Elite Razor - Custom and Unique Razors and Brushes

[Eskimo]

I'm back in the saddle and have been able to complete a couple of brushes that have been patiently awaiting my return to the shop. These brushes have just been listed an are available at www.eliterazor.com.

Malachite - 26mm

Malachite, the famous and popular semi-precious stone is named for the Greek word for "mallow", a green herb. Its banded light and dark green designs are one-of-a-kind, and give it a unique ornamental quality unlike that of any other stone. The light and dark green bands are so distinctive that Malachite may be one of the most easily recognized minerals by the general public.

Speckled Amber - 26mm

Speckled Amber is also known as Bony Amber due to the number of small inclusions in the Amber. Amber is fossilized tree resin which has been appreciated for its color since Neolithic times. The classical name for amber, electrum, is associated with a term meaning "beaming Sun”. According to the myth, when Phaeton, son of Helios was killed, his mourning sisters became Poplar trees, and their tears became the origin of elektron, or amber. The oldest amber recovered dates to 320 million years ago. The oldest amber with insect inclusions comes from Lebanon and Jordan. This amber, roughly 125–135 million years old, is considered of high scientific value, providing evidence of some of the oldest sampled ecosystems.

Blue and Green Resin - 26mm

Blue and White Resin - 26mm

As always, thanks for looking.

Bob

 

[Eskimo]

This beauty just came out of the shop and has been listed on my site at www.eliterazor.com.

Irish Bog Oak - 24mm

The boglands of Ireland are a vast living treasure trove for precious and unique material. Bog wood, more ancient than the pyramids of Egypt, has been naturally preserved, and has lain hidden for over 5,000 years. Radiocarbon dating at Queen’s University, Belfast confirms: "In providing dates along with sculptured wood, you can safely say, in the case of bog oak, the date of growth of the wood is between 3300 and 3600 BC". There are many folk legends surrounding the old bog sites of Ireland, especially during the hours of darkness: it was, and perhaps still is, a commonly held belief that when the mist enveloped the bog and the blue flame (from static electricity), danced across the surface at dusk, it was a sure indication that "the little" people were cooking their supper.

As always, thanks for looking.

Bob

 

[Wrong Place]

Bob's getting shy. Here are a couple of his latest creations (amazing Bob!):

 

[Eskimo]

The brushes shown below have just been listed on my site at www.eliterazor.com.

Fire and Ice (24mm)

Black and Silver (26mm)

Black and Copper (26mm)

As always, thanks for looking.

Bob

 

[Eskimo]

Today was stone day in the shop and I was able to complete the 3 pieces shown below. They have all been listed and are available on my site at www.eliterazor.com.

Copper Laced Onyx - 26mm

Copper Laced Onyx is a member of the chalcedony family which also includes carnelian, agate, bloodstone, etc. Occurring naturally in a variety of colors, black onyx is polished to enhance appearance, a member of the quartz family. The name comes from the Greek word onyx which means nail of a finger or claw. Legend says that one day while Venus was sleeping Eros/Cupid cut her fingernails and left the clippings scattered on the ground. Because no part of a heavenly body can die, the gods turned them into stone which later became known as Onyx.

Arizona Jade - 26mm

Arizona Jade, also known as North American Jade or Jadeite is found in areas from the southwest up to Montana. Jade stone is very hard and was shaped into tools by Neolithic people. The Aztecs, Mayas and other North American peoples of Mexico and Central America carved Jadeite for use as ornaments, amulets and badges of rank.

Bloody Basin Jasper - 26mm

Bloody Basin Jasper is associated with the Zodiac sign of Taurus. Red Jasper was a much sought after gem in the very ancient times and today it is used for aesthetic as well as industrial purposes. It belongs to the family of quartz. The name is Greek in origin, meaning “spotted or speckled stone”. The color of Jasper ranges from red to shades of brown due to the presence of ferric oxide. But with the combination of other minerals it gets a colorful, banded appearance. In mythology, Jasper is said to have powers to keep evil and fatal insect or reptile bites at bay. This particularly handsome Bloody Basin Jasper stone is named for the mine in which it is found. It is native to Arizona and is prized for its' deep crimson tone with jet black veins.

As always, thanks for looking.

Bob

 

[Wrong Place]

Beautiful Bob!

 

[Eskimo]

I will be out of the shop from 3/10 - 4/7 taking the family to the beach for Spring Break. Any sales during this time will be shipped on April 8th. I was able to get one more stone brush finished before I leave. This beauty has been listed and is available on my site at www.eliterazor.com.

Tourmaline Laced Quartz - 26mm

Tourmaline Laced Quartz may be found in mountainous areas throughout the United States, but predominately in the northern Sierra Nevada area. Quartz is the second most abundant mineral in the Earth's crust, after Feldspar. Quartz can appear in many colors from bright purple to milky white to absolutely clear. Roman naturalist Pliny the Elder, believed Quartz to be water ice, permanently frozen after great lengths of time. (The word "crystal" comes from the Greek word for purity.) He supported this idea by saying that Quartz is found near glaciers in the Alps, but not on volcanic mountains

As always, thanks for looking.

Bob

 

[Eskimo]

I was pleasantly surprised this morning to find the finish on these two handle to be fully cured. They are 2 of the finest examples of Amboyna Burl and Honduran Rosewood Burl that I have seen in quite a while. I have just listed these two handles on my site atwww.eliterazor.com.

As a reminder, I will be out of the shop next week and any orders placed during that time will be shipped on April 8th.

Amboyna Burl - Two Tone (24 - 26mm)

Amboyna burl is found in Indonesia, especially on the Andaman group of islands. Amboyna burl is one of the rarest & most expensive woods in the world. The burly part of the log is often very small, yielding only wood in small dimensions. The color ranges from deep yellow orange to deep red and after finishing Amboyna burl reveals a depth & liveliness in color like found in no other. Amboyna burl was a popular, frequently used wood in the Jugendstil epoch in the twenties. It was also the first burl wood to be used by Rolls Royce for dashboards.

Honduran Rosewood Burl (24 - 26mm)

Honduran Rosewood burl is found in Belize (British Honduras) and in river areas throughout Central America. The heartwood varies from brown to deep purple varying from light to dark in color. The sapwood is a contrasting light or cream blonde color. Since Honduran Rosewood turns well, it is used often for knife handles and piano legs. Other uses include percussion bars of xylophones, and fingerboards for banjoes, guitars and mandolins. It is also used in fine furniture and cabinets, with highly figured logs sliced for decorative veneers and inlay work.

As always, thanks for looking.

Bob

 

[Robbyboxers]

Beautiful, just beautiful!

The Amboyna Burl is exquisite.

 

[Eskimo]

I have been fortunate to come across several exceptional samples of various woods and will be turning them soon.
The brush shown below has just come out of the shop and is a beautiful specimen of two-tone Amboyna Burl and is representative of the quality of the wood I have acquired.

Two-tone Amboyna Burl - (24 - 26mm)

As always, thanks for looking.

Bob

 

[Eskimo]

Two more high-grade wood handles have just been listed and are available at www.eliterazor.com.

Desert Ironwood - (26mm)

Amboyna Burl - (24 - 26mm) The burl figure on this piece is stunning and runs throughout.

As always, thanks for looking.

Bob

 

[Eskimo]

I have a couple of beautiful wood handles in the finishing process and was able to complete these two brushes in between.

Kingman Turquoise (26mm)

Kingman Turquoise is the one of the official birth stones for the month of December as adopted by the American National Association of Jewelers in 1912. For centuries, the most valuable turquoise came from Iran (Persia) but today some specimens mined in the southwestern United States, specifically turquoise from the famous Kingman mines, compete with it. The Aztecs mined turquoise in an area now known as New Mexico and a significant amount of turquoise comes from Arizona, California and Nevada. Turquoise is sacred to many Native American's and was carved in the shape of animals and birds. These carvings were placed in the Indians tombs to attract beneficial spirits and to guard the dead. Turquoise was also used by medicine men for healing and by warriors who fixed turquoise to the end of their bows to insure accurate shots.

Barber Pole (24mm)

The modern Barber’s Pole originated in the day when blood-letting was one of the principal duties of the barbering trade. The two spiral ribbons painted around the pole represented two long bandages, one twisted around the arm before bleeding (to make the vein stand out), and the other used to bind it afterwards. The first European poles contained only red and white stripes and some historians credit the blue stripe on the American poles as having been transported from blue and white bands on English poles of the 1700’s. Other authorities say that American barbers added the blue stripe to their red and white poles as a patriotic gesture.

As always, thanks for looking.

Bob

 

[Eskimo]

I have completed a very nice selection of exquisite wood brushes that have just been listed on my site at www.eliterazor.com.

The brushes are of two different species, Amboyna Burl and Afzelia Burl. Both are very rare and I am pleased to be able to offer such fine examples of these two wonderful woods.

Afzelia Burl - Afzelia Burl is a wood that grows in tropical Africa and Asia. The heartwood is reddish brown after exposure to the elements and the sapwood is pale straw to whitish. Afzelia Burl is a very rare wood and is only available in small dimensions.

Amboyna Burl - Amboyna burl is found in Indonesia, especially on the Andaman group of islands. Amboyna burl is one of the rarest & most expensive woods in the world. The burly part of the log is often very small, yielding only wood in small dimensions. The color ranges from deep yellow orange to deep red and after finishing Amboyna burl reveals a depth & liveliness in color like found in no other. Amboyna burl was a popular, frequently used wood in the Jugendstil epoch in the twenties. It was also the first burl wood to be used by Rolls Royce for dashboards.

Afzelia Burl (26mm)

Two-Tone Afzelia Burl (24mm)

Two-Tone Amboyna Burl (24 - 26mm)

Amboyna Burl (24mm)

Two-Tone Amboyna Burl (24mm)

As always, thanks for looking.

Bob

 

[Eskimo]

I have listed quite a few new items on my site. Shown below are just a few.

Blue Lapis and Black Ash Burl (26 - 28mm)

Kingman Turquoise (24 - 26mm)

Honeycomb Razor Handle

Lady Amherst's Pheasant Razor Handle

As always, thanks for looking.

Bob

 

[Eskimo]

Just listed are a few new brushes at www.eliterazor.com.

Thuya Burl (26mm)

The Thuya tree is a short scrub-like conifer indigenous to Morocco. The exceptional natural patterns in the grain are only found in the root of the tree. The color is golden brown to red, highly figured with small eye clusters of tight burls. It is relatively rare. This wood has been coveted since Roman times for woodworking and furniture and in modern times extracts from the tree are used in both homeopathy and aromatherapy.

Gold Laced Quartz (26 - 28mm)

Gold Laced Quartz may be found in mountainous areas throughout the United States, such as Dahlonega, Georgia, which was home to a significant gold rush period in American History. Dahlonega was a rough patch of ground in northern Georgia back in the early 1800's and was also home to the Cherokees. Settlers found their way there and the discovery of Gold brought in waves of panners and miners, leading to the founding of the town of Dahlonega and later the Dahlonega Mint. The town of Dahlonega prospered for a short period but was soon overshadowed by the newer discovery of Gold in California which pulled away many of its miner inhabitants. The Federal mint in Dahlonega continued to operate up until the Civil War but never reopened afterwards.

Amboyna Burl (24mm)

Amboyna burl is found in Indonesia, especially on the Andaman group of islands. Amboyna burl is one of the rarest & most expensive woods in the world. The burly part of the log is often very small, yielding only wood in small dimensions. The color ranges from deep yellow orange to deep red and after finishing Amboyna burl reveals a depth & liveliness in color like found in no other. Amboyna burl was a popular, frequently used wood in the Jugendstil epoch in the twenties. It was also the first burl wood to be used by Rolls Royce for dashboards.

Wild Horse Jasper (26mm)

Wild Horse Jasper is associated with the birthstone month of January. Wild Horse Jasper is named for the location where it is mined, at the Wild Horse Canyon in Oregon. It belongs to the family of quartz. The name is Greek in origin, meaning “spotted or speckled stone” and Jasper was a favorite gemstone of ancient times and can be traced back to Greek, Hebrew, Persian, Latin, and Assyrian literature. In mythology, Jasper is said to have powers to keep evil and fatal insect or reptile bites at bay. This particularly handsome Wild Horse Jasper stone is prized for its’ crimson and jet black veins.

As always, thanks for looking.

Bob

 

[Eskimo]

This brush is an excellent specimen of Waterfall Bubinga. While Bubinga is a relatively common wood, it is mostly seen with straight grain. The figure in this piece is outstanding and has just been listed on my site.

Waterfall Bubinga (24mm)

Waterfall Bubinga grows in Equatorial Africa, from Cameroon and Gabon to southeast Nigeria, to the Congo region, and to some extent, in Zaire. Bubinga sapwood is very pale with clear demarcations. A variety of colors can be found in the heartwood, that include pink, vivid red, or red-brown with purple veining. On exposure, the veining becomes less conspicuous, and the deep colors fade to yellow or medium brown with a reddish tint. Waterfall Bubinga has a wavy grain reminiscent of ripples on water. Unusual and beautiful curved figuring makes Bubinga an excellent choice for architectural woodwork and veneers, furniture inlays and musical instruments.

As always, thanks for looking.

Bob

 

[Eskimo]

This is one of the most comfortable handles I've ever built. This brush has been listed and it available at www.eliterazor.com.

26mm Gold/Silver and White

As always, thanks for looking.

Bob

 

[Eskimo]

I've added quite a few new brushes to my site at www.eliterazor.com. Shown below are just some of new additions.

University of Georgia (26 - 28mm)

Butterscotch (24 - 26mm)

Curly Mango (24 - 26mm)

It is believed the mango tree originated from India and has traveled widely and is now cultivated across Southeast Asia, Australia and the South Pacific islands. The mango tree is an evergreen tree belonging to the Sumac family of trees. The Mango is a large tree often reaching 65 feet in height and 3 feet in diameter. The color is lustrous blond, frequently showing mottled color variation acquired during drying. The grain is often wavy and often has a pronounced curly or fiddleback figure. The mango fruit is the most popular fruit in the world. The wood has been used in Hawaii for carved and turned bowls and furniture. Mango has an excellent tap tone and can be used for both instrument body and soundboards.

Desert Ironwood (24 - 26mm)

Desert Ironwood only grows in the washes and valleys of the Sonoran Desert below the 2,500 foot elevation. Desert Ironwood is very hard and dense. It actually sinks in water. Tradition has it that carvings made from the Desert Ironwood bring good fortune and long life. Desert Ironwood reaches maturity at 2000 years, more or less. It was originally used by the Seri Native Americans of Mexico for tool handles. Today the Seri Indians make carvings of desert plants and animals from the ironwood. Desert Ironwood was the original choice of material for the grips of the Colt .45 handgun.

Mesquite Burl (24 - 26mm)

Mesquite burl is found in Northern Mexico and the southwestern United States. Mesquite trees are also found in the Chihuahuan Desert of Mexico. Mesquite trees can reach a height of 20 to 30 feet, although mostly they are shrub size. Mesquite is an extremely hardy, drought-tolerant plant because it can draw water from the water table through its long taproot (recorded at up to 190 ft. in depth). Mesquite wood is hard, allowing it to be used for furniture and implements. The hard, dense lumber is also sold as Texas Ironwood and is rather harsh on saws, chain saws, and other tools. Artisans and woodcrafters in Northern Mexico claim that mesquite should be cut under the light of a full moon to avoid splitting. While this has not been proven, mesquite does take longer to cure than most hardwoods.

As always, thanks for looking.

Bob

 

[Aresmsu3]

Bob,

Do you think you'll get any malachite in anytime soon? Your handles are incredible.

 

[Eskimo]

Bob,

Do you think you'll get any malachite in anytime soon? Your handles are incredible.

Thank you for your interest in my work. I just sent you a PM with what I have available.

Bob