I have finally put my lathe to use for the purpose I bought it. I got some forstner bits, a brush mandrel and the tap to use with it. The jeweler who made my wifes wedding ring is on the same street that a barber supply was on back in the day. I got to talking to him about straights, and that I had a couple of Ulmer straights that had been originally sold in the same area his store was. My jeweler Ryan is a knife guy, but seemed quite interested in traditional shaving, although he was still using a cartridge razor. I had made pens on my lathe for the wedding and showed him one. I also told him of my plans to make shaving brushes. Fast forward a year from the wedding, and Ryan emails us and says he has stepped up his shaving game and would love to have an orange handled badger brush made by me. It is Inlace Acrylester from Rockler, the knot is a 24 mm grade A silvertip from The Golden Nib. ETA: I was remiss in not thanking Oscar11 for the inspiration to try making brushes after his pif of a purple handle a few years back.
Very nice, Jim. I only have one brush with a taller handle and I love it. I have to get some more. Are you thinking about sharing your fine work, for a fee of course? I'm picturing your handle with a Shavemac D01 silvertip or two-band, or even better an Elite Razor Manchurian White.
