April 11, 2022

AERO~COMBS take flight!

Metal Comb Works has just launched a new Kickstarter campaign to introduce our line of aviation inspired pocket combs. The combs are crafted from aerospace grade titanium alloy and are offered in different airplane influenced styles. Check out our campaign and pledge for a reward! This is an opportunity to land one of our heirloom quality combs are a bargain price.

December 3, 2021

Merry Christmas!

We were approached by a professional Santa Claus requesting a comb for his snow white beard and hair. Who can say “no” to Santa? We took on this project and a new limited edition comb was created. The comb is crafted from titanium so it doesn’t add much weight to Santa’s sleigh and it’s coated with Cerakote and a dash of holiday spirit. A Christmas tree, complete with ornaments, is cut into the spine of the comb and the creative use of negative space really makes the tree stand out. A wrapped present, an ornament, a bell and a candy cane complete the theme. Get yours while they last. A perfect stocking-stuffer gift!

June 24, 2021

Nailed it!

We first introduced the Mercury Comb when we launched our company in 2013. It was one of only four designs we offered at the time, including the; “Hot Rod”, “Skeleton” and the “Thunderbird”. Of these four designs the Mercury has been the most popular by far. Some say they love the esthetics of sweeping shape, other love the vintage silver coin affixed in the spine and still others just like how it combs and feels in the hand. We can’t agree more, this comb is one of our all time favorites.

Call it beginners luck or a stroke of genius, we nailed it with the Mercury Comb!

May 18, 2021

Necessity, the mother of invention.

We recently contacted a Texas based supplier of titanium pens and asked for their permission to customize them in a variety of colorways. A great addition to our EDC line of products. They agreed and we started buying wholesale lots of pens from them and launched the new product line. We did a couple initial “drops” and the pens were a huge hit. In fact, so much of a hit that our supplier got cold feet and has declined to sell us any more pens. They told us they don’t want competition on the customization side. This was extremely disappointing to us as we had already made some significant investments.

So, from this need has come a new idea, a new pen design and now we have a new project underway. We will be making our own titanium pen to add to the line of EDC products we sell. The pens will be offered in a variety of colorways with many customization Prototypes are being built now and we should be launching a Kickstarter campaign by the end of the summer to help support this new product line. Stay tuned!

May 1, 2021

Next Level Leather Sheaths

We love the Horween leather sheaths we source from our Texas supplier, Laurel Leather. We continue to source sheaths from them and look forward to continuing our relationship long into the future. There is nothing quite like the feel, smell and texture of USA made Horween leather.

In our effort to constantly improve and offer our customers only the best, we were recently struck by the quality and craftsmanship of the work being done by an artisan in New York City. Roman Rad, (yes that’s his real name) makes hand sewn leather goods that are top notch. Finely finished edges, superb color pallettes, impeccable stitching using some of the best Italian imported leathers and German made thread. We asked Roman to make some select size sheaths for us and he hit the ball out of the park. He created a sheath the fits our Mercury model combs as well as our compact combs.

The only problem, how to decide between the colors and styles of sheaths we now offer.

August 25, 2020

A matter of time and money.

Benjamin Franklin wrote in 1748: "Remember that time is money," This popular proverb works in both directions, money is also time.

What does this have to do with pocket combs? Well, every time you purchase a cheap disposable comb, you are wasting your money. You spent your valuable time earning that money so you also wasted your time. Disposable combs are meant to be just that, thrown out as they bend break and fall apart.

When you purchase an heirloom quality pocket comb, you are making an investment in your future. You break the cycle of repeat purchases of disposable goods and effectively stop time. Our combs are crafted to last a lifetime and beyond. Pass them down to future generations and remember that time is money and money is time.

August 13, 2020

Vote with your dollars for a true US supply chain.

We support local small business and our supply chain proves it.

The equipment we use to craft and finish our combs is made in America. We use Baldor buffing and polishing equipment, Burr King grinders, a Crest Ultrasonic cleaning system among many other US built machines. We source our raw materials from US mills and suppliers and we even have our packaging materials made in the USA. Why do we go to all this effort? It’s the right thing to do as it supports US jobs and our local economy.

We believe the same philosophy should apply to our sales channels. The US supply chain doesn’t end when the product is ready to sell, that’s why we refuse to sell our combs through large online retailers such as ebay, Amazon and others. Those companies have a poor track record when it comes to respecting and enforcing intellectual property rights and they are simply too big to sort out the garbage quality products that they sell. You can’t say you support local business and also sell your products through a supply chain that is primarily supporting goods & manufacturers from overseas.

Your hard earned cash is a powerful voting tool. Use it to support American made goods and local business whenever possible.

July 3, 2020

Competitor Combs - Why they use, what they use.

Let’s face it, all manufacturers are concerned about their bottom line. Making a profit is one, if not, the most important aspects of running a business. In the comb manufacturing world, there are basically three main cost centers; materials, labor and overhead. Finding the cheapest materials and eliminating as much labor as possible through automation (think high speed mechanized injection molding machines) is the ultimate objective of many comb manufacturers. Not at Metal Comb Works. Our goal is to produce the finest quality artisan combs on the market, provide our employees with a fair wage and support our local community. If we cannot meet these goals and still make a profit then we would not be in business.

Plastic, resin and carbon combs are mass produced and are generally poorly finished. Take a close look at any injection molded plastic, resin or carbon fiber combs and you will see the rough edges along the parting line of the mold. (A note about carbon fiber. Carbon fiber composites come in a wide range of variants. Some companies add trace amounts of carbon fibers to injection molded plastics and resin products and call them "carbon fiber" or "carbon fiber composite".  It was a common trick for manufacturers of tennis rackets in the 1990's to dope trace amounts of titanium dust in fiberglass and say their product was made of "titanium composite".  What's old in new again. Look on Amazon (the Walmart of the internet) and see all the "carbon fiber" combs that are plastic or glue with carbon particles added.)

Bottom line, manufacturers use plastic, resin and carbon fiber to make cheap combs because it is a cheap and the combs can be spit out on automated machinery. The materials cost pennies per pound and jobs can be eliminated by high speed injection molding machines. As the old saying goes, “You get what you pay for.”.

May 1, 2020

Metal Combs - Crafted to last a lifetime.

We craft all our combs from metal, hence the name, Metal Comb Works. Learn more about the metals we use by reading about the specific materials and the advantages they provide.

Stainless Steel

Our stainless steel combs are crafted from AISI type 304 Stainless Steel manufactured here in the US. The material conforms to American Institute of Steel and Iron standards and is used in a wide variety of applications including; flatware, surgical equipment, food handling equipment, beer kegs and dairy equipment.

Stainless Steel is formulated in many different alloys for many different applications. All stainless steels have a minimum content of Chromium to provide corrosion resistance. Stainless steel has a beautiful luster.

Titanium Alloy

Our titanium combs are crafted from ASTM Grade 5 Titanium Alloy. This material conforms to ASTM (American Society for Testing & Materials) standards and is used in the aerospace industry as well as in biomedical implants.

Titanium as an element was discovered in 1791 and named after the Titans of Greek mythology. The two most useful properties of the metal are corrosion resistance and strength-to-density ratio, the highest of any metallic element.

Pure titanium is similar in strength to low grade steels, but the Grade 5 alloy is many times stronger.

Naval Brass

Our brass alloy combs are crafted from Marine Grade Naval Brass and complies with ASTM B171. It is widely used for marine hardware, pump and propeller shafts and rivets.

Brass was created by man thousands of years ago and has been appreciated for its strength, corrosion resistance and beautiful gold color since its discovery. The heft of the material immediately confers strength and timeless quality. Simply put, brass just feels good in your hand. Brass is non-ferromagnetic so it is often used in precision instruments; telescopes, watches, compasses, etc. Brass is an alloy of copper, zinc and sometimes other trace elements depending on the alloy.

Brass is an excellent material for a comb. Unlike wooden, plastic or carbon fiber filled plastic, a brass comb will last for many generations with just a little care. Brass forms a natural patina depending on the environment it is in and can always be polished to maintain a bright finish. To keep your brass comb looking naturally beautiful, simply wipe it clean with a cloth and some mild soap and water.