Re-knotting a knot (from existing brush)?

I have a horsehair brush that's continually shedding. It started out fantastic and approaching half it's volume in about two months of daily use. I'm in India and it's local and costs less than $1, so I can buy a couple and experiment. I like the handles, and the bristles... not the glue. What can I do? Will hot water loosen the knot without splitting the wood? The "glue" seems to be some kind of resinous thing.
Attachment 91970

Well, you could try using some sort of harsh adhesive remover but I can't be sure that won't damage the bristles or the handle. Since they're only a dollar, you could destroy the handles to get the knots out. Then when one of the knots starts to shed too much you can cut it out and put one of the loose knots you have into the now empty handle and use whichever glue you prefer.