Thread: ethical badger brush

An even more detailed *story* about the 'sheared' badgers can be found here.

Christian

Wow, I've helped shear thousands of sheep, but I really want to see a Badger shearing, now that would be a show. I wonder if they castrate them when they are 'cubs' in order to make them a little easier to handle. Would the 'nads still be called Rocky Mountain Oysters? I agree with Bill, 'don't ask, don't tell.'

Originally Posted by rexj

Wow, I've helped shear thousands of sheep, but I really want to see a Badger shearing, now that would be a show.

I believe they're plucked to extend the lifespan of the Badger Hair producing Badger and humanitarianness for the animal. It was months before they got the idea to sedate them first. We lost a lot of good men and women that way.

X

Here's another interesting article about how tame badgers can be. This little critter they named Boris. He looks so tame in the picture. I don't know what they pay these Badger shearers, but I hope they have life insurance!

Hmmm.
badgers seem pretty fierce to me. maybe I could get one as a pet, and let the neighbors' dogs wander over to see the new "kitty" LOL
Now I wonder though; perhaps no badger technically died FOR OUR BRUSHES...what if it happened like this: Somewhere in China people have a recipe, in which a prime ingredient is-you guessed it-BADGER. Well they've been eating this dish for centuries, when one day some Brit working for Simpson, or someone like that, says "Hey WAIT a minute, don't throw out that hide....!" and the rest is history.....so it was killed for the RECIPE, not our BRUSHES...


or not...


John P.

That is the theory I subscribe to. Just like one day an enterprising young fellow walked into a butcher shop, saw them preparing to throw away what was left over from making NY Steaks and said "Hey wait a minute- I can make strops out of that!" And what would have otherwise been turned into wasteful shoes is now made into a fine sharpening instrument which will last a lifetime.

Originally Posted by Ravenflight

... wasteful shoes ...

Now THAT'S a SoCal attitude. Shoes are not only optional, but unnecessary! I hear ya. I only wear them when I have to.

Originally Posted by xman

Now THAT'S a SoCal attitude. Shoes are not only optional, but unnecessary! I hear ya. I only wear them when I have to.

Well I meant wasteful as in people tend to throw out their shoes after 6 months or less of wearing them. Personally I wear Wesco 12" Highliner Boots to work which can be rebuilt and therefore can last for a very long time, but in this disposable society, I fear I am in the minority.

I still shave barefoot, though I have started wearing pants while shaving- after reading a post about what a straight razor might remove if it were to slip from the hand and fall to the floor. Some of my appendages are more valuable than others.

I don't know how humane this is...maybe it falls more under recycling than humane treatment of badgers. Anyway, I make my own badger brushes. You see, I am "fortunate" enough to live near a road where badgers tend to cross quite often, and, like any animal that crosses roads long enough, some are bound to get smacked by a car. Such is the case on my road.

So, somedays I will see a badger on the side of the road and I will jump out and take whatever cut of hair I am currently in need of for whatever brushes I am making at the time. Other days, I can smell that a badger has been hit and I will make a point to go out and get it while it is still fresh and before it has a chance to have the hide damaged and filled with rocks and things.

You may be wondering why I cut the hair on site rather than taking the badger home and skinning it, thus being able to make use of the entire hide. Well, I don't know how many of you have been close to a badger, especially one that has been hit by a car, but those suckers smell to high heaven. I did put one in the car once, but it stank up the car so bad, and me and my clothes as well, and the kitchen, and my wife's washing machine.....well, you get the point. No more whole badgers for me.

As long as I am at it I am looking for folks to try out some of my brushes. The latherability is excellent. The last bit I am working on is the smell. For some reason, all the bristles have a bad odor on them that I have not been able to get out no matter how I try.

One last thing: my bristles come in jet black, pure white, or a mixture of black and white. My badgers seem to have a streak of longer white hairs down the back so I am able to make them more white than most others you have seen.

Let me know who wants to try one,
showme

Originally Posted by showme1or2

One last thing: my bristles come in jet black, pure white, or a mixture of black and white. My badgers seem to have a streak of longer white hairs down the back so I am able to make them more white than most others you have seen.

Let me know who wants to try one,
showme

Great, now my wife thinks I'm nuts from having laughed so hard at my computer