I won a Kinsel’s K-150 brush a few months ago on eBay with the expectation of reknotting it. From the seller’s photos the handle appeared to be in excellent condition, but I’ve found it impossible to determine from a photo whether a vintage knot is usable. In this instance, the badger knot turned out to be in good shape, so I decided to keep it. After cleaning the knot, making a couple of test lathers and lightly polishing the handle, here it is:
I’m particularly pleased with the condition of the lettering— the impressions are crisp and even, and the gold paint is almost completely intact. Incidentally, the knot measures 21mm, and the loft is 48mm.
I used the Kinsel’s for my shave on Sunday, which confirmed for me that it’s a very serviceable brush. While neither as soft nor dense as most of my brushes, it was by no means intolerably floppy or too scratchy. In fact, I experienced no more scratch or scritch than I’d expect from a modern pure badger knot. The brush lathered Trumper’s almond cream quite well, and the shave was very good.
Curious about the origins of this brush, I poked around the internet to see what I might find out. Unfortunately, I was unable to identify which brush manufacturer made brushes for Kinsel’s Drug Store. However, Klenzo made brushes for Rexall Drugs (whose founder, Louis K. Liggett, was a Detroit native), and this Kinsel’s brush is of like quality and bears some resemblance in handle design to a couple of Klenzo brushes I have.
In the course of my cursory research, though, I discovered that Kinsel’s Drug Store had a storied history. Founded in 1893 or 1894 (depending on the source) by Edward C. Kinsel, the store was located at the corner of Griswold and Michigan Avenues in Detroit. Among other innovations, Kinsel is credited with having opened Detroit’s first 24-hour retail establishment. One legend has it that at the close of business on opening day, as Kinsel was preparing to lock up, he was unable to find his keys. He kept the store open all night and, apparently, had enough customers to make it worth his while. Over its 80 years history, Kinsel’s closed, temporarily, only four times: celebrations of the ending of World Wars I and II, Edward Kinsel’s funeral in 1928 and after a fire in 1947.
Here’s a photo of the store from the 1920s:
In 1958 the business was sold to Cunningham’s Drugs and apparently was operated as Kinsel’s until 1981. It’s unclear to me what became of Cunningham’s Drugs, but the store subsequently was leased to Paul’s Cut Rate Drugs from 1981 to 1985. Thereafter, at some point in time it briefly housed a Taco Bell. The building ultimately was demolished in 2001.
I’m particularly pleased with the condition of the lettering— the impressions are crisp and even, and the gold paint is almost completely intact. Incidentally, the knot measures 21mm, and the loft is 48mm.
I used the Kinsel’s for my shave on Sunday, which confirmed for me that it’s a very serviceable brush. While neither as soft nor dense as most of my brushes, it was by no means intolerably floppy or too scratchy. In fact, I experienced no more scratch or scritch than I’d expect from a modern pure badger knot. The brush lathered Trumper’s almond cream quite well, and the shave was very good.
Curious about the origins of this brush, I poked around the internet to see what I might find out. Unfortunately, I was unable to identify which brush manufacturer made brushes for Kinsel’s Drug Store. However, Klenzo made brushes for Rexall Drugs (whose founder, Louis K. Liggett, was a Detroit native), and this Kinsel’s brush is of like quality and bears some resemblance in handle design to a couple of Klenzo brushes I have.
In the course of my cursory research, though, I discovered that Kinsel’s Drug Store had a storied history. Founded in 1893 or 1894 (depending on the source) by Edward C. Kinsel, the store was located at the corner of Griswold and Michigan Avenues in Detroit. Among other innovations, Kinsel is credited with having opened Detroit’s first 24-hour retail establishment. One legend has it that at the close of business on opening day, as Kinsel was preparing to lock up, he was unable to find his keys. He kept the store open all night and, apparently, had enough customers to make it worth his while. Over its 80 years history, Kinsel’s closed, temporarily, only four times: celebrations of the ending of World Wars I and II, Edward Kinsel’s funeral in 1928 and after a fire in 1947.
Here’s a photo of the store from the 1920s:
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