[Synthetic brushes ] broken resin handle. Olive wood?

[clango]

Hi synthetic users,

unfortunately my Muhle STF brush fall down and the handle resin broke into 3 pieces.

I tried to paste it but the repair (cyanoacrylic gel) is not enough good.

So I think to buy another one with an olive handle but I am afraid that with humidity it could spoil much more,
even if I place it on its stand each time for better drying.

What is your experience?

Do you think an olive wood handle has a longer longevity?

Do you happily use any other material not cold to the touch?

 

[Lightcs1776]

I have wood handled brushes, though not olive wood, and they haven't had any issues with humidity. Each is sealed with polyurethane.

 

[NorthernSoul]

I have quite a few brushes with wood handles and haven't had any problems with them, so far. The handles are usually sealed with some type of finish like lacquer. I like the looks, warmth and light weight of the wood handles.

Just soak the bristle part, don't soak the handle part. Wipe your brush down when done and put it out to dry. You can put a little mineral oil on the wood from time-to-time if you want.

I would avoid painted wood handles, though. Paint can get chipped fairly easily.

 

[Owen Bawn]

I have an olive wood synthetic from Zenith that consistently gets used a couple or three times a month since 2016 and the wood is still perfect. A couple of Zenith boars that have seen hundreds of uses. One in olive, one in cherry.

 

[HazMat Shaver]

I too love the Olive Woods. I have a few brushes in it. Most makers will put some kind of sealer on wood handles. It doesn't need to be much. Some you won't even know it has a coating on them. Others get covered. Your other brush broke from the impact of the plastic. Wood won't do that. As said above try to stay away from the painted ones as they start looking bad after they get a few chips.

If you want to fix your old handle some 2-part epoxy may do the trick but you would need to get all the CA off of it. Buy a new one and fix up the old one. It's always a good idea to have more than one brush.

 

[MikeTbass]

I vote for buying a handle and installing the old knot....

 

[ewk]

Olive wood is water resistant and durable, and is used in kitchen cutlery and flooring for those properties. It is also beautiful.

 

[Big Jim]

I have had experience with olive wood and as long as it was well cured before carving or machining. If not well cured it can warp and crack. I had one brush handle that cracked, but others that didn't. During a tour of the Holy Land, we were warned not to buy nativity sets from a particular vendor because the tour guide was aware of cracking problems from prior years.

 

[musicman1951]

I have 5 Semogue SOC wood handles, some I've been using for many years, and they all look perfect.

 

[ERS4]

Also some soaking resin/Cactus Juice Stabilizing to stabilize the cured wood.

As long as the process is properly vacuumed, their fibers are completely sealed against water, hard to rip, have a gentle feel and add beautiful color.

 

[Chandu]

Hi synthetic users,

unfortunately my Muhle STF brush fall down and the handle resin broke into 3 pieces.

I tried to paste it but the repair (cyanoacrylic gel) is not enough good.

So I think to buy another one with an olive handle but I am afraid that with humidity it could spoil much more,
even if I place it on its stand each time for better drying.

What is your experience?

Do you think an olive wood handle has a longer longevity?

Do you happily use any other material not cold to the touch?

I would contact them. Muhle and EJ for that matter tend to take care of their customers.

 

[Rudy Vey]

Also some soaking resin/Cactus Juice Stabilizing to stabilize the cured wood.

As long as the process is properly vacuumed, their fibers are completely sealed against water, hard to rip, have a gentle feel and add beautiful color.

That's a problem with woods like Olivewood: they are dense and oily, so they will not adsorb stabilizing resin. Ask how I know.

 

[clango]

Guys,

every single one of you was amazing!

Thank you very much for your advices.

I will try to contact Muhle to see if they can repair it and check if and how the olive wood is treated

 

[ERS4]

That's a problem with woods like Olivewood: they are dense and oily, so they will not adsorb stabilizing resin. Ask how I know.

I am not referring to trying to stabilize olive wood.

I'm saying that we can choose other resin-stabilized wood handles, in response to the OP's last question "Do you happily use any other material not cold to the touch?"

 

[Fred D]

Hi synthetic users,

unfortunately my Muhle STF brush fall down and the handle resin broke into 3 pieces.

I tried to paste it but the repair (cyanoacrylic gel) is not enough good.

So I think to buy another one with an olive handle but I am afraid that with humidity it could spoil much more,
even if I place it on its stand each time for better drying.

What is your experience?

Do you think an olive wood handle has a longer longevity?

Do you happily use any other material not cold to the touch?

I have an olivewood handle boar brush that is my favorite, the Razorock 506U.
For me olivewood handles are beautiful and have not had any problems with water or humidity causing damage. I live in Florida, and it's pretty humid here.

 

[Butterbean]

I have a vie long olive wood brush that was given to me around 6 years ago. I’ve soaked the brush in water and vinegar (to clean out soap scum every now and again) and it was my only brush until recently. I have not had a care in the world about ruining the wood or the glue holding the knot, and this thing is still going strong. The only thing is some of the lettering is beginning to rub off. I shave my head once or twice a week, so in 6 years it’s probably seen around 4-500 head shaves. I’ve also moved a bunch, so it’s been packed away and probably dropped a time or two. Olive wood is pretty tough and durable, especially with whatever finish they put on it.

 

[clango]

I confirm Muhle can change the handle for their customers but the service and the shipping costs (50 Euros from Italy) are not competitive.
It's better to buy a new one!