What's on my workbench right now

[duderubble]

Here is that large faux Ivory Ever Ready I got. The knot is 25mm it has a big flat spot/hole in the center of thee knot so needs to be replaced, but it shined up nice. I'm assuming the dark bands are part of the faux ivory look along with the grain throughout, but that is just a guess. The number is 2505.
I don't know if you can see the logo. I am debating whether to try to paint it in or if it would just detract. If I did, I guess it would be in gold.

 

[Dr Dulcamara]

A beauty!

 

[duderubble]

I need a new pic, I put gold paint in the logo and it's just right.

 

[Dr Dulcamara]

Pic is urgent. I can not sleep

 

[duderubble]

Not a great picture and I still need to get the knot out but you can see the gold is elegant, not bold.

 

[duderubble]

Knots from China arrived today. So here is the Family Photo. Many of these still need work, lettering painted, polishing, etc. None of the knots have been set and none are set in stone for this knot in this brush except the 28mm Finest in the Dubl Duck and the 25mm Finest in the Faux Ivory Ever Ready. Comments, questions and suggestions are welcome!

Please excuse the workroom backdrop.

 

[duderubble]

This little guy came off ebay with that black and silver with the raised writing. I had no idea it was this small. The original knot was loose but looks to be lightly used so I intend to put it back in, but it's a tight squeeze so I'm waiting to set it.



Here are the two big boys, 28 and 25mm finest knots.

Here is the all black Ever Ready I mentioned awhile back. the ferule is loose and looks like it was reglued at some point, but I love these black bristles so I intend to leave the knot in, even if I don't use it much or at all. I love the shaving man logo, which I have seen in ads, and on razor packaging, but never on a brush.




This handle is hard rubber, not wood or plastic.

 

[JaxJim]

Great stuff! Man, you've been busy. Excellent restorations.

 

[duderubble]

Thanks, Jim, there is still a ways to go on many of them.

Here are the knots labeled. They are all from Virginia Sheng. I'm not sure about that silvertip in that Butterscotch. It has something like concrete in it and I cannot set it deeper. I could switch it with the other butterscotch, but the 20mm boar doesn't quite fill up the hole. What it really needs is a larger boar.

 

[CartridgesAreADrag]

That dubl duck is one gorgeous monster of a brush.

 

[duderubble]

That it is. I went ahead and set that knot--deeper than in the pic--and may use it tomorrow. I know that's probably rushing it. I used a dowel to set the depth. The handle is quite light actually, but I think I want to try it that way.

 

[Dr Dulcamara]

What is this blue brush? The Smurfs?

 

[duderubble]

Lol, it is a wood handle that I tried to stain blue, but the grain did not look nice, so I just painted it and lacquered over the paint. It was painted originally, I forget what color, black, I think.

But in honor of you, Juan, I will name it Papa Smurf.

 

[duderubble]

Post bloom pics of the knots I set last night. More photos of lathers and individual brushes in my Thread in the Shaving Brush Main forum "In Praise of Virginia Sheng."

From Left to Right: 28mm Finest, 22mm Silvertip, 25mm Finest, 20mm Boar, Original Knot 16mm Pure Badger (this one will probably only be for display as it is small and floppy and shedding).



Those nice red lines on the countertop are what happens when you have Teenage Girls using hair straighteners in your shave den.

 

[FL shaver]

Have you had a chance to try one of the Sheng 20mm boars? I set one last night and I'll use it tomorrow. Very nice restorations. I especially like the small Rubberset.
ADD: I just read your brief comments on the boar in the Sheng thread. After doing a test lather with mine, I see, too, that it'll need a decent break in period. Thanks.

 

[alex2363]

What is this blue brush? The Smurfs?

 

[alex2363]

You guys are magicians......

 

[duderubble]

Thanks guys. I enjoy the process.

 

[danw2002]

what do you think of the 20mm syn, want to do a synthetic and like everything else brush related, many choices out there, but like VS knots...

 

[duderubble]

The synthetic near as I can tell is identical to the one I got from TGN for about the same price. It is very, very soft, but still has backbone--Ive seen someone describe a synth as "springy" and I think that captures it well. This makes the bulb shape feel very pronounced. It does not hold water or warmth very well. I used the other one for face lathering when I was on a trip in fairly rustic conditions in Jamaica and it worked quite well for that. But it's not luxurious enough for a daily driver for me.

I would be careful not to sed it too deep as it is not going to bloom and would probably end up very tight and stiff if you set it deep.