Handle project waiting for a knot.

[awa54]

Here is a handle that I made up from some tiger maple I have kicking around (a whole board actually). Yes it's slightly oval and yes I ought to have cut the blank at a different angle to get the most flame depth on the sides of the handle...

I think I'll put a 20mm Finest fan shaped knot in it from TGN, but this time out I'll be setting it for a 45mm loft(already did this knot in a Simpson Special handle at 50mm loft).

 

[JaxJim]

Looks like you're off to a great start! What type of finish are you planning for the finished brush?

 

[Doryferon]

Nice "grain" that handle has
I'd like to see it in the end how will looks.

 

[Jarick]

Would be neat to dye it, then lightly sand back, then finish it to make the grain pop. Very cool pattern on there.

 

[awa54]

Looks like you're off to a great start! What type of finish are you planning for the finished brush?

I think it will just be Watco/Danish oil, at some point I'll try another with Shellac to get a shinier finish, but this one is going to be a matte finish.

 

[JaxJim]

I think it will just be Watco/Danish oil, at some point I'll try another with Shellac to get a shinier finish, but this one is going to be a matte finish.

That'll be gorgeous-- be sure to post photos!

 

[f86sabjf]

interesting grain . looking forward to the finished product

 

[awa54]

...made another smaller one using the grain at 90 degrees from the first, it's *different*, but maybe not *better*. I think that'll get an 18mm TGN silvertip, or maybe Finest again.

gotta order some knots now!

 

[awa54]

knots ordered!

 

[awa54]

knots arrived today, now to drill a handle....

 

[awa54]

the small handle is drilled to accept the 18mm TGN Silvertip at 45mm loft, now I just have to be patient and wait for the Watco oil to dry enough that it won't interfere with the epoxy (the base of the knot socket is still untreated maple, but I treated the inside about half way down with Watco).

 

[JaxJim]

Patience indeed is a virtue in this situation, for sure. Eager to see the results!

 

[awa54]

Knot installed... maybe tomorrow morning?

 

[Reevers]

Great looking handle, looking forward to the completed pics!

 

[awa54]

Here it is in finished form, with one shave on the knot (and a couple of test lathers). The handle is local "soft" maple with a nice flame (it's rock hard and the grain is so dense that it almost feels like resin rather than wood when being worked), "turned" freehand on a belt sander, then finish sanded to 400grit and treated with several applications of Watco Danish oil. The knot is a TGN Silvertip "standard" grade 18mm (more like 16.5) at the base, the opening at top of brush handle is closer to 19mm and the loft is 45mm.

Overall, I'd call it subjectively fairly soft, both in terms of the tips and the backbone, however it's short enough that floppiness isn't an issue and it does an admirable job of delivering a face scrub while lathering despite the comparative lack of spring and density. It lathers very nicely and holds a generous two passes of Mike's Barbershop, or a sufficient three passes, I think it would pull off a full three passes with many soaps and might also make three with Mike's if I loaded to saturation, but the current results are based on loading like I do with my regular rotation brushes, which are all a bit larger and/or denser than this one.

 

[igasho]

looks awesome I probably wouldve shot for a black badger knot or perhaps a silvertip dyed black, would set off the wood immensly, but Im a different duck

 

[JaxJim]

Wonderful result-- great work!

 

[awa54]

looks awesome I probably wouldve shot for a black badger knot or perhaps a silvertip dyed black, would set off the wood immensly, but Im a different duck

I like the black look as well, but wanted to try silvertip as I have not owned one up until now.

I guess my immediate reaction is that while silvertip is a very decent bristle, for me to *love* it the knot will have to be denser than this one is.

...making these handles is fairly easy, so I can certainly do a black knot in one later on

 

[awa54]

I turned a couple of handles from Macassar Ebony and Lignum Vitae last night... I can see why nobody makes a production brush handle out of Lignum Vitae, it doesn't turn to a smooth finish easily and it plugs up sand paper almost instantly. However when the LV is sanded to perfection the finish is amazing.

 

[Nadir M]

Looks great!