Thread: Rubberset Aluminum #3 - What to do....

Well, am totally flabbergasted with a dash of gobsmackedness.....

It's been about 18 months since I used a Boar Brush, so in preparation for how much I was sure I was going hate a boar brush, I used my Semogue 1305 Boar Brush and was stunned by how nice it was, used it the same as I use my badgers, soaking in hot water in the scuttle, lathered in the scuttle, and there was no lather flinging, glops of lather flying everywhere, and it was a fine brush to use, was really surprised at how nice it really was.

So, am really quite relieved that Mike advised me not to pull the trigger on replacing the knot and giving the original knot on the #3 a try....

Sorry, Phrank, but I cannot understand for the life of me the obsession of soaking brushes. Tried it, did not work for me.
Mine get soaked as I wash them out. Totally dry with the tips wetted as-using, as-needed.
To me, ANY soaked brush is a floppy mess. Lather in the brush. Not water!!
That's me!

Originally Posted by sharptonn

I cannot understand for the life of me the obsession of soaking brushes.
Mine get soaked as I wash them out. Totally dry with the tips wetted as-using.
To me, ANY soaked brush is a floppy mess.
That's me!

Glad you posted Tom as I was thinking to myself to try your method again...just wetting the tips and loading away. Tried that a couple of times with my badgers and just didn't sit right with me for some particular reason.

I was about to try the boar the same way, just wet the tips and give it a try (kinda strange that I was thinking about Sharpton in my bathroom...ewwww!), but then thought, nope, going to use it the way I like to shave, no rhyme or reason, old habits die hard as they say, and was once again impressed by how time (and a lot more experience) can change your mind about things, another life lesson from our hobby of shaving - it's always good to keep an open mind.

Originally Posted by Phrank

Glad you posted Tom as I was thinking to myself to try your method again...just wetting the tips and loading away. Tried that a couple of times with my badgers and just didn't sit right with me for some particular reason.

I was about to try the boar the same way, just wet the tips and give it a try (kinda strange that I was thinking about Sharpton in my bathroom...ewwww!), but then thought, nope, going to use it the way I like to shave, no rhyme or reason, old habits die hard as they say, and was once again impressed by how time (and a lot more experience) can change your mind about things, another life lesson from our hobby of shaving - it's always good to keep an open mind.

Oh, you can add water to the tips to get the lather right!
To me, the hot water has the same effect on the brush bristles as it does on your whiskers.
I dig the character of the knot and the shafts of the bristles seem to make that happen.
As they are 'tossed in the water' the brush looses it's personality. The shafts lose all rigidity and flop around.

At least this is my experience. Give it a try!

Today's SOTD was with phranks #3 and I tried the only tip wetting as Tom suggested.
By the time I had the lather to my liking water and suds had migrated all the way to the base of the brush anyway. Despite the longer loft, it held its own and the lather went where I wanted.
Yup, I like the style and boar knot quite a lot. I have all the measurements off it and will be making at least one out of exotic wood. Maybe try s.s. hollowed out, in time as well.
And a new search is born on my eBay preferences..

Mike, let me know how you do the flutes on the brush. My full size lathe has indexing, but my main lathe, my midi lathe does not. Thought about making something, a jig, to index and use a router to do the flutes. What do you think?

Could you index a block on your drill press before turning Andrew?

hhmmm, That might be a possibility Mike....

Would look nice in acrylic too, less chance of blowing out grain
Just sayin buddy

Well Andrew, been noodling on that, and I'm leaning similar to Mike's idea,,,
Taken every measurement I can think of off the original now and will post them on this thread with Phrank's permission once I clean up my bar napkin designs a little..

I have a couple of ideas, both involve a 22mm or 7/8th drill bit and or round nose router bit of the same dia..

Set at 60' indexing on the lathe either a router jig with a round nosed bit to carve them out from the outside once the general profile is turned,

or a 7/8 drill bit, set to 22 mm circle from center with a compass, indexing the 60' points around said circle and end drill through the blank to the desired depth of flute, so it looks like a square 6 shooter barrel prior to turning kinda thing. Then turn to profile.
Think the first one I try, in hardwood, will be the end drill trial as I haven't made my router jig yet. Will waste more of the blank trying it the drilling way as opposed to the router route but it is just a trial at this point.
When I measured the rad of the flutes I was surprised it was as large as it was, but math don't lie..

Had to come into the plant today sadly or I would be working on it today.