There’s a growing trend towards embracing hair’s natural characteristics by adding effortless texture, definition, and volume without the heavy-handed look of too much product. When less is more, Oil Can Grooming has the tools to help!

Adventure is at the heart of Oil Can and before our worlds were turned upside down with the pandemic, we embarked on a new one.

When Oil Can was born, we set out to honour the makers and the spirited who choose the road less travelled, whilst taking inspiration from people who choose to follow their hearts through working with their hands. So, commissioning a branded custom bike was added to the wish list in the early days. A few years after creating the brand we had a chance introduction to Titch Cormack and everything fell into place. We knew there was only one choice of workshop – SBomb.

The vision was clear but what we couldn’t have imagined was what would come out of this project. An amazing bike with an even better story. Crafted out of a road trip which Titch would take to trace the paths of his forerunners, visiting the places his Grandfather had 75 years ago.

Let’s rewind a little to before Titch opened the doors to the SBomb Vintage Workshop. Having raced bikes as a child, this was something he wanted to take through to adulthood, but his military career took him in another direction. A career that would span many years. Following in his Grandfathers footsteps Titch joined the Royals Marines and was part of 45 Commando. With a drive to be pushed to the next level and see where it would take him, Titch progressed to the Special Forces which is where he stayed until the end of his military career. A passion for bikes and racing stayed with him throughout and with a keen sense for creativity the well-oiled machine that is the SBomb was born.

Our build combines Titch’s careers past and present whilst tying in a deeply personal connection to his Grandfather, the inspiration and catalyst to him joining the Marines. The late William Cormack was a member of 45 Commando when he set foot ashore Sword Beach on D-Day. A journey which in those initial hours would take him across the sands and on into Ouistreham, a short stretch that on that fateful day would have felt about a thousand miles. William and the Commandos in his platoon found refuge in the local church. Tales were told of his experiences to family upon his return and Titch always had a wish to trace his footsteps. This custom build and road trip would take him there. As the journey unfolded, it was captured on film and has made for some must-see viewing.

Free reign was given to Titch and the concept for the build evolved in his mind. A Yamaha XS650 was to become the foundation for a hardtail bobber. The design was influenced by the Oil Can Iron Horse range and our signature burnt orange colour. But what would take centre stage for the design was the thousand mile route Titch would make from his base in Poole to the Normandy Beaches and Ouistreham before riding on to the Gironde Estuary which holds a link to the formation of the Special Boat Service. To set him up for the adventure, Belstaff Motorcycle and Knox Armour generously supplied all the right gear. Titch’s journey would conclude at the Wheels & Waves festival in Biarritz where he could reveal the bike to the Oil Can team and enjoy a well-earned beer. Endex.

The short documentary 'About a Thousand Miles' can be viewed now on YouTube.

Becoming a craftsman isn’t always a predestined path.

After spending much of his professional life in front of a computer screen, Jan Den Hartogh felt something was missing. This missing piece in his working life would be the freedom to work with his hands. So, when Jan established Duke & Sons Leather in 2013, the link between working with not only his hands but also his heart was formed.

Finding real inspiration from the craftsmen he admired, Jan decided to hone his skills and began designing and making bespoke leather pieces. Taking strength from both the feedback he received on social media and the delight from the customers of his early creations Jan took the leap and dedicated himself in the art of working with leather by simply being ‘hands on’. He had found his craft.

A good friend told Jan, if you’re going to learn the skills of a craftsman the world will be your customer. Having started in his shed, more than 6 years later Jan has sold his goods to customers in over thirty countries and his passion for the craft still grows. His wife, Ingeborg has since followed this passion and they now work side by side creating goods together.

Jan’s love for the freedom of the open road is what brought us into contact with him. Whilst attending the Bike Shed Show in London, we were drawn to Jan’s stand by the bespoke leather accessories he’d customised for his own bike. A spark was ignited in our conversation when Jan found out we were the team behind his favourite beard oil brand. Equally, he’d been introduced to our products at the show a few years before by Frank Rimer who ran the original pop-up Barbershop at this annual event. Following the show, we kept in touch and have since travelled to Jan’s base in the Netherlands where we were welcomed into both his workshop and his home.

Much like us, Jan is a great advocate of heritage goods and brands that stay true to their origins. Hereby, through this meeting of minds and passion, a perfect partnership was forged.  Collaborating with Jan to create some limited-edition and hand-crafted pieces has been a great journey. As a self-taught leather craftsman, he has a keen eye for detail and quality. A fine fit for Oil Can.

Shop the collection here.

Earlier this year, when everyday life didn’t pose so many uncertainties for all of us, we travelled to Rotterdam. A place which for many is the modern-day home of Barbering within Europe. Welcomed into Gio's Chop Shop we couldn’t have felt more at home. Gio has created a space steeped in tradition. A place which unmistakably carries his personality and passion.

We rocked up ready to shoot some new film and photography content for our upcoming website. Joining the Oil Can team were the creative minds of Huck Mountain and Alex Rory Jacobs. Gio’s right hand man for the weekend was his old friend and barbering maestro, Danny the Dogg. Scissors and clippers at the ready, they set out to showcase their craft using our full range of products. All the men who took a chair for the shoot were loyal patrons of Gio’s Chop Shop, adding that air of authenticity to what we were creating. We were honoured for them to join us. Even the guys who work alongside Gio at the shop embraced a haircut in front of the lens, for the occasion. It was an eventful unforgettable couple of days, and we can’t wait to go back.

Over the coming weeks we’ll be showing you the outcome of ‘The Chop Shop Series’ via our social media. But first we want to give a big shout out to everyone who contributed and made us feel at home in Rotterdam. The true Chop Shop experience.