Step-by-step Ever-Ready brush restoration

[sol92258]

I have a Dremel but I have gotten good with a regular drill and small bit, so I just continue wiith the drill. The Dremel would probably be easier to manipulate though.

definitely, dremel* is the way to go for cleaning up

*or whatever rotary tool you have, mine's a black and decker rtx

[Kbennett]

I have a Dremel but I have gotten good with a regular drill and small bit, so I just continue wiith the drill. The Dremel would probably be easier to manipulate though.

Have you found that once you start to break up the bristles and epoxy that the remaining pieces come out easier, or have you found you need to drill out all the little pieces right up until the end?

I'm so looking forward to turning the EverReady I've got coming in the mail into a project.

[Chevyguy]

Have you found that once you start to break up the bristles and epoxy that the remaining pieces come out easier, or have you found you need to drill out all the little pieces right up until the end?

I'm so looking forward to turning the EverReady I've got coming in the mail into a project.

I ended up using the drill to the very end. The old knot was set in rubber. Start with a small drill and work up to a bigger one, I used 3 different bits. Just ordered a 20mm. best badger knot from the golden nib, I also purchased the faux ivory brush stand. Good luck with your everready my made rite should turn out better than new.

Clayton

[badboris]

I ended up using the drill to the very end. The old knot was set in rubber. Start with a small drill and work up to a bigger one, I used 3 different bits. Just ordered a 20mm. best badger knot from the golden nib, I also purchased the faux ivory brush stand. Good luck with your everready my made rite should turn out better than new.

Clayton

Do you mean your brush was finaly made right?

[Etoyoc_Rebmos]

Now you tell me! Anyway, its holding up after 2 shaves. This is fun.

No kidding, I just read the sawdust and epoxy advice. I could have used that a long time ago. However, my brush is still doing great!

[Chevyguy]

Do you mean your brush was finaly made right?

You are correct sir.

Clayton

[huracan]

Have you found that once you start to break up the bristles and epoxy that the remaining pieces come out easier, or have you found you need to drill out all the little pieces right up until the end?

I'm so looking forward to turning the EverReady I've got coming in the mail into a project.

I've only done two, (waiting on a knot for the 2nd one). If you are using a Dremel, the round cutter bit, the one that has a ball at the end (the bigger the better) in a medium speed worked great.
After starting in the center, I then worked my way around at a depth that allowed the hairs to just fall off, with a bit of help at times from a narrow flat head screwdriver.
Once I got close to the edge, I got it thin enough so that it can be 'snapped and peeled' with the screwdriver.
You can then dig to desired depth with the cutter with a little more precision.
I got the inside with a fine sandpaper to remove the last of the epoxy.
This method created considerably less hair dust.

[huracan]

Here are some pictures of my restoration project. Thanks to everybody that provided and idea or solution through this thread.

This is what I started with, it used to belong to my dad. I remember wondering what the base unscrewed for and I still do since the inside doesn't look like it could hold anything, not even paste and not make a mess; perhaps an itty-bitty piece of shaving stick. The knot was fixed with hard rubber that went to about 3/4 of the way down.
At some point after I last seen it, the treads broke and where fixed with super glue. I suspect one of my brothers. It came apart when I started cleaning it.



I used one of goldennib knots in 22mm and filled the handle with a mix of epoxy and cork. The handle does not unscrew anymore, but all parts went back in again. I have yet to use it since I just finished it, besides I'm going to show it to my dad and see if he wants it back.

Here is the almost-final result, I still need to touch up and detail

[Vinny Bobo]

good job, Luis!

[sol92258]

I've only done two, (waiting on a knot for the 2nd one). If you are using a Dremel, the round cutter bit, the one that has a ball at the end (the bigger the better) in a medium speed worked great.
After starting in the center, I then worked my way around at a depth that allowed the hairs to just fall off, with a bit of help at times from a narrow flat head screwdriver.
Once I got close to the edge, I got it thin enough so that it can be 'snapped and peeled' with the screwdriver.
You can then dig to desired depth with the cutter with a little more precision.
I got the inside with a fine sandpaper to remove the last of the epoxy.
This method created considerably less hair dust.

that's the tool you need right there...works beautifully
and nice work, btw

[Darjeeling Express]

Huracan - Well done. Beautiful job.

[huracan]

Thanks guys, what can I say? All of yous inspired me with your pictures.

Vinny Bobo, thanks for starting this thread.

[Clockwork John]

Awesome thread! I recently scored several vintage brushes on the 'bay... Can't wait to get to work on them!

[Vinny Bobo]

Awesome thread! I recently scored several vintage brushes on the 'bay... Can't wait to get to work on them!

Here's a few more to further inspire you:

[Trudo1]

Vinny Bobo, you are the man !!! Your "old school" brush handles are very sweet, to say the least. So much info on vintage razors has made me a little bit numb.......

I just use my pre vulfix D3 and don't even think about it, I love the brush but I love american made, period. So I assume Ever Ready was the cream of the crop in the
20's - 50's. Your polishing of the bakelite handles is unreal. The color is uniform to the
core of the handle, you can file and polish without color change (to some extent) I love bakelite. What other brands where quality from that era ? I just love the Ever Ready
etched on the front. What should I avoid as far as handles ?

I live in Southern California, you guy's must check out my old barber shop, they are really developing a name for themselves. "Hawleywood's Barber Shop" Donnie Hawley wood is the owner, this is the real deal. Men Only Sign, Pabst Blue Ribbon (on tap)
Str8 shave's. Young 40's throw back hipsters, you have to look at the site !!!!

Any tip's on finding handles, good brands, #'s etc and polishing technique's would be cool !!!

Buy American.....

[Vinny Bobo]

Vinny Bobo, you are the man !!! Your "old school" brush handles are very sweet, to say the least. So much info on vintage razors has made me a little bit numb.......

I just use my pre vulfix D3 and don't even think about it, I love the brush but I love american made, period. So I assume Ever Ready was the cream of the crop in the
20's - 50's. Your polishing of the bakelite handles is unreal. The color is uniform to the
core of the handle, you can file and polish without color change (to some extent) I love bakelite. What other brands where quality from that era ? I just love the Ever Ready
etched on the front. What should I avoid as far as handles ?

I live in Southern California, you guy's must check out my old barber shop, they are really developing a name for themselves. "Hawleywood's Barber Shop" Donnie Hawley wood is the owner, this is the real deal. Men Only Sign, Pabst Blue Ribbon (on tap)
Str8 shave's. Young 40's throw back hipsters, you have to look at the site !!!!

Any tip's on finding handles, good brands, #'s etc and polishing technique's would be cool !!!

Buy American.....

Ebay is the best source I've found and Ever-Ready, Fuller, Rubberset, Made Rite are the brands to get. Solid Lucite handles are best. I really like aluminum handles too. I haven't had much luck at the Antique stores around Orange and when I do find something, it's over priced. Check out Ebay my friend.

I checked out Hawleywood's and will definitely go to the Costa Mesa location after Christmas for a haircut and a shave. Thanks for the tip, Pal !!

[brothers]

It's a curious phenomenon, everybody, almost, who sells an old brush on ebay thinks they have to have an old mug to go with it. It increases the shipping, and then to get the brush you want, if you really want it, you've got to deal with another piece of somebody's castoff old spice mug.

[Confilo]

Well done! got to get myself a round bit

[Vinny Bobo]

It's a curious phenomenon, everybody, almost, who sells an old brush on ebay thinks they have to have an old mug to go with it. It increases the shipping, and then to get the brush you want, if you really want it, you've got to deal with another piece of somebody's castoff old spice mug.

So right ! I've got a cabinet full of mugs that I'm stuck with. I use them to store the soap. Now when I'm ready to use a different soap, it's ready to go.

[brothers]

Well done! got to get myself a round bit

Yes, you do! I am working on 4 old brushes. Thankfully, somewhere up above in the thread is a photo of the bit. I took it with me to a store called WoodCraft who have everything imaginable, and thankfully, they found it. I got a pack of 2 bits for $10. On mine, the little ball is about the size of a BB. I could not have done the job without it. It is absolutely perfect for this. Anything bigger would be too big.

Being very sharp and made of tungsten carbide, those bad boys are made for cutting really hard stuff, so I quickly learned while redoing my brushes, I need little pressure, and a relatively low speed of the drill. If I clamp my hand drill in my bench vice and control the speed with my left hand, I can hold the brush handle in my right hand, working it around as needed, keeping my eye on it at all times, and slowly and with very little pressure, the round bit will cut through the remaining bristles and the underlying glue, etc., with ease.

That is one very effective tool. The hardest part of this job, so far, is that in some brushes with plastic/synthetic bristles, the knot is very hard to penetrate with the drill, which is a necessary step, for me anyway, to get a hole or some holes down into the lower part, so the round cutter bit can get down in there and work on the part that needs to be taken out, to open up the hole for the new knot.

Anyway, after my learning curve and only 2 days of drilling, I have my 4 brushes cleaned out and I'm in the process of planning what grades and sizes of knots to buy.