Yes, I like being called upon when someone posts about that. I would describe your new avatar as George Washington in the middle of having his haircut.
I don't know of anyone. I've been tempted to try if I could find some good sized bone. I wonder what they used to use.
I love carving my own brush handles with just a knife. I don’t even sand them down as I prefer to leave neat, faceted tool marks. The only power tool used is my pillar drill with the appropriate size of Forstner bit. Everything else is just axe (if required), knife and hand to eye coordination. Here’s just a wee sample.
I don't think the handles are commercially available, but @gssixgun posted about a bone or antler handle brush he made a while back.
It is really hard now since the supply chain SUCKs Antler is easier since we have Deer Elk and Moose here in Idaho and I can either beg for some or go hunt it myself These are the last two I made Reticulated Buffalo Horn Elk Antler with a polished Elk Bone Base
I don't think I ever posted these pics here I made this one years ago, I barely posted it on SRP and withing 2 weeks somebody had copies being produced in China or Pakistan, pretty much when I stopped making brushes other than to match Custom scales This is Turned down Elk Antler, pretty cool I thought, with a Turquoise Base, but not easy to do by hand
I hadn’t been in the lathe room in quite some time. Was happy to get in there to make a TSD raffle winner for @MoAllen : The wood is Gombe, which turned well. I liked the colours well enough that I made a similarly coloured handle in a different style for a friend as well.