making your own knot?

so i decided after some mild suggestion that my brush was getting a little tired and i am going to make my own.

anybody have any experience with the exact epoxy used?

i was just going to fly by the seat of my pants and visit my local taxidermist to try and get badger hair.

but if anybody has any sort of insight into from where on the badger one might get it (tail/rump/underbelly etc...)

or how to clump it when glueing to create that nice mushroom top without driving yourself nuts

i am fairly capable and have been successfully building and repairing all sorts of stuff for while now, and i work as a tradesman so advanced insight is welcome, primitive advice is also welcome.

Seems like that wouldn't work too well.A few of us have been having fun re-modeling old brushes and installing new knots.I use this company as I think most guys do.

badger hair shaving brushes and knots, wholesale pricing

on the chanse that it would work
you would need a piece of tubing preferably something with adjustable width
so you can compress the hairs before gluing
load the tube with tips down then cut flush tighten and turn to apply glue
i think it would round off the top when the hairs spread out again

oh and i think its back hair that is used or for silvertip the skunk stripe

We were talking about this in chat one day and Olivia shot me a link from one of the brush mfgs. that gave an overview of the process-

I didn't save the link or try it, nothing like that-just sayin' it's out there.

These did not use plastic or whatever to bind the hairs. The platic ones, it may be helpful to know that part is actually cone shaped, there is more to it than the cylindrical base left visible.

i was thinking of finding a pelt and testing it to find the most appealing consistency, cut an appropriate clump. put it square and straight then take maybe wrap a zip tie and compress it. take my finger and push up in the center to produce desired results, then take a 2 part epoxy and pour it into something disposable like a film canister coated in petroleum jelly. let it soak and dry then cut the knot out and and grind off the excess.

just an idea though..

but with all that in mind... the prices on those knots are wicked cheap so its almost just knot worth it, so we will see

I tie flies, and while I have never made a shaving brush I think it would be similar to stacking hair for a fly.

Basically you cut the hair and comb out the under hairs. Place the guard hairs into a tube and tap it gently against a surface to align the tips. Once they are alligned you slide them out, and tie them. For a brush knot I would pull them out until I got the length that I want and tie around them to hold them together, then I would put the glue into the end and continue to whip the end with the thread.

Having never tried this myself I am no expert, but I wouldn't wonder for a second if it would work.

so i talked with the taxidermist and he was a little help, in the fact that apparently boar is relatively unattainable except by mail order $$$$$$ in area, and he didnt have any badger. as well the only part on a badger that might be long enough for a brush turns out to be the tail (apparently).

so we started talking about different alternative hairs and the easiest and most relatively available hair that isnt hollow and therefore wont breakdown quickly is going to be bear.

it looks like i can get a chunk big enough to make a brush from black bear for about 10-15 bucks... hmmm still on the fence

any ideas?

p.s.-- that also includes polar bear, thinking of making one out of black bear and if it works then out of polar bear... yeah a polar bear shaving brush pretty sure it wouldnt get more badass then that.

How about horse hair, from the tail, I mean? I know a guy who makes violin bows, and he's always got short pieces that are good for making other kinds of brushes from. I keep one on my workbench, to sweep away shaving and chips when I'm carving.

You can easily obtain the underside of a pig via these folks here:
http://www.infinitytrading.com/pork_belly_futures_options.html
I'm sure if you spoke to the right people you can actually get one before the haircut.