My butterscotch restore

**Hex** · 11-09-2010, 08:00 AM

Wiping my sweaty palms and cinching up my loins, I told myself that I can do this. The trick of wrapping it with a lot of tape saved me a lot of scratches.

I drilled the old knot out today and am talking to TGN to see what he recommends.

I want his softest, firmest knot and I plan to set it to a 47mm loft.

The hole measures 21mm at the top and tapers smaller as I measure deeper. I will need to do some more sanding.
Would it be better to get a 20mm or a 22mm ?
22, I will have to do a lot more sanding, 20 might flop around, although setting it to 47mm loft will take up a lot of slack,,,I think.

What do you think ?

I am pleased to see that it is solid bakelite/catalin.

**weenerdog3443** · 11-09-2010, 08:05 AM

what a beauty. I'd sand it out to 22mm personally just thinking that a 20mm knot might be a tad too small, but I'm no expert.

**JeffE** · 11-09-2010, 08:14 AM

Get the 22 mm.

First, many of the TGN knots are actually a bit smaller at the base than their measurements -- so a "22 mm" knot will often fit without problems in a 20 or 21 mm hole.

Second, you can always sand out the hole slightly to make room for a larger knot, but if the knot's too small to fill the hole, there's not much to do.

Third, you can actually sand down the knot a little bit and create a 21.5 or 21 mm knot out of a 22. Just work slowly and stop often to check for overall roundness and fit. It's actually easier sometimes to sand the knot a little smaller than to sand the hole a little larger.

Almost forgot -- excellent handle there!!

**Schwert** · 11-09-2010, 08:16 AM

Nice. I would go with the 20mm extra stuffed Finest. That knot widens out considerably and you may even need to widen the handle up a tad to set that one at 47mm.

**Brownbear** · 11-09-2010, 08:31 AM

I'd open it up with a flap disk and put a 22 in it. Remember you can sand the glue plug on the TGN knots to fit a smaller hole. You want some clearance for epoxy, it works better with a little thickness.

That is a lovely handle.

**55dougie** · 11-09-2010, 09:27 AM

Hex, TGN sells a 20mm x 60mm Finest Fan Shape, that's what I would suggest... A 22mm knot will be too big when set to 47 mm loft, IMHO...... Drilling the hole out bigger say to 22 can result in an uneven hole if not very carefully done.... Get the 20, when set at 47 mm loft it will more than fill the hole..... Good Luck with your project and keep us posted.

Here's one I just completed with a 20 mm Finest Fan set at 52mm loft..... It's a great brush!

**weenerdog3443** · 11-09-2010, 09:37 AM

Originally Posted by 55dougie

Hex, TGN sells a 20mm x 60mm Finest Fan Shape, that's what I would suggest... A 22mm knot will be too big when set to 47 mm loft, IMHO...... Drilling the hole out bigger say to 22 can result in an uneven hole if not very carefully done.... Get the 20, when set at 47 mm loft it will more than fill the hole..... Good Luck with your project and keep us posted.

Here's one I just completed with a 20 mm Finest Fan set at 52mm loft..... It's a great brush!

the bottom of that is wow. is it marbled or something?

**Munxcub** · 11-09-2010, 09:40 AM

Here is a TGN Super Silvertip, 22mm set at ~47mm loft... this thing is soooo nice. I use it primarily with soaps and get enough lather for 6 passes easy.

**Hex** · 11-09-2010, 11:37 AM

Munx and 55Dougie, those are beautiful brushes guys.

Since this will be my last (sure it will !!) reknot, I was hoping to get the best knot I could find.

From TGN, I was wanting the Super Silvertip but it seems that it is only available in 22mm. It seems to be Tony's best knot as to softness and backbone.

The Super Fan is available in 20mm.

Expanding the hole to accommodate a 22mm scares me a bit since, at 47mm, the knot will be quite a bit wider than 22mm.

Still unsure about this.

I e-mailed Rudy Vey asking about a Shavemac knot and he said that I would need to be aware that they were considerably more expensive than TGN.
In the neighborhood of $80~$130 depending on size. That got my attention.

**weenerdog3443** · 11-09-2010, 11:40 AM

wasnt my brush. I quoted dougie. eaither way cant wait to see it finished.

Originally Posted by Hex

Munx and Weiner, those are beautiful brushes guys.

Since this will be my last (sure it will !!) reknot, I was hoping to get the best knot I could find.

From TGN, I was wanting the Super Silvertip but it seems that it is only available in 22mm. It seems to be Tony's best knot as to softness and backbone.

The Super Fan is available in 20mm.

Expanding the hole to accommodate a 22mm scares me a bit since, at 47mm, the knot will be quite a bit wider than 22mm.

Still unsure about this.

I e-mailed Rudy Vey asking about a Shavemac knot and he said that I would need to be aware that they were considerably more expensive than TGN.
In the neighborhood of $80~$130 depending on size. That got my attention.

**Munxcub** · 11-09-2010, 11:41 AM

You won't be disappointed with the Super Silvertip. My experience with brushes is limited, but for the price I can't imagine a better knot. This thing is pillow soft, but not flopsy. It loads on hard soaps in a matter of seconds and creates oodles of lather. It is a joy. I can't imagine using a lesser knot. I put one of the super badger bulbs (also 22mm) into another handle at the same time and it is not as soft/pillowy, so it sits on the shelf more than this guy.

I did set that knot in the picture above deep to get a shorter loft. Perhaps that's why it has a good blend of soft/backbone.

I would be a little scared to reem out a butterscotch to fit a bigger knot (how brittle is that material?)

Maybe contact them about getting a smaller Super Silvertip? You never know if you don't ask.