Thread: Knot sizing

Is there any way to measure a brush knot while it's still in the brush? Basically, I've got a couple brushes now, with a couple more on the way, and in a couple of months, I want to either get into making brushes, or buying more custom brushes because it seems that I can't stop myself. Now once I find a brush I like, can I measure the knot without ripping it out of the handle? And this is a total brush newb question, but is the knot size the diameter of the knot or the circumference? (For you folks schooled in TX that means straight across or all the way around). And if someone from TX answers, (with a legitimate answer) then I retract that statement and apologize.

Knot size is the diameter. Read a caliper that just barely compresses the hairs against the knot. A new knot is usually a bit bigger than the base that is the size listed by about a half to one mm.
HF has some really cheap and effective digital calipers for cheap. Get one. They are indispensable to making or renewing a brush or blade.
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~Richard

Yes a caliper is the perfect solution !
Keep in mind that you see the knot like this \__/ but the base knot inside the handle is like this |__|
Beware that when you reed in an e-shop about a 22mm base knot it's not exactly that,sometimes is 21.5mm for example
In contrary a 24mm knot can fit in a 23mm handle with little work by dremel tool or a rasp.

I have a similar question: is knot size the same as base size? I bought a 19mm knot but the base measures 14mm. Now I'm in a spitting contest with the vendor... If I'm wrong, I will apologise to him, of course, but I figured knot size means the size of the glued base.

Is the plug size.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Is the plug size.

I thought so. Thanks, I'll contact the vendor.

I'm sorry to say that I am the stupidest two-legged creature wasting oxygen: the knots are 19mm. I apologised to the vendor and updated the feedback.