The process of making an authentic Turkish horse hair shaving brush is quite complex and fascinating to behold. Turks have long captured horses specifically for the purposes of creating only the finest inexpensive shaving brushes known to man. For the first time ever, we get a glimpse into this arcane and closely-guarded secret process. First, the horses must be captured. A trained horseman with experience must wrestle the horse and "hogtie" it. The etymology of the word "hogtie" or why it is used is unknown, since it should be more correctly known as "horsetie." Turkish children are taught at a very young age how to wrestle horses, as this is also the Turkish national sport. Here we see a young Turkish boy who has wrestled a wild horse into submission. The horse must then be ridden to the stable, in order to prepare it for harvesting its horse hair. Here we see another young Turkish child in a training device designed to teach the basics of horseback riding. And here is a photo of a child riding a horse in the wild. Photo courtesy of Turkish Historical Society. The horse must be carefully ridden to ensure that the fur remains in pristine shape for brushes. After being corralled, the task of harvesting the horse hair is turned over to trained monkeys, who work for clove cigarettes and cheap red wine. In this way, the vast population of unemployed monkeys inhabiting the Turkish villas is given a livelihood. Pictures below: Monkeys harvesting the horse hair. Note the difference in harvesting style between the northern monkey (fig. 1) and the southern (fig. 2). Southern monkeys are often preferred because northern monkeys tend to steer their horses into walls and bystanders, often injuring or killing both the horse and rider. A monkey relaxing after a long day on horseback. In the distant past, before the monkey solution was devised, humans often did the harvesting using a cruel and unusual method that involved something called a "cartridge razor." This practice was outlawed in 1978, as it was deemed to be both inhumane and relentlessly boring. Once harvested, the horses are either returned to the wild or are given special training for use as mounts by the secret police. Their keen sense of smell helps experienced police horses to quickly locate hidden caches of illicit drugs. And truffles. Here we see a photo of a member of the local constabulary patrolling the streets of rural Turkey on his proud steed. Smaller horses which cannot be ridden are made into bacon. Once fully harvested, a horse hair knot is created and mounted in a setting of only the cheapest, most inexpensive wood possible. According to Turkish tradition, the wooden handle must be of a quality that does not detract from the beauty of the natural horse hair fiber. Here we see Turkish handle cutters preparing to haul off unsuitable wood to be sent away to other countries where it will be used for kindling, paper money and grocery bags. Note the wild pigs harnessed to the carts. Glue is liberally applied with a trowel or shovel, and the brush is allowed to cure for the span of three moons. Or until the quarterly Turkish postal service holiday arrives, a day of national celebration and package shipment across the country. Below, a Turkish family prepares for the quarterly postal service day, a day when all horsehair brushes are shipped. Once shipped, shavers around the world receive and enjoy their brushes, never truly knowing of the complex and sophisticated process that has brought them such an esteemed instrument of lather creation. So ends the remarkable journey of the Turkish horse hair brush. -- with much love and good humor, @Shotwell, unofficial poet-laureate of TSD.
@Shotwell for such an interesting and in depth explanation of Turkish horse hair brush manufacture. It was so interesting to see the history of how my #6 horse hair was procured and assembled!
Yes I thought your article was thoroughly thought provoking and well thought out with a comprehensive analysis and much attention to detail. Kudos to you sir..
If Richard the Third were reading this article. A horse, a pig! My kingdom for an animal that would yield a good shaving brush! My apologies to Shakespeare.
