Brush making with my father!

Hello Gents,

Thanks to a very kind B&B member this story is, and will be, a great one! I have been slowly putting together a little father's day gift for my Dad. I have a little lather/soap press bowl (depending on whether he becomes a bowl latherer or a face latherer). A puck of Haslinger is on its way. Now, thanks to Big Jim, I have two badger knots for a brush making project. My father does not wet shave, but he knows that I do. He has shown an interest in wet shaving since I started. I think he is particularly drawn to it because of the nostalgic old-timey aspect of it. He is a cowboy. Seriously he pretty much looks like he just walked out of a John Wayne film. He especially likes the idea of shaving with a straight (I am a University student and am on a student budget, so I will not be buying him one of those). So I am just getting him started into wet shaving. I'll leave getting the straight razor to him. haha
My father is a very ingenious and good with western style leather, wood and antler goods (he is a custom western saddle maker). So this gift is perfect for him. I am starting this thread to document the brush making with my dad, and to thank Big Jim for his true gentlemanly behavior that makes B&B such a great place for everyone!

I just received the knots today. I will post further pictures of the full gift I give him, as well as the progress we make on making the brushes!

I am looking forward to your future posts.

This sounds intriguing.

Your father must be a very talented man.

Mickey

I too find this project intriguing. As a father of two boys, I know how much it means to have a son who enjoys doing things with his dad. I'm looking forward to seeing the project evolve. Thanks for posting pictures Mr. A. D. Fawson!

Sheb

Here is the set up! I will probably be giving it to him a little early so we can get underway making the brushes.

Looking good A.D.!

Just a question to you veteran brush makers! What is the best way to get the hole right for a 24mm knot?

I will be uploading pictures of me and my dad working on the brushes here shortly.

Here is my Dad and I working on the antler handles. They are looking great. I am having trouble getting the hole for the 24mm knot just right, any advice?

I always use a dremel with a sanding drum to open the hole. What kind of trouble are you having?

Great project, BTW!

The bit I am using is just under 24mm. So, I was doing what you do, I used a dremel with a sanding ring on it to open the hole up a bit. But it just doesn't fit the knot right. Maybe I screwed up the hole with the dremel. I think I am going to start another section of antler. I was just wondering if there was a better way to get the hole right. but I will just be more careful drilling the next section.

If I have a 24mm plug, I will drill out a 26 opening. I drill deep enough so that 52mm of the loft is sticking up.
Can you show a picture of what is looks like now. When you say is does not fit right, is there a gap when the knot is seated, or does the plug not reach the bottom?

Here is one I did...

Both of those problems. there is a small gap on one side, and the knot does not reach the bottom. I seem to have a problem getting the dremel to widen the bottom of the hole.

Very cool!! A very cool way to spend time with your dad. Although, all time spent is special.

Very cool. You are one thoughtful son.

adfawson said:

Both of those problems. there is a small gap on one side, and the knot does not reach the bottom. I seem to have a problem getting the dremel to widen the bottom of the hole.

Click to expand...

Can you hang the sanding sleeve out past the end of the "holder" a little to get more of the bottom?

I don't have much other help without seeing what you've got going since I have a 1" bit for the 24mm knots I've set.

adfawson said:

Both of those problems. there is a small gap on one side, and the knot does not reach the bottom. I seem to have a problem getting the dremel to widen the bottom of the hole.

Click to expand...

Once you get the plug to sit on the bottom, the gap on the sides will disappear. Open up the sides down deeper and it should fit.

I use this...

I use this.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/456723-Love-this-Dremel-bit!

Mike, that is exactly what I am using. So, does everyone use a 26mm drill bit for a 24mm knot? In my mind that seems like too big of an opening. Would a 25mm bit work better, or is that too tight?

I am sorry I don't have pictures of the progress with me at the moment, everything is in my father's shop.

Aaron, it varies from knot to knot. Each knot is different, let the knot determine the hole size. Open the hole until the plug sits at the bottom. It depending on how dense the knot is. I recently purchased a 20mm boar, but had to open the hole to a 24mm to get the knot to sit properly. Once in there, the tuft above the plug fills the hole nicely and you can't tell.

I do not automatically go 2mm bigger, I usually drill 1 mm larger than the knot, then move to the dremel for final enlarging.

A way to determine if the hole is consistently round and is really 24 mm at the bottom is to drop a quarter into the hole. Before you do, confirm the size relationship between a quarter and the base disc of the knot.

If the quarter drops fully to the bottom, and sets evenly, the hole is at least 24 mm at the bottom.

I suspect that the hole is not big enough where the knot swells, and that is what is keeping you from dropping the knot to the bottom. Don't ask me how I know. You can guess for yourself. I'll only say that I have improved with experience.

I have a recently purchased 19 mm finest knot that I intended to use with a handle that has an 18 mm hole. I thought I would have no trouble opening up the hole, but when the knot came and I measured it, it is 19 mm at the base disc and 24 mm at the swell. I'm not sure I can open up the handle enough to accommodate it. I may need to look for another handle, and another knot for the nice looking 18 mm handle.

Here we are! This is my second go on my handle. I really like how it turned out. My dad and I had a blast on this project. When I gave him the gift I explained the brush knots to him and let him choose. He for some reason particularly liked the black badger. He is a rough and tough cowboy and rather liked the scruffy feel to the black badger knot. I also find it amusing to think of how these brushes really draw a simile to our personalities. My father is a cowboy, rough, loves the idea of week long cow pushing on horse back. He is very much into western history and anything cowboy. He is a custom saddle maker. His brush really identifies his personality. I am a university student, very style conscious, I love early 1900's gentlemanly lifestyle and dress. I am studying philosophy and economics and plan on being a university professor. My brush ended up very different from his, but really shows my personality. Both are badger, both handles are made from the same material.
Thank you all very much for your help. I am blown away by the generosity of my fellows here on B&B. I look forward to the day I can Pay the kindness I have received to someone else. I hope you have enjoyed this thread. I will post a picture or two of my brush after it has lathered up some D. R. Harris.

The picture in the background was a colored pencil piece by my father.