CUSTOM ORDERS Much of my work is done to special custom order. I usually have a waiting list! If you have ordered a special item to be made then my current work schedule can be seen here , with work listed in the order that it will be done. This is where you can see where yours is in the list.

SHAVING MAIN MENU

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Shaving Sets (shaving stand, brush & razor)

Other Shaving Accessories Steps in making a shaving brush - illustrated

DE Razor Handles Luxury Stone Shaving Boxes With clock and stand for a DE razor. Space inside for packets of blades.

Only two made! Stone shaving boxes Heavy Base Stand for DE Razors Made in real stone, Ivory resin (larger base) or Briar Burl Resin. From £35 DE Razor stands

"The brushes arrived this morning just as I was about to shave.They are absolutely stunning a sheer work of art. I used the super silvertip and have never had such a rich soap.The new brushes put my old ones to shame.The African soapstone looks great and feels just brilliant in the hand. The Persian jar is stunning always wanted one this shape. Now for the Aztec.No photograph in the world can do this resin justice.The Artisans skill and love just oozes from this brush beautiful beautiful beautiful a real treasure this one." CD .



Left to right: Stone Extra Silvertip, Stone Super Silvertip, Aztec Gold 30mm Extra Silvertip See these brushes being made, with step by step photos. (Click on the images below).





Click image to see this brush being made



The SS-GB. A very special prototype "concept" brush in grained ivory resin & stainless steel. See this being made SHAVING BRUSHES Almost all of the finest badger hair comes from China. Badger is a protected species in most of Europe. In rural Northern China, badgers multiply to the point of becoming a crop nuisance, and village cooperatives are licensed by the national government to hunt badgers and sell the hair to processors. Each shaving brush has an individual serial number, and comes with a certificate signed by Rodney Neep. I make the handles in a range of different materials. Wood of various types, real natural stone, or resins, including a superb ivory substitute with grain like real ivory. Badger hair comes in many different grades, although I only usually use the top grades (See individual brush descriptions for type). Pure Badger

Coarser hair from the underbelly. The hair varies in softness, pliability and colour. Usually, the ends are trimmed to shape, resulting in rough stiff ends.

Best Badger

Finer and more pliable hairs. More densely filled with hair.

Super Badger

An excellent hair. More expensive than the lower grades. Better graded hairs and not as prickly. Fitted to the knot so that the ends do not have to be trimmed to shape.

Black Badger

A good quality hair that is quite stiff and a bit scratchy on the face. Good for face lathering.

Silvertip Badger

Superb quality. After the first use it flares out and becomes very fluffy. Holds a considerable amount of water, and makes a much better rich, creamier lather.

Super Silvertip Badger

Similar to Silvertip, but a little softer.

2 Band Manchurian Badger

From the mountain areas of Northern China. Strong backbone and thicker hairs.

Extra Dense Silvertip Badger

Simply the ultimate. Very rare to obtain. I use knots of extra silvertip when they are available in 24mm, 26mm, 28mm and 30mm. The 26mm brush holds an incredible amount of water, The brush which I use regularly holds 34 grams of water! That's 34cc or 2 cubic inches! One loading of the brush is enough for three latherings on the face with plenty left over at the end. Back in Stock!

Horse Hair

Very soft. Produces a good creamy lather very easily. Inexpensive compared with badger.

Boar Bristle

Very hard and somewhat scratchy. Good if you like to give your skin a work out. Good at lathering. Needs to be soaked in warm water for a minute before use, as the hairs absorb water.

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More about shaving brush knots, with comparisons and illustrations The brushes I make at the moment generally have either Extra Dense Silvertip Badger, Select Super Silvertip Badger Hair, 2 Band Manchurian Badger, or boar bristle. (see individual descriptions). The more water a brush holds, the more moist and rich a lather will be. This results in less razor skipping and dragging. The greatest benefit from shaving brush use is the tendency to soften and lift facial hair before a shave. Applying shaving cream by hand mats hair or raises it unevenly. Aerosol foams don't soften and lift facial hair as much as real shaving soap foam applied with a brush, instead the aerosol foam is relatively dry with lots of large air bubbles. Real shaving soap produces a creamy lather. Shaving brush use requires agitation of the soap or cream (usually in a cup or the wooden shaving soap holder) to form a lather suitable for a shave. Apply the lather to the face in a gentle circular motion, and leave for about a minute before shaving for the best results. With a good foamy cream produced by a brush a razor does not need to be pressed to the skin in order to provide a close shave. CARING FOR YOUR BRUSH After use it is essential to run the tap into the end of the brush to make sure that it is totally cleaned of soap. Sniff your brush when it is dry (now there's a novelty to add to your morning ritual) before you have your next shave. It should not smell of soap. Do not wring out excess water. Just give the brush a gentle squeeze, a few light flicks, and then strop it lightly on a dry towel. Stand the brush either on its base or hang it on a brush stand. There is a lot written about which is best, but I am not convinced that one is better than another. The important thing is to NOT store it in a closed cabinet. Leave it out in the open to dry naturally. It is perfectly normal for a new brush to shed a few hairs for up to a week of use, and the odd one thereafter. Dried soap at the base of the bristles is the most common cause of hair failure. The soap hardens around the bristle, the bristle becomes very fragile, and it breaks loose. I have seen one month old brushes fail for this reason! Moral: make sure the brush is thoroughly washed out after every use. In areas of very hard water, calcium deposits may form on the hairs. That can also make the hairs very brittle and stiff, and they may shed as a result. Soaking the hairs (not the handle) in a mixture of white venegar and water for a couple of hours once a month can solve problems. General maintenance to keep your brush in first class condition: warm bath

wash with soap

warm rinse

soak in water/vinegar mixture if you are in a hard water area.

warm rinse and another soap wash

rinse

conditioner - use normal hair conditioner. It works a treat.

rinse

A gentle squeeze, few light flicks, and strop it gently on a towel.

It is OK to use a hair drier, but on low heat only. Shaving Brush Care (PDF file)