After seeing the "apple brush" thread that Gary had started I contact him to see if one of the maple finish handles would be available. The same day he sent off the brush and two days later, it was at my door. The handle itself is nothing fancy, just a nice simple wood handle that has a triple coat matte Minwax® Polycrylic® finish. The size feels good in my hands, very similar in feel to my beloved Semogue 1438. I personally love the look and feel of it. Gary did a very nice job with it. This knot is very different than any other knot that I have purchased. Out of the package the first thing you notice is the extreme softness and how well packed that it is. Ace Shaving claims that this knot is hand packed, compared to most knots that are machine packed. Well I am believer, as this knot feels better than any high end brush that I have felt. To achieve the height of the loft that I wanted, I first glued in two nickels at the bottom of opening. I eye balled it, it looked good so I set it. Here is the brush pre-bloom: Here are some photos of it post bloom, along with the other restores that I had done in December. The new brush is the one on the right. Post Bloom, front view. Post Bloom, top view.Picture of my restores from December, the new GDC/Ace Knot is the one of the far left.The new brush used for my SOTD, New Years Day 2013. This brush holds a much larger amount of water than the TGN knot. Building a great lather was easy, with no additional water needed. I can say hands down this has become my favorite brush. Thanks Gary!!!
I'm telling you he can go into the brush business that Gary..Congrats on you new new years addition Arley..looks great!..
Here is some news from ACE Shaving on the closeout of the 27 mm knot. Hi, 27mm silvetip knot is not available, but I'm going to sell 26mm, 28mm and 29mm silvertip knots by the middle or the end of this month. Please visit me then! Thanks - aceshaving
Just curious as to where you can buy Ace shaving knots? I've been looking around for them and can't seem to find them anywhere. Thanks!
They sell on Ebay http://stores.ebay.com/Ace-Shaving-Products-Shop?_trksid=p2047675.l2568 They're a chinese company.
Arley, thanks for your review of my handle coupled up to the ACE knot I recommended. It seems like you are enjoying the combination. I hope your new brush serves you well for years to come.
Gary, I don't want to use any other brush! I did a few days ago and I missed the apple brush. For me, it s the perfect size, and the Ace Shaving Knot is the best that I have ever used, perfect balance of backbone and softness.