Pfft!! Don't get me started on the 400-4! All I hear is 'terrible', 'waste of money', 'wish it was an omega handle, miss that resin', etc. Just don't even search for them.
These come in 400-3, 400-4 and the even more rare 400-unstamped. All three versions will take a 24mm knot. The number was used as a designation of the length of the brush (longer knot) That cap will unscrew but they are usually on there really tight so the best method I've found is to use two small rubber strap wrenches to get them apart. One goes on the cap and one on the handle. Use the leverage and twist it. These are quite thick and durable so you shouldn't cause any damage getting it apart. Once apart you can tape the bristles and cut them off. You'll want to place the cap only on a piece of wood before drilling a few good sized holes through the remaining knot and black glue that holds it in. The glue will stink when you are drilling through it so do it outside or in the garage. It'll make sense where to drill once the cap is off and you can see it from the bottom. I then use a small screwdriver and hammer to carefully knock out the remaining pieces of glue. A dremel can be used to clean up the remaining glue from the inside of the cap once the knot is completely removed. Once you finish the sanding and polishing you can add a knot and colored o-ring between the cap and handle to give it a nice look. The knot is glued in from the bottom of the cap. You can epoxy it in but it's a good idea to use silicone as it will allow the knot to be removed and reinstalled so that you can find the perfect height. Once you find exactly where you'd like it then consider a 5 minute epoxy to set it permanently. The o-rings can be purchased from body jewelry type stores (you'll find more colors there) as they are used with large gauges that they use to deform their ears. The Golden Nib or Whipped Dog are both good places to buy knots from. I have three of these (I'll get some pics up when I have some time) and I've sanded and polished them to a perfect mirror finish. I'd recommend avoiding the power tools here and go with hand sanding. The more time you spend here the better your brush will look. I've spent between 3 and 5 hours on each of mine to get them very close to perfect. Some variation of this will work-> 220 dry sand -> 220 wet sand -> 320 dry -> 320 wet -> 400 wet (all wet from here on out) -> 600 -> 800 -> 1000 -> 1500 -> 2000 -> 2500 -> 3000 -> then Mother's Aluminum polish about 3 times You can follow that with some type of car wax if you'd like. The high grit sandpaper can sometimes be found in the automotive section at Walmart or at your local auto parts store. If you want the really high grit stuff then you need to find an auto body supply place or find it on the internet.
I'd seriously look at a Semogue 2000 if it would fit and short loft it. I have a 2000 coming in the mail that I have plans for.
If anyone is interested the rubber o-rings for the Rubberset 400 brushes can be purchased at www.steelnavel.com. I've ordered them from there in the past and they work quite well with these brushes. I bought Red, Blue, White and Black several months back but they may have more colors available now.
I'm trying but keep getting "the file is too large". Any advice? I'm starting with jpeg images from my phone. I've converted them to .gif but still too large.
Here is one way of doing it: "Depending on your phone & apps, you can crop/resize pictures on your phone, but this is what I do: 1. Upload your pic to www.postimage.org 2. Select size you want ("message boards") 3. copy the "direct link" from the results 4. Paste into TSD post in the format (w/o spaces): [ IMG ] link [/ IMG]"
You could follow Darkbulb advice. Or you could send me the brush and I could take the pictures for for you. but you might not get the brush back... I just want to be in the 400 club
Ask and you shall receive. I don't collect shave gear to stare at it. I use and enjoy everything I own or I get rid of it. Do note that while these looked absolutely perfect when I finished them I do use and enjoy them so they aren't perfect anymore. Nothing I couldn't fix with a wet sand using the final grit sandpaper and a quick polish but you'll get the idea. These do tarnish a bit from time to time so you may catch some of that in the pics if you really stare at them but the aluminum polish quickly removes it. I may try car wax as a final coat to see if it slows or completely eliminates the tarnishing. Here you go... Starting with a pic of the sought after #4... Here's a pick of all three... And some more pics for your enjoyment...
The number 4 with the blue o-ring and the number 3 with the white o-ring contain TGN High Mountain White knots. The knot in the number 4 is a shedder and the replacement knot went into the number 3. I still have to remove the knot in the 4 and replace it with something else but I'm not sure what I want to replace it with yet. The other number three (with the black o-ring) contains a TGN Finest Fan knot. I know that these brushes originally come with a boar knot but my preference is for badger. The contrast between the color of the badger knot and the bright mirror finish give it a nice look as well.
Oh wow....they are gorgeous. Now I know I can't just have one....I obviously need more! Thanks for the photos, truly great looking brushes!
Thanks, I want more of them too. I don't need any more but I still look for them and follow them on the auctions. I think I keep looking for them because I enjoy the satisfaction I get from the restoration process. I just won't pay over the top prices for them now so I keep getting outbid.
