Share Your Restorations

**Jack-in-the-Green** · 10-30-2009, 08:00 PM

There have been a number of threads about brush restorations, and I thought it would be nice to have a thread that brings them all together and where we can all go to see everyone's work. So how about it? Let's see all those great vintage brush restorations.

**Jack-in-the-Green** · 10-31-2009, 01:52 AM

O.K. Now that I'm at my own computer I'll start the ball rolling with some of my own restorations. Hopefully soon others will join me and I won't be left talking to myself. (Not that that has ever stopped me.)

Some of these I've posted in other threads, but a couple of them are ones I just completed.

My fancy brushes - An unnamed bone and rubber handle with a 20mm 2-band Finest fan-shaped knot, and a silver handle with an 18mm Grade A Silvertip.

A butterscotch beauty made by Stay with a 20mm Silvertip, and an Ever-Ready handle in red and butterscotch with a 20mm Super Silvertip.

A Canadian Rubberset black and white handle with a 22mm bulb-shaped 2-band Finest.

A wooden Rubberset handle painted in iridescent cream and green with a 20mm Silvertip.

An Ever-Ready handle with a 23mm Nylon knot. So super-soft!!!

My first restoration - A wooden handle marked "Wales" with a 20mm Silvertip knot.

And, lastly, an unmarked white and brown swirled plastic handle with a 22mm Silvertip knot.

Next up I have a great little art deco butterscotch handle awaiting a Vulfix boar knot, once I get around to finishing it.

To be continued ...

**nav** · 10-31-2009, 08:13 PM

Are these all golden nib knots? How does the 2 band finest compare to the silvertip in terms of softness of tips??

That black and white handle with the 2 band is just beautiful!!!

**Topgumby** · 10-31-2009, 08:33 PM

They all look great!

I've drilled out a handle, and have a couple more I'm going to work on. This might be the thread that gets me off my duff.

**DaveMartell** · 10-31-2009, 09:56 PM

All very nice!

**Jack-in-the-Green** · 11-01-2009, 01:53 AM

Originally Posted by nav

Are these all golden nib knots? How does the 2 band finest compare to the silvertip in terms of softness of tips??

That black and white handle with the 2 band is just beautiful!!!

Yes, they are all from the Golden Nib.

Honestly, I'm not all that fond of the regular Silvertip. It's a bit scritchy for my taste. The Finest is actually surprisingly soft. Softer than the regular Silvertip, and almost as soft as the Super Silvertip, which is very luxurious. None of them have the backbone of, say, a Simpson's two-band, but I would still recommend both the Finest and the Chinese Super. I haven't tried the English Super. On both the bone-handled Finest and the red and butterscotch Ever-Ready I tried setting the knot deeper than usual into the handle, (they're at roughly 46mm) but they are still a tad floppy for me, personally. I would compare them to, say, a Kent in firmness and softness, with the Super being perhaps just a bit softer. I think I'll try the rubber ring trick and see how that goes.

**Rudy Vey** · 11-01-2009, 09:31 AM

Originally Posted by Jack-in-the-Green

Yes, they are all from the Golden Nib.

Honestly, I'm not all that fond of the regular Silvertip. It's a bit scritchy for my taste. The Finest is actually surprisingly soft. Softer than the regular Silvertip, and almost as soft as the Super Silvertip, which is very luxurious. None of them have the backbone of, say, a Simpson's two-band, but I would still recommend both the Finest and the Chinese Super. I haven't tried the English Super. On both the bone-handled Finest and the red and butterscotch Ever-Ready I tried setting the knot deeper than usual into the handle, (they're at roughly 46mm) but they are still a tad floppy for me, personally. I would compare them to, say, a Kent in firmness and softness, with the Super being perhaps just a bit softer. I think I'll try the rubber ring trick and see how that goes.

I like the finest knot from TGN also more than their silvertips. I have a brush with a UK super, and it is extremely floppy.

**spanx** · 11-01-2009, 11:39 AM

Here are my two.First is a brass handle I rebristled with a 20 mm silver tip.Second is an avon brush I resized from 18mm to 26 mm in silver tip.

VR6ofpain · 11-01-2009, 11:48 AM

I love this resto brush pics. Now I need to find me a vintage butterscotch worth restoring.

**Samouraï** · 11-01-2009, 11:58 AM

those metal handles are stunning!

**bythbook** · 11-01-2009, 01:02 PM

Originally Posted by Rudy Vey

I like the finest knot from TGN also more than their silvertips. I have a brush with a UK super, and it is extremely floppy.

I concur - I have a UK super knot and it is almost pillowy. I thought I set it too high....

**NoFair** · 11-01-2009, 02:04 PM

Two Culmac travel brushes with 18mm TGN knots:

Work great with soaps and face lathering. Good with creams as well.

The knots from Tony are great value and the work is easy if one has some tools.

**nav** · 11-02-2009, 02:49 AM

Originally Posted by Jack-in-the-Green

Yes, they are all from the Golden Nib.

Honestly, I'm not all that fond of the regular Silvertip. It's a bit scritchy for my taste. The Finest is actually surprisingly soft. Softer than the regular Silvertip, and almost as soft as the Super Silvertip, which is very luxurious. None of them have the backbone of, say, a Simpson's two-band, but I would still recommend both the Finest and the Chinese Super. I haven't tried the English Super. On both the bone-handled Finest and the red and butterscotch Ever-Ready I tried setting the knot deeper than usual into the handle, (they're at roughly 46mm) but they are still a tad floppy for me, personally. I would compare them to, say, a Kent in firmness and softness, with the Super being perhaps just a bit softer. I think I'll try the rubber ring trick and see how that goes.

WOW I would have thought the silvertip would have been softer than finest. I like the look of the 2 band but if the super is the softest I would go for that.

Is there a big difference between the finest and super?

**fidjit** · 11-02-2009, 03:34 AM

Originally Posted by Jack-in-the-Green

Yes, they are all from the Golden Nib.

Honestly, I'm not all that fond of the regular Silvertip. It's a bit scritchy for my taste. The Finest is actually surprisingly soft. Softer than the regular Silvertip, and almost as soft as the Super Silvertip, which is very luxurious.

mmmm, velly interesting.

I just received a 20mm Silvertip and a 20mm Finest Two Band Fan ( I actually don't have a handle yet though my Hydre Park is losing hair big time

)

I bought the Silvertip because i already have a finest and figured that the Silvertip would be softer .

Looks like in the end if the finest is softer I should have just gone with that...though of course I'll have to look at the aesthetics first... ( I think there's just something about a butterscotch handle with the two band finest )

**nav** · 11-02-2009, 01:17 PM

Originally Posted by fidjit

mmmm, velly interesting.

I just received a 20mm Silvertip and a 20mm Finest Two Band Fan ( I actually don't have a handle yet though my Hydre Park is losing hair big time

)

I bought the Silvertip because i already have a finest and figured that the Silvertip would be softer .

Looks like in the end if the finest is softer I should have just gone with that...though of course I'll have to look at the aesthetics first... ( I think there's just something about a butterscotch handle with the two band finest )

Would love to get your feedback too once you have tried them both. I agree with J-I-T-G that the silvertip is a bit scritchy. I love the handle that my friend made for me so ill probably still hang on to the beautiful burlwood brush but if your experience is that finest is softer then I might make another brush with finest or super.

**Darjeeling Express** · 11-04-2009, 05:58 PM

The far left one with the red base has no brand name and the markings N. (9 or S) Y.; the middle black and white Klenzo 843, and the yellowed Catalin on the far right is a Made Rite #54. All have knots from TGN. I'm not sharing the botched one (which is the one I use the most with my O-Ring

).
Great thread. P.S. I'm posting this to motivate Top Gumby.

**Jack-in-the-Green** · 11-05-2009, 07:19 AM

Originally Posted by nav

WOW I would have thought the silvertip would have been softer than finest. I like the look of the 2 band but if the super is the softest I would go for that.

Is there a big difference between the finest and super?

I wouldn't say there's a big difference, no. The Finest has slightly more backbone, and the Super has slightly softer tips. That's first impression, mind. I'm going to use them both exclusively for the next few days, and I'll let you know if I change my mind. The finest is actually pretty darned soft, though.

**Jack-in-the-Green** · 11-05-2009, 07:23 AM

I know there are a lot more of you restoring vintage brushes. C'mon! Let's see them! And even if you've posted them in other threads, why not share them with us all again? You know there's no such thing as too much badger.