Shaving Brush Information and FAQ

Current Knotting Service Lead Time (approx.)

4 Weeks

Current Hair Characteristics:

B3: Scrubby, exfoliating, very prominent face feel. Medium backbone.

B17: Like B3 with less face feel, less backbone, still exfoliating. Medium->high backbone.

B18: Soft tips, pillowy knot, nice splay, good flowthrough.

Can I send you a handle to be knotted?

Yes! However, there is a new caveat - due to logistical reasons, I will be limiting the amount of knotting services I accept at one time. I will be making these available regularly, and I would like to reiterate that - for me to be able to plan my production schedule - please do not purchase a knotting service unless you have a handle ready to ship. They will be available regularly enough that there should be no fear of missing out. This service does not include hole enlargement, which is not a service I provide.

Requested hole sizes (depth is less important than diameter):

24mm	1" diameter, ~15mm deep
26mm	1 1/16" diameter, ~15mm deep
28mm	1 1/8" diameter, ~15mm deep
30mm	1 1/4" diameter, ~16mm deep

Where do I send my handle to be knotted?

Once you have your handle ready to ship and have purchased the correct knotting service, please ship your handle to:

Scott Stewart

1054 Eden Ave SE

Atlanta GA 30316

What happened to the reknotting service?

The reknotting service is a service that I no longer provide for a variety of reasons, chief among them being risk of liability due to damaging a handle that already contains a knot. There are many brush restorers that are much more skilled at knot removal than I am and I am sure they would be more than happy to remove a knot from a handle for you. If you have a handle with a knot that is set with an impermanent adhesive (silicone, 5 minute epoxy [in some instances], hot glue, etc.) then you should be able to just pull it right out.

Why do I have to ship my handle to you rather than you just sending me a knot?

I don't ship 'naked' knots because, frankly, I have no 'naked' knots lying around. Every handle that I knot is knotted to order based on the diameter and depth of the knot hole (all of which are different). This custom-tying is just part of the experience, and you'll get a cool box!

Initial Brush Shedding

Please plan for initial shedding when you receive (any) new shaving brush. I have four specific combs that I use on every knot that leaves the building in an effort to minimize initial brush shedding, but there is at best a 1% chance that I will be able to remove every loose hair in a knot before shipment. Initial shedding does not mean that the knot is bad nor defective. Hairs that 'shed' when a brush is new are hairs that were either misaligned or too short to be glued into the knot and, despite my best efforts, it is just significantly easier to remove these hairs once the knot has been wetted/bloomed for the first time. 1-2 palm lathers and some tip-pinching should be more than enough to get the remainder, but expect to lose 1-3 per shave for the first several shaves (other prominent, large-scale brushmakers say up to six months for shedding to stop, which should not be the case with my knots).

What is the best way to care for my knot?

This is a question that has many answers and depends on many factors. However, there are some best practices (in my opinion) that should be followed regardless of the brand of the brush/knot:

Never store a wet brush in a closed container.
After shaving, rinse your brush thoroughly and (gently) squeeze out as much water as possible. The less time your brush is wet the less chance there is for mildew to form (though I've personally never experienced a mildewy brush, it is bound to happen with improper care).
There is no need to hang a brush upside down to dry.
Prior to use, soak your brush in warm water for about a minute (not HOT water, just warm). This will soften the hair and lead to reduced instances of hair breakage.
Please do not use any sort of lather bowl that has sharp ridges - this will cause the tips to break (even if you can't see it) and will drastically reduce the lifespan of the knot.
Depending on the hardness of your water, a thorough cleaning every 15-45 uses will keep your brush's performance intact. A diluted vinegar soak followed by a dish soap rinse is an effective way to remove built up lime soap (soap scum). I personally don't advocate using shampoo and/or conditioner, but that's my personal opinion - if doing so produces results that you are happy with then by all means continue doing so. If you go the vinegar/dish soap route, you will want to condition the hair after - just lather your favorite shaving soap 1-2 times, rinse, and your brush should feel like new (the superfat in the shaving soap should be all you need to re-condition the hair).