Everything you ever wanted to know about shaving brushes, but...

Everything you ever wanted to know about shaving brushes, but were afraid to ask.
A shaving brush is made up of two major parts: the handle, and the bristle load. Handle materials today tend to be wood, metal, or some synthetic. In days gone by it was possible to buy a brush with a handle of much more exotic origins such as Ivory, Horn, Crystal, Porcelain, Bejeweled Precious Metals, or even Petrified Penis, just about anything that might strike a buyer’s fancy.