Introduction

Anyone willing to pay $140 or more for a shaving brush probably expects to obtain something of perceived value beyond the brush’s basic function of making and applying lather in preparation for a shave. What a particular brush might signify in support of a premium price can vary widely from one prospective buyer to another. Possible considerations include ergonomics, aesthetics, quality of materials, quality of workmanship, country of manufacture, and brand-related associations (e.g., reputation and/or prestige based on history, tradition, legend, myth, constructed narrative, etc.).

We’re mainly product-driven, which is to say our principal focus is on designing and making the best brushes we can produce. Much of what we do aims at a goal well beyond basic utility. Although we’re dedicated to transparency and enjoy sharing what we do, we’ve never invested much time or energy in sales-promotion. Of course, we need to sell brushes in order to succeed as a business. And our stated mission is to elevate the experience our customers derive from shaving. So, telling our story is important because what goes into making a Paladin shaving brush has potential significance in relation to a customer’s ultimate enjoyment of its ownership and use.

The purpose of this blog is lay that out (i.e., what goes into making a Paladin shaving brush) without manipulative embellishment; we’re not into promotion based on hyperbole or illusion. We’ve envisioned posting something along these lines since before the website went live. When I finally sat down to draft an outline, it quickly became obvious that a single post would be too long, too short, or (most likely) both. After kicking it around a little, we decided to dedicate a separate blog to the subject and piece together the story through installments.

The outline (which may change) follows below. We’ll insert hyperlinks in it as constituent topics (e.g., knot sourcing) are addressed. That way the outline can facilitate navigation to installments of interest after they’re posted. Note that the order of installments won’t always follow the outline.

It may take several months for us to post on all the topics, and after that (if not before) the story will undoubtedly continue to develop. Problem solving, change, and adaptation have been dominant themes throughout the two years Paladin Shaving has existed. We don’t anticipate an end to that any time soon. Pursuing tradition on the cutting edge keeps us on our toes. And that’s good; complacency is the enemy of mindfulness.

Topic outline:

1. Foundation
2. Design
3. Space, equipment, tools, and supplies
4. Handle-making
   • Turning
   • Finishing
   • Engraving
   • Painting
5. Knots
   • Sourcing
   • QA/QC
   • Preparation
   • Setting
6. Post production
   • Measuring
   • Knot Codes
   • Serialization
   • Photography
7. Website and online-shop purpose, design, functionality, and maintenance
8. Fulfillment
9. Customer service
10. Communication and shaving community involvement