Thread: Van Der Hagen Boar Brush... Shadding?? Break in period??

Ok I'm in the military and so I shave 5-6 times a week.. ... I've been using the Van Der Hagen Boar Brush (green plastic handle), that I purchased at the exchange, for about 2 months.. At which point should it stop shedding 3-5 or more hairs per shave? Or do I just need to get a better quality brush... Try to avoid any of the Acquisition Syndromes as I'm already getting a few sideways glances from the Spousal Unit... If a replacement would be recommended, what would be a good idea to keep cost to minimum.

Thanks for any input.

I'd write the company and complain about that brush. I have a VDH brush I bought at a local store 6 months ago and have had no problem with it. I will recommend a synthetic brush that I got from the local outlet of The Body Shop for $10. Its a soft synthetic, no break in needed, cleans up quickly and build a nice lather. My 2 cents.

I don't know. I re-knotted a handle with top-grade badger a year ago, (shaving 2-5 times week) and that brush is wearing me out with loosies. I treat it like a princess (gentle everything, fully rinse and dry carefully, shampoo and conditioner, whatever she wants), and it'll sometimes not shed for one or two shaves (probably never two, i'm being generous), then just now it puked 7 or 8 hairs.

No way a brush can shed that regularly and last all the great years many guys claim theirs do. I'm hoping to find a better knot, or that i got a defective one/bad batch. The importer/retailer seemed not too concerned when i inquired. Seeking new knot source too. I have more handles to re-knot. I'm going to try the lowest grade badger, hoping for toughness and longevity.

If nothing else, having brush rotation spreads out the wear and tear over more bristles, but i was hoping to keep brush acquisition under control.

I've sent an e-mail to the company, and we'll see what they say.. But this gets annoying as you can imagine.. I'll have to check out the body shop...

VDH makes bottom of the line products so don't expect too much from their soaps and brushes. I would probably expect the brush to shed more than a few hairs per use but even then if it gets too bad I'd try and get a new one. A defect is still a defect no matter what you pay for the product.

Is an old adage.you get what you pay for

Yeah, i thought i bought the best.

I have several brush's from low to very good quality, vintage and new. I use my VDH brush more than the others. It does shed too. Usually a couple hairs a shave but for what I paid for it, I figured its ok. After it was broke in, it became my go to brush. I do like my badger but I keep grabbing the vdh...

Agreed on the get what you pay for... I probably gonna have to get a better brush.. But what kind of shedding is normal? What would be a good intro brush on a budget.??

Originally Posted by WadePatton

Yeah, i thought i bought the best.

from whom did you buy it?