Troy Tools Custom Brush Handles (2025)

It started with an oopsie drop, a nice brush with a very nice knot that @TomG didn't want to lose. So he asked me "Can this knot be saved?"
You be the judge!

From this

To this

Curly Jarrah from West Australia, returned home to it's new owner in W.A. @TomG
Quite the technical build this one as I had to duplicate an exact fitting knot socket to the previous handle given the brass insert the knot sits within from that manufacturer. Plus it had to be entirely watertight with a CA finish. A new turning mandrel was made for this one, (and all others like it moving forward) so the blank can be mounted in the chuck without exerting outward pressure from inside the knot socket on the thin walled wood fibres in that area. A 14mm thread is tapped down the centre of the handle blank for work holding purposes then back filled at the end of the process with 2 part epoxy adhesive to form a solid "bolt" top to bottom holding it all together from knot to the medal underneath. It turned out exactly as imagined, and to precise scale of the former handle. Just beautiful.

Old mandrel vs new mandrel. Using the old one taught me what I wanted in the new one. Much more functional for the task. 14mm threads.

TroyTools said:

It started with an oopsie drop, a nice brush with a very nice knot that @TomG didn't want to lose. So he asked me "Can this knot be saved?"
You be the judge!

From this

To this

Curly Jarrah from West Australia, returned home to it's new owner in W.A. @TomG
Quite the technical build this one as I had to duplicate an exact fitting knot socket to the previous handle given the brass insert the knot sits within from that manufacturer. Plus it had to be entirely watertight with a CA finish. A new turning mandrel was made for this one, (and all others like it moving forward) so the blank can be mounted in the chuck without exerting outward pressure from inside the knot socket on the thin walled wood fibres in that area. A 14mm thread is tapped down the centre of the handle blank for work holding purposes then back filled at the end of the process with 2 part epoxy adhesive to form a solid "bolt" top to bottom holding it all together from knot to the medal underneath. It turned out exactly as imagined, and to precise scale of the former handle. Just beautiful.

Click to expand...

Looks great and an old brush gets a new lease on life

TroyTools said:

It started with an oopsie drop, a nice brush with a very nice knot that @TomG didn't want to lose. So he asked me "Can this knot be saved?"
You be the judge!

From this

To this

Curly Jarrah from West Australia, returned home to it's new owner in W.A. @TomG
Quite the technical build this one as I had to duplicate an exact fitting knot socket to the previous handle given the brass insert the knot sits within from that manufacturer. Plus it had to be entirely watertight with a CA finish. A new turning mandrel was made for this one, (and all others like it moving forward) so the blank can be mounted in the chuck without exerting outward pressure from inside the knot socket on the thin walled wood fibres in that area. A 14mm thread is tapped down the centre of the handle blank for work holding purposes then back filled at the end of the process with 2 part epoxy adhesive to form a solid "bolt" top to bottom holding it all together from knot to the medal underneath. It turned out exactly as imagined, and to precise scale of the former handle. Just beautiful.

Click to expand...

@TomG ...... Now now be a man, no crying.

TroyTools said:

Curly Jarrah from West Australia, returned home to it's new owner in W.A. @TomG
Quite the technical build this one as I had to duplicate an exact fitting knot socket to the previous handle given the brass insert the knot sits within from that manufacturer. Plus it had to be entirely watertight with a CA finish. A new turning mandrel was made for this one, (and all others like it moving forward) so the blank can be mounted in the chuck without exerting outward pressure from inside the knot socket on the thin walled wood fibres in that area. A 14mm thread is tapped down the centre of the handle blank for work holding purposes then back filled at the end of the process with 2 part epoxy adhesive to form a solid "bolt" top to bottom holding it all together from knot to the medal underneath. It turned out exactly as imagined, and to precise scale of the former handle. Just beautiful.

Click to expand...

That is a stunning restoration @TroyTools and thanks for sharing that information, was an inetresting read.

TroyTools said:

It started with an oopsie drop, a nice brush with a very nice knot that @TomG didn't want to lose. So he asked me "Can this knot be saved?"
You be the judge!

From this

To this

Curly Jarrah from West Australia, returned home to it's new owner in W.A. @TomG
Quite the technical build this one as I had to duplicate an exact fitting knot socket to the previous handle given the brass insert the knot sits within from that manufacturer. Plus it had to be entirely watertight with a CA finish. A new turning mandrel was made for this one, (and all others like it moving forward) so the blank can be mounted in the chuck without exerting outward pressure from inside the knot socket on the thin walled wood fibres in that area. A 14mm thread is tapped down the centre of the handle blank for work holding purposes then back filled at the end of the process with 2 part epoxy adhesive to form a solid "bolt" top to bottom holding it all together from knot to the medal underneath. It turned out exactly as imagined, and to precise scale of the former handle. Just beautiful.

Old mandrel vs new mandrel. Using the old one taught me what I wanted in the new one. Much more functional for the task. 14mm threads.

Click to expand...

Wow, far better than the original (sorry Tom). That flame Jarrah is just sumptuous. And to think they used to waste it in construction not so long ago...

Spectacular @TroyTools and congratulations @TomG

TroyTools said:

It started with an oopsie drop, a nice brush with a very nice knot that @TomG didn't want to lose. So he asked me "Can this knot be saved?"
You be the judge!

From this

To this

Curly Jarrah from West Australia, returned home to it's new owner in W.A. @TomG
Quite the technical build this one as I had to duplicate an exact fitting knot socket to the previous handle given the brass insert the knot sits within from that manufacturer. Plus it had to be entirely watertight with a CA finish. A new turning mandrel was made for this one, (and all others like it moving forward) so the blank can be mounted in the chuck without exerting outward pressure from inside the knot socket on the thin walled wood fibres in that area. A 14mm thread is tapped down the centre of the handle blank for work holding purposes then back filled at the end of the process with 2 part epoxy adhesive to form a solid "bolt" top to bottom holding it all together from knot to the medal underneath. It turned out exactly as imagined, and to precise scale of the former handle. Just beautiful.

Old mandrel vs new mandrel. Using the old one taught me what I wanted in the new one. Much more functional for the task. 14mm threads.

Click to expand...

Wow @TroyTools West Australian Jarrah has always been my favourite timber there are very few
types of wood with the colour range you can fid in Jarrah.
And all the more special because its grows in the South West of WA.
Being a proud Western Australian it gladdens me to know it our own tree.
@TomG is thrilled I'm sure.
Cheers.

Gargravarr said:

Wow, far better than the original (sorry Tom). That flame Jarrah is just sumptuous. And to think they used to waste it in construction not so long ago...

Click to expand...

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