Fuller restore start to finish - a little restore porn for your Sunday evening

**Slowhand** · 04-17-2011, 04:41 PM

It took me awhile, mainly because my life is crazy, but I finally got around to restoring the black/butterscotch colored bakelite Fuller brush I found antiquing back in December.

Here are some before pictures:

After cutting out the funky old boar hairs:

Getting the knot completely out. Instead of using a drill or something electrical, I like to just use pliers and pull them out, as it greatly reduces the risk of chewing up the outer part of the handle:

I'm skipping ahead to the plaster shelf phase of the restore. The ring in the previous picture was a little tricky to get out, but I managed:

And finally, all polished up and ready for use tomorrow morning, a 24 mm Silvertip from TGN:

Thanks for looking.

**Wetshavemike** · 04-17-2011, 04:45 PM

Very well done sir! You picked a beauty of a handle too. Now, can you make me one?

I would love to try a brush restore myself. I have not seen any vintage handle though, so I might buy a handle and knot to make one. Is there a good source for old brushes? Do they come up on B/S/T? Your work inspired me to just get the stuff and do it. Great job!

**Gone Gray** · 04-17-2011, 05:17 PM

Nicely done.

**Slowhand** · 04-17-2011, 05:52 PM

Mike, thanks for the nice words. As I said in the post, I found that handle at an antique store here in Kentucky a few months back. I drive a lot for work, so I stop in to antique stores when I have a little extra time. I've only picked up a two or three this way. The others I have, which I'll get to eventually, have been nabbed off the BST. You could always do an ad on the WTB forum, as well.

I'll gladly do one for you free of charge if you supply the hardware. Plaster/glue are on me, of course. I'd like the practice. It isn't too hard...the glue is the trickiest part for me. I now steer clear if the quick-setting epoxies because I want a little time cushion to make sure no glue gets on my fingers so it doesn't get in the hairs.

**Deltaboy** · 04-17-2011, 07:23 PM

Great job and a nice show for a Sunday evening!

**FL shaver** · 04-17-2011, 07:52 PM

Super restoration!

How do you determine how high to fill with plaster? I like the idea of filling the handle entirely with plaster or epoxy, but I have used a foam filler to make sure I had the plug set to the proper height and filled around it. Yours looks like it is set to a nice loft.

Oh! And what is under that white shelf? Was the rest of the handle hollow?

Thanks!

**huck1680** · 04-17-2011, 08:05 PM

Nicely done

**LukeDuke** · 04-17-2011, 08:13 PM

Beautiful brush! Thank you for sharing with us!

**Slowhand** · 04-17-2011, 08:41 PM

I like to fill the plaster to a point where I know I'll have enough leeway to add a tiny bit more if I need to to get the right loft height. It's a little extra work and time, but worth it to me to get it right. I'll start at say, 3/4 full, let it harden then seat my knot. If I'm within a millimeter or three from where I want it, I'll leave it. If the knot sinks too far, I'll add a bit more plaster. I've never done this step more than once, so it's only a few minutes of wait time.

I do believe this brush was hollow under the initial shelf. I'm convinced the knot i took out was the original one. The metal ring in the third picture could only have been inserted with the two pieces apart. It also makes sense that the knot could stay in place without some sort of base if the brush was assembled upside down/in two pieces.