How to make your own brush without a lathe

This is a quick description of how to create your own shaving brush without using a lathe. First select a suitable piece of wood I use cypress wood. The cut the pieces out of a dead cypress tree and use a chain saw to cut the heart that has not decomposed out of the tree. I sand the section with a hand sander using 60 grain paper. Once it is a smooth I carve a collar using a Dremmel and finish by using a carving knife. Then sand with 60 grain, 120 grain, 220 grain and finally 320 grain. After this you will have to hand sand with 600 grain, 1200 grain and then 2000 grain. Next I use danish oil to reduce cracking and enhance the natural color. II use a gloss waterproof acrylic coating then glue the knot in with gorilla expoy. below are photos to take you through the process. This is the third brush I every made I'm not an expert in wood working I'm just stubborn. I made up my mind to make my own brush and found out it is not that difficult everyone can do this. This just requires time. If you have any questions while making your own brush just pm me and I I will try try my best best to best to help you.

 

Nothing wrong with that brush, nice job!

 

Nicely done!

 

You did some very good work there.

 

Now I need to go find a suitable tree to start making my new handle. I think I will try to make it with no power tools. I'll post a thread when I find the perfect specimen to start working with.

 

Very Nice! That looks as nice as any I have seen.

 

NEW 30 mm brush I made today it is large and heavy and it worked really nice the bad part is the wife just said I have enough shaving brushes now I have to go back to making makeup brushes to for her lol

 

Excellent work! Please show us some of the Kabuki brushes as well.

P.S. most of us who do this type of stuff (including me) are not necessarily artists or craftsmen, just a stubborn bunch of individuals!

 

These are two sets i made a few weeks ago. After making a few brushes my wife said if I want to keep buying shaving crap I need to find a way to pay for it. So I made a few make up brushes with some 18 mm silvertip badger knots and sold them to a wealthy lady in town. The next day she commissions me to make two three brush sets with a stand for her daughters for Mother's Day and paid me very very well . When my wife saw how much I made she said you can't spend all that in shaving crap and I was laughing but dear you told me to find a way go pay for it and I did now your complaining again lol. Anyway I didn't spend it all on shaving crap (lol).

These are the two sets. One only has two brushes the picture is from before I finished the last set

 

Very nice. Take care of your lady.

 

@Ceferguson
congratulations !


I am not sure but did you over-glue the knot or the photo tricks my eyes ?

 

Yes I put too much glue. I'm sure that is a common rookie error

 

Hooray! Good for you and thank you for the excellent tips and photos!

I REALLY like the title of this thread. We are culturally conditioned that brush handles have to be symmetric, so it would follow that you need a lather to make one. Well, as you have shown... hogwash to that!

I've got a great book on woodworking that I value for its philosophy more than its instruction. The author explains that symmetry is a modern aesthetic. "Back in the day," people would have valued comfort over shape. The author advises "The handle part fits into my hand the way I like. Make yours to be this comfortable for you."

No lathes. No Norm. Just a guy, a couple of tools, and a piece of wood. It can be its own zen-like experience, similar to wet shaving!

Nice craftsmanship. Keep up the good work and thanks for sharing!

 

Me too i have done something similar.
Put glue in the bottom of the base knot and not in the sides because when you push the knot into the handle if it's tight the glue will rise up to the bristles
Better in the sides of the handle and the quantity of the glue that you put on the base knot will spread out if you twist the knot gently and will cover the area in the bottom.

 

Semper Fidelis Patrick.



Nice Brush!

 

Semper Fi

 

@Ceferguson, it was this thread that put the idea in my mind that I could make my own brush handles. Thanks for the idea.

 

I really like those, how did you get the black ring around the knot. Is that a plastic cup that is attached to the hair or did you put it on the brush?

 

I believe he said in a pervious post that they are plumbing O' Rings. Good idea eh!