So I've been eyeballing handmade brushes...

[AveDeus]

Wow, those are really beautiful handles, I'm pretty sure he won't risk his work by matching those with bad quality knots. But even if he use great quality knots, it might not suitable for you.

Try to ask, and maybe if you can provide him with your own favorite knots.

 

[BigJ]

Great looking brushes!

 

[YKMV]

Wow, those are really beautiful handles, I'm pretty sure he won't risk his work by matching those with bad quality knots. But even if he use great quality knots, it might not suitable for you.

Try to ask, and maybe if you can provide him with your own favorite knots.

Yes, please let us know if he uses a good to great quality synthetic knot... that's what I'm eager for. And I would love one of those handles.. if he doesn't work with synthetics, I'll still buy the handle and send it to Larry at Whipped Dog for one of his knots or maybe one of those guys with the Tuxedo knots.

 

[bazlur]

I'm new to DE shaving and recently picked up an Omega boar brush. I didn't even know if I needed or wanted a brush, but now that I have one there is no going back. So now, of course, I'm shopping for silvertip badger brushes, as one tends to do.

I was leaning toward a Semogue 2013 Special Edition with the olivewood handle, but then I found a local guy who makes handmade brushes. He doesn't use a jig, and turns each one by hand so every one is unique. Also, I believe he uses CA glue as a finish, although I am unsure if this is a good, bad, or indifferent thing as I am quite new to this.

From what I'm seeing, even his most expensive brush is around $5 less than the Semogue. His less expensive brushes are significantly less expensive than the Semogue.

Here are some pics of some of his work which I found online:

Australian Banksia Pod with Alumalite Resin

Stabilized Hollyland Olivewood

Maple burlwood with paua abalone inlay

Box Elder burlwood with abalone inlay

... this guy, and many many more.

I'm quite enamored with the beautiful wood grain and some of his inlay work, but before I go buying brushes all willy nilly, I figured I'd ask the experts.

What say you, folks? Mass produced for more money, or handmade and arguably better looking for less? Anything I'm overlooking in my newbness?

I'm new to DE shaving and recently picked up an Omega boar brush. I didn't even know if I needed or wanted a brush, but now that I have one there is no going back. So now, of course, I'm shopping for silvertip badger brushes, as one tends to do.

I was leaning toward a Semogue 2013 Special Edition with the olivewood handle, but then I found a local guy who makes handmade brushes. He doesn't use a jig, and turns each one by hand so every one is unique. Also, I believe he uses CA glue as a finish, although I am unsure if this is a good, bad, or indifferent thing as I am quite new to this.

From what I'm seeing, even his most expensive brush is around $5 less than the Semogue. His less expensive brushes are significantly less expensive than the Semogue.

Here are some pics of some of his work which I found online:

Australian Banksia Pod with Alumalite Resin

Stabilized Hollyland Olivewood

Maple burlwood with paua abalone inlay

Box Elder burlwood with abalone inlay

... this guy, and many many more.

I'm quite enamored with the beautiful wood grain and some of his inlay work, but before I go buying brushes all willy nilly, I figured I'd ask the experts.

What say you, folks? Mass produced for more money, or handmade and arguably better looking for less? Anything I'm overlooking in my newbness?

 

[Hoka Hey]

So is this the Bazlur the brush maker? Welcome!

 

[bazlur]

Btw, I know this page and registered several years ago. all these brushes are mine. Not all CA finish. I have few with CA finished like stabilized wood. Most hardwoods like Olive wood, Cocobolo, Desert Ironwood etc are oil finished , then wax finished(need occasionally buffing to look shiny). all knots or badger hairs are from China, even it was god made it. In Europe and north america badger is protected animal for long time. There are some european companies make knot themselves and they are good. But some chinese companies do make nice knots too. In ebay not all are good knots. I bought from Franks shaving for the first time. First time he gave me good ones with excessive price(I was new that time), 2nd time was not good quality, so I had to sell at lower price in bay those knots(trimmed hairs). He asked me to buy more and I said him bye bye and F**. Told him that you are cheater and liar. Now I have one guy and he sells brushes too. for better knots you have to order 200 -500 at a time and I can't do due to Canadian custom harassment and bullshitting. Canada is not a good place to do business like me as hobbyist . I have to buy everything from USA, Germany or Japan(hardwares) and knots from chinese makers or sellers and there in China most of them are liars and cheaters too. One German company and one French company do make the best knots, semogue(I don't like their wood finishing), but those knots like German or French knots costs more than 60-70$ each and have to buy like you import and process like big business. Payment no paypal, but official bank transfer etc(bureaucratic system). Buying from China and USA are easy process. I am doing this woodworking only few years. I do many handcrafted stuffs and all I learnt myself from the book and youtube videos. I used to make fishing stuffs and some wood works by hands long time ago watching pbs working program. people think is my price is high, but they will buy from shop garbage at a twice or 3 times of my price . mass production has no fishes, they use robot to turn the blank and mostly synthetic handles. Did you saw they made high quality burlwood handle or like Desert Ironwood handle. There are 2-3 guys in the net do good works too. Thanks for posting my stuffs here. Just found while looking for something. Handmade shaving products

 

[Hoka Hey]

Btw, I know this page and registered several years ago. all these brushes are mine. Not all CA finish. I have few with CA like stabilized wood. Most hardwoods like Olive wood, Cocobolo, Desert Ironwood etc are oil finished , then wax finished(need occasionally buffing to look shiny. all knots or badger hairs are from China, even some god made it. Europe and north america badger is protected animals for long time. There are some european companies make knot themselves and they are good. But some chinese companies do make nice knot. in ebay not all are good knots. I bought from Franks shaving. First time he gave me good ones, 2nd shipping was not good quality, so I had to sell at lower price in bay those knots(trimmed hairs). He asked me to buy more and I said him bye bye. you are cheater and liar. Now I have some guy and he sells brushes too. for better knots you have to order 200 -500 at a time and I can't do due to Canadian custom harassment and bullshitting. Canada is not a good place to do business like me as a hobbyist . I have to buy everything from USA, Germany or Japan(hardwares) and knots from chinese and there in China most of them are liar and cheaters too. One German company and one French company make the best knots, semogue(I don't like there wood finishing), but those knots like 25 costs more than 60-70$ each and have to buy like you import and process like big business. Buying from China and USA are easy process. I am doing this woodworking only few years. I do many handcrafted stuffs and all I learnt myself from the book and youtube videos. I used to make fishing stuffs and some wood works by hands long time ago watching pbs working program. Handmade shaving products.. Most people think is my price is high, but they will buy from shop garbage at a twice or 3 times of my price . mass production has no fishes, they use robot to turn the blank and mostly synthetic handles. Did you saw they made high quality burlwood handle or like Desert Ironwood handle. There are 2-3 guys in the net do good works too. Thanks for posting my stuffs here. Just found while looking for something

Thanks for the info. Love your wood handles. Stop in more often. There's a sub forum on brush making you might enjoy.

 

[Haadkoe]

I still need to meet up with you one of these days so I can choose a brush from what you have available. You do beautiful work! I'm local, but I've been slacking and hadn't gotten around to contacting you yet. Thanks for posting, you reminded me that I need a new brush!

 

[Floyd Eye]

We all need new brushes.