Handles by Rodney Neep, knots from The Golden Nib, assembled by yours truly

Due to this happening, then going through this process, I ended up deciding to ask Rod_Neep if he would be willing to make me a couple of shaving brush handles.

Rodney kindly agreed, after going back and forth via email, we settled on the specs of the handles.

Rodney was a joy to do business with, and his finished products are top class. Highly recommended.

I then ordered two 22mm Super Silvertip (bulb) knots from The Golden Nib, again a pleasure do to business with, and personally I'm impressed with the quality of knots I've bought from them, 1 x 20mm Two Band Finest Badger, 1 x 20mm Silvertip Grade A and 2 x 22mm Super Silvertip (see below).

Once I had the handles and knots in my possession I set about assembling the shaving brushes.

• I used 5 Minute Epoxy to glue the knots into the handles.
• I set the loft height at 52mm on both brushes.
• The "Tulip" handle has a 2003 coin glued into the bottom on the knot hole -- this brush will eventually be passed onto Alpha son.
• The "Ball & Bobbin" handle has a 2008 coin glued into the bottom of the knot hole -- this brush will eventually be passed onto Beta son.
  

First up, "Tulip" (Ivory substitute) handle:

The Golden Nib - 22mm Super Silvertip (bulb knot)





The Golden Nib - 22mm Super Silvertip (bulb knot)





Ivory Substitute "Tulip" handle & The Golden Nib - 22mm Super Silvertip (bulb knot)





Ivory Substitute "Tulip" handle fitted with The Golden Nib - 22mm Super Silvertip (bulb knot)





Ivory Substitute "Tulip" handle fitted with The Golden Nib - 22mm Super Silvertip (bulb knot, post bloom)

Next up, "Ball & Bobbin" (Ivory substitute) handle:

The Golden Nib - 22mm Super Silvertip (bulb knot)





The Golden Nib - 22mm Super Silvertip (bulb knot)





Ivory Substitute "Ball & Bobbin" handle & The Golden Nib - 22mm Super Silvertip (bulb knot)





Ivory Substitute "Ball & Bobbin" handle fitted with The Golden Nib - 22mm Super Silvertip (bulb knot)





Ivory Substitute "Ball & Bobbin" handle fitted with The Golden Nib - 22mm Super Silvertip (bulb knot, post bloom)

Edit: Corrected loft height.

Very nice Mike. How about a picture of the coins?

Are their names really Alpha and Beta?

Those look great.

(05-03-2012, 09:22 AM)Johnny Wrote: Very nice Mike. How about a picture of the coins?

Are their names really Alpha and Beta?

Hi Johnny

Have you been speaking with my wife? As he she asked the same exact question, and my reply...

I forgot to take photos of the coins in the bottom of the handles

The wife doesn't want the boys name used on the internet, it's not something I agree with (their names are already out there via other means, out of our control), but it's also something I'm not going to ignore her request on...

Take care, Mike

Edit: Can see who the boss is around here...

(05-03-2012, 09:38 AM)mikeperry Wrote:

(05-03-2012, 09:22 AM)Johnny Wrote: Very nice Mike. How about a picture of the coins?

Are their names really Alpha and Beta?

Hi Johnny

Have you been speaking with my wife? As he asked the same exact question, and my reply...

I forgot to take photos of the coins in the bottom of the handles

The wife doesn't want the boys name used on the internet, it's not something I agree with (their names are already out there via other means, out of our control), but it's also something I'm not going to ignore her request on...

Take care, Mike

I understand about the names. Soon enough they both will be networking with all their friends.

When my two younger children were en utero, before they had names, we ended up referring to him as Spud (from the song "Little Potato" by Metamora) and her as Panda (made up of the initials of her grandmothers' middle names).

So now we have friends who refer to them as Spud and Panda despite the fact that neither child has ever answered to the name.

Nice work, Mike!

Excellent work and excellent selection of handle shapes!

They look very nice! Good job.

Mike-

Great looking brushes. And thinking that far ahead...good for you!

Oh yeah.. Nice work, you two!

(05-03-2012, 09:18 AM)mikeperry Wrote:

• The "Tulip" handle has a 2003 coin glued into the bottom on the knot hole -- this brush will eventually be passed onto Alpha son.
  

Reworked shaving brush due to some of the stuff I mentioned here...

As part of the "rework" process, I decided I would like to enjoy, use this shave brush. Therefore, when the time comes, Alpha will be treated to a shave brush of his choosing.

Tulip "Ivory substitute" shaving brush handle fitted with (new) 22mm Super Finest Badger:

• Height: 99mm
• Loft: 50mm
• Base: 49mm
• Knot: 22mm
• Knot hole diameter: 24.5mm (widened from its previous 22mm)
• Knot hole depth: 18mm
  

Tulip "Ivory substitute" handle & The Golden Nib - 22mm Super Finest





Tulip "Ivory substitute" handle fitted with The Golden Nib - 22mm Super Finest





Tulip "Ivory substitute" handle fitted with The Golden Nib - 22mm Super Finest





Post-bloom -- Tulip "Ivory substitute" handle fitted with The Golden Nib - 22mm Super Finest

Edit: Fixed my poor grammar.

---

(05-03-2012, 09:18 AM)mikeperry Wrote:

• The "Ball & Bobbin" handle has a 2008 coin glued into the bottom of the knot hole -- this brush will eventually be passed onto Beta son.
  

Reworked shaving brush due to some of the stuff I mentioned here...

As part of the "rework" process, I decided I would like to enjoy, use this shave brush. Therefore, when the time comes, Beta will be treated to a shave brush of his choosing.

Ball & Bobbin "Ivory substitute" shaving brush handle fitted with (new) 22mm Super Finest Badger:

• Height: 99mm
• Loft: 50mm
• Base: 49mm
• Knot: 22mm
• Knot hole diameter: 24.5mm (widened from its previous 22mm)
• Knot hole depth: 18mm
  

Ball & Bobbin "Ivory substitute" handle & The Golden Nib - 22mm Super Finest





Ball & Bobbin "Ivory substitute" handle fitted with The Golden Nib - 22mm Super Finest





Ball & Bobbin "Ivory substitute" handle fitted with The Golden Nib - 22mm Super Finest





Post-bloom -- Ball & Bobbin "Ivory substitute" handle fitted with The Golden Nib - 22mm Super Finest

Edit: Fixed my poor grammar.

Lovely!
Your sons will have some nice goodies when they hit age
... I guess they could always face lather and use an empty razor like my Grandpa did for me when I was a child

Nice going Mike.Great looking brushes..........

Rodney does such wonderful work. I think most other brush makers strive to his level of craftsmanship.

Beautiful brushes. That "ball and bobbin" handle is a work of art.

Matt

(01-03-2015, 01:45 AM)mlzettl Wrote: Beautiful brushes. That "ball and bobbin" handle is a work of art.

Matt

+1. I really like the shape of the "Ball & Bobbin" handle.

Lovely brushes!!!

Thank you gents for the kind words, I am certainly pleased with how they finally! turned out, once I learned my lessons and got the (new) knots set correctly...

Rodney Neep certainly does some very! fine work, personally I would recommend him to anyone in a heartbeat...

Mike, beautiful brushes. The latest TGN Super Finest knots are advertised as 3-bands. How do these knots work for you, and can you compare them to 2-band Finest?