Walnut Stained Maple Handle with Silvertip Knot

Recently I won a bid on e-Bay for some shaving brush handles. Three of them to be exact. They were maple handles and one of them was walnut stained.

The next photo shows the three brush handles from the seller and then the walnut stained handle in closer detail.



For the walnut stained handle I chose a 22 mm Silvertip knot which had a loft of 61 mm from the base of the knot. I took the handle and drilled down some more to provide room for two nickels for ballast and to reduce the loft down to reduce the potential for floppiness.

After boring out the hole, I applied an additional coat of Minwax polycrylic on the outside and two coats on the inside to completely seal the handle.

While allowing the handle to dry, I took the knot and washed it in M·A·C Cosmetics Brush Cleanser which provided an excellent cleaning of the knot. A large amount of brown residue was removed from the knot with this first cleaning. This preparation allows the knot to be clean upon insertion which should mean a head start in the break in process and no brown residue on the soap. The M·A·C Cosmetics Brush Cleanser is also a disinfectant which is good for cleaning older brushes.



http://www.maccosmetics.com/product/135/...index.tmpl

Once the brush handle and the knot were completely dry, the nickels were bound together using J.B. Weld epoxy. After about 20 minutes, the nickels were epoxied onto the brush handle on the interior bottom shelf. After an additional 20 minutes, the knot was epoxied into the handle (on top of the nickels). The brush was allowed 24 hours to cure the epoxy per instructions.

The following picture shows the completed work with the final loft at 54 mm.




Later on I will break in the brush to see how it lathers.

Wow, those sure are beautiful handles!

Nice job Gary. Looking good.

Beautiful work! Where did you get that fan shaped knot? I love fan shaped knots, but TGN only seems to have that shape in finest (unless I missed it). What diameter the knot ended up being after the assembly. If you measured the base of the knot now that it's in the handle, what would you read?

I recently finished restoring an old Ever-Ready 650PB, which is a solid plastic handle and I used a TGN 20mm finest fan XH. After I was all done the brush measures 22 mm at the knot base and I set the loft at 49mm. This produced a fabulous brush. I absolutely love it. However, at first it seemed too soft and too dense, almost felt like a sponge. Once it broke in, though it felt wonderful. This brush and the Wee Scot are the only badgers I use any more (had a bit of a run with boars).

Congrats on a beautiful new brush. What are you going to do with the other handles? If you want to sell one, I may be interested.

(05-28-2012, 02:49 PM)vferdman Wrote: Beautiful work! Where did you get that fan shaped knot? I love fan shaped knots, but TGN only seems to have that shape in finest (unless I missed it). What diameter the knot ended up being after the assembly. If you measured the base of the knot now that it's in the handle, what would you read?

I recently finished restoring an old Ever-Ready 650PB, which is a solid plastic handle and I used a TGN 20mm finest fan XH. After I was all done the brush measures 22 mm at the knot base and I set the loft at 49mm. This produced a fabulous brush. I absolutely love it. However, at first it seemed too soft and too dense, almost felt like a sponge. Once it broke in, though it felt wonderful. This brush and the Wee Scot are the only badgers I use any more (had a bit of a run with boars).

Congrats on a beautiful new brush. What are you going to do with the other handles? If you want to sell one, I may be interested.

Here is a 22 mm fan from TGN.

http://www.thegoldennib.com/index.php?ma...cts_id=696



I plan on using the spalted maple one. The other one I may decide on what to do with it in a couple of weeks.

Excellent write-up. And beautiful work on the brush.

Thanks for sharing.

I really like you brush restoration threads, you do beautiful work.

(05-28-2012, 05:23 PM)wlmcad Wrote: I really like you brush restoration threads, you do beautiful work.

Thank you!

Great job, I'm glad you're happy with the MAC cleanser too!

Thanks for the cleaner tip,. Those handles have a nice shape and look pretty comfortable. Do you used a drill press to open the hole? I only have a Dremel and cordless drill, plus I'd need a set of large bits.

Nice work and nice choice of knot.

(05-29-2012, 09:30 AM)Johnny9 Wrote: Thanks for the cleaner tip,. Those handles have a nice shape and look pretty comfortable. Do you used a drill press to open the hole? I only have a Dremel and cordless drill, plus I'd need a set of large bits.

Nice work and nice choice of knot.

Dremel with a cylindrical stone (not cone shaped) is fine. Just go nice and easy. don't rush. With wood I would drop the speed some, but still, there will probably be some burning. as long as it's out of site, it's fine. No need for a drill press, just good steady hand, calm disposition and good eye.

I think the toughest part is gluing the knot in. Keeping the mess to a minimum and off the knot and the challenge is for the epoxy (or what have you) not to show above the handle. I experimented with masking tape on the knot right at the line of where it would sit in the handle. Same on the handle. I just taped over the hole with masking tape in several directions and then cut through the tape covering the hole with a small blade (exacto). I was then able to handle a little spill over from setting the knot. Made the job way neater. I then used lots of soap and hot water to clean the tape gunk off the knot. Badger hair does not take on much of anything, it seems. A lathering or two and the knot felt as natural as ever.

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(05-28-2012, 03:11 PM)GDCarrington Wrote: Here is a 22 mm fan from TGN.

http://www.thegoldennib.com/index.php?ma...cts_id=696



I plan on using the spalted maple one. The other one I may decide on what to do with it in a couple of weeks.

Thanks! That's a pricey knot! Beautiful! if you want to get rif of the handle, let me know I may be up for another brush project.

The handles looks really good.You need a Semogue sticker,and there you go,it ould look like a Semogue 2000!
Thanks for the write up and looking forward to see more pics.

That's a really pretty brush you have there. Thanks for sharing, that's good work.

The handle reminds me a bit of one I've seen before but I'm having trouble calling it to mind. Maybe one of the hordes of Omegas.

Another excellent brush cleaner that might be local to more people is Masters' Brush Soap. You can get it in any art supply store or the paint section of most craft stores. Very effective but mild.

If it will take paint pigments out of sable brushes safely, it should treat our badgers very well.

(05-29-2012, 09:30 AM)Johnny9 Wrote: Thanks for the cleaner tip,. Those handles have a nice shape and look pretty comfortable. Do you used a drill press to open the hole? I only have a Dremel and cordless drill, plus I'd need a set of large bits.

Nice work and nice choice of knot.

I used a wall powered drill and a 7/8" wood bit to get the extra depth. It is much better balanced with the ballast inside.

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(05-29-2012, 05:05 AM)ben74 Wrote: Great job, I'm glad you're happy with the MAC cleanser too!

When I get some additional time I will be interested in how much quicker the break in process will be with the brush cleaner applied before the install versus the earlier one that was in the reworked Parker that had the same knot. I will have some more to say about the brush cleaner when I can use it one an older brush.

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Thanks for all your comments and questions!

A top notch job Gary , a really beautiful brush.

(05-29-2012, 10:47 PM)4711 Wrote: A top notch job Gary , a really beautiful brush.

Thanks!