Hand turned handle - my first attempt

[gary]

This morning I completed turning the handle for my new 30mm Premium Silver Tipped Badger Shaving Brush. It is 2 1/2 inches high and 2 inches in diameter. The handle and brush combined make it 5 inches high. I posted a couple of pictures in the Gallery... I'm not sure I did it properly, but they are there!!!! I did not glue the brush to the handle as this was a trial run.

Since I am new to the wet shave approach, I am seeking feedback on the importance of shape and size of the handle as well as the type of material that might be recommended.

I have a piece of ebony as well as some beautiful maple burl wood and many others.

Your comments on anything to do with handle design, colour of wood (i.e. dark or light) and anything else to do with the final version of my new shaving brush would be appreciated. Thanks.

 

[SSLStudio]

Hello and Welcome ,

You should really try to ask this to the super duper out of this world members like drp and slcsteve ... some really SBAD members...

too bad you didnt attach a pic to your post..Ill try to find it at the gallery.

goodluck,

 

[roughrider]

Here are your pictures.

 

[rtaylor61]

RR,

That's very cool! You'll probably get pm'd about orders!

Nice work.

Randy

 

[drP]

AAAAAAAAAAAARGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH.....................

Damned,

Will it never cease.......

And this occurs while i'm thinking about a genuine ivory handled brush from Matt of Superior brushes.....................

Well.....sigh...........i guess it's my fate......i'm doomed to collect till i die (on my 98th......with 598 shaving brushes in stock )

Seriously Gary: your brush looks very nice, and this for a first attempt....very nice looking wooden handle.........curious at your final pricing!


dr P

 

[roughrider]

RR,

That's very cool! You'll probably get pm'd about orders!

Nice work.

Randy

Randy, I didn't make the brush. I was just posting the pics from the gallery for Gary.

 

[gary]

Thanks for the interest. As mentioned, this was a trial run, so no thoughts of selling at this time. I know the cost of the brush was close to $100 Canadian including shipping, taxes etc. There are smaller brushes, i.e. 20 mm and 25 mm for less.

My goal is to make the final version; out of higher quality wood and with a few enhancements to the shape. After I do that I will show another picture and get the final comment on how I did.

I sure would like comments on the pros and cons of various shapes. My thoughts are to keep it clean and fairly simple but aesthetically pleasing and comforable to hold. It should be unique; one of a kind.

One possibility is to use the maple burl for the handle and for a soap dish. I could also make a stand for the brush and razor, but I'm getting way ahead of myself. The Ebony would also be quite striking and maybe cover the unique aspect better.

 

[slcsteve]

Gary

Very, very nice. I like the proportions as well as the shape. I'm really jealous of you guys that are talented woodworkers.

 

[Austin]

Gary, do you plan of polishing the wood? Otherwise, great looking custom brush.

 

[gary]

I polished it a bit, but it not a high quality wood, so it isn't a final product. The final one will have a superior finish.

 

[mark the shoeshine boy]

AAAAAAAAAAAARGGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHH.....................

Damned,

Will it never cease.......

And this occurs while i'm thinking about a genuine ivory handled brush from Matt of Superior brushes.....................

Well.....sigh...........i guess it's my fate......i'm doomed to collect till i die (on my 98th......with 598 shaving brushes in stock )

Seriously Gary: your brush looks very nice, and this for a first attempt....very nice looking wooden handle.........curious at your final pricing!


dr P

drp...they $100 apiece unless you're a moderator...then there $200....

...and send the other one to me after he pays for it.....

mark tssb

 

[cooncatbob]

Very Nice Gary; I'm a woodworker also and have a lathe in my garage. What kind of finish would you be using on the finished product? Building up hand rubbed coats of Tung oil?

 

[SSLStudio]

Thanks RR , hadnt looked up the pics in the Gallery yet.

Awesome Handy man you are Gary, yes im ENVY ony anyone with handskills, sometimes I think I break things by just looking at it... let alone fix it :}(

 

[gary]

So far I have considered using tung oil or nothing. If I use African Blackwood, which I think is my preference, I may just sand and polish, then buff to get the fine finish and then carnuba wax to protect it. With the natural oil in Blackwood it may not need much else. If that doesn't stand up to the moisture I could use Tung oil later. What are your thoughts?

 

[Optical]

African Blackwood would look very, very nice. Looking forward to see it.

Martin

 

[cooncatbob]

So far I have considered using tung oil or nothing. If I use African Blackwood, which I think is my preference, I may just sand and polish, then buff to get the fine finish and then carnuba wax to protect it. With the natural oil in Blackwood it may not need much else. If that doesn't stand up to the moisture I could use Tung oil later. What are your thoughts?

Shiloh Sharps hand rubs coats of Tung oil on the stocks of their Rifle (which by the way are beautiful works of art) so it must be pretty moisture resistant. If you applied muliple coats and rubbed it out in between with 600 to 1000 grit wet dry paper I imagine the result would be spectacular. But of course test it out on some scrap wood. By the way where do you buy the Badger knots? Good luck. Bob.