Our own Hobbyist recently made me a wonderful handle out of white ash. I already had a knot waiting for it, a synthetic 26 mm MAC Metalworks Black Knot, of which knot type I had no previous experience.
Little to moderate backbone is my preference, and I like to be able to splay (but not smash) a brush somewhat, so I adjusted the loft with a nylon washer. Since I had no experience of the MAC Metalworks knot, I mainly went by feel, and by comparing to what I knew to be the optimal loft of some other brushes.
I’ve found that regular epoxy works just fine — no need for marine grade.
The loft ended up being about 60 mm. That’s 2–3 mm less than the similarly sized Stirling Soap Company “Kong” brush, which is a great brush, but can be just slightly floppy at times.
After just a couple of shaves, I can say that the handle is simply marvelous. The rather wide diameter doesn’t feel clumsy in the slightest, because the brush is relatively light in weight. The handle may in fact be the most ergonomic that I have. The material feels great to the touch, and the shape makes holding the handle completely effortless.
The MAC black knot has been a bit of a surprise. This is the first time I’ve felt some actual “scritch” from a synthetic brush, although my Mühle Silvertip Fibre does come quite close to that sensation. Backbone is decent, the knot doesn’t quite splay effortlessly, but on the other hand, it is easy to load and creates great lather. At the moment, I wouldn’t recommend this knot as an everyday knot for someone with sensitive skin. However, it’s a great knot if you have two or more days of stubble to hydrate before a shave.
All in all, a wonderful addition to my small horde of brushes. Thanks again, Hobbyist, for the great work on the handle!
Little to moderate backbone is my preference, and I like to be able to splay (but not smash) a brush somewhat, so I adjusted the loft with a nylon washer. Since I had no experience of the MAC Metalworks knot, I mainly went by feel, and by comparing to what I knew to be the optimal loft of some other brushes.
I’ve found that regular epoxy works just fine — no need for marine grade.
The loft ended up being about 60 mm. That’s 2–3 mm less than the similarly sized Stirling Soap Company “Kong” brush, which is a great brush, but can be just slightly floppy at times.
After just a couple of shaves, I can say that the handle is simply marvelous. The rather wide diameter doesn’t feel clumsy in the slightest, because the brush is relatively light in weight. The handle may in fact be the most ergonomic that I have. The material feels great to the touch, and the shape makes holding the handle completely effortless.
The MAC black knot has been a bit of a surprise. This is the first time I’ve felt some actual “scritch” from a synthetic brush, although my Mühle Silvertip Fibre does come quite close to that sensation. Backbone is decent, the knot doesn’t quite splay effortlessly, but on the other hand, it is easy to load and creates great lather. At the moment, I wouldn’t recommend this knot as an everyday knot for someone with sensitive skin. However, it’s a great knot if you have two or more days of stubble to hydrate before a shave.
All in all, a wonderful addition to my small horde of brushes. Thanks again, Hobbyist, for the great work on the handle!
Whenever I go to shave, I assume there’s someone else on the planet shaving, so I say “I’m gonna go shave, too.”
– Mitch Hedberg
– Mitch Hedberg