the sloop?

[CzechCzar]

Hey everybody

I have an honest question that I hope someone will be able to help me with. I don't understand the sloop in many shaving brushes. By that I mean the indentation around the base of the handle. It is uncomfortable for me, as I feel it forces my hands into a specific place and I am not really able to move my fingers- they feel constrained.

Would anyone be willing to post some pictures of how they hold their brushes, if their brushes are of this type?

Thanks!

 

[jsrdrnr]

Not sure what you are talking about. Can you post a pic of your brush really quickly?

 

[valmara1971]

I hadent ever thought about this before? I wonder what you think of the new LE 2009 B&B brush it has no such animal on it.

 

[mmack66]

John B

 

[CzechCzar]

I ask because I actually just sold a B&B 2008. The brush head was incredible, but I don't like the lack of flexibility. My fingers felt constrained to that one portion by the base. I'd prefer something with a little more flexibility. Hence, I bought a Rooney 1/1 because that design looks very flexible. I am selling most of my other brushes to pay for it, because most of them have this problem.

 

[CzechCzar]

My brush was this. See how there's a little dip towards the base of the brush? That makes it so you have to hold your fingers there to get a comfortable grip. I like to be able to hold the brush in various places, comfortably.

 

[jsrdrnr]

Mine is a little different but I hold it closer to the knot, up at the fat part.

 

[WhosYerBob]

Mine is a little different but I hold it closer to the knot, up at the fat part.

That's the same for me during the later passes. During the first pass I actually dig my fingers into the knot so I can get lots of scrubbing going on. For me, it doesn't really matter what the handle looks like or feels like just so long as it holds the knot securely.

 

[thunderball]

Yep, I hold way up high with my fingers on the base of the knot too.

 

[SRock]

Totally depends on the brush. I have owned over 20 brushes (now narrowed down to 8) and I never got rid of one because of the shape of the handle. When I've eliminated a brush from my rotation it was due to one of two things, either a lack of use or a dislike of some sort about the knot.

I've always been able to find a good holding position. That BBE that you recently sold is a good example. I hold mine near the knot on the fatter part of the handle and the indentations don't bother me at all.

I think you an find a solution with most shapes.

 

[Topgumby]

A little surgery could fix this. Having three of your fingers shortened could give you a custom "brush hand", built to hold brushes perfectly despite the little indent put in the handle for hanging on brush stands.....

Seriously, if this bugs you, you are probably in a pretty small group, and there aren't going to be a lot of manufacturers catering to your preference. You'd better order custom, or better yet, make your own brush with a Penworks knot and a handle of your choosing. I'd think an old pool cue, broom handle, plastic rod or any number of cylindrical objects could be cut to size and drilled to hold the knot, and then you would have a "ShizzyMcJizzles Signature Custom No-Sloop Special" that the world could only envy.

 

[john parker]

Some place in the forum either Joel or Jim as I recall had pictures showing a variety of ways to grip a specific brush. I want to say it was the B&BE 2008, but not dead sure. Maybe someone remembers. Or perhaps you could sit down to a search, at least starting with the B&B Essential. Good luck, John