Folded and Volcanized.. not Knotted

I see a shaving brush with a really nice handle that I want to buy. I ask the owner what the knot size is and here is his response back:

What does he mean by folded and volcanized? It's a really nice, big brush but I don't want a pretty piece of junk. He says they're better than knotted brushes. Anyone out there know what he's talking about? Thanks.

Edit: I found a picture of a brush similar to it online.

Are you at liberty to let us know who manufactured this brush?

I don't understand what he means. I would pass on the brush.

slcsteve said:

Are you at liberty to let us know who manufactured this brush?

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It is a handmade shaving brush from someone I know in the UK.

Sounds like the bristles would be half soft (tip end) and half hard/scratchy (root end).

By being vulcanized, I would assume he means the bristles are set in rubber in the handle. I have an Omega like this -- one of those ones with the clear handle except for a portion fo the handle that is black -- the black part appears to me to be the rubber the bristles are set in. I don't know enough about knotting to tell you if one method is any better than the other.

Perhaps he means "FUSED".

Austin said:

I don't understand what he means. I would pass on the brush.

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+1

He just doesn't understand that you're asking what the total diameter of the bristles are at the base of the hair where they enter the handle.

Hope you can get through to him. <shrug>

-- John Gehman

I agree that "vulcanized" is probably the correct word. Regardless, junk or not, it's a good looking brush!

Randy

Thanks for all the help. I hope I don't regret it but I couldn't help myself - I bought it. I've gotten stuff from him before and it has always been exquisite quality. The fact that it only cost $40 didn't hurt.

By the way, while searching high and low for shaving knick knacks.. I found the actual brush for sale at Old Dominion Soap Company. It is brush SB-12 and for the same price. I bought two of the stainless steel shaving bowls further down the page. If they're airtight, I'll use them as travel bowls for my soaps.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcanization

It is acutally a process that rubber undergoes to make it set up.

RTV or Room Temperature Vulcanizing. This is the gasket material or rubber that comes in a tube.

Basically I think that he is telling you that he does not use epoxy to knot the brush but some type of rubber.

Regardless you bought the brush and we hope to hear good things.

rtaylor61 said:

Regardless, junk or not, it's a good looking brush!Randy

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Yes it is!

Definately pass on the brush. If you like the looks I'd go with the B&B brush with the horn handle. It will look like that, but be a very high quality brush. 23mm knot.

The vulcanized method (set in rubber) of attching hair to the brush handle has been around for decades. Ever Ready makes their drug store quality brushes that way and they last forever! I have one that is at least 25 years old and it still does the job. You can find the old Ever Ready brushes on eBay, it's a cheap way to get that first badger brush.

_JP_ said:

The vulcanized method (set in rubber) of attching hair to the brush handle has been around for decades. Ever Ready makes their drug store quality brushes that way and they last forever!

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Kingsley brushes are also vulcanized -- says so on their handles...

yea it just means the hair at the knot end is folded instead of knotted and then that folded hair is put into melted vulcanized rubber to seal it into the handle.

Honestly, I don't see what the fuss it about. I doubt it is better than knotted, but it is cheap, and the hair looks of decent quality. Actually, the brush is lovely. Let us know how it performs.

-Mo

moses said:

Let us know how it performs.

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I bought the brush from the Old Dominion Soap Company because I assumed shipping form Virginia would be quicker than from the UK. It just so happens that Old Dominion goes to trade shows so they didn't get the brush out until today. Lucky me. I'm guessing Thursday or Friday, I'll finally get it.

It finally came today and I've already used it for a quick afternoon shave. It's a Kingsley Badger Brush. In the pics, it's standing next to a Vulfix #2234 and an EJ #912 for comparison. The first overhead pic is before use, the second overhead pic is after 1 use.

So far, my lone complaint is the brush doesn't hold water well but I have to use it again to make sure. It is very, very soft and makes a great lather. In fact, I really couldn't believe how easy the lather came with a HoneyBee soap. I have to use it again before I go recommending it. However, I really don't see how you could do better for $40.