When I started making brushes, I didn't think much about loft. At the time I also used mainly creams and bowl lathered. Now, during the last year I have more and more migrated to soaps and also do a lot of face lathering, and prefer brushes with a backbone, but soft tips and short loft (like a Rooney 1/1 or my Tulip 2). One of the brushes I made for myself was a nice UK Super Badger set in an Ali Baba style handle. Although the knot is about 67 mm in total length, I set it at a loft of approx. 55/56 mm. Still, this brush is way too floppy and due to the fact that it is not a very dense knot, it was never fun to use. Today I decided to this knot another chance: re-handle the knot and set it at about 41-43 mm was the task. I took a hammer and smashed the handle! Wow, I was amazed how extremely well the 2-part epoxy glue I use was holding! During the last year I have repaired and re-handled several brushes, and none had such a good glue bond. Took quite some work to get that knot out without too much damage to it. Then I turned myself a nice handle and set the knot in the new handle at about 41/42 mm loft. Tomorrow, it gets the first chance to show off, guess I will face lather with some Palmolive sticks I just received from Peter in the UK.
Its an acrylic (i.e. "plastic") material and its called "Butterscotch Swirl". It is like my faux ivory and has a slight swirl of gray and butterscotch in it. Looks pretty nice!
