Vintage Culmak restore

**james7604** · 01-23-2011, 05:46 AM

This is my first brush restoration attempt. It's an old Culmak brush that I picked up as an extra in a travel set. The knot I used for the restore is a TGN 18mm best badger; I set the loft at 45mm. The knot is a little more bulb shaped than I prefer and the tips of the bristles are scritchier than Simpson's best, but I'm quite pleased with my first attempt, it's got the right sort of backbone that I was going for and makes for quite a nice face lathering brush. Generates lather in no time at all and releases it well.

Pre-bloom shot first and then after two lathers.

This is what the brush looked like originally. I cut the bristles off near the base and drilled the old knot out, then cleaned up the inside with a rotary tool. I went a bit deeper than I needed to really because I wanted to play about with the loft. Since I had gone deeper than required, I decided to use Milliput epoxy putty to set the knot. This allowed me to fill the hole to required level and set the knot in one go.

**Hex** · 01-23-2011, 07:11 AM

Nice going for a 1st attempt or any attempt for that matter. Though I think I would have picked a better knot, say a finest or would have tried to see if I could expand the hole a bit to accommodate a 20mm.

I have a soft place in my heart for the butterscotch look.

**james7604** · 01-23-2011, 07:26 AM

In hindsight, you're probably right. If TGN carried a finest, super or silvertip in 18mm I would have gone with that. I was only familiar with Simpson's best before and rather naively assumed that the TGN best would be comparable, to me they seem worlds apart.

I have a 20mm super badger extra stuffed fan that I acquired for the other handle pictured, but I need to expand the whole a bit to accommodate the knot.

**Bestarrkin** · 01-23-2011, 11:03 AM

Nice Culmak handle(I should find a Culmak

), very solid with no dents which I can see. Hex is probably right for 20-22mm diameter with 48-50mm loft and there is no cracks in the hole. But there is no risk to take which is your first restoration. Congratulations.

**fidjit** · 01-23-2011, 01:56 PM

Nice job

What's the one on the right in the second set of photos ???

Reminds me of my first restore and my everyday goto brush , Kent KS7

**james7604** · 01-23-2011, 03:18 PM

I've no idea, I picked it up in an old travel kit. There are no markings on it of any kind. It's a moulded handle rather than a turned one I think, there's a very faint line along the side of the handle where the two halves are joined. It does look similar in shape to that Kent.

**Hex** · 01-24-2011, 04:21 AM

Originally Posted by james7604

I've no idea, I picked it up in an old travel kit. There are no markings on it of any kind. It's a moulded handle rather than a turned one I think, there's a very faint line along the side of the handle where the two halves are joined. It does look similar in shape to that Kent.

Is that what the line means ?

I got this brush based upon the color (I like red), then saw what I thought was a crack in the handle so decided not to try a restore. There is also a crack running completely around the white part.

From your statement, the "crack" apparently is part of the manufacturing process so could be restored.

What do you think ?

**tvldatsi** · 01-24-2011, 07:40 PM

yeah that is an awesome first go, you are making me think I can do it too!

**Kentos** · 01-24-2011, 11:04 PM

Originally Posted by Hex

Is that what the line means ?

I got this brush based upon the color (I like red), then saw what I thought was a crack in the handle so decided not to try a restore. There is also a crack running completely around the white part.

From your statement, the "crack" apparently is part of the manufacturing process so could be restored.

What do you think ?

Yup, that's the casting mark where the two halves of the mold joined.

**james7604** · 01-25-2011, 12:43 AM

Yeah. The smaller butterscotch pictured above in fact looks like it was manufactured in three parts; a disk shaped base piece and then the two halves making up the shape of the handle. When I've finished the restoration I'll try and take some photographs to illustrate.

**grump** · 01-25-2011, 02:16 AM

Good Job!

Don't be afraid to wide the hole if the brush allows.

Also if you don't like the bulb, look for the fan shaped knot, it is my favorite shape.