TL;DR: Captivated by the luxurious Oumo Origin shaving brush knot, I embarked on a quest to design a handle that embodied Zen aesthetics and elevated the shaving experience. Through collaboration with artisan @Rudy Vey a cosmic dream materialized into a unique brush crafted from Hinoki wood and Amboyna Burl, symbolizing the harmony of chaos and order in the universe. The brush, inscribed with the Japanese phrase "uchu" (宇宙) – Cosmos or “entirety of existence” which are the same characters in Chinese with the same meaning. This serendipitous fact really fit for a brush made from both Japanese and Chinese artifacts.
A Knot, A Vision, A Dream, and the Hands of Two Craftsmen
The soft, luxurious bristles of Oumo's "Origin Booking" knot beckoned me, a siren song of the shaving world. To merely gaze upon its image, see all the effort involved, and imagine its feel online was torture; to possess one, a dream. The promise of the rarest badger hair, meticulously hand-picked and sculpted into a swirling vortex of silver-tipped perfection, was almost too much to bear.
But April's generosity had left me flush with possibility. I took a deep breath and clicked "order." Now, the real challenge began: what vessel could possibly contain such a treasure?
A Zen sanctuary, that's what it had to be. My mind conjured images of uncluttered lines, the warmth of natural materials, the quiet elegance of earthy tones. I envisioned a brush that wouldn't just hold the Oumo knot, but would elevate it, transforming the act of shaving into a meditative ritual. The Golden Ratio, that divine proportion found in nature's most harmonious creations, whispered its secrets to me, guiding my hand as I sketched out designs.
Yet, bringing this vision to life was no simple task. Wood, with its organic warmth, called to me, but my early designs were too ambitious for its earthly constraints. Resin, while versatile, felt cold and artificial, a far cry from the Zen serenity I sought. A detour led me to Scott at MarleyMachineWorks, who created a mesmerizing Mokume Gane handle, a symphony of copper, brass, and nickel silver with an anodized titanium ring. Still, its weight and complexity felt like a distraction from the essence of the knot. As a first step on this journey, I inscribed on the handle the Japanese phrase "ichi nichi ippo" (一日一歩) - one day at a time, a reminder that even the grandest creations begin with a single step.
With renewed purpose, I reached out to @Rudy Vey a master artisan whose skill with wood was as legendary as his patience. The design process was a dance of ideas, a volley between Rudy's practicality and my relentless pursuit of Zen aesthetics. Sketches flew back and forth, each marked with notes, questions, and the occasional exclamation of delight or groan of frustration. Some of my initial concepts, inspired by the elegant curves of Japanese calligraphy, proved too fragile to support the density of the Oumo knot. Others, while visually striking, simply didn't look to be comfortable in the hand. Rudy, with his craftsman's wisdom, gently guided me back to reality, reminding me of the delicate balance between form and function. Yet, he also embraced my vision, experimenting with unconventional techniques and materials to push the boundaries of what was possible. It was a true collaboration, a meeting of minds and hands, where creativity and pragmatism intertwined to birth something truly unique.
One night, as I drifted off to sleep, a dream unfolded before my eyes. In the darkness of the void, silver threads of energy swirled and coalesced, a cosmic dance birthing a universe of vibrant hues and textures embodied in Amboyna Burl. From this swirling chaos, a sleek form emerged, a beacon of order amidst the tumult. Hinoki wood, with its delicate grain and subtle fragrance, pierced through the chaos, its gentle curves calming the turbulent energies.
I awoke with a start, my heart pounding. This was it. This was the brush my soul had been yearning for. I could almost feel the smooth Hinoki wood in my hand, its warmth radiating into my palm.
Together, we embarked on a journey of discovery, sourcing the finest Hinoki and the strongest Amboyna Burl to house the dense Oumo knot. The burl, with its swirling patterns, mirrored the chaos of the dream's cosmic birth, while the Hinoki, with its elegant simplicity, represented the order that emerged from it.
As the final brush took shape, I couldn't help but marvel at its beauty. The Hinoki wood, polished to a soft sheen, felt like a piece of the heavens in my hand. The badger bristles, a silvery cascade, promised a shave that would be nothing short of divine.
This was more than just a brush; it was a testament to the power of dreams, the beauty of collaboration, and the timeless dance between chaos and order that shapes our lives. It was a whispered promise, an echo of a dream, and the beginning of a new chapter in my shaving ritual.
Rudy made a test handle and then two brushes; in case something went wrong with the process and to give me the option to not overly use the Origin knot. He had never worked with Hinoki before, never stabilized it before, how much or little burl was needed and available. Hinoki is very strong. In fact, Horyuji temple, which is the oldest wooden structure in the world, was built using this wood about 1300 years ago, and 65% of it still remains today. However, it is a cypress with a very linear grain that might shear. The brush on the right carries the Oumo Origin, the one on the left a Shavemac 2 Band.
This brush needed a name. Interestingly, In Chinese, the word for "cosmos" is 宇宙 (pronounced "yǔzhòu"). In Japanese, the word for "cosmos" is usually written in katakana as コスモス (pronounced "kosumosu"), which is a phonetic transcription of the English word. However, the Kanji characters (Chinese characters used by Japanese) 宇宙 (pronounced "uchu" in Japanese) can also be used, particularly in more formal or scientific contexts. This serendipitous fact created a really fit name for a brush made from both Japanese and Chinese artifacts and representing the cosmology of the universe.
A very, very special thank you to @Rudy Vey for his patience, mentoring, artisanship, and craftsmanship and for helping me make my vision and dream a reality!
A Knot, A Vision, A Dream, and the Hands of Two Craftsmen
The soft, luxurious bristles of Oumo's "Origin Booking" knot beckoned me, a siren song of the shaving world. To merely gaze upon its image, see all the effort involved, and imagine its feel online was torture; to possess one, a dream. The promise of the rarest badger hair, meticulously hand-picked and sculpted into a swirling vortex of silver-tipped perfection, was almost too much to bear.
But April's generosity had left me flush with possibility. I took a deep breath and clicked "order." Now, the real challenge began: what vessel could possibly contain such a treasure?
A Zen sanctuary, that's what it had to be. My mind conjured images of uncluttered lines, the warmth of natural materials, the quiet elegance of earthy tones. I envisioned a brush that wouldn't just hold the Oumo knot, but would elevate it, transforming the act of shaving into a meditative ritual. The Golden Ratio, that divine proportion found in nature's most harmonious creations, whispered its secrets to me, guiding my hand as I sketched out designs.
Yet, bringing this vision to life was no simple task. Wood, with its organic warmth, called to me, but my early designs were too ambitious for its earthly constraints. Resin, while versatile, felt cold and artificial, a far cry from the Zen serenity I sought. A detour led me to Scott at MarleyMachineWorks, who created a mesmerizing Mokume Gane handle, a symphony of copper, brass, and nickel silver with an anodized titanium ring. Still, its weight and complexity felt like a distraction from the essence of the knot. As a first step on this journey, I inscribed on the handle the Japanese phrase "ichi nichi ippo" (一日一歩) - one day at a time, a reminder that even the grandest creations begin with a single step.
With renewed purpose, I reached out to @Rudy Vey a master artisan whose skill with wood was as legendary as his patience. The design process was a dance of ideas, a volley between Rudy's practicality and my relentless pursuit of Zen aesthetics. Sketches flew back and forth, each marked with notes, questions, and the occasional exclamation of delight or groan of frustration. Some of my initial concepts, inspired by the elegant curves of Japanese calligraphy, proved too fragile to support the density of the Oumo knot. Others, while visually striking, simply didn't look to be comfortable in the hand. Rudy, with his craftsman's wisdom, gently guided me back to reality, reminding me of the delicate balance between form and function. Yet, he also embraced my vision, experimenting with unconventional techniques and materials to push the boundaries of what was possible. It was a true collaboration, a meeting of minds and hands, where creativity and pragmatism intertwined to birth something truly unique.
One night, as I drifted off to sleep, a dream unfolded before my eyes. In the darkness of the void, silver threads of energy swirled and coalesced, a cosmic dance birthing a universe of vibrant hues and textures embodied in Amboyna Burl. From this swirling chaos, a sleek form emerged, a beacon of order amidst the tumult. Hinoki wood, with its delicate grain and subtle fragrance, pierced through the chaos, its gentle curves calming the turbulent energies.
I awoke with a start, my heart pounding. This was it. This was the brush my soul had been yearning for. I could almost feel the smooth Hinoki wood in my hand, its warmth radiating into my palm.
Together, we embarked on a journey of discovery, sourcing the finest Hinoki and the strongest Amboyna Burl to house the dense Oumo knot. The burl, with its swirling patterns, mirrored the chaos of the dream's cosmic birth, while the Hinoki, with its elegant simplicity, represented the order that emerged from it.
As the final brush took shape, I couldn't help but marvel at its beauty. The Hinoki wood, polished to a soft sheen, felt like a piece of the heavens in my hand. The badger bristles, a silvery cascade, promised a shave that would be nothing short of divine.
This was more than just a brush; it was a testament to the power of dreams, the beauty of collaboration, and the timeless dance between chaos and order that shapes our lives. It was a whispered promise, an echo of a dream, and the beginning of a new chapter in my shaving ritual.
Rudy made a test handle and then two brushes; in case something went wrong with the process and to give me the option to not overly use the Origin knot. He had never worked with Hinoki before, never stabilized it before, how much or little burl was needed and available. Hinoki is very strong. In fact, Horyuji temple, which is the oldest wooden structure in the world, was built using this wood about 1300 years ago, and 65% of it still remains today. However, it is a cypress with a very linear grain that might shear. The brush on the right carries the Oumo Origin, the one on the left a Shavemac 2 Band.
This brush needed a name. Interestingly, In Chinese, the word for "cosmos" is 宇宙 (pronounced "yǔzhòu"). In Japanese, the word for "cosmos" is usually written in katakana as コスモス (pronounced "kosumosu"), which is a phonetic transcription of the English word. However, the Kanji characters (Chinese characters used by Japanese) 宇宙 (pronounced "uchu" in Japanese) can also be used, particularly in more formal or scientific contexts. This serendipitous fact created a really fit name for a brush made from both Japanese and Chinese artifacts and representing the cosmology of the universe.
A very, very special thank you to @Rudy Vey for his patience, mentoring, artisanship, and craftsmanship and for helping me make my vision and dream a reality!
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