Thread: How heavy should a brush handle be?

Howdy Gents!

I ordered a knot from Golden Nib and need to make a handle.

How heavy should the handle be?

One of my options has a pretty narrow base - less than an inch and is pretty light and I wonder if it should be weighted.

Thanks

BTW - I started with a $20 eBay razor, small 1k,4k & 8K waterstones, a leather belt, a bar of local made soap, and a fingernail brush. Total cost about $40.

Ummm, four weeks later and I'm triple that number.

I don't need another hobby guys. Stop it! You're a BAD influence. Talk me out of buying anything new...paaaleeese....

This is really giong to be a subjective thing. My heaviest brushes are my favorites. Don't have any idea what they weigh, but for my tastes, the heavier the better (within reason of course).

You are better than me. I just buy new or near new from the Pros and have already spent a lot. Without question, I have great tools and I am on top of consistently getting outstanding BBS shaves.

What you spent is only a down payment of what is to come........sorry to tell you this.

Looking back, no regrets. My lifestyle change and my personal improvement has been well worth it.

Pabster

Speaking from my own experience the handle should be light enough to be comfortable but whatever the weight you will get used to it. I have one brush with a brass handle and although the knot is luxurious the handle makes the overall feel unwieldy. Add to that I have to be really careful placing it bristles down in a brush holder as it will tip over if it isn't placed correctly. I also think the base of the handle should be a large enough diameter for the brush to stand up on the base without being easily tipped over. Just my 2 bits.

i have one heavy and one light and it dosent make any diffrence that i can tell.

Rather long brush handles work good for me because I use a deep wood bowl that I put a chunk of Valobra in. Personaly I like dense hardwood which is on the heavy side. (see thread, quiz for today)

Along the same lines with what Jimmy said- my 2 brushes both have trouble standing bristle-down in brush stands. Both are wood handles.

As soon as I finish my first handle, I'm planning on drilling my knot hole a little deeper than normal and will put a washer or some other slug of metal in there to move the center of gravity closer to the brush end. You might try that out.