Aesthetics Vs. Utility

I have a number of brushes and I really don't have any that are "pretty", which I take to mean brushes with fancy, multicoloured custom handles. I've certainly looked at photos of those and thought it would be nice but.... So my brushes are either boar or badger and they all get the job done equally well but take a different path - some are stiff and some are soft, several are massive and a few are tiny. I've seen some member's collections posted on DFS and I'm occasionally struck by the realization that while they have all sorts of handles the knots are often all the same. Thats fine, guy likes a specific knot and wants different handles, nothing wrong with that. I like different knots and don't get fussed with the handles as long as they're comfortable in my hand.

I'm getting there. I used to collect Japanese and French straight razors, but I've narrowed my scope to Tanifuji-made Japanese razors, French replaceable blade straights and a couple of other specific brands of each. I do have a weakness for those shorty English hollow ground swaybacks if I can find a nice one at a good price. Strops are Kanayama. My soaps are pretty stable and I'll soon sell off some I think just because I have too much. Brushes, well I like a plebian Simpsons Best Badger or Super badger as well as any, and I like the handles that fit my hand, the 57/58, Tulip, Duke 3, and the M7/L7 handles.

But by and large the exploration is over.

Cheers, Steve

I’ve had far more expensive looking setups than this one, but I thoroughly enjoy it.




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