Thread: What are you working on?

Originally Posted by outback

Are u soaking it, beforehand? I always soak mine in a cup of hot tap water, while I'm showering. Just the first third of the
knot.

Took the words right out of my mouth Mike. I have some that are stiffer than others and those I soak first but about the firat half.

Originally Posted by outback

Are u soaking it, beforehand? I always soak mine in a cup of hot tap water, while I'm showering. Just the first third of the
knot.

I soak every brush briefly before using. Usually rinse under hot water to wet thoroughly then fill the mug that contains my soap and set the brush in it for about a minute.
I found that soaking in the mug with the soap makes the badger retain more water. Surface tension of the water I suppose - don't really know but when I'm ready to use it and hold it upside down to drain off the extra water I get a much longer steady stream of water than if it were in hot water alone without soap.
Does boar need to soak for a significantly longer time?
During some of the break in when soaking in cold water for 24hrs the bristles are certainly more saturated (as they should be) but when held up to drain off excess they still do not hold as much as a badger with a quick soak.
Its soaking again for another break in and toweling tomorrow but when it dries I will give it a go with a longer hot water soak before shaving and see if that helps.

Originally Posted by stoneandstrop

Does boar need to soak for a significantly longer time?

Again, preference is key. You don't have to soak any of them but if you want it softer then yes. I've only used one or two badger brushes but even without soaking they were too soft for my taste.

Stiffer brush, longer to soften. Think about how long a piece of horn has to soak to get soft compared to your fingernails.

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

So here's one link to the retailer I buy them from. There are other retailers and other brands but these are good, long and they're cheap at Publix. I think I liked the ones from Sally better but these are longer.

The Manufacturer doesnt have mych information on their site. But the product code is 4 way buffer #20419

https://www.publix.com/pd/diamond-co...RIO-PCI-527546

Have you ever tried these.My wife loves them and they last well.

Also I know you are into Arks.

https://www.longcreekherbs.com/produ...l-files/?gQT=1

Tim

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

Again, preference is key. You don't have to soak any of them but if you want it softer then yes. I've only used one or two badger brushes but even without soaking they were too soft for my taste.

Stiffer brush, longer to soften. Think about how long a piece of horn has to soak to get soft compared to your fingernails.

Well this is the first time I have heard about soaking longer so will definitely try that!
Alot of people don't soak either. I just do a quick one, not even a minute for badger.
Funny it feels better dry on the face than wet though. Damp fells fantastic, for Boar, lol.

Originally Posted by 32t

Have you ever tried these.My wife loves them and they last well.

Also I know you are into Arks.

https://www.longcreekherbs.com/produ...l-files/?gQT=1

Tim

No, I never knew any such thing existed. I will take a look at those. Thanks Tim.

Well, a longer soak does not seem to help at all for the Boar.
It absorbs enough just fine but retention is lacking the second it's removed from the water.
In an effort to find out what causes the prickly feeling when pressing it into your face a bit for building lather on the face I found that many hairs were inserted into the knot backwards with a clear root pointing up. These hairs while being thicker are never going to split!
The majority have split 2-4 times already, even thicker ones, which leave exceeding fine tips.
More extraction,


The brush after more lathers and buffing,




Removing the inverted hairs and the ones that looked like broomsticks with no sign of splitting made a big difference. Grading or sorting maybe is not so great with Omega but it is certainly a very nice brush that has morphed considerably in a short time given the treatment.

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

This should be a fun project. Took these chef's knives in for a restore from a customer who got them from his step-father. He is going to give them to his half sister.
Attachment 356181

He was a professional chef and these were his tools of the trade.Unfortunately someone already did some heavy sanding or grinding on them.
Attachment 356182

Of course I'll want to save his marking in the handle scales.
Attachment 356183

Got some work done on the larger butcher knife. It's hard to see from these pics but there were some pretty deep sanding marks as previously mentioned, but some were really deep.


Worked as much of those out as I was willing to. It had already been thinned some and I didn't want to go too far. It came out pretty well I think. Just some smoothing I think to even the grind and I'm leaving it at that.



The scales had pulled away from the tang some too. Fortunately one of the the rivets was loose and the other 2 came loose easily enough. That was fortuitous as it made it clear they were 2 part rivets and how they came apart.


...and they were n-n-n-nasty underneath



Here's one cleaned and the other as it was. That's just rubbed with Murphy's Oil Soap and a rag.


Rivets were green and gross also. They cleaned up nicely with steel wool and WD-40 then polished with 3M Marine



Not finished by any stretch of the imagination but happy with the progress so far.

Looks good Paul!

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS

Got some work done on the larger butcher knife. It's hard to see from these pics but there were some pretty deep sanding marks as previously mentioned, but some were really deep.


Worked as much of those out as I was willing to. It had already been thinned some and I didn't want to go too far. It came out pretty well I think. Just some smoothing I think to even the grind and I'm leaving it at that.



The scales had pulled away from the tang some too. Fortunately one of the the rivets was loose and the other 2 came loose easily enough. That was fortuitous as it made it clear they were 2 part rivets and how they came apart.


...and they were n-n-n-nasty underneath



Here's one cleaned and the other as it was. That's just rubbed with Murphy's Oil Soap and a rag.


Rivets were green and gross also. They cleaned up nicely with steel wool and WD-40 then polished with 3M Marine



Not finished by any stretch of the imagination but happy with the progress so far.

I feel your pain! However, in the end, it will be all worth while! So far so good!