Thread: Advice for my first brush

Hi all,

Just about to try my hand at a brush and hoping for some advice on the size and depth of the hole for the brush.

I have a badger brush, the base is 20mm dia in resin (no knot) and the brush is about 65mm in height.

Do I just drill a slightly larger hole deep enough to cover the resin base or should I be seating it a little deeper?

For anyone interested I'm doing a brush, bowl and stand along with a re-handled safety razor for a friend. If I have time I will try to make the entire safety razor. All in ringed gidgee.

TIA

I've only just completed my first two brushes so I don't have a ton of experience to share, but they did turn out ok. I think you have the right idea, the hole is to be a little wider than the resin and then deep enough so you have the desired height from the top of the handle to the tips of brush. Say you drill in 15mm then you will have 50mm sticking out. So depends on your preference there. You can do a test fit and then make it deeper if you want to. Good luck, sounds like a fun project. Update with pics!!

Originally Posted by xiaotuzi

I've only just completed my first two brushes so I don't have a ton of experience to share, but they did turn out ok. I think you have the right idea, the hole is to be a little wider than the resin and then deep enough so you have the desired height from the top of the handle to the tips of brush. Say you drill in 15mm then you will have 50mm sticking out. So depends on your preference there. You can do a test fit and then make it deeper if you want to. Good luck, sounds like a fun project. Update with pics!!

That is a good point, thanks for your advice. I'll try until it looks how I want.
I will post a pic or two as soon as I'm done.

Thanks again.

Matt

So I had a go. I'm happy enough for a first go but would love some feedback, especially where I can improve.

Thanks

Did a spread sheet of a heap of brush dimensions I found on line and got an average of about 2.2 times the knot width to exposed knot height ratio, now this was the base of the knot where it is wider not the actual plug
And have applied this ratio to a few brushes I've done made new and restored after my 1st couple seamed floppy with the plug only inserted
Hopefully Andrew or one of the more experienced brush guys can add to this

Also this was for black badger and silver tip badger knots I used

Originally Posted by Substance

Did a spread sheet of a heap of brush dimensions I found on line and got an average of about 2.2 times the knot width to exposed knot height ratio, now this was the base of the knot where it is wider not the actual plug
And have applied this ratio to a few brushes I've done made new and restored after my 1st couple seamed floppy with the plug only inserted
Hopefully Andrew or one of the more experienced brush guys can add to this

Also this was for black badger and silver tip badger knots I used

Thanks mate. The brushes I have don't have a knot, just a resin base, but The info is still good. I'll keep it in mind for when I get some brushes with knots.

Your brush is looking pretty darn good my friend. Nice work!

Lets clear up some terminology. Many refer to the entire badger hair configuration as a "Knot." So what you have up there in the picture is a 20mm badger knot, no matter if it has an epoxy plug or a hand tied base.


As for depth, and hole size, Substance has summed it up pretty nicely. I usually go 2mm bigger in diameter than what the plug dimension is. As for how deep to drill the hole, typically I don't measure the depth of the hole, I measure the height of the hair above the handle. I will have a pre determined height already picked out, like 48mm. I constantly put the badger knot in, and measure the current protruding hair, or the "loft" as we call it. I continue drilling and checking until I have my desired loft.

Make sure you rough up that epoxy plug a little before epoxying it in. Also, you may want to think about sealing the inside cup before gluing as well. A couple wipes of ca glue around the inside seals it up real nice.

Hope this helps.

Originally Posted by HARRYWALLY

Your brush is looking pretty darn good my friend. Nice work!

Lets clear up some terminology. Many refer to the entire badger hair configuration as a "Knot." So what you have up there in the picture is a 20mm badger knot, no matter if it has an epoxy plug or a hand tied base.


As for depth, and hole size, Substance has summed it up pretty nicely. I usually go 2mm bigger in diameter than what the plug dimension is. As for how deep to drill the hole, typically I don't measure the depth of the hole, I measure the height of the hair above the handle. I will have a pre determined height already picked out, like 48mm. I constantly put the badger knot in, and measure the current protruding hair, or the "loft" as we call it. I continue drilling and checking until I have my desired loft.

Make sure you rough up that epoxy plug a little before epoxying it in. Also, you may want to think about sealing the inside cup before gluing as well. A couple wipes of ca glue around the inside seals it up real nice.

Hope this helps.

Thanks for taking the time to respond. Greatly appreciated, and combined with the information provided by Substance I have a much better idea of what I should be doing now.

I will be sure to seal the cup and rough up the epoxy, two things I definitely hadn't considered.

I am on to a new handle for a safety razor in titanium and more ringed gidgee so will post up progress of the set as I go for anyone interested

Best regards,

Matt

The ringed Gidgee makes awesome knife scales, look forward to seeing it in a brush

Originally Posted by Substance

The ringed Gidgee makes awesome knife scales, look forward to seeing it in a brush

I've used it on a few knives, recently did a damascus Bowie with ringed gidgee handle and presentation box with bookmatched ringed gidgee panels. I can't take credit for the box though, was commissioned through a friend and I just supplies the timber.

Do you have an Aus source for your brush heads or do you order from O/S?

Cheers