Couldn't resist this handle (green) on the Ever-Ready 102 at the antique store and got a great deal. Could someone confirm that this is boar hair? Also, if I want to replace the knot what size knot would I be looking for and any recommendations for hair type, size and source. Any sites that provide specs for these old Ever-Ready brushes? I am primarily a face lather-er. I will DIY (or if it looks to difficult, will just display this brush).
Beautiful brush. Yes that is boar. After you get the old knot out you can measure for the knot size. Probably a 21ish at a guess. It would look fantastic with a Tuxedo knot from Maggards. Just my .02
It's a good looking brush. After removing the knot, measure the opening and the knot you would install would be about 1.5mm - 2mm smaller in diameter. Also, the opening can be enlarged if a larger knot is desired.
I concur with @wchnu on the material of the knot. Though I've done many Ever Ready's, they can be Easy peasy or the Beast from the east; it all depends on the materials they made them from. I would look over some youtube videos and give it a try. That said ... DON'T STEAM OUT THE KNOT! I've seen it destroy beautiful handles. If when you remove the knot you find that it's a 19mm; you can alway bore it out to 20 to 22mm easily. PM me if you need any help.
I've reknotted several Ever-Ready handles but never a 102. From the look of it, you'll have enough material available to open up the opening in case you want a larger knot like a 24mm. Most of the Ever-Readys I've done have been hollow handles, so I've increased their weight by filling the handle with epoxy up to the level I want to set the knot, but also added a couple of 9mm bullets (just the bullets, not the cartridges!). It worked out well to give a good feel to the brush and made epoxying the knot easier as the depth was already set.
How is your project coming along? That is a nice looking handle. I hope you are successful in your restore whether you choose a boar or a synthetic knot.
Dremeled out the boar knot and have a bit of room to expand. Will expand and replace with a Maggards B&W 22mm knot for face lathering. Ordering knot and epoxy.
Looking forward to some pics, as this progresses. BTW, for measuring the inside diameter of a brush, I like to use a digital caliper. See example below; https://www.lowes.com/pd/General-Tools-Instruments-3-in-Digital-Caliper/3138565
