Remove the old knot first...90% of the time it will not come out intact, but will have to removed in pieces. Once the knot is removed, measure the inside diameter of the hole. A cheap pair of calipers is useful for this, but you can just use a ruler and eyeball the diameter. Generally, the knot you purchase should be a millimeter or two smaller than the hole. Any excess space will be filled by the epoxy, or by the hair as it expands.
Step-by-step Ever-Ready brush restoration
- Thread starter Vinny Bobo
- Start date
Remove the old knot first...90% of the time it will not come out intact, but will have to removed in pieces. Once the knot is removed, measure the inside diameter of the hole. A cheap pair of calipers is useful for this, but you can just use a ruler and eyeball the diameter. Generally, the knot you purchase should be a millimeter or two smaller than the hole. Any excess space will be filled by the epoxy, or by the hair as it expands.
......thank you, Larry!!!!!!!!!
Or just fill it with clear epoxy up to the level you want... oh darn I just gave away a secret
A word of warning: Most/Some Ever-ready brushes that I've seen are hollow. Be CAREFUL. So far the rubbersets are solid and my fuller was solid as well.
I think I've found a solution to redo the lettering but I'm still in the testing phases.
Let me know if you have the lettering figured out. I need to redo it on my Dad's that I'm working on.
Thanks
Johnnie
Just read through this entire thread. Very good info, thanks to all.
Well, I decided to try my hand at a brush restore myself. It looks as if VinnieBoBo really beat me to it with his pix but I'll post my story anyway. I found a clear acrylic Ever-Ready brush, a 501L, on http://www.shopgoodwill.com and learned that my SWMBO liked its looks. I didn’t have a silvertip badger brush; I’d built a best badger brush from a knot & handle via The Golden Nib and it has been my every day and fave brush. A close friend lost all his personal effects in a house fire and I loaned that brush to him, along with my favorite DE razor (he had been a cartridge man, he he he). My first brush, a pure badger was a decent starter but it’s just a face mop. I have a new Vie-Long horsehair brush, which I’ve wanted to try but I’m not entirely sold on horsehair brushes as the be-all and end-all. It’s great for the hard soaps, like TOBS’ lavender but I still prefer a badger brush. So, all this gave me an excuse to get a 22mm Super Silvertip bulb knot from TGN and do a restore. This restore for me is sort of practice for another rebuild of another shopgoodwill handle I’ll do closer to September for my youngest nephew’s birthday. This restore went OK and I’ve learned a great deal of practical, logistic information about doing a restore (knot removal, handle refurbishing and so on). I first cut down the bristles close to the handle with scissors and then used a drill to remove the bulk of the bristles. I drilled straight into the center and then at an angle all around:View attachment 218517 I then used a grinding point in the Dremel and got the handle cleaned out. Once I got the bristles cleaned out, I had to drill out and grind down the rubber into which the original hair had been set. This I could have done better and been more attentive to creating an even, flat-bottomed hole. I realized that the black color seen through the acrylic handle was the rubber from setting the bristles.
View attachment 218518
If I were to have used epoxy to set the knot, I might have mixed in a little artist's charcoal to darken the epoxy. Perhaps on the next clear handle I do..... As it is, it seemed deep enough and in dry fitting the knot there was no wobble. I worked the tip of the grinding stone around the “floor” of the hole and used a drum sander on the Dremel to take the sides of the hole down to the acrylic.I’ve put a scuff in the top edge of the handle due to a slip with my Dremel, which I haven’t used in many years (I’m a lapsed model railroader). I wasn’t going to bother wet sanding and buffing out the minor scratches on the handle and just went full steam ahead. I’ve found that I need better bits for my Dremel; I have lost the cylindrical steel cutter I’d intended to use and I have nothing with which to “square up” the bottom of the handle recess at the side.My Dremel is a model 370 from 1975; it has a built-in speed control. I kept it on low speed for this job-about 1000 rpm. Definitely wear a dust mask and eye protection; even if using hand tools. A drill press and a Forstner (flat bottom) boring bit would likely have been the best way to clean out the handle but I made do with what I had at hand. After covering the bristles with heavy tape down to the handle, I applied DAP silicone sealer/glue to the bottom and sides of the knot. I set the knot by pressing it to the bottom of the hole and then twisting it to distribute the glue as evenly as possible. I stood the brush up on its base on a warm, high shelf in my kitchen to cure.
The next day, after about 20 hours of cure time, I used the brush for the first time. It had a pre-bloom measurement of 110 mm overall and a 62 mm loft.
Pre-Bloom:
Post-Bloom: 
It was very comfortable and lathered well with my Bigelow Proraso cream but I still prefer my Best Badger brush over my “new” Super Silvertip badger brush.
The Super Silvertip is too soft for my taste; not enough backbone, which the midrange Best Badger has. Anway, Tony Penchetta really sells good stuff. I have another Ever-Ready handle in blue & cream. Perhaps I'll get a small (18mm) Best Badger knot for it.......
View attachment 218518
If I were to have used epoxy to set the knot, I might have mixed in a little artist's charcoal to darken the epoxy. Perhaps on the next clear handle I do..... As it is, it seemed deep enough and in dry fitting the knot there was no wobble. I worked the tip of the grinding stone around the “floor” of the hole and used a drum sander on the Dremel to take the sides of the hole down to the acrylic.I’ve put a scuff in the top edge of the handle due to a slip with my Dremel, which I haven’t used in many years (I’m a lapsed model railroader). I wasn’t going to bother wet sanding and buffing out the minor scratches on the handle and just went full steam ahead. I’ve found that I need better bits for my Dremel; I have lost the cylindrical steel cutter I’d intended to use and I have nothing with which to “square up” the bottom of the handle recess at the side.My Dremel is a model 370 from 1975; it has a built-in speed control. I kept it on low speed for this job-about 1000 rpm. Definitely wear a dust mask and eye protection; even if using hand tools. A drill press and a Forstner (flat bottom) boring bit would likely have been the best way to clean out the handle but I made do with what I had at hand. After covering the bristles with heavy tape down to the handle, I applied DAP silicone sealer/glue to the bottom and sides of the knot. I set the knot by pressing it to the bottom of the hole and then twisting it to distribute the glue as evenly as possible. I stood the brush up on its base on a warm, high shelf in my kitchen to cure.
The next day, after about 20 hours of cure time, I used the brush for the first time. It had a pre-bloom measurement of 110 mm overall and a 62 mm loft.
Pre-Bloom:
Post-Bloom: It was very comfortable and lathered well with my Bigelow Proraso cream but I still prefer my Best Badger brush over my “new” Super Silvertip badger brush.
The Super Silvertip is too soft for my taste; not enough backbone, which the midrange Best Badger has. Anway, Tony Penchetta really sells good stuff. I have another Ever-Ready handle in blue & cream. Perhaps I'll get a small (18mm) Best Badger knot for it.......
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Looks good
I've been buying vintage handles lately and have about 20, including several Ever-Ready. Restoration will be my new hobby for 2012. This thread is inspiring me to action. More posts to come..........
- Thread starter
- #291
Nice job TAP119! The clear handles are the most difficult.
I found this thread very helpful while learning to restore brushes. I have restored more than ten brushes and have kept seven shown in the pictures. My favorite knots are TGN (The Golden Nib) Finest Fan; if set high enough (20mm knot set at 50, 22mm knot set at 52, 24mm set at 54mm) the brushes will have medium backbone and soft tips. I'd like to share my method maybe some will find it helpful.
Tool & Supplies:
Knot
Brush Handle
Masking tape
Two part clear epoxy (Devcon, Loctite, Permatex)
Drill (like it better than rotary tools such as Dremel)
Sanding Drum for increasing brush opening to accomodate larger knots
Knife (most useful tool in removing old knot, much better than pliers)
Pliers
Nail file
Polishing compound
Wine cork
Steps:
1. Cover the handle using masking tape before removing the knot.
2. Cut the original hairs
3. Drill into the knot using a drill
4. Remove original knot
5. Remove shelf and original epoxy
6. Increase the handle bore to accept a larger knot if needed
7. File the bore with a nail file
8. Polish the handle
9. Put penny and/or wine cork to build new shelf. Wine cork can also be grated if need be.
10. Roughen the bottom of the knot with sandpaper or knife to increase grip
11. Pour epoxy in the handle
12. Install knot evenly
13. Wait 24 hours before washing the brush.
14. Wash the brush with liquid dish soap twice
15. For softer tips lather brush with favorite shaving soap or cream and leave overnight.
16. Wash the next morning and let dry for 24 hours before use. This step is a personal preference for I believe it reduces future shedding.
*If epoxy overflows, wipe with 90% alcohol and cotton ball.
Left to right first pic: Ever Ready 100 (green/white) TGN Finest Fan 22mm, loft set at 52mm, Rubberset 6-100 TGNFF 24mm, loft set at 51mm, Ever Ready (red/black) 150 TGNFF 24mm, set at 54mm, Rubberset 150 22mm@49mm.
Second pic: Ever Ready 100 TGN Finest Fan 20mm knot set at 45mm, Ever Ready 100XX 20mm@47mm, Ever Ready 200 (Green/black) TGN Finest Fan 24mm@55mm.
Tool & Supplies:
Knot
Brush Handle
Masking tape
Two part clear epoxy (Devcon, Loctite, Permatex)
Drill (like it better than rotary tools such as Dremel)
Sanding Drum for increasing brush opening to accomodate larger knots
Knife (most useful tool in removing old knot, much better than pliers)
Pliers
Nail file
Polishing compound
Wine cork
Steps:
1. Cover the handle using masking tape before removing the knot.
2. Cut the original hairs
3. Drill into the knot using a drill
4. Remove original knot
5. Remove shelf and original epoxy
6. Increase the handle bore to accept a larger knot if needed
7. File the bore with a nail file
8. Polish the handle
9. Put penny and/or wine cork to build new shelf. Wine cork can also be grated if need be.
10. Roughen the bottom of the knot with sandpaper or knife to increase grip
11. Pour epoxy in the handle
12. Install knot evenly
13. Wait 24 hours before washing the brush.
14. Wash the brush with liquid dish soap twice
15. For softer tips lather brush with favorite shaving soap or cream and leave overnight.
16. Wash the next morning and let dry for 24 hours before use. This step is a personal preference for I believe it reduces future shedding.
*If epoxy overflows, wipe with 90% alcohol and cotton ball.
Left to right first pic: Ever Ready 100 (green/white) TGN Finest Fan 22mm, loft set at 52mm, Rubberset 6-100 TGNFF 24mm, loft set at 51mm, Ever Ready (red/black) 150 TGNFF 24mm, set at 54mm, Rubberset 150 22mm@49mm.
Second pic: Ever Ready 100 TGN Finest Fan 20mm knot set at 45mm, Ever Ready 100XX 20mm@47mm, Ever Ready 200 (Green/black) TGN Finest Fan 24mm@55mm.
Attachments
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You DO like those fan-shaped knots, dontcha? 
By the way, that's a great, very informative post. That should help a lot of newbies with their first restorations.
By the way, that's a great, very informative post. That should help a lot of newbies with their first restorations.
You DO like those fan-shaped knots, dontcha?
By the way, that's a great, very informative post. That should help a lot of newbies with their first restorations.
Thanks Larry. The TGN finest fan knots are pretty awesome.
Is this the same polish I need? I can find this locally but it doesn't say plastics on the front like the original post.
http://www.acehardware.com/product/...35&kw=flitz&origkw=flitz&searchId=60749374453
http://www.acehardware.com/product/...35&kw=flitz&origkw=flitz&searchId=60749374453
Justin, this is the stuff I use and have had good luck with it. You can find it in most auto parts stores, Walmart, KMart, etc. http://www.amazon.com/Meguiars-Plas...3?s=automotive&ie=UTF8&qid=1332349379&sr=1-13
The Flitz polish is primarily for metal polishing...might work OK on plastic but I'd rather stick with a product designed for polishing plastic.
