoxy might work... The guidance I've always heard is that a film finish would be fine until water got under it (and that it eventually would find a way). But I suppose if you could get a thick enough coat on to ensure complete coverage it might be okay. I've never worked with epoxy as a finish... How would you get it to level? Apply in multiple layers with sanding in between to level any ridges?

I never considered a marine spar varnish either... I suppose it's intended for wet environments, so why not?

At some point, maybe I'll turn a few small sample pieces and finish them in different ways, then put them through a torture test.

[Prashun Patel]

I have a soap dish and bench in my shower. Both are walnut. One is finished with Waterlox, one with Epifanes. It's only been a few months now, but both still look perfect. The key is minimizing the time water STANDS on it. If you can rinse and wipe down the shave mugs in between uses, your chances of survival are improved.

For small items, and for a customer, personally, I'd go with an oil/varnish blend, and give them a bottle's worth and tell them to 'reseal' every few months. Wipe on, let sit, wipe off.

[Tim Boger]

Great feedback, thank you Prashun.

[Wes Ramsey]

What about aerosol acrylic? It is basically plastic when cured and should be plenty durable. I have a small test platter piece I finished with acrylic a couple of years ago, but never did any testing with it. Maybe I should put it in the shower for a few weeks and see what happens...

[Thomas Cooney]

I use a soap finish. Nope not joking. I made a similar bowl which has been in constant use for 8 years and finished it with burnished ivory soap which I reapply every so often. I've sold many finished this way without complaints and repeat customers.

[Aaron Craven]

I use a soap finish. Nope not joking. I made a similar bowl which has been in constant use for 8 years and finished it with burnished ivory soap which I reapply every so often. I've sold many finished this way without complaints and repeat customers.

Well, that's an interesting solution... but it's not slippery when wet?

[Robert Henrickson]

Originally Posted by Thomas Cooney

I use a soap finish. Nope not joking. I made a similar bowl which has been in constant use for 8 years and finished it with burnished ivory soap which I reapply every so often. I've sold many finished this way without complaints and repeat customers.

That seems like an eminently sensible solution, one well-adapted to the bowl's use, and maintained by regular use.




Well, that's an interesting solution... but it's not slippery when wet?

I would think that a bowl with a shiny resin / epoxy / varnish finish would be far more slippery, especially once some lather had been worked up

[Thom Sturgill]

I would remind people that the Asians have used laquerware for well over a thousand years. Granted today's commercial lacquers are not the same, they're better.

[David Stratton]

I made a shaving bowl a couple of years ago that I still use. It is spalted birch and the finish I used was Devcon 2 Ton Epoxy dissolved in acetone. I have a couple of friends plus myself who use this to finish archery bows and arrows. Squeeze equal amounts of the resin and the hardener into a small glass jar, mix it up as best you can with a popsicle stick then add a good volume of acetone and mix until it is visually uniform. It should be water thin. Apply with a rag or brush. It will soak in an need numerous coats, probably at least 8. After the finish starts to build you can use steel wool to smooth out. Depending on drying conditions initial coats can go on in as little as 30 minutes, later coats longer. I don't leave soap in mine. I put a small dab of soft shaving soap in the bowl plus a little water then use a brush to make lather. When done I rinse the bowl and dry it. The finish has lasted perfectly. Actually it doesn't even feel like there is a finish. David

[Glenn Barber]

David,
Interesting formula. I have played with thinned epoxy in the past for fishing lure topcoats. Are you using the 5 minute quick set or 30 minute variety? Do you need to make a fresh mixture for each application, or does the acetone prevent it from "setting up"?

Thanks,
Glenn