Photos, Cannon™, S.F.F. Auctions.

I hope everyone is enjoying the start of the fall season. This is my favorite time of the year and I’m glad to be announcing some things that I’ve been working on. I’ll first give an update on my health and the status of production in the shop and then let everyone know what I have to share below.

My health continues to be something that’s requiring a good amount of my attention right now. This has been an extremely demanding time for everyone and I’m no exception. I launched the custom brushes program in January of 2020, and shortly thereafter, the pandemic hit. Looking back at the last 18 months, I can’t imagine a more difficult set of circumstances with regards to the business climate in which to try to take my craft in a new direction. Surely, I am not the only one who has dealt with challenges in 2020/21, most of you have, but with regards to my personal experience I feel it is time to try to manage the custom production of brushes a little differently for a while.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to keep up with the customer service side of things, and some folks have let me know that the extended reply times are an issue. I wholeheartedly apologize to anyone who has felt that I've neglected the necessary communication during this time. It is just something I have not been able to manage, my focus is often being shifted to my health on a particular day or for multiple days at a time. When I am in the shop I have not been able to take care of the backlog of messages, as production takes most of my time and focus here. This is something I have not been able to do despite knowing that it is important and necessary.

I will be placing custom orders on pause for a while to allow me to catch up and try to give better communication to those already on the custom order list. Any orders already submitted will be fulfilled, but no new order requests will be taken for some time.

May/June Brushes

Below is a preview of what is in production for the newest set of brushes. This run has seen some striking patterns emerge. I’m so fortunate to be able to take these custom ideas, and it is just a testament that with a few different options and brush designs as well as colors that many many combinations can be made. I wouldn’t be doing these combinations if I didn’t receive these custom commissions, so I’m currently very excited to polish these up and see how good they will look. Also in the mix are quite a few of the classic designs in traditional ivory, which provide a nice balance and I’m enjoying making these as well, because they do remind me of the earliest brushes that I made starting in 2015.

Introducing Cannon™

One of the first designs that I had in the lineup was the Cannon (or Kanon, as I originally was going to name it). It was a take on the old Rubberset brushes with a stepped cylindrical handle and vertical fluting at the bottom. I originally had this design ready to go but never actually sold any. I had designed it to take a 22mm knot but I never got around to making these for sale.

Handle design is always a very tricky thing, there are so many variables, it is something that takes a lot of resources and time. Always a challenge is coming up with something new, that looks good, and that is original. Not only don’t I want to step on anyone’s toes, but my designs are an extension of my idea for the brand. I feel very strong about design. It is crucial that all of the handles look like they belong together, that they share the same DNA but also have strong and distinct design identities. I had this design in my mind but had not found a way to materialize it. Recently, I took a piece of Cement I had laying around and turned this prototype, and thought that the ‘Cannon’ name was a nice moniker for it.

I’m happy to share the Cannon in its newest form. That little 22mm brush was great, but this re-imagining of the Cannon concept fits in much better with that The Varlet is in the present time. This will be available in 27mm and 29mm sizes, and it is ~53mm tall which fills a gap nicely in the lineup. The initial “Piece No. 1” in Blue531 with a matte finish will go to Joe, an amazing supporter and someone with a very good eye for details, who shares my appreciation for design elements. The Cannon will also be available for custom orders for those who have order requests already submitted.

S.F.F. Auctions

S.F.F. brushes for April and August 2021 as well as the “20” brush for Sgt. Tyler Andrews will be auctioned on the Semper Fi Fund’s eBay Charity Auctions page. Unfortunately I have not set this up but will find some time this week to do that. I have been spending the last few days setting up auctions directly on The Varlet’s website, but the functionality is lacking for that specific purpose so I had to get creative. However, after some thought, it is probably not wise for me to try to manage something like this on my own. I’ve decided to scrap those plans; Thankfully, the Semper Fi Fund has an eBay presence so I will look into working with them to set up these auctions. I appreciate everyone’s patience on this but I am committed to doing this correctly for both our veterans and for everyone looking to own these brushes. Of utmost importance is the integrity of the bidding process to make sure it is fair for everyone and that there are as few issues as possible.

Orders for the next run

I will begin to take orders for the next run this week. This will include order requests from July, August, and September. I will not be taking orders for October quite yet, but will be in touch with folks on that as soon as feasible.

That is about all I had for now and will have more news on the S.F.F. Auctions as soon as I’m able. Thanks to everyone for reading and hope you enjoyed it.

-Aldo

TimeMark™

Hello everyone. TimeMark™ is something I’ve been working on for about 4 years. I had envisioned this shortly after I acquired the laser engraving machine, but my knowledge was not up to the level it needed to be to accomplish this until recently. It has taken a lot of experimentation, testing, and planning to get the results that I wanted and to make it worthwhile to do this. Before making any changes to the brushes, I am always mindful whether it will be an improvement or not, and if any changes will push the brand in the direction it needs to go. Any improvement in quality, durability, and performance needs to be accomplished without harming the brushes aesthetically. In my mind The Varlet stands for durability but also design, among other things. Deep down we all know and feel how much of an impact it has on our daily lives when the things we interact with and use on a daily basis are pleasing to the eye.

I think owning beautiful things can add a richness to our lives if we approach that aim in a healthy way. It’s one of the reasons that I focus so much on design, because I feel I can make a positive impact in someone’s daily routine with my craft. A beautiful design can elevate our mood and inspire us. I still believe that form should follow function, however, and making something beautiful without a foundation in solid craftsmanship just isn’t worth it from my point of view. I’ve rejected many handle designs that would mean a drop in the durability of said handle, no matter how remote the chance of the material failing. This is why all of my two-piece handles are secured with a mechanical method (threaded) and by an adhesive method. The two-piece construction can take a handle in a certain aesthetic direction but durability cannot be sacrificed for the sake of design. ln that same vein with the TimeMark™ method the brushes make a vast improvement in more than one way, and this is why I am so pleased to be introducing this new feature.

TimeMark™ is a new material and technique for coloring and filling The Varlet’s laser engraving on each handle. The name represents enhanced durability of this key aspect of the brushes, and aims to do it in The Varlet’s usual fashion of being nice to look at also. Of course, since the handles have been engraved for some time, the “maker’s mark” is already permanent, even if the chosen color of enamel were to fade with use. That has always been important to me, because it’s nice to have that longevity. This new method for coloring each engraving aims to match that longevity as much as possible, and though because I don’t have the luxury of time I can’t be certain, I do believe it to be near-permanent. The new material for the fill-in is several times harder and more durable, and is either equally beautiful or improves the look when compared to the enamel. The only exception is the gold option, so I will talk about that in detail below.

The TimeMark material has been developed in-house, using a mix of adhesives, hardeners, and pigments as well as techniques for application and methods to ensure a solid and speedy curing process. Being that The Varlet’s engravings are so minimal, this method requires very delicate and detailed preparation of the fill-in material as well as careful attention during application to ensure the letters are crisp and striking. Each part of the mix has to be measured with extreme accuracy, because with the small amount that is required to fill in the engraving as well as the size of the letters any small deviation could result in a poor curing process. If the material does not cure to the hardness necessary, it most likely means the entire handle has to be scrapped. This is very costly since the engraving is done near the end of the production process. This is part of the reason why it has taken me years to make this a reality.

All handles shipping henceforth will feature the TimeMark™ engraving. The colors are gloss black, pearl white, and silver. A gold color option will feature the TimeMark™ engraving combined with a gold enamel topcoat. This is a two stage process which combines the durability of the TimeMark method with the striking look of the gold enamel that I have been using for some time. I made this decision with regards to the gold engraving because I could not find a mix of gold pigments that could match the luster of the gold enamel. It is very close, but not quite there, so I will use the TimeMark as a sort of “primer” for the enamel. So, if the enamel fades a little with time, the gold color-matched TimeMark will be underneath. Even if eventually the entirety of the enamel fades the TimeMark gold fill-in will still be in place, and quite frankly it is very striking on its own so the handles should look beautiful for a very very long time. I’ll illustrate the process a bit with some photos and also feature some of the first few handles that will officially have the TimeMark™ engraving.

TimeMark™: In Detail

The fill-in base and hardener is first measured and mixed in a specific cup made with a completely smooth interior, to ensure no material remains un-mixed in any crevices, using a toothpick initially to ensure the ratio of base to hardener is as undisturbed as possible.

After the initial mixing, a final and extremely thorough mix is done with a larger stick to ensure a good result in the end. The mix is transferred to a disposable cup in the next stage and the mixing cup is cleaned for re-use.

The pigment is then added, in this case black, with the amount of pigment very carefully monitored. Too much or too little pigment and the engraving can either not cure properly or not provide enough richness to the color.

The color fill-in is applied with a small paintbrush, using a technique which fills the engraving but still allows some depth to each letter, and avoids the engraving being filled in “flush” to keep the beauty and traditional look of engraved letters.

With proper mixing and technique the result is sharp.

The excess is carefully removed without disturbing the fill-in, a method that took a while to perfect.

After the excess is removed, a more careful cleanup is done with a specific method and cleaner which does not harm the curing process.

Another handle at mid-process receiving the TimeMark™ in pearl white.

The TimeMark™ gold “primer” base, very nice in its own right.

Gold enamel topcoat applied to bring the luster to an even higher level.

After the initial clean-up of the enamel, the handle is ready for a final touch-up finishing.

Shipping Soon

A few of the handles from the first official TimeMark™ run, which will be shipping shortly.

I hope you’ve all enjoyed this post and that perhaps it has been enlightening and educational. I’m very proud to be able to share what I’ve been working on, and really appreciate those who take the time to read. I will be catching up on emails tomorrow so I will be in touch with everyone and I’m looking forward to it.

Thanks!

Aldo

Summer Update

I hope everyone is doing great during the height of the summer season. This will be just a quick update with some news on the current runs in progress and some adjusted timelines for the next couple of runs. I had hoped to have some photos for all but will do another update in a couple of days for just that. I have been working on some new techniques for the engraving which have been tricky with the heat. My hours have been shuffled a bit in the shop and now the goal is to avoid the highest temperatures during the day, but I should be able to get the engravings filled in hopefully with success shortly.

My health continues to be a focus for me as the summer rolls on, and I’m sure for many of you as well for a variety of individual reasons. I continue to wish everyone the very best of health in both mind and body during this health crisis which seems to be not over yet. I have been taking some precautions over the past few weeks since my last post, and had some minor issues but nothing serious. I might have bounced back a little too fast, but my condition from early in the year still hasn’t returned. I am a little behind on emails however, as I did spend some days out of the shop here and there as was needed, so I will catch up on those in a bit and do regret the slow responses.

April Run

The April Run is going to be shipping starting next week. The brushes on this run are looking fantastic and I’m excited to finally showcase them hopefully very soon. The finishing stages have been very successful with some great results. I will get in touch with everyone individually as well.

May and June

A revised time frame for this run is going to be around mid-August. I have been working on the casting process of the material but as soon as the handles take shape I will have updates for everyone individually.

July and August

For the July Run I am anticipating starting to take orders around mid-August. I will be sending out emails to those on this run to let them know of the revised schedule. The August Run will probably get shuffled to the end of said month, but I should know with more certainty in a couple of weeks. I will get in touch with everyone as is necessary.

As I mentioned I will have an addendum of sorts with some photos when I have them ready and will catch up on emails as well. Thanks, everybody.

-Aldo

June 2021 Update

It has been a couple of months since the last update so I thought I’d let everyone know of the latest from the shop and to get things going for May and June production runs. I do apologize for everyone on May’s run but I was not able to catch up as fast as I thought. It has been tough to fight the urge to rush the work so I can catch up faster, but my commitment has always been solid craftsmanship and so I have to continue that practice even if it is a bit of a slower process. Nevertheless, since my health hiatus earlier in the year I’ve been steadily chipping away at how far behind I am on orders and the schedule. I am planning on combining the May/June production runs onto one batch and as a general estimate I think it is possible to complete it by the July 4th holiday. April’s brushes are well on their way to completion with most handles entering the final stages. As a result, I will begin to take orders for May and June brushes next week.

Health Report

I’m happy to let everyone know that my health continues to be in good shape. The changes I made earlier in the year have not only contributed to the healing process but I am reaping other benefits and I’m continuing the good habits I’ve stuck to in these past few months. I am feeling pretty strong and have been putting in a lot of hours in the shop; I am enjoying the work more than ever before and I’m excited for some new things I’ve been able to accomplish which I will announce pretty soon.

The Latest to Ship/Work in Progress

Here are photos of some of the latest work, and below some of the handles currently in progress.

May and June Orders

I will be getting in touch with everyone waiting to place orders for May and June via email just to touch base. Next week, I will follow up on an individual basis to start to finalize details of each brush and take orders. That will be it for this one but if anyone wants to reach out, please shoot me a message.

Thank you all for reading,

Aldo

Update, Photos, Rudy Vey, & S.F.F.

An update to follow up on my post from 3/24. This will be a bit brief but I do have some nice photos for everyone. My health continues to be on the upswing with my recovery just about complete for the time being. Obviously I am mindful of a possible recurrence but for now I am managing just fine. This production run has been going pretty well, quite honestly I am pleasantly surprised at some of the results as I am never sure what a brush in a certain spec. will look like. Most of these brushes are unique and pieces which I’ve never done before. I really need to update the “Gallery” page on the site and that will be on the list of things to do.

Photos

Brushes will begin shipping this week for those who have been waiting. Some brushes will spill into next week. I will be in touch with everyone individually to give another final update before shipping. We are almost there with this run and I will feel just as satisfied when I ship them as everyone will be to receive them. I do appreciate everyone’s patience on this one. Below are just some highlights and unfortunately I was not able to take photos of the entire run, but I will try to showcase them somehow at a later time.

A special brush for Rudy Vey

I was extremely happy to get a message from a great craftsman and one of the most prolific custom brush-makers in the traditional shaving arena. Before The Varlet was even an idea in my mind Rudy was turning custom handles and supplying some of the most unique and eye-catching brushes around. In my opinion, his custom brush thread is legendary, with page after page of custom creations that would drive anyone’s acquisition disorder to 11. I was really excited to put together this Ranger for him in Royal Blue at his request, something I haven’t done yet. I really hope he enjoys it and I appreciate him waiting while I got my health issues sorted out. Thanks so much, Rudy!

S.F.F. for April 2021

I have another brush for the Semper Fi Fund to offer. There is only one brush available, a Gaslamp, pictured below. The material is Cement Marble, with white enameled engraving, in a low-light matte finish. It is set up for a 29mm knot, which will be tied to order. All proceeds from the sale of this brush will go towards the Semper Fi Fund as usual. I will be offering this only to all previous customers of custom brushes as well as anyone waiting for a custom brush that is on the April-August production runs.

I will follow up with more details as far as what the purchasing process will be, but I will be doing some sort of auction. My focus right now is to get this latest batch shipped, and then I will hammer out the details on this S.F.F. release. A couple of photos is what I have for now.

I hope everyone has enjoyed the photos, and for those waiting, that you will enjoy the brushes very shortly. I will follow up with everyone including those on the April production run that are waiting to place orders, but if anyone needs to reach out please do via email. Thanks to all.

-Aldo

Quick Update - March 2021

I just want to give a quick update for everyone that has submitted requests for custom brushes and for those who might be interested in a custom order for this year. Orders that were taken back in January have still not yet been fulfilled, but I have gotten in touch with everyone on that production run and given photo updates as the handles have all been turned. They are currently in the final stages of production which includes polishing/finishing and engraving. Brushes should start shipping next week barring any delays. I will begin to take orders for an April production run very soon and will contact those folks shortly to begin the process and answer any questions.

Health Report

I think it’s prudent that I give a health report as this has been the reason for the production delays since October of 2020.

Around the middle of January I had a recurrence of the same condition that plagued me initially in late Sept 2020. I did not fully recover until a few days into March. Though I was working sporadically, I had to limit my time in the shop for my body to make a recovery and regrettably was not keeping up with email either.

For the past two weeks I’ve been fully recovered and am feeling confident that I’ve found the root cause. From my research, this is a condition which many suffer from and has many causes, but the medical field seldom finds the true cause in each case, and only treats the symptoms. What initially presented itself as an injury has turned out most likely to have been a more complicated issue. However, alongside some powerful treatments I’ve done an extensive overhaul of my diet and added targeted supplementation with the goal of reaching better holistic health. I’m committed to getting well and to try to never suffer from this again, though I know that is not in my control. Right now, I feel strong enough to continue to fulfill custom orders. If anyone wants to postpone their order until a later time, I do understand and will do my best to accommodate such scheduling requests.

Production Run Schedule for 2021

I have laid out a production schedule on a monthly basis from April 2021 through August 2021 for all order requests currently on file. Any new requests that are submitted after today will be slated for September 2021 or later. I will begin contacting everyone within the next couple of days to let them know in what month their brush is slated for production.

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I will have a follow-up blog post next week when this current production run gets closer to completion with additional news and will have some nice photos for everyone. Despite the delay, this is shaping up to be a really nice set of brushes.

-Aldo

2021 Update

I hope everyone is doing great as we all embark upon 2021. With 2020 behind us, I’m glad to report some news and to recap what has been done during this eventful year. I will keep this blog pretty short but will feature some nice photos as that is probably the best way to summarize the year of “customs”. This past year has brought us all many challenges and the launch of The Varlet’s custom brushes could not have been at a more eventful mark in the timeline we are living in. I’ve tried to take these challenges in stride despite the unprecedented events at hand, and can look back at the brushes made this year with pride and a sense of accomplishment even if the year was not a success in its entirety. Though our challenges are not over, I hope 2021 will be another year to remember but in a different way than 2020. As is proper, I am looking back on this year and recalling lessons learned to prepare for the coming future as best as I can.

Short Term Plan - end of 2020

The short term plan that I outlined at the end of last summer was my attempt at introducing some structure with regards to time frames for completion of custom brushes. I had anticipated to finish that plan by November 30, 2020, but was unable to until the first couple of days of 2021. I had a few health challenges during the last few months of the year, which ironically in 2020 had nothing to do with Covid-19 (to the best of my knowledge), which were insurmountable and caused me some delays. I have made efforts to mitigate some of these issues and I’m glad to say I am doing much better. With my work being so hands-on it is crucial that I’m in the best shape possible to avoid any physical setbacks and that is a goal I have set for 2021. Below are some of the latest brushes completed, which will be hitting the post office very shortly.

Personalized Engraving

Going forward I’ll be adding a personalized engraving option for custom brushes. I’ve made an effort to make this option available as I’ve received many requests, and I do regret not being able to do this sooner. I’ve settled on a list of choices that should make for a process which I can manage successfully and which can achieve some great results.

To cover the additional setup time and maintenance, personalized engraving will be $45, which is necessary to make this option possible. Available as engraving choices will be the following:

Dates (e.g. 12.07.2020 or 12-07-2020)

Month and Year (e.g. DEC 2020 or 12-2020)

Year (e.g. 1985)

Year in Roman Numerals (e.g. MCMLXIX for 1969, or LXXXV for two-digit year of ‘85)

Initials (for names of persons only, self or related)

Number of years (e.g. 45 yrs)

Armed Forces Rank

All brushes will still carry The Varlet’s moniker as well as denote the country of origin, USA. Your personalized engraving choice will be done on the opposite side, below the brush model name or by itself. You can choose from a maximum of two engraving choices, one below the other. If two choices are made, the brush model name will be omitted automatically. If you would like only one engraving choice, you may choose to keep the brush model name or omit it.

I will be adding this engraving option to the custom order process at the soonest possible chance.

Custom orders - start of 2021

I will begin to take custom orders (payments) for the first production run of 2021 in the next few days. Also, I will get in touch with any order requests received during the last few months of 2020 to give a general time frame for construction. At this time, I do not have a schedule set out as my focus is to ship brushes that have just been completed. Within the next couple of weeks, I will try to set some schedules for the next few production runs to give 2021 some structure as far as production goes. There are quite a bit of order requests sitting in the queue that I have not contacted directly, so if you have been waiting to see when your brush could be made I will get in touch very soon.

That is all I have for now, but I will feature some more brushes from this past year below and will follow up with more news very soon. I continue to wish everyone good health and also prosperity for 2021. Thanks, folks!

-Aldo

S.F.F. Launches

Yesterday was a very special day for America, the day we honor our veterans. As I mentioned in my last blog post, I have been wanting to set up this project for a while for many reasons. I just want to touch on a few things about the rollout of these brushes to clarify some questions and comments that I have received by several folks. Of utmost importance is of course the cause for which the project is named, but I thought it would be good to go over a few details for the sake of being thorough and to avoid any misunderstandings.

FIrstly, 100% of the proceeds from the sale of these brushes will go directly to the Semper Fi Fund, which I mentioned on my blog post from 10/28 and has been unedited since posting.

In addition, I was not able to set up any sort of auction due to time constraints. Regardless, I actually think auctions might not be the best way to go about this for a variety of reasons, all of which are personal decisions, based on the way I run my shop and how much I can manage to do. I want this project to have an ongoing and steady progress, and I think listing them on the site is the best way for me to do that. My goal with this project is to continue to fulfill my commitment to support our troops and to do something for a cause to which I am deeply compelled. But, despite how much attention auctions create, this project needs to be something I can manage so for now I am keeping it simple and hope it will raise awareness this way. I am not closing the door on doing an auction in the future, but likely will not be doing them on a regular basis.

The Cambria will be part of the regular line-up and will finally slot in nicely. I have had this design since the beginning but never found a way to introduce it and quite frankly, was not sure if I was going to keep it at 73mm tall. Nevertheless, it is here and it is uncompromising in it’s stature, and I am not one to shy away from polarizing design choices so I am proud to feature it. It is the ultimate Sunday morning brush.

That is all for now and thanks to all for reading.

-Aldo

Progress Update, Oct/Nov Timeline, and S.F.F.

As we head toward the end of October and my favorite holiday I’ll be following up on my short blog post from last week and expand on everything going on right now and for November 2020. I’ll give a progress update on September’s production run and also let everyone know what I’m planning for October and November runs. I’ll give a short update on my health as well as the state of The Varlet’s shop and it’s efficiency at this time, then I’ll get to the details for the brushes themselves, as I usually do.

After feeling very strained at the end of the summer due to high temperatures and awful air quality I unfortunately had an injury at the beginning of October, though to be honest it was probably initially present during the latter part of September. Luckily, I have not suffered from Covid but ironically suffered this minor but traumatizing injury which is very rare for me. I’ve not talked about the details as I’d like to keep it personal but it did cause me a lot of grief physically and mentally. I won’t say much more about it but thought I would expand just a bit on what’s been going on with me healthwise, since The Varlet is still a one-man operation and if I am out of the shop, production comes to a halt. I appreciate everyone who chimed in with their well-wishes via email.

I am fairly certain I’m fully recovered now. I’ve been feeling strong for the past two weeks or so, and I think the photos of September’s run will show it. I did have a lot of the material already cast and much of the hair sorted. That said, production has been efficient during this time, with the weather being especially nice and the air quality being so good right now here in Northern California. Of course, being less physically uncomfortable lets me work a bit faster, but also the machinery and equipment that I use runs smoother with less upkeep.

Now that we’re about 8 months into the custom ordering process for brushes, I am feeling like I am hitting my stride with materials as well as turning brushes of different sizes and ensuring the proportions are correct, considering knot lofts and shapes, and overall making sure the execution is proper on each brush. It’s something I’ve strived for since the beginning, but lately it has come to me with much less friction. Certainly, while the vast majority of folks are happy with the brushes themselves, it is not lost on me that the customer experience is still not perfect. I really regret that at this time, and hopefully one day soon I’ll be able to meet time frames with more accuracy. For The Varlet at this time I can commit only to general time frames in order to continue to deliver craftsmanship of this sort on a custom basis. With that said, my focus is to get the short term plan I outlined completed by the end of November and I will do my best to get this wrapped up.

September Run

Handles for September brushes are all finished, with the exception of one. Knots are about 50% complete and I’m confident I can get them completed in the next couple of days, though it might take me into the weekend. I am trying not to rush the process as I can’t change the fact that the brushes are behind schedule, but I can definitely ensure they are excellent. Nevertheless, this run is almost done and should be shipping next week. Here are some photos of what will be shipping soon, though a lot of these handles need one more touch up polish and/or sanding (depending on the finish), but that is done at the very end before they go in the box.

October and November Runs

I have decided to consolidate both Oct and Nov production runs into one large batch. Looking at the numbers for Oct and Nov, combining there two runs into one shouldn’t make it too much larger than September’s run, which is pretty large. I’m estimating that with better conditions here in the fall that I’ll be able to wrap this up by the end of November as I planned. I certainly do not want to go into Christmas and the New Year with this short term plan still unfulfilled, so I will be doing my best to put my head down and finish this before this eventful year is over, and ideally before December is here. I will be contacting everyone on the October and November runs within the next couple of days to see where everyone is at in terms of their readiness to place orders.

S.F.F. - A brush for the Semper Fi Fund

I have been wanting to do something publicly for a charity which is near and dear to me for some time. My usual practice is to contribute behind the scenes as much as I can. I will sometimes give discounts to service members on a case by case basis, other times I will encourage a donation to the Semper Fi Fund instead of taking payment for a brush. It all varies and not everyone I speak with asks for a discount or anything like that, but I try to do what I can. I really enjoy reading about the experiences that members of our Armed Forces have in their service to our country. During tough times, I look to these experiences to inspire me to persevere and to overcome.

Nevertheless, I think it’s a good time to do something publicly as I said to raise a bit of awareness and to remind folks of the Semper Fi Fund and how great of an organization they are. I’m planning on making brushes henceforth from time to time that are labeled S.F.F., with varying designs and colors, I am not sure exactly at this point but I am going to just have fun with it.

All proceeds from the sale of these brushes will go towards to the Semper Fi Fund. I am still not sure exactly how I will go about this process, and what the best way to offer these brushes is right now. I have some ideas in mind, but for this first brush I think I might be doing a falling auction directly on the website. I will have more details in the next few days, and I will have a photo of the brush posted soon.

That is all the news I have for now but I will post more info on the S.F.F. brush as well as get in touch with everyone via email in the next few days to touch base. Hope everyone is staying healthy and have a safe and happy Halloween.

-Aldo

October Quick Update

I just want to give a quick update on production and I will have another more extensive blog post next week. Unfortunately, I recently suffered a minor injury but I am just about recovered (fingers crossed). Very bad timing to get hurt but I have tried to take it in stride. My workflow did slow to a crawl which is regrettable to say the least. However, making headway in the last few days again as I have been feeling much stronger.

September Run

I have started to send updates with photos as the brushes are entering the finishing stages. The batch is looking very nice. My goal is to wrap it up by week’s end. I will be getting in touch with everyone on the September Run in the next 2-3 days at the latest.

October and November Runs

I will take orders for those slated for the October Run as soon as the September Run is done. For November, I am not looking to take orders right away but I should have more info and a better updated timeline next week.

Thanks to all,

Aldo

Fall 2020 Update

Hopefully everyone is doing as well as possible during this transition to autumn. As usual, I want to give a brief update on production for The Varlet as well as give an updated time frame for those waiting on custom pieces. I also wanted to showcase some of the brushes that have shipped and will be shipping imminently. These are brushes that were slated to be completed at the end of August. About half of them have been delivered by now as they began shipping about two weeks ago. The remaining half will be shipping tomorrow, which will fulfill the “August” production run.

It has been a challenging last few weeks and I’m sure that’s no surprise to anyone that is keeping up to date with national news. My focus during this difficult time has been on mostly on production, with a slight drop-off in my email response times as well as being virtually nonexistent on Instagram, regrettably. I hope to be able to focus a bit more on communication starting again this week. My health has been good thus far, thankfully, though a bit strained physically due to the heat wave we had as well as some very hazardous air quality here in California. Thankfully, the fall is bringing some lower temperatures. As far as the air quality, it has improved, but fire season is not over technically.

Nevertheless, the results have been superb and I’m extremely happy with this production run in terms of construction quality as well as how they are looking. I’ve done some new colors and they look really good. I’ll feature them below but first I’ll give a quick timeline update for Fall 2020.

Time Frames for Fall 2020

September Production Run: I had initially planned to complete this run by the end of September. Currently, I am shooting for completion in two weeks’ time, which will be around October 15. As the brushes begin to take shape I should be sending some updates with photos in the next few days, which means we are at about the mid-point of production. The initial stages, while not very glamorous or “photo-ready” are important to ensure a great result in the end and has been my focus for the past 2-3 weeks. As I’ve done thus far, I’ll be getting in touch with folks on an individual basis via email.

October and November Production Runs: I will give an update as soon as the September run has started to ship. For the October run, I will plan to take orders around October 15. I’ll have another blog post around that time to give another update. My goal is to complete the short term production plan I laid out in my last blog post by the end of November.

That is all I have for now. I hope everyone enjoys the photos and I know this next run will have some more really nice pieces. I’ll be working on any emails that I may have missed and also will try to hop on Instagram real soon again. I really hope everyone is doing ok during this time, thanks so much for reading.

- Aldo

August 2020 Report

To follow up on last week’s minor update, I want to give a more detailed report on production for The Varlet as we look towards the fall. As I usually do, I’ll first give a bit of insight on things in general and I’ll have production estimates and projections for those waiting on custom orders in detail below.

Following a very eventful early summer, my focus for the rest of the year is to get production on as steady of a pace as possible. Granted, we are still facing some challenges worldwide and of course I am mindful of them. However, with cautious awareness I am feeling the need to forge ahead and am also feeling the need to make some short term plans.

The early part of the summer was challenging, I felt that the last couple of runs were completed a bit slower than I would have liked. Of course, with everything going on it was somewhat expected. I spent a great deal of time and energy securing supplies, including hair, during the early summer. Importing especially was very time consuming, which is usually a somewhat difficult process but this time around was magnified in complexity. That said, my supplies for the essentials, hair, resin, adhesive, are now in good shape for the foreseeable future, and so I can focus on turning these raw materials that I have into brushes for you guys.

I’ve been feeling more confident in my casting process, and am enjoying working with more colors. It is something that I hadn’t worked too much on for the first few years, but I do feel that I can focus more on filling out the color pallette now. I’ll be adding Blue531™ and Terrazzo™ to the options page shortly, and will be updating the page as a whole as well to help it reflect the custom pieces that have been shipped this year.

With regards to time estimates, I have worked on a projection out until the end of November 2020. As is my policy, these general time frames are only best estimates and am still placing a priority on the construction level of the brushes over any strict deadline. Without a doubt, however, if I am to continue to take my craft seriously it’s the next milestone for me to reach. The next step for me is to be able to deliver these pieces on an accurate schedule. Furthermore, 2020 has been a year for the books no doubt, and in recent months I’ve felt it was somewhat unwise to make plans too far out in advance, but at some point life has to go on, or at least one must make plans for it to do so. As such, I’m outlining a plan which will aim at giving those interested in a brush a solid time frame.

Projections thru end of November

For September thru November 2020, I have laid out a schedule for construction on a monthly basis. I am aiming to start work on each month’s run near the beginning of the month and ship them by month’s end. I’ll also give a short report for August, though it is already on path to completion.

August 2020 - The current run of brushes is entering final stages of production. I have delivered progress reports to all of those on this run individually with more to follow as production wraps up, and have estimated completion for the end of August.

September 2020 - I am starting to take order payments for brushes to be constructed in September. I’ve set the list of orders for this run and have begun to send out purchase emails, the remaining emails will go out by tomorrow at the latest. Construction will start as soon as possible, and hopefully I can get a bit of a head start next week, with casting of handle material and hair sorting while the August run cures. I am shooting for completion at the end of September.

October and November 2020 - I’ve set the list for each of these months and will begin sending out emails to those on the order request list to let them know in which month their brush will be constructed. Those emails will be out by tomorrow at the latest. As usual, I am not taking payments for any brushes on these two runs as I do not anticipate starting work on them right away.

As of 2:15pm Pacific on 8/21/20 all order requests received thus far will be slotted into one of these three runs, so if you have submitted a request prior to this time you will receive a time estimate by tomorrow, 8/22/20, via email. If you don’t receive an email from me by tomorrow, please contact me.

Order Request Confirmations

I’ve recently begun to send order request confirmations for request forms that are submitted. I still have not been able to automate this process, so am doing this personally for each individual. This is something I was regrettably not able to do for every single request that came in early on, though I have always encouraged folks to message me to confirm if they were unsure. Along with recent efforts I’ve made to improve my communication with potential patrons, this is something I’ve been doing consistently within about 24 hours of a request coming in. I hope this gives those looking for a custom brush more assurance and improves the experience, as I know it can be an exciting process and want to ensure it is an overwhelmingly positive one.

That is all I have for now! Hope everyone continues to be healthy and safe.

Thanks,

Aldo

Quick update...

I just wanted to give a real brief update right now with more news to follow later on. The latest run of brushes is starting to come together, and I will be looking to finish it soon. For the remaining paid orders that have not received an update, I will be getting in touch in the next few days. Throughout 2020, I’ve been giving progress reports as far as construction except for July.

At the soonest chance, I will try to hammer out a short term general timeline for the next few runs and make another more in-depth post for August 2020.

Thank you everyone.

Aldo

Max S. et al.

Around the end of 2019 (isn’t that a fond memory) I was very happy to see on one of my releases that none other than Max Sprecher had purchased a brush. I had known about his work since about 2010, when I first started getting interested in traditional shaving. I used to long for a restored Wade and Butcher with the type of faux tortoise scales that he used to feature, with a nice amber color and dark brown chatoyance. At the time, I wouldn’t even dream of owning a custom straight razor being a newbie, and soon thereafter got a hold of a DE and so unfortunately (or fortunately, depending on how you view it) shaving with DE’s kept my acquisition fever at bay for straight razors. However, evident for me all the way back in 2010 was his uncompromising commitment to details and a unique style that was destined to have not only a great following but be insanely influential. Since 2010, I kept an eye on what Max was doing from time to time and in the back of my mind I said I would try to work on my stropping skills again one day.

As 2019 was winding down, another very good patron of mine who is also a fan of Max’s razors let me know that Max really admired my work. Needless to say I was incredibly honored and when he mentioned the possibility of a collaboration, I of course told him to let Max know I would be all in.

The collab started out pretty low key. Max had some thoughts about perhaps something in Carbon and in return he would craft me one of his razors. I knew that I wanted something with a Spanish Point, and in 7/8, but I told him I would give him free reign as far as what design he wanted to give it. As we got to emailing back and forth, I found that we had a lot of the same views when it came to craftsmanship.

Early on I quickly realized that I was going to have to challenge myself a bit to make this brush. Also, Max was very open to the idea of making a new design after we got to talking. He told me which of my brush designs he liked most and gave me some guidance as far as colors, but I was really impressed when he told me that he trusted me as an artist, and left the creative process to me. It’s one of the highlights of my journey as a craftsman for someone with his talent and dedication to consider my work as an artform.

Max has been incredibly patient with my notoriously lengthy process. There was also a little pandemic and some riots peppered in throughout the year. It’s a bit poetic that on the fifth anniversary of the launch of The Varlet that I am sitting here on the Fourth of July at 1:56AM working long hours to fulfill commitments. In the past few months I have felt like I did in late 2014 and early 2015, scrambling to solve challenges, losing a lot of sleep, and working like a dog to get brushes done. Now that we are deep into this pandemic I’m also spending an enormous amount of time and energy trying to secure supplies necessary for continuous production. Like most I have been humbled by the changes that we are facing right now.

With that said, I’ve received nothing but support and encouragement from Max throughout this entire time. I can’t begin to express my gratitude to him and I look forward to thinking of him as a mentor as he has already done so much and continues to amaze with his craftsmanship. I really hope that he enjoys this brush and it has been exhilarating to design, craft, and now to present it to him and to everyone. Thanks, Max, for your confidence, understanding, and trust.

Only Piece

The brush that I crafted is, aside from The Varlet’s moniker on the reverse side, simply engraved: Max S., Only Piece. As such, it is the only brush I will make in this design with this color combination. The top portion is Blue531™, which is a dark blue with a little Cement™ mixed in, and this color will be a regular color option in the future, however. It is done in high polish, with a silver enameled engraving. The bottom is in Alpine White Alumilite with a mineral mix that I created. This will most likely not be offered regularly, as it is extremely tough on my tools because some of the minerals included in the mix are harder than high speed steel, which wood-turning tools are made of.

The shape is inspired by the Ranger and the Gaslamp, and as with the Cauldron, I looked to modern pottery designs to finish the very top. I think it bridges the gap between traditional brush designs and perhaps where designs could be headed in the future. It does have The Varlet’s DNA and for it to also look like it belongs in my brush family is a great feeling for me.

Unfortunately, I will not be offering this handle design regularly. Despite that fact, I think it’s worth it to showcase and I do have other designs in mind for the future that push the boundaries further, should I be so fortunate.

The knot is a 29mm XD, and I was aiming for a certain shape that was not quite a hybrid but not as flat as some of the knots that I have set in the Rangers. Max let me know that he prefers his 29mm XD Ranger’s knot so I wanted to have something perform similarly, but also thought that giving it a little bit of a canopy would match the design of the handle better than a straight fan shape.

Additional Pieces

Other brushes have been shipping as well. Some highlights are below, including a very nice Carbon Beehive, a 32mm monster Mega, and a Gaslamp that I made for a dear patron to match his scuttle.

I will have some more featured at the soonest chance, and will look to update the Gallery as well.

Thanks to everyone for reading and Happy Fourth of July. Make it a great one and a safe one!

-Aldo

June 3 Report

I just want to give a quick update for those who are waiting for brushes to be shipped and for those ready to make order payments for the fifth and sixth runs. I will make this as brief as possible considering all the events that are happening at the moment.

The Varlet supports a fair, just, and open democratic process, with equality at the forefront and as the basis for our way of life. I hope we can find answers at the end of all of this and minimize the violence and opportunism that affects us at this time. I support any and all on either side of these conflicts who stand for those values.

Currently, I am still confident in my ability to produce, though it is more and more difficult to construct any solid timelines as worldwide events unfold day to day. My aim is to continue to give updates as frequently as possible and be available via email for communication. I’ll just remind everyone that as a one-man operation, I have to prioritize emails as such: 1) current paid orders 2) order requests (no payment received yet) and 3) general inquiries. I appreciate your understanding!

Fourth Run

The fourth run is about 85% complete. I had anticipated to have it completed by the end of May, and as of the 26th that was looking very likely. However, I do have family in the Bay Area who live very close to where rioting and looting have taken place. My focus over the past week has been to help ensure their safety and security and unfortunately the final stages of the fourth run have been progressing slowly. However, I can anticipate being able to make more progress towards completion for the rest of the week. I am going to try my best to get them completed by the weekend, but they probably won’t ship until next week after enamels and adhesives have cured properly.

Fifth and Sixth Runs

I will get in touch with everyone on the fifth and sixth runs again when the fourth run is complete to see where we are at on an individual basis, to see if there are any changes, postponements, or cancellations.

That’s all I have for now; I regret being so brief but I am committed to getting these brushes done and know everyone’s time is especially valuable with so much going on. I continue to be hopeful and wish everyone well. Thanks to all for reading.

-Aldo

May Report

With a new month upon us it is time for a progress report. Many that were waiting to place order payments for the fifth run have been wondering when that will be. This will be a short blog post just giving a general update with regards to progress on production at this time.

Firstly, as has been customary, I’ll begin with my general thoughts on The Varlet currently, and follow with details further below. Undoubtedly, given that order requests are still coming in regularly, there are many patrons that are responding positively to both the quality of workmanship that has been shipping as well as my recent policy adjustments with regards to time frames for order completions.

With regards to the quality of the brushes shipped recently, I have been getting some amazing feedback and it is always great to read those messages.

As far as time frames are concerned, some are no doubt wary of an open-ended estimate with regards to completion. However, given that I’ve developed a track record of giving updates, as well a tracking and shipping practice that has vastly improved once brushes are completed, I am feeling that folks are starting to understand the reasons for the process I’ve chosen. Nothing is more important to me than ensuring that faith in The Varlet remains strong. If there is anyone that is still not satisfied at not getting a brush right away, at the very least I can be confident that I’ve done my best to set expectations accurately. Given the unprecedented time that we are in, this has not been easy, and any shortcomings in this regard are very much regrettable.

Furthermore, given that I’m not taking any payments for any orders unless I can start production, that should give added peace of mind to those waiting. Personally, I’ve chosen not to receive payment for any brushes that I’m not actively working on. It’s incentive for me to pursue a steady pace of completion for brushes while ensuring quality. Those who have placed payments know that I do have a sense of urgency to complete them, and that it only takes a back seat to my commitment to making the brushes exceptional. This process has actually made my workflow much smoother, and as a result in the next few weeks I estimate that I should be shipping more brushes than I anticipated I could.

For those who are looking to own a custom brush, I am thankful for the trust they’ve given me that the length of time necessary is exactly that, necessary. I know that ensuring every detail is taken care of gives me the peace of mind that I need, because to offset any negativity out there and have the will to continue my craft, I have to first be sure in my mind that I’m doing my best for my patrons. Needless to say, my hours in the shop are very long, but quite frankly I enjoy what I do and so can withstand the work. I know I’m fortunate in that regard and I don’t take it for granted.

Production Details

Second Run - Completed.

Third Run - Nearly complete. One brush remains to be shipped, which is a Beehive, which usually requires more time.

Fourth Run - About 50% complete. Photo updates went out last week to some on the fourth run and I will have updates for the remaining orders within a week’s time at my best estimation.

Fifth Run - I will not take payments for the fifth run until the fourth run is ready to be shipped, which I anticipate with my best estimation that it will be by the end of the month. This is only a general time frame and is not a guarantee. I do not know how large the fifth run will be and cannot at this time give any predictions with regards to completion.

Final Thoughts

Needless to say, 2020 has been an eventful year so far, both for The Varlet and for the entire world. Just like everyone, I am not making any long-term plans. I don’t think it would even be wise to make medium-term plans. I’m taking it day by day and hoping to do my best to communicate things as they stand at the moment. I continue to wish everyone stay safe and healthy, and thanks so much for reading.

-Aldo

April Update

I thought it fitting to give an update as we start off the month of April as there have been a lot of things happening since my last post on 3/20. As I mentioned previously, going forward I want to make more frequent blog posts as well as be more active in social media. This is something I plan to continue even when the current pandemic has passed. For this update, I want to let folks know how things are progressing as far as production goes considering the escalating crisis that we’re faced with and the deep implications it has when considering the damage to the economy for the foreseeable future.

I should be careful not to seem callous to the effects of the Covid-19 virus when considering the impact it’s had in terms of both physical and mental health for people all over this planet. Especially in this country, and in my state of California, however, the number of unemployment claims are something that is also staggering to read about. I’m very worried about businesses in my city especially such as coffee shops, restaurants, and the like, which I frequent often and have had to go with virtually no revenue since the “shelter in place” guidelines were put in place. Surely this is something that is happening all over the country, and no doubt impacting a lot of you that were considering a custom brush in the very near future.

Even though production for brushes has not been impacted very much, my workflow has been dramatically slowed down due to the adjustments I’ve had to make on a personal level and for life in general. Seeing people wear masks to simply go grocery shopping and having to wait in line outside of a supermarket that I used to just stroll into has been pretty striking. Like everyone else, I’ve had to make adjustments to my personal routine, as my commitments outside of work have been much more time-consuming, especially considering family needs and basic necessities that were not much less than a month ago not an issue at all.

Also, to coincide with everything that is going on, I’m still experiencing some feedback regarding the delivery time frames of brushes which has made me take a hard look at how I provide estimates. While I’m not prepared to make another drastic change as I did at the end of January, I will be making some slight adjustments to help things go smoother going forward.

Current Status

Second Run - Some brushes on the second run are at 99% completion, some are at about 65%. On a few of the brushes there were some challenges, and they were re-started, and hence the delay for some. However, I am planning on shipping most of the brushes for the Second Run very very soon. I do apologize to those waiting, but I do appreciate your patience.

Third Run - The Third Run has been started and is in the early stages of production. I will get in touch with folks and provide updates as soon as the Second Run is shipped.

Fourth Run - I will be setting up purchase pages for each order and start sending them out via email tonight and tomorrow morning.

Fifth Run and beyond - for any order requests that came in after March 20, I will not be taking payment until I am able to start construction of brushes, which will be when the Fourth Run is about halfway completed. I’ll provide an update to when that will be later on.

Time Estimates

As mentioned, I’ll be making some slight adjustments to the way I give time estimates. Despite outlining what my policy is in the Order Form Notes, in my Shipping guidelines, as well as letting folks know via email directly, there is still an issue of differences in expectations from my perspective and those who purchase. It has been a bit of a challenge trying to figure out if this is due to the current pandemic we are facing, or if my efforts to give expectations are falling short. More than likely it’s a bit of both. While most understand that my priority is to the quality of the brush, and not meeting a time deadline with regards to shipment, I’m still not reaching some folks who place orders.

This is by no means a criticism on those who raise complaints, far from it, it just means I have to make additional adjustments. Going forward, I will not be giving detailed time estimates. Time estimates will be given in very broad time frames, while keeping the completion of a brush within a reasonable amount of time. However, rather than focus on giving a specific shipping expectation, I will continue to focus on giving periodic updates to individual purchasers with photos of the progress, and remain in constant communication so that folks know I’m working diligently to craft their brushes. From feedback that I’ve received, it seems that patrons are not so much worried about how long a brush takes to make, but that they expect any time frame given to be strictly adhered to. That’s entirely understandable and is something I can actually endorse, despite this being contradictory to my current practice. Henceforth, however, I’ll have to do things a bit differently.

I hope this will all but eliminate the frustration that is still happening and really regret that I’ve not been able to do so thus far. I do have to mention, to be fair to myself, that I do listen to feedback, and anyone who had followed my progress as far as communication goes has to admit that I’ve made vast improvements. I hope that the fact that I’m at least headed in the right direction in terms of the customer experience that I’m providing warrants some credit.

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I’ll have some photos of the Second Run very soon for everyone, there are some nice examples which will be showcased. Looking forward, despite the worsening news reports I’m feeling optimistic and excited at what I have planned ahead. I think what we’re going through will have a profound impact on the way we go forward, but some changes I’m seeing are actually in my opinion for the better. There is a lot of worry, anxiety, and uncertainty in the hearts and minds of people right now, no doubt. However, we are seeing the best side of humanity at this moment in time and that is reassuring to me, and I hope to many of you as well.

I will keep you guys posted!

-Aldo

03/20/20 - Update

I’d like to follow up on my post from 3/14 with some updates, photos, and some words about the current developments worldwide and what they mean for The Varlet as it pertains to my situation here in California.

Let’s start with the more pressing matter. Since my last post, the situation has been developing rapidly with regards to everyday life and how businesses should operate here in Sacramento County and the entire state of California. Brushes were delivered to the Post Office on Wednesday, and since then we had a “shelter-in-place” order for the county effective 3/19/20, then the next morning our governor announced for the entire state a “shelter-in-place” order. It looks like many states are following suit very soon. So, as most businesses I’ve had to watch the situation with uncertainty this entire week and wonder what the next few months look like in terms of operations.

With regards to supplies, I am pretty well-stocked in everything as far as materials as well as equipment. Alumilite and badger hair stock is good, and my machinery is in good working order at the moment. I did replenish some sanding supplies this week just in case and ordered a new belt for my lathe as well. Despite the situation in China being stabilized, I’ve reached out to my hair supplier and will get an update soon. Regardless, I have hair in stock as I mentioned so that is a plus. We’ll have to wait and see of course but as with anything will have to figure things out on the fly if need be. It doesn’t appear that hardware stores and the like are closing completely, and there is always Amazon as well, should I need anything to continue production if anything breaks down.

As far as the order process goes, I’ll be contacting the rest of the list as I promised but wanted to wait and see what the developments were this week. Since I am still able to produce brushes, and at this time can still ship them, for those that are still interested in a custom brush they will still be available. For those that want to wait for now, until the Covid-19 pandemic passes, I fully understand and would be natural to wait if new priorities have sprung up. I’m sure things will continue to change in the coming months, to what degree is still uncertain, but for now as far as The Varlet is concerned I’ll plan to continue to make brushes, and to make blog posts frequently as well.

First and Second Runs

The First Run of brushes as I previously mentioned were shipped out on Wed, and they should be starting to arrive today or within the next couple of days. The Second Run entered final stages this week, I am going to try to ship them next week as early as I can. I have contacted nearly all on the Second Run and provided photos of the progress, though some brushes are not photo-ready but will be soon. Some handles did not turn out like I wanted so I am re-making them, but it is a slight delay only.

Below are photos of some of the brushes on the First Run. I will be updating the Gallery page on the site as well.

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That is all the news I have for now, I will try to get on the emails as soon as I post this and touch base with everyone by the time the weekend is over. Hopefully everyone is staying healthy and safe, and making adjustments with some optimism that we’ll return to normal in due time.

-Aldo

Progress Update - 3/14/2020

Apologies for folks on the East Coast as this update is a little late in the day, being almost 9PM over there as I write. I had planned to do this much earlier. Unfortunately, this morning I was made aware that there were many empty shelves in some stores in my area. I have not been too alarmed at the current Covid-19 situation, but given that I was running low on some essential food items I decided it was best to brave the crowds and make some purchases while supplies were still available.

After a very long morning and some work on handles today I want to give an update on production. First, though, I’d like to remind you guys to please read the “Shipping” policies as well as the notes that I include on the “Order Request” page. Most notably, what I’d like to emphasize is the time estimates, and that they are only estimates in the very sense of the term. These notices have been there since January 30 as they are currently worded.

The reason I outline this is because the brushes have to be done a certain way and I don’t like to rush them. I could choose to hammer out brushes on a strict production schedule, but I have chosen not to. I’m not inherently opposed to offering a brush that can be made in exactly X amount of days, and ships exactly on the date that I estimate. Not in the least. I’m just not willing to do that with The Varlet, especially at the price point that they are at now.

Which leads me to something else that I want to mention. With the first run of brushes at just about 99% completion, that question of whether the brushes are priced correctly is entirely without doubt in my mind. What I mean by that is not that everyone out there needs to pay in excess of $400 for a shaving brush, but that the time I am spending on each brush warrants that price from a production standpoint. It’s what I need to ask for the time I’m spending and the results that are achieved. Ultimately the decision of whether to pay the asking price is up to the patron, but I have to charge what I charge, and the rest is up to each individual. However, getting back to my point, the brushes that will be shipping soon are even a notch above what I’ve shipped up to now, even if that notch is very tiny. It may be very marginal, but the fit and finish is just a little better and I am feeling very good about how these things are looking. I have never promised perfection, and never will, but I think this set of brushes have set the standard for what I can do.

Details on Status

First Run - 99% complete. Will ship Monday or Tuesday. That means they will hit the post office Monday or Tuesday, not just that tracking info will be available. I have listened to feedback and going forward, tracking info notices and post office acceptance will happen on the same day.

I will have photos of some of the brushes featured on Instagram and will update the “Gallery” page as soon as I can get some nice shots.

** Note: The First Run is about 2 weeks behind schedule, but I have been in contact with patrons and have kept them informed of progress throughout, with photos.

Second Run - ~65% complete. I am estimating shipping at the end of next week, perhaps the following Mon or Tue. This will be about 1 week behind schedule. I will contact those on the Second Run in the next couple of days with photos of their brushes at their stage of completion.

Third Run - Beginning production this week with handle material cast and hair beginning to be sorted and weighed. I have given estimates for completion at 3 weeks from now, and will continue my updates with those who purchase as production gets underway.

Estimates for Remaining Requests

At this time, about 2/3 of my current list has been contacted in one form or another. I will try to give estimates for those remaining who have not heard from me as soon as I can. If you have not heard from me regarding your brush we are looking at 5-6 weeks estimated time of completion, but some on the list might have a longer estimated time frame.

I know there is a lot of interest out there for some content and I will try to get some photos posted in the next few days. I have not answered emails from Friday morning until now, but replies will go out by Monday or Tuesday as well to those who sent messages.

Thanks so much everyone,

-Aldo

Royal Blue Hash and BLK / WHT Beveled

Two New Options

I have new color options to introduce. I’m excited to see what can be made with these material choices. New colors/configurations will be introduced periodically, as I experiment with casting techniques. For now, I have two to share. These are:

Royal Blue Hash

A royal blue with white hashed Alumilite, with a nice crisp textured grain.

BLK / WHT Beveled

Black and White Alumilite with a beveled, geometric shaped joint. The joint is shaped by hand, and an internal threaded rod installed for an extra secure bond. This will be categorized as a two-piece option.