Thread: Making custom brushes pt. 3

Jockeys was nice enough to hook me up with his "space-inspired" ringed handle. I used JB Weld to glue the 28mm knot and WOW. Super Chubby! (reference to the Chubby offered by Simpsons brushes). Totally awesome brush - dense, soft, huge and no shedding - all at a huge discount. I'll post some pics soon.

Spazola recommended JB Weld to secure knots and it does indeed work great. I have had my Proraso Omega Boar brush in JB Weld for six months of heavy use and it is SOLID. The diameter of the hole was too big, too, but it still works great. I would have a hard time using anything else.

I just used a scraper to cut the hole in my handle while it was on the lathe. Actually I started with a 3/8 forstner bit to make the very center of the hole nice and flat. Then I used that hole to chuck the piece, and turn the top of the handle. I was able to get a tight enough fit that I used the brush without glue, and it was fine. I used surfboard epoxy to glue my handle, because thats what I had around.

I'm not endowed with a wood shop. But I want to make a brush. I see you can pay $100 for a silver tip or you can buy a knot for $24 and put it to your own handle. I have thought about it and I looked on the net and found http://www.arizonasilhouetteinc.com/...oducts_id=2208

Not terribly exciting but passable. I thought about cutting down a dowel of about 1.25" dia. How are people making simple handles without the benefit of a Shop Smith?

Notice in the pic that the bristles are exactly the opposite colors you would expect. Tells you what they know about shaving brushes.

Thanks for posting the link for buying knots. That's awesome. I think my fingers started smoking I bookmarked that site so fast. DIY rocks. I LOVE the idea of making my own high quality brush that would go toe to toe with any pricey model at a fraction of the cost. Very cool.

Chris L

Bye bye BAD or BRAD (Brush acquisition disorder) if I ever had it (which I haven't. Too many cool razors and stones to be had).

I'll be rigging up my drill press as a small parts lathe

http://www.instructables.com/id/Drill-Press-Lathe/

Instead of using a spare drills head for the base, I found another reference to using the hub off a spare bicycle wheel. So I'm on the lookout for a junk bike wheel now.

Originally Posted by geoffreyt

I'm not endowed with a wood shop. But I want to make a brush. I see you can pay $100 for a silver tip or you can buy a knot for $24 and put it to your own handle. I have thought about it and I looked on the net and found http://www.arizonasilhouetteinc.com/...oducts_id=2208

Not terribly exciting but passable. I thought about cutting down a dowel of about 1.25" dia. How are people making simple handles without the benefit of a Shop Smith?

Notice in the pic that the bristles are exactly the opposite colors you would expect. Tells you what they know about shaving brushes.

I don't know what JB Weld is so I used one of my personal favs, Devcon 2 Ton Epoxy: http://www.tapplastics.com/shop/product.php?pid=280

I like all the Devcon products, especially their 5 minute epoxy and they are available at the mom and pop hardware shops in my neck of the woods.

This is my MONSTER 28mm next to my Simpsons Polo #8 in Best Badger and my Shavemac Pure

This 28mm knot is awesome. Huge, dense, not floppy and amazingly priced!

Mega-Kudos to Jockeys for the handle!

Simpsons Chubby can eat its heart out (at $250 for the 27mm and $312 for the 29mm, the 28mm Silvertip is incredible for about $30.00).

http://s196.photobucket.com/albums/a...t=DSCF0374.jpg

http://i196.photobucket.com/albums/a...0/DSCF0377.jpg

Originally Posted by fotoguru

I'll be rigging up my drill press as a small parts lathe

http://www.instructables.com/id/Drill-Press-Lathe/

Instead of using a spare drills head for the base, I found another reference to using the hub off a spare bicycle wheel. So I'm on the lookout for a junk bike wheel now.

Just go up to the high school about noon time. I'm sure there is a ton of them.

Hah - no doubt.

I actually went a different route. I had the bearings off my old rollerblades so I made a tailstock out of them. The brush blanks I ordered haven't come in, so I don't have pics of a brush handle yet. I do, however, have pics of a pizza slicer handle I made. I acquired this slicer a while ago and it didn't have a handle....it will soon!

Originally Posted by geoffreyt

Just go up to the high school about noon time. I'm sure there is a ton of them.

I see why you are the photoguru . . . If you wind up with a handle you want to sell, let me know. Im in the market.