Help with my first TGN knot

**stoutreader** · 10-23-2010, 09:22 PM

I have a Fuller clear amber handle that is waiting patiently for a new knot. The inside deminsions are 19.25 mm wide and 22 mm deep. I am looking at the Silvertip Grade A. I don't think I want to enlarge the diameter, I would have to re-black the knot chamber and risk scratches that would be very visible in the clear amber.

My question is should I do the 18 mm or try to gently enlarge the chamber for the 20 mm knot? Almost all of my brushes are 22 mm or smaller so I don't think 20 would be very different for me but the 18 might, though it definitely could be a good different!

Thanks for your help!

Stoutreader.
aka Tim.

**Mink** · 10-23-2010, 09:50 PM

Tony is great to work with. Send him your dimensions in an email and he can measure the knots to find one for you.

**Harvitz81** · 10-23-2010, 10:28 PM

If you are going to set it 22mm deep I would go with the 18mm knot.

**stoutreader** · 10-24-2010, 08:29 AM

Thanks fellas! I have sent an email to Tony.

**Rudy Vey** · 10-24-2010, 10:10 AM

Go with the 18 mm knot, but do not set it 22 mm deep, the whole knot is only 58 mm. I think that 15 or 16 mm would the sweet spot, I have one set at 42 mm as my travel brush. If you set it at 16 mm, the diameter of the brush knot is then 19.5 mm and should fit perfectly.

**Blue58** · 10-24-2010, 10:17 AM

Also keep in mind that you will have a +/- amount for the knot size so you may not need to do anything to the handle.

As stated and you have already done, email tony with the hole size and he can send you the right knot to fit

**Gamma** · 10-24-2010, 11:20 AM

Lets see that handle! It sounds like it's a real fine piece.

**filedog** · 10-24-2010, 04:35 PM

Originally Posted by Rudy Vey

Go with the 18 mm knot, but do not set it 22 mm deep, the whole knot is only 58 mm. I think that 15 or 16 mm would the sweet spot, I have one set at 42 mm as my travel brush. If you set it at 16 mm, the diameter of the brush knot is then 19.5 mm and should fit perfectly.

And there you have it. The master has spoken

**stoutreader** · 10-24-2010, 06:22 PM

Thank you all for your advice. This will be my first resto. I have read the resto thread so I think it should go smoothly once the knot is choosen.

Rudy, your brushes are simply beautiful and I appreciate the advice. I will adjust the depth as you recommend. Once everything is finished I will try and post a picture.

**Brownbear** · 10-24-2010, 07:22 PM

You are right to be cautious about enlarging the hole, but I have done it on a clear lucite handle and the results were great. You will have to finish the hole with a higher than normal smoothness, with successive sandings to a smaller grit. I blackened mine with epoxy mixed with graphite powder, which worked great, but other colorants should work. Just be careful and take it slow. The rotary files in a drill press work great on lucite, they go slow and controlled and leave a nice finish that is easily cleaned up with sandpaper. In fact it works so well I've cleaned up lucite holes just to make them look nicer. Some of the lucite handles I have had small stress cracks radiating out from inside and grinding a layer of lucite away and restoring the internal color made them look a lot better.

The other thing to remember is the TGN knots come with plugs that tend to flare out at the bottom. You can grind or sand away quite a bit of the glue plug (it is polyester resin by the smell of it so protect your lungs) to make it fit a tight hole. Done that several times with good results. In fact I had to taper the plug on the 30mm knot I just recently set to make it fit and had no problems.