Thread: show your brushes!

Thanks for the info Bob. That's great news as I know a lot of farmers with horses. I may ask them to harvest some hair for me and have a craftsman assemble into a brush for me. Should I be asking for a particular type / area of hair from the mane/tail?

If I did this, would anyone else be interested in one? And does anyone know a craftsman who could do a good job making it into nice brushes?

Originally Posted by AndrewJM

Thanks for the info Bob. That's great news as I know a lot of farmers with horses. I may ask them to harvest some hair for me and have a craftsman assemble into a brush for me. Should I be asking for a particular type / area of hair from the mane/tail?

If I did this, would anyone else be interested in one? And does anyone know a craftsman who could do a good job making it into nice brushes?

Vie-Long is a brush maker that uses horse hair in some of their brushes…I have one and it's probably my go to brush most of the time I also have a few badgers and a boar as well.

Hi, thanks for your reply.

I am new to this and am in the process or researching to purchase my first straight razor.

I dont have a strop yet, and the leather source is a consideration important to me. I know farmers where I can obtain leather from old cows (I actually own a cow being cared for by a farmer I used to work for, so I can use the leather once the cow is old or in ill health) and have one hide put away from when I did a similar thing a number of years ago.

I do wear leather shoes, as I find that synthetic options either a) sweat and dont last; b) the synthetic alternatives cause more harm than good... I purchase very good quality footwear whenever leather is involved (ie RM Williams, church's etc) so I can get 20 years from a pair of shoes, with good care and have them resoled when required. I admit I dont like using animal products when an animal has been harmed to produce the item, but also try to take a long term view, ie. the cost to the environment for a synthetic product; whether the use of the animal comes from a byproduct of other industries (such as gelatin) etc. If a humane and sustainable option isnt available for a pruduct, such as a shaving brush, I will find alternatives (such as a shave cream I can apply by hand).

Would still love to hear everyone else's thoughts. Please know I am not judging others or their product choices, I am simply seeking advice or assistance based on my own lifestyle choices. (I am an animal nut, always have been since a child and always will be. I know Id feel guilty if I didnt do what I can to help animal welfare or global sustainability - to give you an idea, every holiday I have taken in the last 10 years involves volunteering at animal shelters, zoos etc (plus I always make time for a few beers etc on my travels lol))

Another re knoted brush! Silvertip this time! Love it! Goes well with my dublduck

All I have so far are an Art of Shaving Silver Tip for the lather and a Marvy Horsehair for the talc. They are both super awesome.

I've gone nuts on refurbishing old wooden handled brushes and putting HMW in them. Starting on the right, first three still original, is my progression from stubby to long handles.



My brushes in rotation.



..

I love those long handled brushes, envious really.

A small "collection" but I just recently got this so I thought I would share. It's fine 20mm synthetic and 24mm evolution synthetic brush from shave revolution.