Here is a rack that I made to hold ten different barberpole-handled razors. I turned over many designs in my head and decided on this one which is very simple, but requires a steady hand for the drilling, otherwise the razors dont hang straight.
Earlier, I had tried out this way of displaying razors on pegs, using a piece of Ikea shelving. Although this design is ugly, pegs are the way to go, since they dont hide any part of the handle or head (as do, for example, pipe racks).
At one time or another, I shaved with all of these razors but, ultimately, only one made it into my rotation on a permanent basis. Not that any are truly bad shavers far from it. The only one that gave me real trouble was the Bulldog which, like other Old Type Gillettes or the New Improved series, are just too aggressive for me.
These racks were designed to fit into the very limited space in my den. But, once there, they did not pass the looks like a razor rack test, and, like so many of my DIY projects, are now gathering dust on a back shelf somewhere, to the great relief of my wife.
I also tried my hand at brush making. IMHO, most commercial handles have the wrong shape and size. They have weird ridges that make them unpleasant to hold, plus they are not long enough. The back end of a brush should be wide, and it should fit snugly inside the palm. The front end, just behind the knot, should be narrow and smooth so you can get your fingers on it for fine control. My other beef with commercial handles has to do with all the plastic that is used, especially phony ivory and ebony. Shaving should be sensual and luxurious, and the equipment should be made out of noble materials. So, somewhat perversely, my first effort used real elephant ivory and real ebony. I found an old ivory electrical switch at an antiques market, and ordered an African ebony turning blank from a commercial supplier. I also sacrificed a pair of solid gold cufflinks, with this result:
Antique cane handles are good raw material for making brushes and razor handles. I found a nice big ivory handle on a web site for only a few euros. It was made at the turn of the century and was heavily monogrammed. I then purchased some raw Baltic amber from a Polish web site. A bit of drilling, milling and polishing produced this:
(All my knots are from TGN, of course)
Finally, I got hold of a silver-plated Art Nouveau cane handle and a boxwood blank:
These two last brushes have also been banished for aesthetic reasons. So heres what the den looks like now:
The stand is made from ebony, plus some lead for stability. It holds my favourite razor: a custom silver-plated Tech. For my face and beard, the humble Tech is the best shaver of them all! Its outfitted with an ivory handle that was made for me by a very skilled wood-turner down in the Loire Valley (I had neither the tools, time, nor talent to do this myself). The ivory came from the same cane handle that I used to make the amber-decorated brush. The shape is unorthodox, but its an excellent one that I strongly recommend very good weight, comfort and control.
My other favourite razor is the Eclipse Red Ring, which sits in its lovely Art Deco bakelite case. The sterling vanity jars all flea market finds - hold Feather blades and cream. I use a mixture of about 80% AOS Unscented, adding some 20% Endymion or Blenheim as the mood strikes. The antique sterling snuffboxes are for collar stays and a collection of silver cufflinks.
The granite shaving bowl is from a restaurant supply shop in Tokyo (Kappabashi Street). I like it because its just the right size, has a slightly textured inner surface, and is so heavy that it does not need to be steadied on the countertop when I build lather. Each morning as I shower, I soak the bowl and brush in hot tap water, resulting in a nice warm lather. A Sara B. scuttle completes the picture. Not shown is the only post-shave product that I use: a high-end moisturiser called Toleriane, from La Roche-Posay.
Earlier, I had tried out this way of displaying razors on pegs, using a piece of Ikea shelving. Although this design is ugly, pegs are the way to go, since they dont hide any part of the handle or head (as do, for example, pipe racks).
At one time or another, I shaved with all of these razors but, ultimately, only one made it into my rotation on a permanent basis. Not that any are truly bad shavers far from it. The only one that gave me real trouble was the Bulldog which, like other Old Type Gillettes or the New Improved series, are just too aggressive for me.
These racks were designed to fit into the very limited space in my den. But, once there, they did not pass the looks like a razor rack test, and, like so many of my DIY projects, are now gathering dust on a back shelf somewhere, to the great relief of my wife.
I also tried my hand at brush making. IMHO, most commercial handles have the wrong shape and size. They have weird ridges that make them unpleasant to hold, plus they are not long enough. The back end of a brush should be wide, and it should fit snugly inside the palm. The front end, just behind the knot, should be narrow and smooth so you can get your fingers on it for fine control. My other beef with commercial handles has to do with all the plastic that is used, especially phony ivory and ebony. Shaving should be sensual and luxurious, and the equipment should be made out of noble materials. So, somewhat perversely, my first effort used real elephant ivory and real ebony. I found an old ivory electrical switch at an antiques market, and ordered an African ebony turning blank from a commercial supplier. I also sacrificed a pair of solid gold cufflinks, with this result:
Antique cane handles are good raw material for making brushes and razor handles. I found a nice big ivory handle on a web site for only a few euros. It was made at the turn of the century and was heavily monogrammed. I then purchased some raw Baltic amber from a Polish web site. A bit of drilling, milling and polishing produced this:
(All my knots are from TGN, of course)
Finally, I got hold of a silver-plated Art Nouveau cane handle and a boxwood blank:
These two last brushes have also been banished for aesthetic reasons. So heres what the den looks like now:
The stand is made from ebony, plus some lead for stability. It holds my favourite razor: a custom silver-plated Tech. For my face and beard, the humble Tech is the best shaver of them all! Its outfitted with an ivory handle that was made for me by a very skilled wood-turner down in the Loire Valley (I had neither the tools, time, nor talent to do this myself). The ivory came from the same cane handle that I used to make the amber-decorated brush. The shape is unorthodox, but its an excellent one that I strongly recommend very good weight, comfort and control.
My other favourite razor is the Eclipse Red Ring, which sits in its lovely Art Deco bakelite case. The sterling vanity jars all flea market finds - hold Feather blades and cream. I use a mixture of about 80% AOS Unscented, adding some 20% Endymion or Blenheim as the mood strikes. The antique sterling snuffboxes are for collar stays and a collection of silver cufflinks.
The granite shaving bowl is from a restaurant supply shop in Tokyo (Kappabashi Street). I like it because its just the right size, has a slightly textured inner surface, and is so heavy that it does not need to be steadied on the countertop when I build lather. Each morning as I shower, I soak the bowl and brush in hot tap water, resulting in a nice warm lather. A Sara B. scuttle completes the picture. Not shown is the only post-shave product that I use: a high-end moisturiser called Toleriane, from La Roche-Posay.
Nothing Like working with Ivory.
