Still turning

[mycarver]

I haven't posted for some time as I was awaiting approval as a vendor. But I've still been turning brushes. Here are a few examples.
The first is showing a Lucite I restored as I like the crystal look of these brushes. I'm also working on making my own clear and translucent stock for my own pieces.The middle is a variant with my own butterscotch and the third in the pic is a two piece with my own ivory and translucent "beer" . Looks like a beer with a head of foam as I've been told. Second shot is just a close up of the same brush.
Third pic is showing a wood and my ivory ,, I'm liking two piece brushes lately, and the second brush is another translucent with carving done on the base ( close up of the base in the fourth shot) the third brush is the one currently in my rotation as I made it some time ago with my butterscotch variation on a vase and the fourth is the "beer" brush.
Fourth shot the close up of the base.
last pic I decided to try and copy the clear lucite with some other stock I had on hand. Any color is possible and this is a fun little brush. Carving this stuff is a bugger. Not as easy as just turning it.

[mycarver]

and a few more showing some stock for both brushes and razors. I was going after recreating translucent celluloid ( it's tinted more than it appears here) ,, and added black smoky swirls as well as making a strong yellow/black swirls and stock for a matching brush. . There is also Ivory with Caramel swirls, black with dark green, clear, amber, rootbeer ( from the rootbeer brush i made) and of course butterscotches.
I also made up some blue swirl with a matching blue marbeled brush for a razor I'm restoring. Not everyone's cup of tea but it's not a plain vanilla brush.
It makes a nice set , once I decide which set of scales to use. The razor isn't finished at this point as the pins are only set in place for the photo. I thought I had some washers on hand,, but no dice. Until I get to the store for more,, I'll probably make up another set of scales for it and change it altogether.

[Spy Car]

Very impressive work Mark!

Many beautiful pieces. I'm particularly drawn to the style of the "butterscotch" handle in the middle of the first photo. I like that it somewhat resembles a nice Chess piece.

I look forward to seeing more of your work.

Bill

[kg4ghn]

Those are some good looking brushes.

Do you have the ability to make a brush handle with the green swirl found on some old EverReadys?

http://badgerandblade.com/gallery/displayimage.php?imageid=20203

[heyoka]

Wow. They're beautiful.

[CharlieTN]

Those are absolutely beautiful. I love the blue swirl.

Charlie

[Gary Young]

Great looking handles. It's always nice to see well formed work and different material finishes. We would have had you at Simpsons back in the day!!

[james7604]

I really like the "beer" one and the wood and ivory brush. Very nice work.

[mycarver]

Thank you gentlemen, I appreciate the wonderful comments.

Pretty much any color can be made. I started the whole Butterscotch thing , matching any color or shade, then my own "antiqued " Ivory instead of the harsh plain white, and now I'm mixing other colors into my palette. Translucents have been something I've been spending time on lately,, and then at a request for swirls in scales,, off I went in another direction.

[spindlecone]

Great Looking handles,thx for the pics.

[Hex]

Super nice stuff.

I especially like the one on the left, in the 4-brush picture.

[Harvitz81]

I bought a butterscotch Chubby handle from Mark some time ago and knotted a TGN UK Silvertip in it when they were still available.

Mark does great work and this brush is one of my favorites.

[Intrigued]

That is beautiful work. I love the ideas you come up with.

[mandoman]

Very nice are you selling them as well ?

[Loric]

Sweet handles! I love the scales and the orange brush with the angular bottom, very original.

[SliceOfLife]

I wondered where you'd disappeared to. I like the clear with the black swirls in it. Is this stuff stable enough to use for straight razor scales or is there too much flex to it when cut thin?

[mycarver]

Thanks Loric,, I love spinning off in different directions. Sure I can do the traditional brushes, but trying new stuff is interesting.
Hey Ian, Been tied up with actual work instead of playing. Bummer! But I had a bit of time lately, and a few requests so I posted some things.
What looks like clear is actually a very pale yellow,, It has a celluloid look, which is what I was going for,, and added the swirls for fun.
Yes, this stuff is intended for scales. It's right around 5/32" and actually stiffer than usual scales that I've come across. Acts very much like a piece of plexiglass of a similar thickness. Now I'm working on other colors, specifically a Faux Tortise shell style. Warm translucent golden yellowish with deep brown/black swirls running through it. Should be neat.
I'll probaby thin it down to 1/8 or so once I have everything finalized. But with the extra bit of stock in the blanks, and it's easy to thin down, it gives options as to how to shape the handle itself. And since this stuff is hand made and not at some factory with presses and such, I need to be able to sand out surface imperfections as I'm shaping the scales. With the scales shown I was able to taper them along the surface quite easily and on others instead of using wedges it gave me the option to clearance the inside liners to allow the blade to rest without changing the outside surface.
I love options, that's where freedom to do what you want or change things is found.

[scoopster]

Bump, Welcome to B&B as a vendor Mark. You make great stuff - the turnings and the carvings :thumbup1:

[Darjeeling Express]

One word: Brilliant.

[mmack66]

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=141054&stc=1&d=1294899916

I really like these. Excellent work!

[ridgerunner]

Impressive work! I favor the Lucite handle brush over the others. Keep up the good work.

[lz6]

Great work! Your love of your craft clearly shows through!

[mycarver]

Hey, thanks guys! Yes I have to admit I do love these brushes, and bowls, and razors both straight and DE...and,, and,, well, I just love anything related to shaving! So much to learn, so little time.
And just look at that, officially a vendor now. You'll be seeing me in the vendors corner now.
The doors are open and I'm just getting started.

[Spy Car]

Work like this should attract a good deal of attention.

A question for you (or anyone else who might know) but is there a still source for Catalin so one could get a new handle in the same material as the great brushes of yore. And ones that would in time naturally turn butterscotch?

If so, this is something that would be in demand for a niche vendor. Just a thought.

You do admirable work.

Bill

[mycarver]

Thank you for the compliment. I appreciate it.
As far as finding some original type stock for brushes I'm not sure. I imagine that somewhere in the world you could find it and make a brush. Then wait around 30,40 ,50 yrs for it to change to your favorite shade of butterscotch. Or just make the color you want to see right now in modern materials and it will last forever.
Personally I don't have the patience to wait for much of anything. I want it now.

A twist on an old adage is " Good things come to those who wait",,, " Because that's all that's left after the best things are taken by those who hustle"

[spindlecone]

Make them out of Ivory,soak in warm tea for a couple hrs,instant old time butterscotch.

[mycarver]

If my understanding is correct true butterscotch evolves from the original plastics that weren't particularly stable.
Ivory, if it were possible to get some considering it's banned for the most part can vary from what I've seen from white to darker tones and mellows over time. But it's not true buttescotch although it can take on some of the color.

[Spy Car]

Thank you for the compliment. I appreciate it.
As far as finding some original type stock for brushes I'm not sure. I imagine that somewhere in the world you could find it and make a brush. Then wait around 30,40 ,50 yrs for it to change to your favorite shade of butterscotch. Or just make the color you want to see right now in modern materials and it will last forever.
Personally I don't have the patience to wait for much of anything. I want it now.

A twist on an old adage is " Good things come to those who wait",,, " Because that's all that's left after the best things are taken by those who hustle"

I mean this in the nicest possible way Mark, but it isn't about "your level of patience" it is about what your potential customers might value. I believe, but may be wrong about it, that there would be a demand for handles made of Catalin that would butterscotch naturally. You do great work. I can see that. Who wouldn't like to pass on a brush this kind of quality to a future generation?

Bill

[mblakele]

The old butterscotch brush handles were made from catalin, a relative of bakelite. Apparently it's still possible to buy NOS catalin rods (http://www.cheaponsale.com/buy-catalin_rods/) as well as something modern that's labeled "catalin" or "french bakelite" (http://www.cheaponsale.com/d-p1116306858370856100-catalin_rods/) but apparently isn't the real thing (http://reviews.ebay.com/WHAT-IS-F-or-FR-BAKELITE_W0QQugidZ10000000001679884).

The old stuff changed color because UV light turned bits of the surface of phenolic resin into phenyl alcohol (http://celluloidforever.com/BakeliteandCatalin.html). I don't know the chemistry well enough to say if the modern "fr bakelite" would change color in the same way, but probably not. For the NOS stuff, it might be possible to accelerate the aging with a UV lamp.

[spindlecone]

If my understanding is correct true butterscotch evolves from the original plastics that weren't particularly stable.
Ivory, if it were possible to get some considering it's banned for the most part can vary from what I've seen from white to darker tones and mellows over time. But it's not true buttescotch although it can take on some of the color.

Ivory, like all once living things,can and is dyed all colors of the rainbow,in china it is a true artform.
For the most part Ivory,other than marine Ivory,is not banned and readily available at historically low prices,cheaper than some exotic woods.

[mycarver]

Well now you've stirred my curiosity! I'll have to look into this to see what can be had as well as what can be done. If there is an interest,,I'm game.

[Mink]

The matching scales and brush handle look terrific. I'm thinking of doing something like this for a restoration project. May I ask where you found the swirly acrylic? And, were you able to find it in 1/8" thick?

Thanks

[mycarver]

Hello Mink,
Sure,, I make all my own stock for scales or brushes. I make it in rods and sheets any size or thickness I want depending on the job.

[spindlecone]

Well now you've stirred my curiosity! I'll have to look into this to see what can be had as well as what can be done. If there is an interest,,I'm game.

Once you start working with Ivory (stone age plastic:)
Plastics become very boreing,but I do realize one has to cater to the buyers at hand,good luck.
In Reality a brush handle is a brush handle.

[pizzaguy]

Really nice work :001_tt1:

[mycarver]

Thank you Pizzaguy.

Now I haven't done an in depth search, but the only things I found ( besides old radios etc.) made of catalin were some rods called bakelite that were translucent red. Other than that , I'm drawing a blank.
And as far as finding Ivory readily available and at prices below that of wood,, I can't find it. What I have found that is available is fossilized Mammoth tusks,, running around
$300.00 for a 7 inch piece , maybe 1 1/2 inch diameter.
Spindlecone, could you direct me to your source of Ivory where it is available? I am very interested in obtaining some as I have several projects in the works where this would be preferable to me making my own version.
You're right, plastics are one thing, being able to work with the real thing would be the best.
I appreciate any help you may offer in my search for genuine legal ivory.

[Spy Car]

Mark, here is a thread to get your creative juices flowing.

http://www.badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=107482

Bill

[mycarver]

Spy Car,,, that's the very thread that got me making Butterscotch!
I looked at those brushes, knew I wasn't finding any , knew what resources I had available and started making my own butterscotch. Before I knew it everyone was writing me asking to make stock for them or how they could make it.
From there I kept going and started all sorts of other colors as well.

Here is just a small sample of some of the stock I've made.

[cooncatbob]

Just curious.
Are you casting Poly Urethane , Polyester or Acrylic resin?

[xjrob85]

Can you give us an idea of what your brushes might cost?

[mycarver]

Mostly urethanes and acrylics, depends what I 'm doing with the stock or what colors I want to use.
Most of my basic handles start around $55.00 as a custom color, less knot as these can vary depending on the one you choose and can go up from there depending on the complexity of the piece. Multiple pieces, multiple pours, carving etc. on the handles.

[kimfella]

Do you also do a tortoiseshell brush? Or a marbelized material with the tortoiseshell colours? (More the red and black and yellow than the greens)

[mycarver]

Hello Kimfella,
I can do pretty much any color. If you have a photo or sample that I can see I'd have a better idea.
With the brushes and making their stock it's a bit different than when I make scales.
Since I can't see inside the form I use as I'm making the stock it's always a surprise to see just how something comes out. Actually , the recent post with the blue marble happened because I was using up the rapidly hardening resins after making the blue scales.
I'm working on other methods so I can control the outcome a bit more.
Send me a photo if you can,,,, I'm interested in the faux tortoise look as I'm currently restoring several razors and have come pretty close to what I want to see. These are primarily a translucent warm gold/yellow with black swirls running through it.

Thanks for your question.
Mark

[spanx]

Hello Mike,
When you make scales can you pour it thick say 1/4 inch and then split it so that they are the same on both ends? Also do or will you sell roughed out blanks for people to finish themselves?

[mycarver]

The scales I'm currently making are in a sheet, not in a block that can be sliced. Trying to make a vertical slice through stock only 1/4 inch thick , with the width of the saw blade would be quite a trick to do. What you're looking for is essentially book matched pieces, correct?
If it's a solid color then it's not really an issue. If it's a special color, with swirls or something in it, well, naturally it would be different regardless from side to side as you can't really control the pattern that accurately. Granted, any design would be greater in one area as opposed to another but if what you're looking for is to have the pattern essentially look like it wraps around the entire handle,, there are ways for me to do that to a point,, but I have to pour at least 3/8 thick,, allow more for the kerf, drift, clean up. to get a reasonable scale. And the deeper the pour, the greater the differences from front to back.
You can get pretty close,, but you can't look at both sides of the razor at the same time anyway.

[mycarver]

Here is a quick example of what I'm talking about. These are for a couple of Wade & Butchers I'm working on as well as a few others. With patterns such as these I think they look good from either side. I find them interesting to look at. May not be the colors you like but anything is possible.
The red scales have as you can see clear liners with a thin coating of color. Why? Well, I don't know , I just wanted to see if I could do it. And it adds an interesting detail as well as being a bit more translucent when the razors are put together. Note, they're only mocked into position here as these are just the rough blanks.
Also, these scales have a nice flex to them. Meaning when you open the razor it tends to pry the scales apart. These have a certain amount of flex to them. When pinned, they're plenty rigid, more so than some factory scales I've seen but they have some give to them.
And the extra thickness allows some shaping as well as clean up. Being hand poured there are some surface imperfections that need to be sanded out. Thinning them to your specs isn't a problem with some basic hand tools. I flatten the outside surface and thin them from the inner surface. The best look is from the outer surface as opposed to the inner surface which is the deepest part when I'm pouring and making scale stock.

The Torry in the last shot isn't my work, it's a stock piece but something I'm trying to duplicate but it is my razor. Nice shaver by the way.
And a set of Rosewood scales I'm finishing up for a friend.

[kimfella]

Those are all beautiful. I especially like the finished butterscotch (butterscotch ripple?) razor. The reds are close to the colour I think of when I think tortoiseshell.

About halfway down this page is a sample of faux tortoiseshell finish that shows a bit of pattern rather than marbleing . This sample is more yellow/gold than red
http://www.xrestore.com/Pages/HowTo.htm

Granted this is a painting technique. I just posted it for the picture. I don't know if you could adapt/modify that technique to your casting? Possibly for the scales sheets, maybe a bit more complex for brushes.

Two examples of tortoiseshell that show pattern, although both of these are much more brown than I like. The bracelet is nice, but to me it looks like a leopard skin pattern.

http://stoneplus.cst.cmich.edu/zoogems/tortshell.html

http://www.vintagejewelryonline.com/cmstore/product_detail.php?id=ve00983
O.K. Don't know what happened there but the [ I M G ] tag doesn't seem to be working. Here are direct links to the pics.

http://stoneplus.cst.cmich.edu/zoogems/tortshell.html

http://www.vintagejewelryonline.com/cmstore/product_detail.php?id=ve00983

[mycarver]

Thanks Kimfella! Personally I really like the look of the clock columns. The card case looks a bit too much like a leopard print,,but hey, someone may like it. The bracelet, even though it's actual tortoise shell,, seems to be lacking something. Too "splotchy" maybe?

The butterscotch Torrey razor pictured has the look I'd like as to how the pattern is arranged,, but I'm planning on different colors. I think I'm heading towards the clock columns,, deep ambers, golds, warm browns with streaks of black.
Getting that to happen while juggling 4 or 5 colors,, all the consistency of honey and not having them all blend together into one blah color, trying to beat the point where they all kick,, and turn into the blob where you can't blend anything is the challenge. Then again , I have other things I want to try to duplicate this look. Maybe it'll work,, maybe it won't. I'll find out.
Thanks again for the links ,, they inspire me.

[kimfella]

A friend of ours does silk ties and scarves and other clothes with silk she patterns herself by pouring colours 'onto' (they float) water in a large tub and whisks, combs, trails or feathers a variety of combing tools through the colours to make some really striking patterns. Then she lays the silk on top of the floating patterns. Obviously no two alike!

Using just the very tip of a sharp pointed or tined tool and a sweep with a quick reverse she gets patterns that look like feathers, or like dragon skin. She has made a couple that I could swear I could see dragons doing a mating dance!

Dang! I wish I still worked in an office where I'd have an excuse to wear those ties again!

[mycarver]

Believe it or not I used that technique, floating paints on water,, back when I was a wee lad of 10 or so,, painting models because I saw it done in a model car book. That was over 40 yrs ago. And , with my "other "work,, I've used it as well to do faux marbeling on some smaller pieces. Larger pieces I do by hand.
And just recently I watched a program on Create , where a woman was painting flowers using the same technique. She'd drop a color ( red for example) on the water and using a stick, pull it through the paint and create a tulip,, then did the same with green forming the stems,leaves etc. until she "painted" an entire bouquet then she'd carefully ,in one movement, lay the paper on the painted surface of the water push it through and have the image on the paper. Really cool!
Almost how I'm making the scale material just in 3D. The problem here as I said is the colors don't want to stay separate, they want to blend. A red base,with white swirls turns pink instead of crisp white swirls. But give me time, and a bigger budget (lol, this stuff is $100.00 a gallon) and I'll figure it out. I'm well on my way to solving this conundrum with my recent successes.

[mycarver]

I finished the W&B today. I like the clear liner side of the scales, interesting detail. The last shot is where it started.

[ofelas]

Outstanding craftsmanship Mark!

[fidjit]

Hey Mark !!!!

You still pouring to try and emulate vintage butterscotch ?!? :lol:

Nice jobs mate !!

Some of those look fantastic :thumbup:

[mycarver]

Thank you ofelas!
Yes fidjit, I sure am. But I'm also expanding my stock to include a wider variety of colors and textures in the pieces as I'm showing here with this stock. lately I've been picking up some razors and the possibilities of the scales just fascinates me. Also because I've been getting requests for the faux tortoise type pieces.
And as far as razors goes, here is another piece for my collection that I treated as a blank canvas. It's a Jos. Elliot.
It was in pretty rough shape, half the makers mark was gone , so I treated it as not so much a resto.. but a hot rod. Meaning, it was too far gone to be restored to "original" type condition so I treated it as if it were a blank canvas. I eliminated what was left of the makers mark, and instead went for the smooth , liquid look. Almost like the cop from the Terminator movies. Liquid chrome.
This I plan on making the faux tortoise type scales,, but then again, I was considering various shades of purple ( don't see it too often) with a white swirl, or a white ( ish) base with several shades of lavender to darker purple in it. I was just at an antique shop where I saw this particular color combination on a vanity set and it looked just too cool. Then again the mint green with darker as well as white and yellowish swirls looked pretty neat as well.
But yes,, I'm still pouring my butterscotch.
Have you seen my translucents? Some look like an Ale Beer,, and others look like scotch,, bourbon,,etc.
But I go from doing brushes, then razors,, then scales, all directions.
And I'm designing some razor stands ( DE and Straights) as well as shaving bowls and other items such as display units inspired by some old barbershop catalogs. so much to do, so little time. Too bad work gets in the way.

[kimfella]

Have you seen my translucents? Some look like an Ale Beer,, and others look like scotch,, bourbon,,etc.
The image of a glass of ale with some bubbles rising in it put me to mind of amber with bubbles and bugs trapped in it. Have you thought about doing a faux amber?

Did you see this item? http://cgi.ebay.ca/Picture-Handle-Straight-Razor-/260726209980?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cb47e3dbc
It started me thinking about a set of custom scales with some old family pictures, maybe one of my dad in his Camp Borden graduation picture, maybe one with a picture of my wife's ancestors scowling at the camera.

Just a thought. Something to think about when you've got nothing on the go. :w00t:

[mycarver]

Hey Kimfella.
I've made several shades of amber but not with the bugs in it. Thought of it but didn't know how big an audience there would be for it. My grandfather had a massive piece with some bug in it that I was fascinated with as a kid.
I too have been thinking with the celluloid I've been duplicating about adding script, irridescent films, photos maybe as they did back in the day. As well as adding some vivid stripes etc. Again, I can go ahead an make up all kinds of stuff but then what do I do with it? Maybe I should just make it so people can see what's available or what can be done to start them thinking about possibilities. Hey, it worked when I started the whole process of making Butterscotches, maybe this could work as well. Though probably in a more limited scope. Everyone seems to love my butterscotch.
Neat how great minds ( at least yours is) think alike. Ahhh,, the possibilities instead of the same old, same old...plain vanilla. That's why I like custom stuff.

[Perkus]

Sigh! So must lust and so little money right now...

[kimfella]

I too have been thinking with the celluloid I've been duplicating about adding script, irridescent films, photos maybe as they did back in the day. As well as adding some vivid stripes etc. Again, I can go ahead an make up all kinds of stuff but then what do I do with it? Maybe I should just make it so people can see what's available or what can be done to start them thinking about possibilities. Hey, it worked when I started the whole process of making Butterscotches, maybe this could work as well. Though probably in a more limited scope. Everyone seems to love my butterscotch.

If you wanted to play with pictures maybe print off some pictures of the femme fatales of the thirties and try one or two sets of scales to see if anyone is interested. Though I suspect the biggest market for photos would be making up scales using the clients' own photos. Since my earlier post I've been looking at that picture of my dad at Camp Borden. While my son isn't into straight razor shaving, he does have the sword that his grandfather is wearing in that picture. I'm sure he'd appreciate something like that.

And I've been thinking of a couple of my wife's pictures. One of her about age 5 or so, sitting on a pinto pony, and another of her childhood pet spaniel. Maybe if I had a razor with one of those pictures on it she'd be a bit more appreciative of my hobby/interest/mental disorder.


Neat how great minds ( at least yours is) think alike.Fools seldom differ.:sneaky2:


Ahhh,, the possibilities instead of the same old, same old...plain vanilla. That's why I like custom stuff.
Hey! Vanilla is my favourite flavour of ice cream.

[dalecooper51]

Mark -

I'm really like the W&B you cleaned up for me. It's a great shaver.

Thanks.

[mycarver]

My pleasure Dale.

I've got a few others in the works as we speak. One is an old Pitts that cleaned up quite well in addition to the Geo. Elliot that I just posted. Here is a sneak peek at the blade.

I've made up a set of scales for the Pitts with an Ivory base with purple and lavender swirls running through it. I'll post them when the total razor is complete.
It'll be stunning.

Here is before and after. I was inspired by some other razors that had file work done on the backs such as the Fridor. By the way, that's some dust on the blade in the third shot from static. You can see in the last shot it's pretty clearly polished.

[Den]

The before and after results are beyond what I thought was achievable for restoring straights. Simply amazing work. :thumbup1:

[mycarver]

Thank you Denis,
I don't know if these really qualify as just a restoration. Some of these were in pretty bad shape as you can see. Hence the use of before photos. The transformation is fairly complete on a few. It's one thing to show a finished shot, but where did it come from? How bad was it? To what extent was work done?
As I'm aware, some purists won't care for them but some razors need more , and can go further than a simple clean up.
I'm a car guy as well and my outlook is something like this.
You find an old car and depending on it's condition you have to decide if it's close enough that you can restore it to original condition. Or is it so bad you build a hot rod out of it. At heart I love hot rods and I seem to like that in my style of razor. Resto's are fine. Love 'em.
To me a restore is back to the way it came from the factory. And to me, most don't end up that way regardless. A tumbled blade to make it shiny and some new scales isn't original to me. Maybe I miss the point.
I like the slick, highly polished piece looking like liquid chrome etc. I can do satin finishes or anything in between. But to me, since these are blank canvases in my minds eye, anything is possible.
Mark

[mycarver]

I love big blades, as well as old ones. Really , I love them all.
In addition to my custom mixed brushes I've been expanding as you can tell from the posts into straight razors and scales. Mainly because I've enjoyed using so much lately.
So I decided to see just what I could do with one. A grab bag special that I could re-do.
It's a John Pitts. Was in rather sad shape so no harm no foul.
I did the spine work since it had a nice area there to work on and I always liked the shapes of the Fridors, so I went at it.
Polished the blade, made the scales. The washers I made from Sterling Silver.
More photos next post.

[mycarver]

Some other shots....

[sachin]

Some other shots....

Love your pinning job and the scales are gorgeous. All in all beautiful restoration work.

[mycarver]

No, it isn't really green glass. It just looks that way sitting next to the green glass bottle.
You may have seen this shaving stand that I posted last week in the Haul.
It was missing it's brush. This AM I poured some stock to match the green glass bottle and by this evening it was ready to turn.
I had poured the aged ivory some time ago knowing I'd use it sometime. The handle has the same translucence as the bottle and for all intent and purposed matches it pretty much spot on. Unless you knew better you'd think it was part of the actual glass used in the bottle.
I think the style of this brush is in keeping with the design. I like making long handle brushes as well as two piece brushes. And this one worked out just fine with the holder on the stand.
I fitted a 22mm best as this is primarily a display piece. Then again, I may change that and put in something else.
Hope you enjoy it.
Mark

[Hex]

Absolutely beautiful !! :thumbup1:

And yes, for a second, I thought it was green glass.

[mycarver]

Thank you guys, I appreciate it.

[mycarver]

Made up the material for a set of green translucent scales. I used the shape of the stand for the inspiration for the shape.
The washers are steriling silver and I used a third pin to keep the blade, where it comes close to the edge from falling through.
Ivory completes the wedge. The blade itself has been polished and is a Wester Bros. De-Fi from Germany.

[aldesso]

That is a thing of beauty...

[mycarver]

Thank you Aldesso, Yes, I too think it 's beautiful as well. I'm very happy with the entire outcome .
A bit out of the ordinary but I think with this piece it works well.
I've used the razor but not the set in it's entirety. I will.
Thanks again,
Mark

[mycarver]

You may have seen this first restoration in the Brush thread. The top section was cracked and deteriorating badly. I was able to match the color with a new mix, break down the brush , save the knot and put it back together with my new turned piece of stock.
The second was inspired by a brush I admired. I also liked the clear Amber colors. Getting them completely clear is a challenge. For the larger brush I designed it around a 24-26mm knot thereby having to stretch and adjust the dimensions a bit.
For the smaller brush , it is closer to the actual dimensions of the original brush I saw. I only had a reference from a photo on line but it came out pretty much spot on. Here too I made the Ivory color as well as the Amber. It's not wearing its final knot which will be a 22 overstuffed or possibly a two band. I only put this knot in for the photograph.

[kg4ghn]

Wow, your work is great.

Keep it up, and keep posting pics for us to see!

[nrdoty]

Really great stuff indeed. Every time I come back to this thread I remember I still want one of those "beer" handles like in the first post. If I did want one, could you do the bottom half a really dark, slightly translucent brown so it looked like a Guinness? Hehe.:a8:

[mycarver]

Thanks Nick,
Sure, most anything is possible. I've done some that look like glasses of lager with a creamy top etc.
I could do a translucent one that has the look of guiness. At least I'd have an easy reference to the color you like!
The barrel was dark only because of the color of the Rootbeer barrel candy.