Is it fixable?

[Screeby]

Like the title says, is it fixable?

Back story is my mother and her father are antique fanatics. My grandfather worked for many years as a furniture refinisher. My mother lives all things old like him. A lot of that has rubbed off on me. This past weekend my mom wanted to show me she found her Grandpa's old brush and a mug. The mug is really not that old but in nice shape. An Old Spice mug. But this brush has seen MUCH better days. I can get more pictures if needed but this should give an idea of what it looks like.

1. Can it be saved as in reknotted and used?

2. How do you disassemble it.

3. Any idea on the brand? Age? "Mayd-well"

In searching on here and the web therr is very little out there.

Thanks

KM

 

[kw1861]

If the old knot can be drilled out without destroying the socket, sure is can be reknotted. I'd coat the inside of the socket with some two part epoxy to stabilize the material, then epoxy the new knot in. I've never heard of the maker, but it looks to be 1920's or 30's. Very neat!

 

[Screeby]

I wasn't thinking when I took the picture. I should have taken better pictures. When looking at it, to me, it appears to be a 2 piece. I am going to attempt to find a picture that shows what I mean.

The wood handle part is not a "double bulb" at the end. More so a single. I could easy be wrong how this comes apart but I have to believe this type of brush has to disassemble. I just don't know how to take it apart or put it back together.

KM

 

[GAW9576]

There is a Japanese art called Kintsugi that accentuates cracks in broken pottery. They fill the crack with a lacquer mixed with gold. You could fill the crack to accent it instead of trying to hide it. And as @kw1861 suggests coat the entire inside of the cup to reinforce it.
It wil take some patience and care to remove the old knot. You could start by trimming the hairs then drilling out a small hole in the center of the remainder. Next slowly work your way out removing a little at a time. A rotary tool like a Dremel would be handy.

 

[kw1861]

I wasn't thinking when I took the picture. I should have taken better pictures. When looking at it, to me, it appears to be a 2 piece. I am going to attempt to find a picture that shows what I mean.

View attachment 1087571

The wood handle part is not a "double bulb" at the end. More so a single. I could easy be wrong how this comes apart but I have to believe this type of brush has to disassemble. I just don't know how to take it apart or put it back together.

KM

The metal collar appears to be crimped onto the wood handle. These brushes weren't made to be reknotted as a general rule. You'll have to drill, dig the old knot out carefully.

 

[GAW9576]

Also you may want to be sure you have an appropriate knot to replace it with. That does look smaller than is commonly available today. Do you know what diameter the knot base is?

 

[Screeby]

I don't. I will attempt to get some measurements off it and then report back. It may be a bit with this whole COVID19 stuff happening.

 

[Big Jim]

I doubt you can save it. That crack would be very hard to deal with and the metal part is likely tear more. The condition of the rest of the metal is certainly questionable.

But Columbus took a chance and you won't know unless you try.

 

[ajkel64]

Anything is possible with time and patience. These I do not possess, but you never know unless you give it a go.

 

[Screeby]

Well honestly it's a little scary that no one on this site has ever taken one of these apart. The other thing that bothers me is let's say I get the knot out. I cut and drill and break it all up. How am I getting another knot in there? How did they do it originally? Was it it all assembles and then stamped tight back in 19xx?

Kinda second guessing myself. I feel like I will need to "undo" the stamping of the metal. Then try to "redo" it to get the new knot in.

KM

 

[GAW9576]

The new knot would go into the hole you made taking out the old knot. The metal collar wouldn't be removed. You just put some glue in there and plug the knot in like a lightbulb in a socket.
There is definitely a risk that the metal collar could be damaged removing the old knot. You could just keep it as a keepsake in the current condition.

Here is a brush I was working on that cracked pretty bad. I mixed brass shavings with 2 part epoxy and filled the crack. You could use all kids of stuff mixed with the epoxy to color it and accentuate it.

 

[Screeby]

Not to sound like Debbie Downer here but, without doing any measuring I am guessing this project may not happen. Reason being if there is no trick to sliding the metal sleeve off of the wood in any fashion, I am unsure I could find a knot small enough to fit back down in that hole. It will be a small knot regardless but if it needs to come in from the top I could very well be in trouble.

Also, can I assume the knot is only being held by glue to the wood?

Dangerous assuming on something this old.

KM

 

[GAW9576]

On something that old I don't know how they glued them. It may be best just to keep it as a keepsake from you Grandfather. Or pick up a few cheep brushes and re knot them to see how you do. If you feel confident after restoring a few cheep brushes you don't care about maybe you could tackle this one.

 

[Screeby]

On something that old I don't know how they glued them. It may be best just to keep it as a keepsake from you Grandfather. Or pick up a few cheep brushes and re knot them to see how you do. If you feel confident after restoring a few cheep brushes you don't care about maybe you could tackle this one.

This is a pretty good idea. With summer coming maybe this Corona will settle down and flea markets and antique stores will be am option and I can pick up some old brush handles. Thank you.