Old Star, Rubberset 49-3, and Ever-Ready 100T

[REV579]

Occasionally, I make some good decisions, sometimes some bad decisions. Today, I think I did okay. I de-knotted an Old Star, my 100T, and 49-3, and I did it outside! Dang that was messy, and just short of foul.

I am grateful that others have mentioned that the 100T was hollow because it looked like I was drilling into the rubber based on the drill-bit feedback I was getting. Sure enough, It was hollow.

The picture could be better, but you get the jest. This one was the most challenging of the bunch. It mic'd out at 20.26mm. And since it was originally filled with Boar, I am inclined to go that direction. With the exception of the Made In USA part, the base is in great shape too.

The 49-3 took some effort, but it all came out without too much trouble. The ferrule is in really good shape, but the handle is pretty chewed up where it meets the ferrule. I also discovered that the handle was panted Ivory but someone sanded the pant off. I'll have a couple of choices to make: Repair the handle and repaint with an enamel-type paint or turn a new piece of wood into a replacement handle and stain/polyurethane it to death.

The Ferrule opening mic'd out at 24.7 and is 10mm deep. It might be the most stable of all 3. It looks like it would be sharp painted or stained.

The Star. Man, the ferrule is in outstanding shape. I am bummed that the base is so rough. Oh well, onward and upward. It mic'd out at 18.4mm and is hollow. My guess is I will find the right depth and back fill it like they did back in the day. This is why this one was the easiest to clean up. I chipped away at the back-fill and it all crumbled. This one was the densest of all the knots.

I am not sure if I need a 19mm or 20mm knot for my White over Black 100T, but there looks like there will be plenty to pick from. I also don't know what size or bristle-type to put in the other 2.
I'll also need to find a 16mm for a Red over Black 300PBT(not pictured), but that seems like it will be a challenge. I am pretty sure black would look pretty tight. It will be good to close these 3 out before starting on the 300PBT.

 

[BladeShark]

Great pictures! That STAR handle looks especially intriguing. Is it made of Catalin or is it something else like bone or ivory?

 

[REV579]

If I knew or thought Catalin was a bakelite-like plastic substance, I'd say Catalin, but I don't know what Catalin is. It's plastic. You know what, I know a guy who might be able to turn an antler(It's what he does)...stay tuned. I'll swing by his shop tomorrow or Wednesday. If he can, I'll post it and share his contact information. Thanks BladeShark for the inspiration.

 

[BladeShark]

You're right, Catalin is in the plastic family and many of these early brushes were made with it or celluloid.

Great choice of brushes for restoration I think they're going to come out wonderful. That would be something if your friend could turn a handle from Antler. I would love to see how that would turn out. Good luck!

 

[Quijote]

Beautiful brushes. Good luck!

 

[CigarSmoka]

Great set of brushes to restore! I'll be following this thread to see how your work goes.

 

[REV579]

You're right, Catalin is in the plastic family and many of these early brushes were made with it or celluloid.

Great choice of brushes for restoration I think they're going to come out wonderful. That would be something if your friend could turn a handle from Antler. I would love to see how that would turn out. Good luck!

When I was looking at the OSSB site, I made a few connection with the Rubberset Brush I am working with. This one from the 66 model,

Seems to match everything except the Ferrule I have...which is the Black Alberite.

I would have said it was close to this one

except when I removed the ferrule, I found paint that resembled the 66. But there is no mistaking the color of the bristles, I don't think they were white-ever.
Any clue about the bristles? The approximate year?

I am trying to decide on a restoration or a rehab/resurrection.

 

[JBO667]

Subscribing. I have a few candidates waiting as well. I plan on doing at least one boar, badger and synthetic restore to cover the bases in old school brushes for myself. VERY intrigued to see if an antler goes in the Star!

 

[REV579]

A quick update:
I went by Anterworx and had a great visit with Micheal Black about creating a new handle out of antler. After looking at a variety of options, the simple matter of expense and the significance of the brush itself made this a non-option. Creating a handle for this brush would cause it to be $50+ and this was not the direction I wanted to with particular brush. That said, they can do some amazing stuff, and with guidance from the person asking to have the work, creating a "One-off" is not impossible.
This little Star offers a few interesting possibilities. First, because the ferrule is completely hollow, I believe it can be loaded from the back, set at the desired depth, and then backfilled, without the need to use a knot that is typically 1-1.5mm smaller than the opening. If this is not the case, it would be great to get that feedback before ordering a knot. I still "think" a boar would be good for this because it would replace a like bristle for a like bristle, but at 18mm, this might be difficult.
TGN? Maggard? Someone else?

 

[REV579]

I realized I didn't include any images of the brushes prior to working on them and needed to tag @ccpastork in the tread.
Star

Rubberset 49-3

Ever-Ready 100T

 

[ccpastork]

Excellent work! I am now following along. I would venture to say all the knots were boar. You can find banded boar at The Golden Nib as well as plain blonde boar knots, I have had good experiences with their boar and badger knots. You could also change them to badger knots from the same source. I understand Maggards also sells good knots, though I have not used them.

Whatever the source, make sure to tell them the finished interior diameter (ID) of the handle hole. Many knots have some sort of glue bump which is often wider than the base of the glue plug, knowing the widest OD of the knot is important.

@CigarSmoka amd @Graydog, (to mention just a couple wise men), have much more knowledge and experience and I see CigarSmoka is already watching the thread. I suspect he will provide more wisdom on the matter.

I am looking forward to seeing how your projects turn out.

 

[REV579]

@ccpastork when I looked at TGN, they answered, perhaps my biggest question:

Measurements- Just a word on knot measurements. PLUG size generally runs about .05mm smaller than the listed size unless noted. Plug is approx 8mm tall, Loft is measured from the bottom of the plug to the top of the tips.

What this means to me is I can order with more confidence than questions. I would like to know if they have a nice 18mm Badger.
I have left a message for Maggards as well. Knowing their measurements will let me get 1 or 2 from them.

What I really need is to find a good plug for my Star. I do have a plan for the Rubberset & 100T; I’d like to put a nice synthetic black & white in the ER and a Boar in the Rubberset 49-3.

 

[Graydog]

What I have done in the past is make my own hole and pick out the knot that I want
and not be restricted to what they have . Also you need to be aware of the glue bump size , some can make a 22mm knot a 24mm knot just because of the bump.

 

[Borderboss]

I'm following your progress with interest. I'm in the process of restoring a Rubberset 49-2, which is a slightly smaller version of your 49-3. The handle started out in slightly better shape than yours, with only one or two little notches out of the top at the point it meets the ferrule. It too had no paint left on it, leaving a very smooth surface.

I decided to paint the handle, which I've been doing for about a week. It's taking longer than normal because I'm doing an alternate red and white reminiscent of a barber pole. I'm sure it'll end up looking a bit amateurish, but I don't mind since it's my first attempt at restoring a brush and it's for my own use. I've done three coats of each color using Rustoleum lacquer spray paint, and then will hit it with at least that many coats of Rustoleum clear sealer.

For the knot, I opted for a TGN 22mm Silvertip, which seems to fit perfectly and should look good with the red-and-white handle.

 

[REV579]

@Borderboss , that sounds cool, show us. And @Graydog , how does the comment about the glue bump figure in with the way in which TGN notes how measurement can be understood on their knots, from their website?

 

[Borderboss]

@Borderboss , that sounds cool, show us.

Will do when it's finished. If the red layers have cured, I should be able to start spraying the clear coat on this evening.

 

[REV579]

After looking back and forth, I have the following in-bound:
(1) 20mm Maggard Razors Black & White Synthetic for the 100T
(1) 24mm TGN Best Badger for the Rubberset

Can't locate an 18mm Badger for the Star. I did manage to find a 16mm Finest, but I don't know how that would fit. If it will fit well, it is still an option. I might even consider boar as well.

 

[ccpastork]

After looking back and forth, I have the following in-bound:
(1) 20mm Maggard Razors Black & White Synthetic for the 100T
(1) 24mm TGN Best Badger for the Rubberset

Can't locate an 18mm Badger for the Star. I did manage to find a 16mm Finest, but I don't know how that would fit. If it will fit well, it is still an option. I might even consider boar as well.

The 16mm may fit if you take into account the glue bump? Was that 16mm through TGN?

 

[CigarSmoka]

@ccpastork & @Graydog pretty much covered what you need to know. You also want a knot 1.5 - 2mm smaller than the hole. If you have a hole that's 18mm then a 16mm knot would be perfect. I've had to put a knot in a hole 5mm larger than the plug size due to a massive glue bump and guess what? It works just as good as any other brush I have, it just has a different feel and looks a little funny to me, so don't stress too much over the hole vs knot size. I wouldn't recommend going with a 5mm difference if you can help it though.

TGN knots rarely have a glue bump which is a big reason why I prefer them. I've had 1 silvertip with a minor bump that made the knot a snug fit but it fit nonetheless. I've never had a glue bump on one of their finest badgers and I've used my fair share of them in different sizes both fan and bulb. This doesn't mean none of their knots have glue bumps, it just means the ones I've bought from them have never been a problem. Their blonde boar is fantastic and a steal for just under $10. All the backbone you'd expect but none of the scritchiness. I couldn't believe how soft the tips were. Their finest gets my vote for favorite knot that's still available, but I haven't tried one from Maggard. Yet.

 

[REV579]

The 16mm may fit if you take into account the glue bump? Was that 16mm through TGN?

@ccpastork & @Graydog pretty much covered what you need to know. You also want a knot 1.5 - 2mm smaller than the hole. If you have a hole that's 18mm then a 16mm knot would be perfect.

TGN knots rarely have a glue bump which is a big reason why I prefer them. I've had 1 silvertip with a minor bump that made the knot a snug fit but it fit nonetheless. I've never had a glue bump on one of their finest badgers and I've used my fair share of them in different sizes both fan and bulb. Their blonde boar is fantastic and a steal for just under $10. All the backbone you'd expect but none of the scritchiness. I couldn't believe how soft the tips were. Their finest gets my vote for favorite knot that's still available, but I haven't tried one from Maggard. Yet.

It is a 16mm Finest from TGN. They state that the plug size generally runs about .05mm smaller than the listed size(unless noted otherwise).