Thread: Brush restore question...

I had seen a mug, badger brush and boxed cake of williams soap at a local antique shop. The brush's handle was all cracked. My questions is if this brush can be saved. Can you take the brush head and somehow glue it into anothere handle? If so, where can I get one? I know that brushes can get expensive and if this can be done pretty inexpensively then maybe I can go that route.

Oh yeah, about the soap, I don't know how old it would be, but would it still be any good?

Thanks. I am almost ready for my first shave.

I have no idea if it can be done, but I would question if it would even be worth it. I've restored a couple of brushes myself, but that is using the old handle and putting a new knot in it, not the other way round.

Sure it can be done. But as stated above would it be worth it to you?

I have recently received a Jaguar Boar Brush I am very happy with for just a penny under $8.00, and good, fairly inexpensive Badgers are available likewise.

(Check the Reviews Section under Brushes)

I have also swapped out a Badger Brush Knot (which I removed from it's unsuitable handle), and inserted it into an old heafty turned handle (which I much adored). Not a difficult operation, not too time consuming either...but mainly I just thought of it as a fun little project to try. I was not dissapointed with the results either (first try at it).

Old worn out brushes with great handles can be found everywhere "The Bay", thrift stores etc. Find one with a similar knot dia. (simplifies matters greatly) and give it a try. However, I would consider it a "fun project to try", not necessarily a cost saving means of acquiring a "working" brush.

As for the soap....one way to find out!

Willie

Originally Posted by wireless00

I had seen a mug, badger brush and boxed cake of williams soap at a local antique shop. The brush's handle was all cracked. My questions is if this brush can be saved. Can you take the brush head and somehow glue it into anothere handle? If so, where can I get one? I know that brushes can get expensive and if this can be done pretty inexpensively then maybe I can go that route.

Oh yeah, about the soap, I don't know how old it would be, but would it still be any good?

Thanks. I am almost ready for my first shave.

Hello wireless00,

Yes you can remove a knot from a handle and stick it into another handle if you can remove the knot without damaging it. Since the handle is already cracked you would carefully and slowly keep chipping away the handle from the knot. Then measure the knots diameter from the bottom of the knot and find another handle with a similar diameter knot.

Handles can be found everywhere you can find old razors: antique stores, e-bay, classifieds They are usually very cheap unrestored $1-10 on average.

As far as the soap, depending on the type of soap (glycerin, tallow, triple milled, soft soap) it can last many years even decades. The scent of the soap will usually have all but disappeared but it should lather near to how it did when it was new. You would want to shave off the exterior though as it is no doubt embedded with dirt.

So in short can all this be done? Yes

Is it cost effective? Not really

1. You said the soap was a puck of williams. Williams soap has been around forever and you can buy a new puck for a couple dollars at any wallgreens, so why bother using a old dirty puck.

2. the time energy and shipping to get all the stuff needed to restore the badger knot will sorta balance or even outweigh the cost of buying a new badger brush. If you are hell bent on saving a buck with a badger get a cheap tweezerman $10-15.

most people who restore brushes do so for the handles, every once in a while they will find a knot that works wonders for them and transfer it to another handle but these are few and far between. Unless it is a NOS mint very expensive brand knot found for dirt cheap in a busted handle I would pass and buy new just my $0.02

hope this helped

Are the Tweezerman's any good? How do they compare to the more expensive brushes?

With me, money is always an object. I always try going the cheap route, but I want some quality at the same time. I'd love to be able to just buy whatever I wanted, but unfortunately I am unable to do so. That's why I like this hobby with SRs, you can go as cheap or expensive as you want and still get great items.

wireless00;516094]Are the Tweezerman's any good? How do they compare to the more expensive brushes?

With me, money is always an object. I always try going the cheap route, but I want some quality at the same time. I'd love to be able to just buy whatever I wanted, but unfortunately I am unable to do so. That's why I like this hobby with SRs, you can go as cheap or expensive as you want and still get great items.

wireless,

Yes they are...You can always upgrade later to a slightly more expensive quality badger brush running $25.00 - $30.00. Check out the SRD website. They offer a Simpsons Wee Scot brush for $35.95. You probably already know how highly regarded Simpsons brushes are among shavers. Just check out the SRP shaving brush forum. The Wee Scot is regarded by some shaving afficionados as one of the best, affordable yet underrated Simpson brushes around.

You can also peruse the badger brushes on the Best Grooming and Tools website. They offer some quality, relatively inexpensive badger hair brushes.

Originally Posted by mbwhoosh

Hello wireless00,

Yes you can remove a knot from a handle and stick it into another handle if you can remove the knot without damaging it. Since the handle is already cracked you would carefully and slowly keep chipping away the handle from the knot. Then measure the knots diameter from the bottom of the knot and find another handle with a similar diameter knot.

Handles can be found everywhere you can find old razors: antique stores, e-bay, classifieds They are usually very cheap unrestored $1-10 on average.

As far as the soap, depending on the type of soap (glycerin, tallow, triple milled, soft soap) it can last many years even decades. The scent of the soap will usually have all but disappeared but it should lather near to how it did when it was new. You would want to shave off the exterior though as it is no doubt embedded with dirt.

So in short can all this be done? Yes

Is it cost effective? Not really

1. You said the soap was a puck of williams. Williams soap has been around forever and you can buy a new puck for a couple dollars at any wallgreens, so why bother using a old dirty puck.

2. the time energy and shipping to get all the stuff needed to restore the badger knot will sorta balance or even outweigh the cost of buying a new badger brush. If you are hell bent on saving a buck with a badger get a cheap tweezerman $10-15.

most people who restore brushes do so for the handles, every once in a while they will find a knot that works wonders for them and transfer it to another handle but these are few and far between. Unless it is a NOS mint very expensive brand knot found for dirt cheap in a busted handle I would pass and buy new just my $0.02

hope this helped

Hi, what glue should I use to secure a new knot in an old handle? Thanks.

There are several choices. If the fit is nice and tight some Epoxy that is surely waterproof and heatproof will work. If the fit is a tad off Gorilla Glue can be used. It expands as it dries. I've used Gorilla Glue in a Elephant Ivory handled brush I have where the hole was drilled a tad too large and epoxy won't hold it. The Gorilla Glue worked fine.