Spring Update

This is a bit overdue so I do regret the delay in getting this blog post up. I’ve been working on it for the past couple of weeks but have not been able to. I’m also behind on messages but I will do my best to reach everyone this weekend with regards to their custom order completion. I did have some issues pop up these past few weeks, and I’ll give a quick update on things in the shop to expand upon that. After that I’ll post some photos, and then give a preview of what I hope the spring and summer will look like in terms of availability and also releases.

Shop Update

Earlier this month I unfortunately had a large jug of the Alumilite resin spill in a major way. This was an older gallon jug of the hardener and that made it much worse. As the hardener gets older, it absorbs moisture, and some of the compounds start to harden, and the other compounds start to separate. This made it a much more intensive cleanup and it did set me back a bit. However, mishaps are just part of the production process and thankfully I have contained and cleaned up the mess.

I was also ill during this month, which was unrelated to the resin spill. I sometimes come down with whatever bug is going around in the beginning of spring. For some reason, most years I can go all winter without so much as a sniffle but every now and then the beginning of spring means I am out of commission for a few days. It seems strange to me but maybe I let my guard down once the weather starts to get nice, and suffer for it. Anyhow, I am back to normal now.

Other than that, the shop is running ok. Some of the sorting of the hair lately has been a bit slower than usual, which is why these brushes don’t have knots yet. As I have mentioned in the past, every batch of hair is different, and some portions of the supply require more work than others to get the knots to where I want them to be. Nevertheless, I am looking to ship a lot of brushes this coming week as the sorting gets finalized and the knots are cemented.

The Latest Run

Here are some photos of the latest run of customs which feature some really nice pieces. Included is a new handle shape, which I am calling the “Piston”, and I plan on making it in 32mm size. The 32mm size has been really popular this past year and I wanted to have something in the line-up that compliments the massive size knots. It draws heavily from The Varlet’s design DNA and I hope folks will like it.

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piston, 32mm, carbon / carbon w/gold terrazzo

gaslamp, 29mm, violet / amber, silver engraving

gaslamp, 29mm, emerald / alpine, white engraving

cambria, 27mm, somerset / clear blue, silver engraving

beehive, 27mm, blue531

beehive, 29mm, blk / wht marble / amber

gaslamp, 29mm, somerset / radiogram, low-light matte

gaslamp, 32mm, robin’s egg light, white engraving

beehive, 29mm, violet / amber

custom availability and future releases

As I announced on Instagram previously, availability for customs will be open today at 10am Pacific. I have opened enough slots to keep me busy through the middle of summer so there should be plenty of available slots hopefully.

I am also planning on making more releases of ready-made brushes very soon. I have some ideas that have been brewing for some time so I am excited to see them materialize. Stay tuned to the Instagram and blog as always for the latest.

That is all I have for now. I look forward to getting in touch with everyone and finally sending these latest customs to their new homes. As always, I hope they will be enjoyed which makes the effort worthwhile. I am always available via email should anyone need to reach out! Thanks so much and happy shaving everyone.

-Aldo

Winter '23 - Customs

Back after a long hiatus. This is the longest I’ve gone without posting to the blog in a very long time. It’s been an eventful year for me with many many things happening outside of The Varlet. I’ve had some personal challenges this year which have been difficult and I do regret the lack of posts since early spring. However, the pace has been picking up since about mid-August, as I’ve been able to clear many issues that were plaguing my personal life and hampering production. With this said, I do want to showcase some of the custom work that’s been going out and some of the highlights from the summer and fall. As we head into winter, I want to open up some availability to give folks one more chance at putting down a deposit for a custom creation this year. I’ll give a brief update on things in the shop and then will get to the details regarding availability. Of course, there are photos too.

Shop Update

With regards to production, I’m feeling confident in the methods I’ve laid down since 2015 but more poignantly in these past three years. I don’t really foresee any major production changes, such as TimeMark, or developing new knot shapes, which were major milestones but also demanded a lot of R&D to make them viable. I’m pretty happy with where the brushes are in terms of what they offer, and many features that I dreamed up in the early stages of The Varlet have now become reality. I feel I can focus more on increasing production for the next couple of years if I’m fortunate. With the need to expand the feature set no longer there, this will free me up considerably and allow me to have a better flow with production. The machinery is in good order and access to supplies is refreshingly much easier here in late 2023.

Photos

Below are some highlights of custom brushes created. Some of these are very bold designs but all have been a pleasure to craft. In thinking back to 2015/2016, when I only offered brushes in Somerset Ivory, I’m amazed how colorful the blog has become these past few years. The classic aesthetic is still the foundation for The Varlet, and I do wonder if a renaissance of the classic ivory handles is due in the coming near future in some exciting way. For now, as we are focusing on customs on this post, I’ll showcase some colorful pieces.

Availability for Winter

I was not planning on opening up availability until well after the holidays. However, since I have been catching up on orders pretty steadily here in November, I thought it was a good time to take some custom orders. There are slots open now, and I’m anticipating completion for new orders to be in mid-February 2024. Of course, depending on details for each custom, this will vary, but that will be determined during email consultations. I’m looking forward to working with folks on some more custom brushes.

Head over to the custom order page to reserve a spot.

That is about all I had for this one. I hope everyone is enjoying the holiday season so far. Thanks everyone for stopping by!

-Aldo

Update and photos

I hope everyone is having a good 2023 so far. It has been a while since I’ve updated the blog and I thought it would be good to give a report and showcase some of the custom brushes that have been completed recently. I’ll give a minor update on the goings on in the shop and then feature some photos on this brief blog post.

With a historic winter that is ongoing here in Northern California, production has been slow but steady. I had some slowdowns during the holiday season in late 2022 which is no surprise despite my best hopes that this year would be different than most. However, bottlenecks were not unsurmountable and I managed to complete some very nice pieces.

As spring gets closer, I’m optimistic that I’ll be able to keep production steady. Improvements have been made in the efficiency of the shop, with the resin casting section receiving some accessibility upgrades which allow me to make the casting process less cumbersome. I’ve added a few pieces of equipment that also allow faster clean-up of the shop, which is helping to keep things moving smoothly as a clean shop is an efficient one.

The first Megalith release was very well received and I hope everyone is enjoying the brushes. I had a lot of fun making them and I have some more things coming soon on that front. However, today it’s all about customs.

Below are featured some of the latest pieces that are being enjoyed already or are shipping out very very soon. The work continues to challenge me and drive me to improve more and more in my quest for a deeper understanding of the craft of brush-making.

With this latest run of brushes completed, I am happy to say that some long overdue availability is finally opening up. I’ve made available a few slots for custom deposits, with completion for new custom orders estimated at 8-12 weeks from now. I’m looking forward to working on some new commissions.

That’s about all I have for now. Thanks as always to everyone for stopping by and I hope you are all enjoying your shaves. Be sure to stay tuned to my Instagram as well if you don’t follow already, where I’ll be posting more often as spring arrives. Much appreciated!

-Aldo

First Megalith Release

I just wanted to give a short preview of the Megalith brushes that will be available on 12/6. This is a bit overdue but first I had to fulfill some commitments on some outstanding custom pieces. The custom orders are ongoing but I’ve been diminishing the number of customs that I’m doing for the next few months. I’ll be focusing a bit more on ready-made pieces as I mentioned in a previous blog post both for Megalith branded brushes as well as The Varlet models. I’m super excited to feature new colorways and I think folks are going to love what is coming in the near future. Here are a few photos and some info about this release.

Megalith K2

Colors: Sage, Midnight Blue/Dark BlueGray, Midnight Blue, Ivory Sand.

Knots: 29mm XD Classic shape

One piece: $385, Two piece: $415

Megalith T27

Colors: Carbon Violet, BlueGray, Blue Pearl

Knots: 27mm XD Classic shape

$365

The release will be on 12/6 at 5pm Pacific Time. Knots are currently in production and exact shipping time will be included in each listing.

The first two Megalith pieces are available now for purchase. They are on the releases page. Go get’em.

If you’re waiting for a custom piece to be finished I will get in touch on Wednesday. That’s all for now and if I missed anything be sure to let me know via email. Thanks folks!

-Aldo

Megalith™ and more...

This is a day that I’ve been looking forward to for a very long time. To say that I’m excited would be a massive understatement. Those who have followed The Varlet for some time will not be too surprised by the news today, and those who have seen the Everset™ branded handles on Instagram and other places will be happy to know that the fruits of that project are being showcased today for the first time. I’m looking forward to making these available very very soon. First, I have to fulfill my commitments with regards to custom brushes for The Varlet. Since Oct 5 of last year, when the custom order list was put on pause, I’ve been steadily working to fulfill everyone’s custom choices. This has been an extremely challenging but rewarding task, with brushes being materialized that I never would have imagined in my wildest dreams. I’ll be shipping nearly all remaining custom creations this week, except for the most recent of commissions.

Over the past two and a half years, I’ve tried to push myself to develop my craft as much as possible through custom brushes. The goal was not to merely achieve beautiful results, but to gain a deeper knowledge of the art of brush-making. Making custom pieces presents a new challenge with every brush, and this intensive and continual task has given me the know-how necessary to be able to increase availability with confidence and some measure of predictability.

The past two years have been incredibly testing for all, and I’m no exception. I’m sure most of you had challenges to deal with and ways you had to adapt to make it through the worldwide pandemic that started in early 2020. Unfortunately for me, the start of the pandemic was only a few short weeks after I started the custom brush offerings. I set out to make pieces of functional art that challenged what people thought a shaving brush could be in the midst of a historic world-wide pandemic. This incredible timing provided a crucible-like atmosphere for me in which to either break or be forged stronger. I’m not going to say which way I went, as I’m still not sure, but suffice it to say I’m still here, still standing. Nevertheless, it’s time to take what I learned and make some changes and try to plan a course for the near future.

Today, I’ll talk about the Everset™ project, the fruits of said project, Megalith™, The Varlet™ pre-made releases, and The Varlet™ Custom Pieces which will round out the list of offerings for the foreseeable future.

Everset

The Everset project was my tribute to American shaving brushes of the last century. This was a call-back to the heyday of the American brush. The most evident inspiration were the Ever-Ready and Rubberset brushes which were the most popular. But with other similar names in the bunch, I’d like to think an Ever-Set branded brush would fit right in among the amazing selection that the American shaver had to choose from before the fall of the American brush industry. Most inspiring to me was the accessibility, the design, and the focus on value and durability that American brush-makers advertised. The focus was on quality of construction and a guarantee against shedding of bristles, with the vulcanized process being employed that ensured bristles stayed put. There is something so engaging about seeing these old advertisements which highlighted the mentality of the time, and that companies were focused on earning the patronage of their customers through quality and innovation which was so evident in their ads. There was no fluff or concern with image, but a willingness to communicate and educate to the customer why their product was better and why it was a good value. I’ve taken this approach since inception back in 2015, with a now very well-known forum post where I outlined the construction of the brushes with a level of detail that was seldom seen before.

Megalith™

I’m so happy to share and debut the Megalith™ line of brushes today. The Megalith line takes all of the know-how of brush-making that I’ve developed over the years and aims to offer a shaving brush with increased availability, un-matched quality and performance, and a pride of ownership, which is based on it’s fully hand-crafted nature and USA construction from the best available materials and imported badger hair. The Megalith brushes will feature Alpine Grade™ knots, super-robust urethane resin handles (Alumilite), TimeMark™ engraving, and handle finishes and colorways which are world-class.

Handles will feature a more streamlined design approach, with a focus on ergonomics and efficiency of production that will still be beautiful and engaging. Engravings are big and bold, to fit the name. I’m so proud of the designs and will showcase two of them today.

T27™

The T27 is a 63mm tall handle that is incredibly ergonomic and with expert finishing and polishing is striking to hold and behold.

It features a 27mm knot. Here it is photographed in OR colorway, with gloss black engraving and XD™ designation.

K2™

The K2 is a more familiar design that was brought back from the Everset line. It features the famous “groove”, and now bears the Megalith™ moniker. It is an elongated Chubby inspired handle, at about 56mm tall with a taller version also in the works. The K2 features a 29mm knot, and this piece is featured in Lavender colorway with silver engraving, and XD designation for the knot.

I am preparing a batch of T27™ and K2™ which will be available very very shortly, with a drop date being tentative at this point, but will be very soon. I will let folks know here on the website, via email, and via Twitter when the brushes will be offered. Colors will vary, and the Megalith line will only be available for purchase as pre-made brushes, handle and knot. No customization will be available at this time. The pricing will be:

T27 27mm XD - $365 shipped

K2 29mm XD - $385 shipped

The Varlet - Releases

Going forward, I’ll be making more releases of The Varlet brushes as well, in a pre-made version with handle and knot completed at offering. In the works are new colorways as well as classic offerings. I’m also extremely excited to bring some new ideas to The Varlet side of things, but that will be for another post.

Somerset Ivory

Back in 2015, the first material that was offered publicly for Varlet brushes was advertised as “Somerset Ivory”. These handles were inspired by some Simpsons handles from the Somerset era, which had a distinctive pink hue. When the custom pieces were introduced, I had changed the name to Sagarmatha. For the sake of clarity I am going back to the original name. Henceforth, The Varlet’s ivory material will go back to being called Somerset Ivory.

Custom Pieces

I will still continue to make custom pieces. These are the most exciting works and they bring new ideas and concepts to the brand, and the fact that these custom brushes are thought of as “dream brushes” by many is an incredible honor. I’ll be making some slight adjustments to the custom ordering process which I think folks are going to welcome with open arms.

Deposits

For custom pieces, I will be taking a $300 deposit to begin work on a brush, regardless of size and options. The remaining balance will be due upon completion and before shipment. I’ll detail the ordering guidelines below.

Availability and (NO) Wait-list

Availability will be directly on the website as a Custom Brush Deposit listing. If you are interested in a custom brush, just place the order on The Varlet’s website and process your payment for the $300 deposit. Once the deposit is placed, I will contact you via email and provide a consultation to go over all details of your custom brush. At that time, based on your choices, I will give you an estimate time frame and a total price for the brush. Construction will then begin on your brush, starting with the casting of the material.

I will only make available slots for custom orders as my workload allows. If the Custom Brush Deposit listing indicates “SOLD OUT”, that means I don’t have any availability for custom orders at that time. There will be no wait-list.

Custom ordering guidelines

Custom orders are limited to The Varlet brushes only. Megalith brushes will not be available for custom work.

Every custom order includes an initial consultation. At that time, we can discuss color options and knot options. I will let you know what is and what isn’t possible based on availability of materials and provide you with a time frame.

Deposits are non-refundable once you agree to the time-frame given at the consultation. If the brush is not ready by the quoted time-frame, you have the option at that time to a refund of your deposit or the option to be quoted a new time frame for completion based on the status of the brush. If you choose to be refunded, brushes may be completed after you are given a refund of your deposit and may be offered for sale to someone else.

Any options, colorways, or any creative details resulting from your consultation are the sole intellectual property of The Varlet, and may not be reproduced without consent. The Varlet reserves the right to offer pieces for sale that are identical or similar to your custom creation in the future.

Once the brush is completed, the remaining balance will be due before shipping.

Custom pricing

I will be making a few changes to custom brush pricing based on the time cost of production for certain options as well as to streamline the ordering process. Pricing will be:

XD knots: There will be no extra charge for XD knots over HD-T knots (previously $10 extra)

Base pricing is as follows (same as before):

Mega, 29mm - $485

Beehive, 25.4mm - $455, Beehive, 27mm - $485, Beehive, 29mm - $520

Orion, Ranger, Cauldron, Cambria: 25.4mm - $425, 27mm - $455, 29mm - $485

Gaslamp, Cannon: 27mm - $455, 29mm - $485

32mm Knots will be on a case by case basis for availability and will start at $515

Options Pricing

Handle Colors: No extra charge for flat and pearl colors

Handle Finish: No extra charge for High-polish or Low-Light (matte finish)

Hash: +$35

BLK / WHT Marble (+$25)

BLK / WHT Beveled (+$45)

Terrazo: +$45

Two-piece Handle +$50

Add Copper Center +$25

Engraving options: Gloss Black TimeMark™ Engraving, Pearl White TimeMark™ Engraving, Gold TimeMark™ Engraving, Silver TimeMark™ Engraving

Custom Engraving (+$50)

I’ll be making the custom brush deposit listing available tomorrow morning (Tuesday, October 11).

Final thoughts

I want to thank everyone for stopping by and taking a look at what I have planned for the coming future. Whether you are looking for a Megalith, a custom piece, or a ready-made piece with The Varlet name on it, I hope to speak to you all really soon. I feel extremely lucky to be able to do what I do, and hope everybody is enjoying their brushes.

If you are waiting for your custom brush to be finished and shipped, I will get in touch very very shortly with photos and tracking. I’m so excited to ship these off to everyone so they can be lathered up and enjoyed.

Please reach out to me with any questions or if I missed anything on this blog post. Thanks so much, again.

-Aldo

Part 2

Here is part 2 finally with another line-up of the latest. I’m not sure if I’ll have a part 3 as most of the remaining brushes are the Athon and Atlantic but I might showcase them, we will see. Those pre-orders are in production and should be close to completion for the handles by week’s end. There are some customs that are not pictured, but they are requiring special care so I will have photos for those folks individually. I have begun to take some custom orders as this run is finally coming to a close and I’ll take a few more in the next couple of days. I will hopefully soon have some pre-made brushes in Sagarmatha Ivory, and I will make them available to those on the remaining custom order list initially, and will open it up after a day or so for general sale.

The casting is going well just to give an update on that. An additional 4 inch duct was added as an improvement to the ventilation system. We will see how it goes throughout the summer as temperatures have been mild here in the last 10 days or so on average so a little soon to tell. I’m looking into a work-around for respirator condensation from the mouthpiece valve, as that is a huge issue with urethane resin during casting. One drop falling into the casting accidentally and the mess would be enormous, as water causes this resin to react. Don’t ask me how I know. That said, I’m avoiding any adverse effects for now.

That is all on this one and I will be getting in touch with folks via email shortly, but please reach out if you need to as well.

Thanks to all,

Aldo

Follow-up Part 1

Thank you to everyone who chimed in via email with thoughts and prayers for my sweet pup. Guendi (Wendy in Spanish) is doing great and almost back to full strength. She gave quite a scare, she is going on 15 this year and no signs of stopping, but at her age and anything more than a hiccup just gets you worried. Thankfully she got past this and back to her normal routine for now. She’s a bit under her usual nine pounds, but eating very well. Thanks again everyone, it really meant a lot to get such support during this worrying time.

As I mentioned previously I’m glad to showcase the latest pieces coming to completion. I will have a part 2, and possibly a part 3 to this follow-up by the end of the week, there is a lot of volume and will just split this blog post up to make things a little easier so finishing details are less rushed. I’m off to find some supper.

-Aldo

Brief dispatch

Hello everyone. I have been trying to get this blog post up for some time now with no avail. I am very sorry to those who are waiting and will do my best to give an update, but the photos I wanted to showcase will have to be featured in a follow-up post. My pup has been ill for a couple of days, and it seemed like it was just a stomach issue that springs up now and then so I was not too worried. In the early evening as I was working on some knots she started to take a turn for the worse, and so I have been at her side for hours now. Only dog lovers will understand, but she is like a member of our family. Between calling vet hospitals and googling everything imaginable I have had quite a day. She started to look better and is sound asleep now so I have a chance to post this brief update. I’ll be keeping an eye on her in the morning and start her on a protocol then, so hopefully she recovers soon.

I will probably have photos up as soon as I can get some rest and prepare the brushes for their shoot. I will have additional news as far as expectations for the summer. Unfortunately, I have been having issues with casting material. The material itself is fine, great even. The castings are some of the best quality I have been able to achieve. Due to the summer heat that just rolled in, I don’t have as much ventilation in the shop as the doors remain closed to keep it as cool as possible. I did set up a ventilation system which I hoped would remove as many fumes as possible during the mixing of the resin. In previous years, this was not so much of an issue because I was using a different type of Alumilite, which has less fumes and is not as noxious. Sometime after I started doing custom brushes, however, I started using another formula of Alumilite which gives better results with multi-colored and darker castings, and has less of a chance of blemishes in the finished part. This formulation is a bit more noxious and though the results are really nice I have been feeling the effects personally with the lingering fumes in the shop. It has slowed me down a bit. It shouldn’t take me too long to sort this out, but probably for at least the early part of summer I will minimize the number of castings I make with this formulation of Alumilite.

As a result, I will probably be making some releases fairly soon featuring the brushes in classic Sagarmatha (Ivory) for which I still use my original choice of Alumilite. This will mean that custom orders will take up less of my workload, unfortunately. I hope everyone understands and I will try to get the ventilation in my shop to a level at which I can work safely and comfortably with the newer material. Nevertheless, the castings I have been making have turned out great as I mentioned previously so please rest assured if your brush is in progress.

I really regret to have a post filled with such news but will follow up with a hopefully more uplifting post shortly. I’m available via email as always but will reach out to everyone as well as we get the bulk of these customs and pre-orders into final form. Thanks to everybody for understanding and please know I am giving each brush the care it deserves.

Much appreciated,

Aldo

Update

Just want to give a brief update including photos and news. Today was pretty busy with the S.F.F. release in the morning and touching up handles and editing photos. Most brushes with knot shape approvals have shipped. Almost all outstanding brush handles are almost complete and I’ll be getting in touch with everyone individually as soon as possible to get their knot shape preference. I’ll then start tying said knots and brushes will ship thereafter.

Delays over the past few weeks are a result of my extensive work on knot shapes as well as refining the process for two-piece handles and “ringed” handles. The fit and finish is even more precise, which unfortunately is not visible to the eye but the construction is much more consistent and efficient, as well as a better overall fit.

I’ll begin to take custom orders this week for the next run so I can start preparing the material. I’ll also do a small run of pre-orders for Athon and Atlantic shortly, and I will send out an email for that.

A very brief update but with some nice photos. I look forward to speaking with everyone via email. Thanks!

-Aldo

Knot Shapes

It has been a tricky past few days and so firstly I do apologize to those who have been waiting on this blog post which is long overdue. As with most projects I take on, I underestimated the amount of time this would take and wish that I could have waited until a later date to offer this new option. This is the most comprehensive work I’ve done with regards to knots since offering the XD variants a few years back.

I made the decision to formally introduce this option right now due to the number of requests that I’ve received that had to do with knot shapes recently. Notably, a couple of requests for bulb knots came in with the last run of 2021 and they were 29mm. Until now, I have not offered specific knot shapes but have been happy to make a knot based on a special request if a patron requested it. Given that I have been working on dialing in the deep bulb knot’s specification at the larger size as well as seeing some specific knot shape requests I think this is the right time to give this aspect of the custom ordering process some structure.

I’ve been working on mainly three things since my last blog post. I wanted to dial in, as I mentioned, the specification for the bulb knots and really get a grasp of why they exist in the first place (besides how great they look). Also, I’ve tuned up my knot-making procedures to allow for more specific knot shapes, which I’ll detail below. Thirdly, I’ve spent some time re-tying some knots so that all the knots in the line-up are more consistent with the new guidelines.

Four Knot Shapes

I’ll be offering four knot shapes going forward. They will be Fan, Classic, Hybrid, and Bulb. The shapes are based on the concept of the knot and its domed section or what I will describe as the rise. This is the height of the section of the knot which rises above the tips of the hairs at the edge of the knot.

This is a hybrid shaped knot which is probably the best way to easily grasp the rise. The four shapes that I’ve laid out have their own rise specification and are based on my interpretation of these traditional knot shapes as well as the desired performance characteristics. The Varlet’s knot shapes and individual rise specifications are unique to The Varlet’s knots, and don’t adhere to any industry “rules” nor is there any attempt to impose these guidelines on any other brush-maker. This is merely a way to communicate with some clarity the shapes of the knots I’ll be offering to those looking to specify a custom brush. The details for each shape are:

Note: Rise specifications are measured during the knot making process, and as such are before use or pre-bloom.

Fan - rise of ~10mm

A very popular shape and the most modern looking knot profile. The minimal dome to this knot shape results in the knot feeling as big as possible with most of the tips contacting the face during lathering. The slight rise of 10mm ensures the knot is easy to splay but keeps it well within range for the most die-hard of fan fanatics and its profile is unmistakable.

Classic - Rise of ~13.5mm

Not a term often used to describe a knot, but I chose to name this shape the Classic due to it’s versatility and it being probably the shape that I’ve tied the most. It has enough of a dome to give it some cushion and also gives a large feel on the face. It does everything well and is a go-to because it compliments just about any handle shape. It’s a nice variation of a fan shaped knot but with a little more of a traditional look and balance.

Hybrid - Rise of ~22mm

The hybrid knot gives the most firm lathering experience of any of the shapes, and gives the most cushion. The large domed section makes for shorter hairs at the edges of the knot, which are the most firm. With most of The Varlet’s knots at about 50mm in loft, the reasonable 22mm rise is usually less than half of the loft height which allows the knot to still splay and release lather.

Bulb - Rise of ~35mm

The most difficult knot shape to form successfully and the most enigmatic when it comes to performance. The bulb is the only knot in The Varlet’s line-up which carries a lower density specification than standard, for both XD and HD-T density knots of all sizes. The bulb’s function is to achieve excellent lather release while not having to compromise on firmness. This allows the knot to be balanced but give cushion in the lathering process, so there is no need to pack the density or lower the loft too extremely to achieve it. With the deep domed section, this knot gives a unique lathering experience and is a nice homage to some beautiful brushes from the last century.

I’ll be adding the knot shape option to the Options page shortly. Here are the first few brushes made with the specifications in place. Most are classic shapes unless I received a special request. I’ll be getting in touch individually with everyone as well via email. Knots are not currently set in the handles yet, so if anyone wants to change their knot shape we can discuss it and I can still accommodate changes to the knots if need be. I’ll be continuing to work on the rest of the remaining brushes that still need knots over the next few days and will ship brushes as they become ready to pack.

Thanks to everyone for your patience and I feel the work to make this option available will be worth it, as my goal is always for everyone to love their custom creations and enjoy the best shaves possible. I will have another blog post in about a couple of weeks, but as always please get in touch via email if you have any questions and I will try to reply timely. Enjoy the photos, everyone, and thanks again.

-Aldo

Photos/Update - Feb 2022

A periodic update to follow up on my last post. Mostly going to feature some of the latest work, but first I’ll give a quick update and estimates for the next several shipments. I’ll be giving more individual attention to each brush here in the finishing stages since there are a lot of brushes shipping soon, so shipments might be sporadic and this is to ensure the proper results. Some brushes require extra touch-ups right before shipping based on their color, finish, etc. and the July-Sept and the Oct-Nov batches kind of morphed into one huge batch, with some of the Oct-Nov brushes already close to completion. I’ll try to give my best estimates here, and I have gotten in touch with everybody individually so if there are any questions I can always be reached via email.

July-Sept

I am currently working on knots for this run and they will be shipping out as the knots start to cure. Some handles are requiring extra steps during finishing, but they will be engraved shortly even though they are a bit behind. All other handles are engraved and awaiting knots.

Oct-Nov

Some of the handles have already gone through finishing/engraving and are awaiting knots which I’m currently working on. The remaining handles have received one round of polishing/finishing, and they are looking good. I’ll do a little more polishing on said handles and then engrave them. They will be knotted most likely the week after next.

Jan-Feb ‘22

Orders for Jan-Feb are being taken right now, with an estimate for completion around mid-March.

I will try to get in touch with the remaining folks that are waiting for an estimated start date for their brushes. The custom list has been closed for some time, and currently I’m estimating that the remaining custom orders will take us through the summer. I’ll give a more detailed roadmap for The Varlet’s custom brushes for the foreseeable future at a later time.

Last but not least, a selection of the latest handles that are near completion. Thanks to everyone for stopping by.

-Aldo

Jan 20 Report

I wanted to follow up on last week’s post to expand on the latest news from The Varlet’s shop and to let folks know how I’m doing healthwise. I’ll give an updated timeline for production runs still yet to ship, though progress has been made this week and the results are encouraging.

As I mentioned in my previous post, I became ill the first week of January. My recovery took until about the 16th, with some lingering effects early in the week but I’m pretty sure I’m virus free. Still a bit uncomfortable breathing when outside cycling. Even in 60+ degree weather that we’re having, it just feels like the air is too cold for my respiratory system, which is out of the norm. I can usually ride in the 40’s with no issue, but as mentioned just some lingering effects which are getting better each day. I did not have extremely strong symptoms, but was not able to be productive during this time. Most frustratingly, symptoms seemed to come and go, with me feeling like I kicked the thing only to have a new symptom spring up out of the blue after a few hours. Not the sickest I’ve ever been, but it was strange.

Since Monday, I’ve been back in the shop pretty much full time and making progress on outstanding orders. My plan for the rest of the week is to get in touch with everyone individually that has a brush in progress. It has been some time since I gave individual updates, so I’ll be focusing on that to finish off the week. Since there are a lot of brushes in progress, I won’t have any photos on this blog post, as editing needs to be done separately for the blog and for emails, and that would take too long right now. My next blog post (pretty much now on a bi-weekly schedule) will probably feature some nice photos.

May/June and SFF Auction brushes

The knots have been completed for the lingering May/June brushes and for the SFF Auction brushes. I’ll be sending final photos shortly to each patron (tonight).

July-Sept

The July-Sept run is still in the final stages at various points of completion, and I will have reports for each individual patron via email. They should start shipping very soon.

Oct/Nov

The Oct/Nov run is well into the mid-point of production and depending on complexity also in the finishing stages. Most two-piece handles are still in the rougher shaping stage. Again, I will have progress updates for everybody via email with photos.

January 2022 Orders

Orders for January 2022 brushes will start this weekend. I’ll begin to get in touch with folks on this run and go over final details and/or changes to any preferences.

Releases

I had a couple of brushes that I offered at the end of 2021 to patrons of custom pieces, they were not offered publicly. If I’m able, I will have some pre-made offerings in the next few weeks. Firstly, I’ll have to catch up on customs but when the time is right I will offer some more pieces depending on my progress of custom orders.

I’m looking forward to speaking to folks individually and hope everyone is keeping healthy as we get 2022 going. Thanks to everyone for stopping by.

-Aldo

Hiatus/Report

Like most everyone else, I seem to have caught one of the latest bugs going around. It was an eventful set of holidays with lots of gatherings and activities. I have been ill since last week and thus the short hiatus. I really regret having to take a few days to convalesce with so much pending. Nevertheless, I am feeling well, so I will be responding to emails shortly and will try starting to ship again tomorrow. Just wanted to give a report and I will plan to have another post near week’s end.

Thanks,

-Aldo

Update

It is the end of 2021 and I just wanted to post a few photos and give a quick production update. I hope everyone is enjoying their New Year’s celebrations. I am on my way to some festivities, however, I’ll be back in the shop on the 2nd and will follow up with everyone via email this coming week.

S.F.F. Auction

The S.F.F. Auction was a big success and I’m so glad I could end the year on this type of note. To be able to pass along these contributions to our troops is truly a privilege and I am so grateful once again. Over $2,700 raised!

Special Releases

I have a couple of brushes that I’m offering to those on the waiting list for customs and those who have purchased a custom since the beginning of 2020. These are experimental pieces, one-offs for sure but it’s possible I will make them again. Offered are:

Gaslamp 29mm - Two-piece, Midnight Blue Pearl and Ivory Clay, polished/matte

Ranger Tall Spec. - Three-piece, Cement dark and light variants, BLK / WHT Marble ring, polished

I will be sending an email out tomorrow with purchase details. There is only one of each, knots will be tied to order at the purchaser’s chosen spec., and engraving color will be to order as well.

Production updates

May/June - Nearly completed. I’ll be shipping the last 3 brushes shortly.

July-Sept - In the final stages of finishing, engraving will be done this week as well as knots. Shipping will start next week possibly.

Oct-Nov - Brushes are being rough turned. I am estimating to start shipping in mid-January and continuing to ship out through the end of January perhaps into February.

Not all brushes are pictured, due to time constraints right now, but as I mentioned I will have individual updates next week via email.

I’ll have another blog post in about two weeks with more developments. For now, enjoy the photos everyone. Thanks so much for a great year.

-Aldo

S.F.F. Auction and Production Update

The S.F.F. Auction is live.

S.F.F. Auction Details

I know it has been a long time coming and that folks have been anticipating the auction of these pieces that are made for a good cause. This is the season of giving so I’m glad to be able to finally set up this auction and iron out all the details necessary. Here are some of the details on each brush once again as well as the dates that the auctions will run. There are three separate auctions for each brush on eBay. Each brush’s knot will be tied to order based on the winner’s preference. I hope everyone tries for a chance to own one of these pieces and I know they will hold a special place in The Varlet’s timeline.

Up for auction are:

S.F.F. - August 2021: Ranger Tall Spec. 29mm, Dark Blue Pearl/Light Blue, Gold Enamel Engraving. 100% of proceeds to Semper Fi Fund. Find the listing here.

S.F.F. - April 2021: Gaslamp, 29mm, Cement Marble with White Enamel Engraving. 100% of proceeds to Semper Fi Fund. Find the listing here.

S.F.F. “20”: Gaslamp, 29mm, Carbon Interference and BLK / WHT Marble, Silver Enamel Engraving. 100% of proceeds go to Tyler Vargas-Andrews, US Marine Sgt. injured in Afghanistan. Find the listing here.

Each auction will end on December 29, 2021 around 6pm Pacific Time. Please check the individual listings for the exact ending time of each auction. They are no reserve auctions. Brushes can be shipped to US addresses only, and processing time for knot construction, final assembly, and shipping will be 5 days from the auction ending. I will get in contact with each winner at the end of the auction and discuss knot preferences.

Good luck to all the bidders!

Production Update

May/June

The May/June production run is just about finished, with only a couple of brushes left to be delivered. They will be shipping imminently and that will complete the May/June run.

July-Sept

The July-Sept run is going into the final stages with many pieces already near complete in terms of finishing. I will have individual updates for each patron in a couple of days or so, probably the day after the Christmas holiday.

Oct-Nov

The Oct-Nov is well underway, the material casting has been going pretty well, with the cooler months being optimal for best results in the casting process. Pieces are being rough shaped, I’ll have some initial handle photos soon.

I hope everyone has been enjoying the Holidays and I will plan to have perhaps two more updates before the end of the year. I will be giving more individual updates via email when I have had time to take and edit photos. Brushes are continuing to ship and I am available via email should anyone have any questions. That’s my report for the time being and hope everyone has enjoyed the blog thus far. Thanks so much.

-Aldo

More finished work...

I wanted to follow up on my last post with more photos of brushes as they ship out and to continue my periodic dispatches.

May/June Run

A few more pieces from the May/June run to be shown. Only a few brushes remain to be finished but they require some details to be improved. I will try to wrap this run up shortly and get the brushes delivered as soon as is possible.

July-Sept Run

This run is still in the middle of the production process with some handles turned and some still in the material stage. A few of the handles were featured previously. My focus has been the May/June run as the finishing stages are the most demanding, but as May/June wraps up I should be able to move July-Sept to the finishing stage shortly.

Oct/Nov Run

Most orders have been taken for this last run of the year. Some folks are still deciding on their choices so I hope to tie up loose ends in the next couple of days. I’ve been trying to keep emails managed, but the brushes have demanded most of my focus. I do regret the slow response times right now. I should have some free time in the next couple of days and hopefully by the weekend I can get in touch with everyone that has any lingering details to iron out.

That’s all for now but I should be following up with another post in the next few days. Thanks again to all for checking out the blog, and I hope everyone is enjoying their shaves.

Aldo

Short update

It’s the wee hours of the morning here, but I just wanted to showcase some of the brushes that have been completed recently. Most of the brushes that have shipped or are shipping out currently are those on the May/June run with black or white engraving. I did have some adjustments to make as the temperature has changed pretty quickly here, and so the curing protocols are now in full winter mode (that’s California winter, so not as dramatic as it sounds). Some of these shipments are lagging a bit as a result, so I do apologize. They should be in the air soon. Nevertheless, the desired results have thankfully been achieved, so I look forward to hearing how the brushes perform from their owners.

I am about a couple of days behind on emails, so I will get back to everyone ASAP. I will aim to have another set of photos and more news next week, including brushes with gold engraving being featured. I should have more announcements then. For now, just a few photos. Thanks, everyone, and for those in the US, enjoy your Thanksgiving.

11/11 Update

Another short update. I do regret the tardiness on this one but progress has been slow the last 4-5 days. Some necessary modifications to the shop took a bit longer than expected, and this run has some unconventional handle material which had me going back to my notebook and some castings did not come out right the first time; some additional casting time was needed. With some of these materials, it is not known until near the end of the turning process if a blank will look right. It is just part of the process, unfortunately.

Some of these color variants are requiring additional time, so I will need to think about what to do and will likely need to involve an additional option in the custom ordering process for “new” colors. It is exciting to work on these, however.

I’ll give a quick progress report on the May/June brushes and then just a few photos of the newest turnings. May/June has started to ship, and a set will probably ship out on Saturday/Monday. The knots are in different stages of completion, but they should be done by the weekend. Brushes with black engraving will be shipping shortly, those with gold engraving I am going to give additional cure time, so they will lag behind until next week.

The July-Sept run as mentioned is well into the turning stage, and here are some that are just barely photo-ready. They are looking very promising.

Mega Tall Spec. - Sagarmatha Ivory, Gold ring, Amber bottom

Gaslamp - Carbon/Violet, Dark Cement

Gaslamp - Blue Variant, Cement/Gold pearl

Orion - Carbon

Gaslamp - BLK / WHT Marble, Amber

October/November Run

I will begin taking orders for October/November. I should be able to reach out to everyone by tomorrow to get things started and go over details for each brush. I’ll be getting in touch via email individually with folks so I’ll be glad to speak with everyone about their final choices.

Thanks to all for reading, and also to our veterans on this special day. I’m looking forward to finishing the setup for the S.F.F. Auction shortly, so more news will follow. I will be continuing periodic updates, so I hope everyone is enjoying them.

-Aldo

10/31 Update

Hopefully everyone is getting ready for a fun and safe night. This is just a progress update on the run from May/June brushes which is entering the final stages and should be shipping soon. The other run in progress (July-Sept) is not photo ready but I will have another update in about a week’s time. I will start to reach out to those on the October and November production brushes in the next few days to go over final details, and will be taking orders shortly thereafter. I did not set up a December run, so this next one will be the last for the year.

The S.F.F. auction should be all set to go, I made the necessary arrangements and should be announcing that before the next update if all goes well.

That is all the news I have for now, but I do have some photos for you all to enjoy. There are some handles that are requiring more work, so they are not featured. I’ll be getting in touch via email as well tomorrow. Thanks so much, everyone.

-Aldo

Update: 10/18

I hope everyone had a nice weekend. Mine was a very busy one finishing up some knots as well as some time with family and friends for a birthday celebration. I just want to give a quick update to let everyone know of the progress being made on these latest runs. I am doing well and I’ve enjoyed getting in touch with everyone via email. Messages are being managed much better at the moment, thankfully. If you have an order request submitted and have not heard from me but want to reach out, please do so. I haven’t confirmed all requests on file yet, but hope to do that soon.

May/June Brushes

Here is a sampling of what is in continued progress for this run. As I mentioned in my last blog post, I was seeing some very interesting pieces in the rough, and this first round of shape refinement and polishing has revealed more. Some very fresh pieces in Red, and the Terrazzo is making itself known for sure. A few classic pieces are in the mix as well; there is nothing like Ivory and let’s not forget it looks proper when polished.

July-September runs

Orders have been taken for July-Sept brushes. The batch is in the material casting stage for handles, the castings are looking ok, and I might have them rough turned by the next update, which will be late next week. I will see how much progress I can make, but nevertheless I’ll be giving more periodic, shorter updates to keep folks posted.

October Run

I might be able to start taking orders next week for October brushes. Again, I will see how these two runs develop in the next 10-14 days.

SFF

The SFF Auction is still in the works. I need to sort some things out to set up the necessary accounts, I’m still working on that. Stay tuned.

That is all for now, as I mentioned the next update will be next week with more photos and status. Please reach out via email should you need to. Thanks so much, everyone.

-Aldo