Need some help with a restore

[weenerdog3443]

I picked up this lot the other day and was looking for some ideas on how to refinish one of them. The handle in specific is the white and blue on the right side. The top is blue rubber and the bottom is a white fine type of stone. The previous owner said that it use to have plastic on the bottom. I would love to keep the handle even if its like it is but it seems the white stone can kind of chip or rub off easily. Any one reccomend anything to protect it or had handles like this.

 

[Hex]

No help from me Harvitz.

I had a similar one, with what looked like cracked bakelite. (It wasn't bakelite). Anyway, as I started to work on it, the crack widened and the bottom came off. What was left was that white stone looking stuff.

I eventually threw it away.

 

[Legion]

The stone stuff is probably the plaster that they used to fill the void inside the handle with. The plastic on the outside has broken away. If you get it wet it will disintegrate. My feeling is the handle is dead but you could try giving it a coating of resin to seal it.

 

[staxchipswell]

The first one from the left is huge...that 30mm from TGN looks like it might fit nicely...that would be my starting point.

 

[JeffE]

Hard to tell what to do based on your description.

When you say "white stone" that can chip or rub off easily, I can assume that the stone part isn't marble, quartz, limestone or something that people would usually think of as stone. Instead, it sounds like you're using the word "stone" to mean some kind of brittle mystery stuff that's not plastic, wood or resin. Is it like plaster or clay? Because that's what it sounds like from the description.

If that's the case, then you can always try coating it with polyurethane or epoxy, but I'm not sure that's going to give you much protection in the long run. The reason is that, even with a coating, plaster and hardened clay are incredibly brittle, and the first time you hit the shaving brush against the edge of a mug while whipping up lather, you're going to chip or break it. It's the same reason why lots of shaving brushes aren't made of glass or crystal.

Personally, I would send the blue one to Rudy Vey and ask him to replace the white "stone" with a nice wooden base made on his lathe. The blue part of the handle is very nice and would probably clean up to a nice shine. Rudy would also do a great job installing the knot.

And that would give you time to focus on some of the other handles in your collection. Several of them look like winners!

 

[Blue58]

I could be wrong but the big one on the left end looks to be one of the horse hair brushes that was used to dust off the hair on your neck and shoulders after a haircut. it would be awesome if you can find a horse willing to donate its tail to your cause

 

[JeffE]

I could be wrong but the big one on the left end looks to be one of the horse hair brushes that was used to dust off the hair on your neck and shoulders after a haircut. it would be awesome if you can find a horse willing to donate its tail to your cause

Those neck dusters usually aren't round like that one. I think the one on the left is just a really large "barber" or "pro" shaving brush, like a number 5 handle. A 28 or 30 mm knot would fit it well, and probably would make for a really cool restored brush.

 

[Blue58]

Those neck dusters usually aren't round like that one. I think the one on the left is just a really large "barber" or "pro" shaving brush, like a number 5 handle. A 28 or 30 mm knot would fit it well, and probably would make for a really cool restored brush.

All the ones I ever saw as a kid were round like that one. big and round and had long white bristles about 5 inches long.

very similar to what you see here......

http://www.purtlesupply.com/hair-care/barber-neck-dusters.html

 

[Joe Edson]

I'm not sure the blue and white one can be saved. I threw that lot up there on the cheap as a frankenbrush lot to mix and match. All the wooden handled ones should be easily restored with some elbow grease. The two handles to the left of the blue and white one would probably be easier to start with as well (just clean the hair and glue out of that one and re-epoxy the base to it).

You may be able to put a ton of coats of polyurethane on the blue/white one to seal as water will kill that plaster.

Another possibility would be to cut off the plaster and put a round shaped wooden base on there and seal it with polyurethane. I've seen someone do something similar awhile ago.

The large handle on the left can take a 28mm knot, but I don't think a 30mm will fit.

 

[weenerdog3443]

I'm not sure the blue and white one can be saved. I threw that lot up there on the cheap as a frankenbrush lot to mix and match. All the wooden handled ones should be easily restored with some elbow grease. The two handles to the left of the blue and white one would probably be easier to start with as well (just clean the hair and glue out of that one and re-epoxy the base to it).

You may be able to put a ton of coats of polyurethane on the blue/white one to seal as water will kill that plaster.

Another possibility would be to cut off the plaster and put a round shaped wooden base on there and seal it with polyurethane. I've seen someone do something similar awhile ago.

The large handle on the left can take a 28mm knot, but I don't think a 30mm will fit.

Yea I have already started on the wooden handle ones and cleaning up the others with some plastic polish and cleaner I had laying around. I also got in 3 others yesterday to work on. and another 3 shipped out tommorow hopefully. Thanks for the ideas guys. These are going to make some great christmas gifts.

 

[staxchipswell]

This is member shm's restore that looks awesome....I think it is the one you have in the middle of your first lot...ever ready 75.

This one is mine with the original knot ever ready 75a.

 

[zeeslaughter]

Honestly, ive never refinished a handle just because i thought they looked so cool antique, especially that ever ready in the middle with the boar knot. So no help with that, but i can tell you that i have made about ten brushes, and the only glue i really liked making the brushes with was Gorilla Glue. I used the epoxy and ruber cement ideas. The expoxy was too messy and the rubber cement didnt hold up very well, not at all actually.

 

[weenerdog3443]

first knot was ordered today. Tommorow I will have more pictures of each handle and the new ones i got

 

[weenerdog3443]

Well here is a lil update. I decided to do the Ever-Ready 100 first. It is a white top with blue bottom. I ordered a 20mm knot from TGN and for a decent price 15 bucks shipped. Its a pure badger hair with a 60mm loft. I wasnt looking to go all out on my first restore. All the other handles have been pretty easy getting the old knots out but I've been working on this one for 3 days, what a PITA. Well the knot arrived yesterday and now that I'm at work I just finished getting all the old knot out, minus a lil that I will sand out. Here are some pics of the handle. Might put it together tonight if i can find my epoxy. Now the etching on the white part is real real faint. Does any one know if they came filled in and this one just wore off or did they come like that? Or should I fill it in so you can see the etching?