Thread: Floppy knot

I put together a brush using a 20 mm Basic Silvertip knot from the Goden Nib. Tried it out this morning. To my disappointment, this thing felt like a floppy mop. Is this typical? Do they get better with time?

It will be floppy forever. How deep you set the plug in the handle determines the loft of the brush. The deeper you set it, the stiffer the brush will be. If you set the knot so it's just covering the plug, it will be floppy.

Darn it. Lesson learned. I guess I could try to remove it (used clear epoxy blend).

Good luck removing it,what size knot and what loft did you set it at?

It was a standard 20 x 64 mm. I burred a hole on a piece of deer antler, deep enough to just cover the plug. I do have a second piece of antler I could use as a back up. Any tips for removing an epoxy set knot?

Some guys cut the hair off and drill it, some guys clamp the hair in a vise.
Once you remove it, you should be able to reuse the antler. If you want it stiffer do a loft around 48mm-50mm.

Originally Posted by Razorthin

It was a standard 20 x 64 mm. I burred a hole on a piece of deer antler, deep enough to just cover the plug. I do have a second piece of antler I could use as a back up. Any tips for removing an epoxy set knot?

Your about 10 mms to high,only way I know how to remove knots (newly set with modern epoxy) is to cut the handle in half just below the plug.
Than on a disc sander grind until you just see the shadow of the base of the plug.
Using a chisel, carefully try to split the rim of the handle,sometimes it works, sometimes not.

Unfortunately no. It is going to stay floppy. If you read the description of the basic silvertip, they almost make it sound like a middle of the road brush. Lesson learned. Their HMW and Super Silvertip knots are great!

A floopy knot is always a bad thing no matter what IMO.Black badger being the lowest grade (and the cheapest) can easily be set at 54mm and still perform well as it is very stiff hair,is solid hair unlike silvertip which is hollow.

I'm going to have to politely disagree with it being a bad idea. My vintage Plisson is also a floppy brush. It's a 20mm 2 band, with a 55mm loft. It never struggles to perform.