Thread: Making Custom Brushes

Good day, all.

I have a brief question for any custom brushmakers out there. I have found a source for some badger knots (we'll see in a few days if they are any good, when they get here.) and plan to make a custom brush or two. I am an old hand with a lathe, and am not really concerned with making the handle, but I am a bit worried about attaching the knot correctly.

Does anyone know a suitable adhesive to use to attach the knot to the handle? As a side note, is it recommended to use a normal varnish/wax/CA to seal the handle, or is a more exotic method needed?

Thanks.

JB Weld works great. Looking forward to seeing your brushes!

almost any good epoxy will work well to attach the knots...
and I would recommend sealing the handle with CA before inserting the knot...(prevents CA residue in the hair)

ok, got the knot today, it is 28mm silvertip, high density knot. feels really soft, but very firm, almost as firm as a boar brush. definitely not moppy. bristle density is about like a shavemac someone brought to the dfw meetup. picked up some purple heart from woodcraft this weekend, hopefully get some time to lathe and seal a handle next weekend.

does anyone know if using varnish will seal the handle alright, or do i have to use CA?

you'd have to lok at the label on your varnish... if it says outdoors, marine use, or water sealer on it then yes, but otherwise I wouldn't take a chance...
Tung oil, wax or any of the other hand rubbed type finishes really aren't enough for a brush, it might work, but it might not...

That thing looks Outstanding!! Where can I get my hands on a knott like that and how much did it cost? I presume it's much cheaper to get a knott than to buy the brush right?

Also: I assume that you are planning on making these things and selling them right? If so, PM me with a price and time frame, I'll take any happy accidents and beginner's mistakes you need to get rid of!!

Originally Posted by Shaun

That thing looks Outstanding!! Where can I get my hands on a knott like that and how much did it cost? I presume it's much cheaper to get a knott than to buy the brush right?

Also: I assume that you are planning on making these things and selling them right? If so, PM me with a price and time frame, I'll take any happy accidents and beginner's mistakes you need to get rid of!!

Well, I'm not going to put the cart before the horse. I am going to make the first brush and use it to see how the bristles perform. They were relatively inexpensive (for silvertip) so I wasn't sure if they'd be any good, looks like they are very nice thought. Got some fancy purple heart from Woodcraft's Ft Worth branch the other day, and I've got some lathe time scheduled for tomorrow morning... I am going to make 3-4 handles. (it was a big piece of wood) Once that is complete, if the finished product is decent at all, I will be ordering more bristle knots from my supplier. Hopefully I'll have pictures to post next week!

As far as price, I really have no idea. A similarly sized Rooney or Vulfix is close to a hundred bucks, the knot costs a fraction of that. But, I don't wanna get ahead of myself. I'll post pix next week after I've lathed the handle and they have been sealed and finished, and the knot attached. If all goes well, expect more...

Originally Posted by Mike_ratliff

you'd have to lok at the label on your varnish... if it says outdoors, marine use, or water sealer on it then yes, but otherwise I wouldn't take a chance...
Tung oil, wax or any of the other hand rubbed type finishes really aren't enough for a brush, it might work, but it might not...

Think I'll be fine then, the varnish I have is for waterproofing decks, I use it to urine-proof my gliders' cages.

That knot looks impressive, I wouldn't mind having a go at making one for myself any info on were they can be bought would be great.

thread continues here:
http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=17832
warning, LOTS of pix