This is my new (to me) 200-3. It is my birthday present to myself. It has a little damage; it looks like heat damage, which I will lightly sand along with the rest of the brush. The knot is loose and looks like it may pull out by hand. Any restoration advice would be very welcome. I've read that if you have a 24mm opening in the ferrule then you should buy a 22mm knot. Is this true in your experience? If anyone has restored one, could you please tell me what size knot you used. Perhaps if you don't have one, but have restored something similar you might be able to answer my query. Thanks guys - I don't want to mess this up. I'd love to see pictures if anyone has restored one. White paint on the lettering?
Here's a tutorial on the lettering ---> http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/how-i-restore-the-lettering-on-vintage-brushes.33939/
Thanks. I wonder if that would work on rubber? I'm thinking the paint might be harder to rub off and could I use chrome polish without that damaging the rubber?
What knot are you considering? Typically you need one smaller size knot depending on the loft you want because the hair flares out from the base of the base where it is measured.
2mm smaller knot (as measured at the very base of the knot) is the recommended difference. Note that extremely dense knots (ShaveMac D01 and some other brands) can be further reduced by another mm. 21mm knot in a 24mm brush handle, for example. Also, the deeper the knot is set, the smaller the knot should be, unless you are trying to maximize backbone.
I was considering a game-changer 24mm or a tuxedo 24mm. I also have a 400-3 but now I'm not sure these knots would fit. When I get the old knot out I'll measure the ferrule.
Both knots are nice, I'd go with the tuxedo. Look forward to seeing how it turns out. Keep us posted.
I have replaced many shaving knots with badger, horse and boar hair. Lately I have mostly used synthetic knots. And, IMHO the very best synthetic knot at the moment is the Tuxedo. I think the tuxedo knot holds water the best, lathers so easily, and feels the most like very expensive badger. SO, I'd go with the Tuxedo knot also. You won't be disappointed.
If I have a 26mm gap in the ferrule, and I buy a 24mm knot. When I put the new knot in, should I put it in until the bristles rest on the edge of the ferrule and then apply epoxy. So that when the brush is finished the knot bristles rest gently on the ferrule rather than being pushed into it. Oh, I see. I'm sorry, I didn't understand but I think the penny has dropped. You're saying that if I have a smaller knot I will be able to set it more deeply, without forcing the bristles into the ferrule. If I did force them in, then the brush would have more backbone. Yep, I think I have it, now
If I can make a suggestion, I don't use epoxy, I prefer silicone adhesive. With silicone adhesive you can experiment with different lofts by using a little dab, just enough to hold the knot in place, and if you don't like it you can pull the knot and raise or lower the loft until it's where you like it.Once you get the loft right you can set it permanently with epoxy or silicone adhesive which is what I do. Epoxy is permanent so if you don't like the loft you're pretty much stuck with it. I've restored over 40 brushes and have not had a knot come loose yet using silicone.
Yes, and no. Regardless of the knot size, you want it set with the base of the knot touching the bottom of the hole. A densely packed (with hair) knot will have more "bloom" than a less dense knot, so in that special circumstance, you can put that knot into a hole that is bigger than 2mm larger than the base of the knot, because the extra hair in the knot will 'fill in' the extra space. To give you an example, I removed a Shavemac D01 knot from a Shavemac 23mm brush. It was set 16mm deep, and the base of the knot measured 20mm. The loft was set at 44mm. In that setting, it felt like a fuzzy eraser...Over the top backbone. I had a new handle made for it, retained the 16mm deep setting, but had a 24mm hole drilled for it. Peter Wolf always chamfers the edges of his holes, so the measurement at the top of the handle was actually closer to 25mm. This turned the brush into a 'normal' brush with above average backbone. Shavemac D01 knots are the stiffest knots in the industry, and use extra long, extra thick hairs. Setting a knot is a careful balance of knowing how deep to set it (the depth can be adjusted by dropping coins in the hole to raise the base of the hole). How much loft (the measurement from the top of the handle to the top of the knot) the brush has. And finally, how wide the hole is in comparison to the size of the knot. You can play with those three variables to your heart's content, and discover the perfect brush for your face. Most Chinese made knots have a known density, which makes the 2mm size difference pretty much an industry standard. You want more backbone? Pick a finest knot. Softer face feel? Silvertip knot. Softer face feel plus backbone? High Mountain White knot (also called Manchurian). More scritch/scrubbiness? Pick a pure, black, or mixed hair knot (which I don't recommend).
Thank you very much for taking the time to explain this for me. You have been very thorough indeed. There's a lot to take on and think about. I had no idea there was so much to setting a knot. Thanks.
You are quite welcome. Setting a knot is the easiest thing in the world. Pick a knot 2mm smaller than the hole, spread silicone or epoxy in the bottom of the hole, shove the knot in and give it a half twist. Inspect for glue coming over the top of the hole and clean it away before it dries. Simple stuff. Most folks know the how of it. Few bother to learn the why. Help others as you have been helped. Make the world a better place, one day at a time.
How does that work with the 400-style handles with the removable ferrule? Wouldn't you end up gluing the knot to the base of the handle?
Watch and learn, grasshopper. http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/another-re-knot-for-shawna-video.27590/ Edit: Also, go here: http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/the-brush-basic-information-everyone-should-know.29125/ Scroll down to the bottom of the first post. I've included many brush restoration and reknot thread links there, including the one above.
