Paladin Shaving update (June 10, 2016)

I just posted an update including notice of our next release here.

Thanks for the update Ken.

Round 2 for me... im ready@!   Put me in coach@!

Ken thanks for the heads up.

Thanks for the update Ken.  Good luck with the move.

Thanks for the update, and congrats to Cody!

Demand exceeding supply. 

Equilibrium is ideal I suppose, but whether the current situation is a 'problem' is in the eye of the beholder. 

Sounds like it's a great time to be a brush enthusiast and a brush maker both to me.

Congratulations on the upcoming moves!
All the best to Cody and his fiance as well.

Great to see the update and I am happy to hear that ebonite handles are in the future. 

Thanks Ken.

The real question is whether or not 28 mm is "too big".  Not sure what the flow through its like with these knots, so it may be a moot point.

Thanks Ken.

(06-10-2016, 11:54 AM)tupacboy Wrote: Round 2 for me... im ready@!   Put me in coach@!

(06-10-2016, 12:28 PM)bakerbarber Wrote: Demand exceeding supply. 

Equilibrium is ideal I suppose, but whether the current situation is a 'problem' is in the eye of the beholder. 

The idea was to create an online experience that would come as close as we could reasonably make it to selecting a brush from available stock in a physical store. (We even considered the possibility of 360 degree, rotatable images.)

So far, it's been more like a Twilight Zone episode in which we're stock managers in a Best Buy where every pre-dawn morning we go to work it turns out to be Black Friday.

But it's all good, except the part where people understandably get frustrated and disappointed. I don't know that we'll ever achieve equilibrium (that is, before ultimate heat death), but I'm pretty confident we'll move beyond this phase of being constantly over-whelmed. That said, we're not set up and don't aspire to be a large scale producer. 

At present, the rate-limiting factor is me setting the knots, which I take way too much time doing.

So far Ken has done TWO things superbly. The first obviously are the brushes. Anyone care to guess the second? Paladin Shaving COMMUNICATES. There are other brushmakers who, and no condemnation, are reclusive to the point of near mythic existence or
only bang sword on shield from castle parapet when the headless corpses of shredders or other issues are catapulted into the keep.

(06-11-2016, 07:25 AM)kav Wrote: ... only bang sword on shield from castle parapet when the headless corpses of shredders or other issues are catapulted into the keep.

You should be living very fat off book royalties, my friend.

I love the idea of previewing the upcoming brushes so that we can focus on what we desire.

I've seen it suggeted somewhere that people should buy first and trade later. I'm paraphrasing but the sentiment that people are buying brushes without regard to the information you labored to collate and present is disheartening. The cards would hopefully follow the brush as it's swapped or sold, but when a brush sells faster than it took to upload the photos or faster than the specs could be read is interesting.

The value of the information isn't lost in the context of the consumption I hope.

360 views would be sweet!
Maybe a couple representative images on the site of each handle style or rod would quench the thirst for curiosity between releases?

(06-11-2016, 08:29 AM)bakerbarber Wrote: I love the idea of previewing the upcoming brushes so that we can focus on what we desire.

I've seen it suggested somewhere that people should buy first and trade later. I'm paraphrasing but the sentiment that people are buying brushes without regard to the information you labored to collate and present is disheartening. The cards would hopefully follow the brush as it's swapped or sold, but when a brush sells faster than it took to upload the photos or faster than the specs could be read is interesting.

The value of the information isn't lost in the context of the consumption I hope.

360 views would be sweet!
Maybe a couple representative images on the site of each handle style or rod would quench the thirst for curiosity between releases?

We considered it but hadn't done previews for earlier releases simply because it's one more thing that takes time, and we're very, very, very thinly stretched as it is. Especially me. 

We hope cards follow brushes, but apparently that hasn't always happened. Also, we (I) need to do a better job of explaining the purpose and significance of the information for those who might care.

There are, and have been from the beginning, representative images (in the Paladin Shaving Brush Shop) of every brush we've offered for sale on the site. When we introduce a new handle/material/size combination (e.g., 26 mm Bazooka Chief), a photo of one sticks. See https://www.paladinshaving.com/collections/brushes. Of course, if you select the In-stock filter, you won't see anything right now.

I'd rather Ken devote time to making brushes than magical marketing stratagem. It is simple math; Paladin can produce X brushes and current demand is for XXX. Paladin also cannot, should not be burdened with waiting lists, lotteries or limits on purchase each release. It is disheartening
to see brushes bought as investment or bartering material because somebody wants a bronze Wolfman or whatever. This forum , and there are others and individuals who don't even patronize shaving communities can impose  rules of exchange and no more. Peer pressure, bad feelings or
jealousy won't go far with Judge Judy. Patience, even to a starving vulture is still it's own reward. Ken needs to just make brushes.

I look forward to entering a Zen state so I don't drive myself crazy while trying to acquire a Paladin. Toward that end, this is my last post on the subject until fulfillment or . . . whatever. Only praise for the quality and the brushmaker.

(06-11-2016, 10:23 AM)rsp1202 Wrote: I look forward to entering a Zen state so I don't drive myself crazy while trying to acquire a Paladin. Toward that end, this is my last post on the subject until fulfillment or . . . whatever. Only praise for the quality and the brushmaker.

You just need to come to terms with the fact that there's no such thing (outside of mind) as the perfect brush, which isn't to say that the idea of a perfect brush might not drive us. 

There is an old saying: The perfect is the enemy of the good.

But I have the same affliction as you. It's why I don't get more knots set. Every one is like falling down a rabbit hole.

I was meditating at the Tassajara Zendo and my facial expression changed rapidly enough another lay monk thought I had attained enlightenment and went for Roshi. Roshi laughed Here, help me get Kavanaugh san to his feet. His legs fell asleep again. To deny desire is just another trap. EMBRACE your inner Paladin.

(06-11-2016, 12:14 PM)kav Wrote: I was meditating at the Tassajara Zendo and my facial expression changed rapidly enough another lay monk thought I had attained enlightenment and went for Roshi. Roshi laughed Here, help me get Kavanaugh san to his feet. His legs fell asleep again. To deny desire is just another trap. EMBRACE your inner Paladin.

I am, by nature, logic-bound.

So I think:

Ron and I are like two hands clapping in different rooms.

Does that equal one hand clapping times two?

Koans are Rinzai school. I am Soto. I went once to a Rinzai meditation. This assistant with a rod would give a mild thump if you appeared inattentive or hesitant to answer their Koan. I watched EVERYONE get a thump. Deep down in my irish bowels  I felt resentment at this stupid affectation .Roshi comes to me " uh,  what  sound of one hand clapping"? OMG not THAT EFFING KOAN. I spun on the assistant mid strike and slapped his face.