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  Industrial hemp is is a trending topic these days, and for good reason. It is versitile and its been around for a long time. It is likely the oldest plant cultivated for fiber. It has been used for textiles, rope, paper, food, and medicine. Now there is a new use for hemp - HempWood! HempWood is created by combining hemp stalks with soy based glue, then compressing and curing them. The resulting product is a strong wood substitute that is sustainable and can be produced in much less time than the decades required for traditional hardwoods. See https://hempwood.com/ for...

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  Whethey you are writing with a old fashioned feather quill, or a $.05 dollar store pen or a $250 custom made fine writing implement they all rely on ink to get your thoughts on paper. But there are great differences in the quality of ink and how it is delivered from pen to paper. Here are some of the basics.   Ballpoint Pens Ballpoint twist pens have a transmission that extends the ballpoint refill forward. These generally come in a “Cross™ or Parker™ style” refill that have a “paste” type of ink. There’s a spring at the nib end...

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 Your new shaving set is handmade by me with care. With a little care on your part, it will help you get the best shave possible and last for many years. Badger hair brush Genuine badger hair will give the best lather and help soften and raise your hairs for the smoothest shave. To use, wet the brush with hot water (not so hot that it is uncomfortable) and flick out excess water. Vigorously swirl on the soap to create a thick lather. Do not push on the brush. This can weaken the bristles. Swirl the lather onto your face...

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Being from Kentucky I decided that it was necessary to make something with a bourbon theme! Making these sets is a lot of fun. The workshop fills with the smells of the charred oak barrels and bourbon! It starts with a bourbon barrel lid that I cut into angled staves taht are glued into a tube. I cut the tube to a bit more than the height that I want the shaving cup to be. I cut and assemble the disc that will be the bottom abd glue it all together. When it is dried I turn it on the...

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beer, soap making -

Beers soap is great for you skin!     Most soap is made with water or milk; replacing the liquid with beer makes an amazing soap; it doesn’t smell like beer, but takes on the aroma of the hops and extracts that are used in the beer making process. This soap produces a nice lather and feels smooth and silky on your skin. Hops contain skin-softening amino acids, which can help to soothe irritated skin, and the brewers yeast used in making beer has antibacterial properties, which may help in the fight against acne. Beer also has Vitamin B which...

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