Troy Tools Custom Brush Handles

[Nanook]

I couldn't help myself. Another awesome brush by Troy in my collection.

 

[TroyTools]

Yep, one from the BIG boar "Gravedigger" range. Purple, green, with a touch of black. It's the one at top right.
Big handles with big 28mm boar knots. A real handful of brush!

Middle one

Middle one

 

[TroyTools]

This one had some clever engineering built into the knot socket.
An oversized hole was drilled in the top of the blank.
Holes were drilled at an accurate angle from the top edge of the knot socket into the base of the "too deep" socket floor, angled towards the centreline.
Threads were tapped into those holes to provide superior grip strength for the resin to hold onto.
Dimples and grooves were carved into the interior sidewalls of the wood knot socket to give the resin more resistance to spinning in the socket.
The resin being poured into this specially prepared hole in the wood blank, this resin plug can't pull out and can't spin. It's physically locked in place.
This resin liner is designed to provide strength to the narrow wood grain knot socket against the expanding badger knot when it's wet.
Splitting of the knot socket is what this process was implemented to prevent.

After curing time for the resin, the build began.
With a very secure brown resin plug in the top of the wood, the right sized drill was used for a 26mm knot (the size under the drill used to create the resin plug).
A perfectly formed and seamless resin liner now sits inside the knot socket. It is visually undetectable, but provides valuable strength to withstand the expansive outward exertions placed upon it by the wet natural hair fibres.
Traditional wood turning tools and technique used to create the handle from this point on.
Finished in CA for a superior wood seal and high gloss durability.
This is one special brush, custom made for @LesC right here on this forum.
Congratulations Les, it's beautiful.

"Curly" Jarrah has what is best described as tiger stripes running around the circumference of the handle. The grain runs longitudinally top to bottom, but the stripes run laterally to the grain. There are also "wiggling" appearance in the grain in parts. A very interesting piece of wood, not often seen.

 

[LesC]

This one had some clever engineering built into the knot socket.
An oversized hole was drilled in the top of the blank.
Holes were drilled at an accurate angle from the top edge of the knot socket into the base of the "too deep" socket floor, angled towards the centreline.
Threads were tapped into those holes to provide superior grip strength for the resin to hold onto.
Dimples and grooves were carved into the interior sidewalls of the wood knot socket to give the resin more resistance to spinning in the socket.
The resin being poured into this specially prepared hole in the wood blank, this resin plug can't pull out and can't spin. It's physically locked in place.
This resin liner is designed to provide strength to the narrow wood grain knot socket against the expanding badger knot when it's wet.
Splitting of the knot socket is what this process was implemented to prevent.

After curing time for the resin, the build began.
With a very secure brown resin plug in the top of the wood, the right sized drill was used for a 26mm knot (the size under the drill used to create the resin plug).
A perfectly formed and seamless resin liner now sits inside the knot socket. It is visually undetectable, but provides valuable strength to withstand the expansive outward exertions placed upon it by the wet natural hair fibres.
Traditional wood turning tools and technique used to create the handle from this point on.
Finished in CA for a superior wood seal and high gloss durability.
This is one special brush, custom made for @LesC right here on this forum.
Congratulations Les, it's beautiful.

"Curly" Jarrah has what is best described as tiger stripes running around the circumference of the handle. The grain runs longitudinally top to bottom, but the stripes run laterally to the grain. There are also "wiggling" appearance in the grain in parts. A very interesting piece of wood, not often seen.

@TroyTools, yes mate she looks a beauty, cant wait till I pick it up. at 1st site. I will be calling it "Trubby 2.5", (get it ) being the approx size difference between the Simpson Ch 2 and 3, albeit with the smaller 26mm knot.
You've outdone yourself here Troy it's pure craft workmanship not often seen in todays 'Mass' produced market/society.

 

[Gargravarr]

This one had some clever engineering built into the knot socket.
An oversized hole was drilled in the top of the blank.
Holes were drilled at an accurate angle from the top edge of the knot socket into the base of the "too deep" socket floor, angled towards the centreline.
Threads were tapped into those holes to provide superior grip strength for the resin to hold onto.
Dimples and grooves were carved into the interior sidewalls of the wood knot socket to give the resin more resistance to spinning in the socket.
The resin being poured into this specially prepared hole in the wood blank, this resin plug can't pull out and can't spin. It's physically locked in place.
This resin liner is designed to provide strength to the narrow wood grain knot socket against the expanding badger knot when it's wet.
Splitting of the knot socket is what this process was implemented to prevent.

After curing time for the resin, the build began.
With a very secure brown resin plug in the top of the wood, the right sized drill was used for a 26mm knot (the size under the drill used to create the resin plug).
A perfectly formed and seamless resin liner now sits inside the knot socket. It is visually undetectable, but provides valuable strength to withstand the expansive outward exertions placed upon it by the wet natural hair fibres.
Traditional wood turning tools and technique used to create the handle from this point on.
Finished in CA for a superior wood seal and high gloss durability.
This is one special brush, custom made for @LesC right here on this forum.
Congratulations Les, it's beautiful.

"Curly" Jarrah has what is best described as tiger stripes running around the circumference of the handle. The grain runs longitudinally top to bottom, but the stripes run laterally to the grain. There are also "wiggling" appearance in the grain in parts. A very interesting piece of wood, not often seen.

Lovely work Troy, and a lovely little piece of Jarrah. I lived in WA for almost 25 years, and was often appalled by how off-handedly many people would talk about this almost ubiquitous timber. I often found nice curly pieces in firewood piles. (!) This one is a TOB that (as the poem says) will be a joy forever.

 

[TroyTools]

Oh, very nice!

A big handle for a 28mm knot.
This one has aluminium plates cast into the resin blank when poured.
For the purpose of strength and longevity, the plates have holes drilled through the centre to allow the resin to connect right through the handle, top to bottom.
This also helps secure the whole assembly against any twisting of the parts.
I do like the look of synthetics in this one for some reason.
Nothing glued in yet though.

Given this worked out so well, I have another colour combo in mind for this style now.
Stay tuned.

 

[Nanook]

Oh, very nice!

A big handle for a 28mm knot.
This one has aluminium plates cast into the resin blank when poured.
For the purpose of strength and longevity, the plates have holes drilled through the centre to allow the resin to connect right through the handle, top to bottom.
This also helps secure the whole assembly against any twisting of the parts.
I do like the look of synthetics in this one for some reason.
Nothing glued in yet though.

Given this worked out so well, I have another colour combo in mind for this style now.
Stay tuned.

Very nice

 

[ejgowing]

Yep, one from the BIG boar "Gravedigger" range. Purple, green, with a touch of black. It's the one at top right.
Big handles with big 28mm boar knots. A real handful of brush!

Middle one

Middle one

Hi Troy,

Do you have these or any other boar brushes for sale?

Looking for a new boar brush & thought I’d buy local.

 

[ejgowing]

I was a Boar lad for the longest time Les. But somewhere down the line I went back to synth brushes. The Only two Boar I still have is an Unbleached Zenith and the Errol Custom Brush which he made for me. The latter is the only one I use as I cherish that dearly, the zenith gets used once in awhile.

Unfortunately I have been to Badger farms in China courtesy of a Vegan friend who killed it for me. Much as they are considered the Holy Grail of Shaving Brushes, I would never use one, not even a Thater or a Plisson.

Synth works well for me nowadays as hey are guilt free, very easy to maintain and amazing for slightly sensitive skin which I have. The two best Synth Brushes I have are the AP Shave Co G5C knot and the Frank Shaving Pur Tec. Both amazing performers with very different character and personality.

I'm defy getting a Synth from Troy.

How does one sign up for a custom ‘Errol’ brush?

 

[Gargravarr]

Oh, very nice!

A big handle for a 28mm knot.
This one has aluminium plates cast into the resin blank when poured.
For the purpose of strength and longevity, the plates have holes drilled through the centre to allow the resin to connect right through the handle, top to bottom.
This also helps secure the whole assembly against any twisting of the parts.
I do like the look of synthetics in this one for some reason.
Nothing glued in yet though.

Given this worked out so well, I have another colour combo in mind for this style now.
Stay tuned.

Ooh.

Now THAT is really very nice, and very original. Well done

 

[Bladerunner7]

How does one sign up for a custom ‘Errol’ brush?

Mate. That's a question only our resident Sir Robin of Loxley can answer. I was very lucky to get one from the Review Guru, my most cherished Brush.

Troy makes some stunning handles and there is pure passion in his work besides he's just one of us which makes it even better. I know the boar knots he uses are very good.

If you want to get a non customized or non commercial Brush, for me Zenith make the best Boar knots ever and I've tried Semogue, Omega and a few others but none come close to the Z. The Zenith Unbleached Boar is just an outstanding Brush and a must if you are a Boar Bristle fan.

Alternate, you could also just get the Razorock Blondie which is a Bleached Boar and cheap as chips. Most Shavers forget that the RR Blondie is made by Zenith.

Hope this helps.

 

[Bladerunner7]

Oh, very nice!

A big handle for a 28mm knot.
This one has aluminium plates cast into the resin blank when poured.
For the purpose of strength and longevity, the plates have holes drilled through the centre to allow the resin to connect right through the handle, top to bottom.
This also helps secure the whole assembly against any twisting of the parts.
I do like the look of synthetics in this one for some reason.
Nothing glued in yet though.

Given this worked out so well, I have another colour combo in mind for this style now.
Stay tuned.

STUNNING WORK TROY. Simplistic, Classy and a Conversation starter. 11 on 10 my friend.

 

[ejgowing]

Mate. That's a question only our resident Sir Robin of Loxley can answer. I was very lucky to get one from the Review Guru, my most cherished Brush.

Troy makes some stunning handles and there is pure passion in his work besides he's just one of us which makes it even better. I know the boar knots he uses are very good.

If you want to get a non customized or non commercial Brush, for me Zenith make the best Boar knots ever and I've tried Semogue, Omega and a few others but none come close to the Z. The Zenith Unbleached Boar is just an outstanding Brush and a must if you are a Boar Bristle fan.

Alternate, you could also just get the Razorock Blondie which is a Bleached Boar and cheap as chips. Most Shavers forget that the RR Blondie is made by Zenith.

Hope this helps.

Thanks @Bladerunner7 sounds like I’ll just have to sit and pray to get an @Errol brush.

I’ve got a couple of Omega boar brushes & a Zenith boar brush (unbleached) all of which I quite like so looking to diversify.

I’ll check out these RR blondies too as they sound interesting.

 

[TroyTools]

Hi Troy,

Do you have these or any other boar brushes for sale?

Looking for a new boar brush & thought I’d buy local.

Hi @ejgowing, I still have 4 of these from the Grave Digger collection, but not the one that is mentioned as sold to nanook.

My Boar knots in stock are 26mm and 28mm. I have many empty handles at the moment right now too, just waiting for a customer order of knot and metal badge selection.

Note: I will be out of office from this Sunday for a holiday (Bathurst 1000, WooHoo ) Returning a few days after the race.

 

[Nanook]

Hi Troy,

Do you have these or any other boar brushes for sale?

Looking for a new boar brush & thought I’d buy local.

Those knots don't take long to bed in either.

Soak the knot for 24 hours, then rub the bristles against a towel. Do this another 2 times and they are pretty much good to go.

 

[ejgowing]

Hi @ejgowing, I still have 4 of these from the Grave Digger collection, but not the one that is mentioned as sold to nanook.

My Boar knots in stock are 26mm and 28mm. I have many empty handles at the moment right now too, just waiting for a customer order of knot and metal badge selection.

Note: I will be out of office from this Sunday for a holiday (Bathurst 1000, WooHoo ) Returning a few days after the race.

Thank @TroyTools I’ll PM you to get further details.

Very nice, hope you have a cracking time in Bathurst!

 

[Bladerunner7]

Thanks @Bladerunner7 sounds like I’ll just have to sit and pray to get an @Errol brush.

I’ve got a couple of Omega boar brushes & a Zenith boar brush (unbleached) all of which I quite like so looking to diversify.

I’ll check out these RR blondies too as they sound interesting.

Awesome that you have a Z Unbleached. Get a Blondie Mate, really nice Brush. You know the funny thing about Omega Brushes, I had four from the cheapest S brush to the more ex ones but the the best was the small S Brush I bought for 6 dollars in Sing, over a year it broke in beautifully. Gave all my Boar away except for the ECB.

Nowadays I veer more towards synthetics.

 

[Bladerunner7]

Hi @ejgowing, I still have 4 of these from the Grave Digger collection, but not the one that is mentioned as sold to nanook.

My Boar knots in stock are 26mm and 28mm. I have many empty handles at the moment right now too, just waiting for a customer order of knot and metal badge selection.

Note: I will be out of office from this Sunday for a holiday (Bathurst 1000, WooHoo ) Returning a few days after the race.

Have a good break Troy.

 

[Bladerunner7]

Those knots don't take long to bed in either.

Soak the knot for 24 hours, then rub the bristles against a towel. Do this another 2 times and they are pretty much good to go.

This advice is Gold and always works.

 

[Bladerunner7]

@ejgowing will await a pic of your new Brush mate. With TT, you have a winner for sure.