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Hey Gang,
Got a quick question and maybe I'm just thinking there is something wrong with my brush but it seems to have gotten really soft of late. And what I mean by soft is that it just flattens out when I try to swirl it in my soap and then on my face. I have another (cheaper) brush that I bought on EBAY that I use and its really stiff. Just curious if this is normal brush use or if that is how they are suppose to be? I haven't had the brush a year yet.
Thanks for any replies.
What kind of brush? Pics please?
Sounds like a case of the floppies.
Pics,Whats brand? whats the loft? is it a Badger brush? is it a Vulfix?
It is a parker 100% pure badger bristle brush. Pixelfixed I can't answer much more than that. I bought the brush as a "starter" when I got into straight razor shaving thinking I would upgrade. I really liked the brush up until it started getting floppy.
Also, is there something I could be doing to make it be this way? I don't use the same brush for every shave now that I have two. I alternate between the two. Pre shave I fill a bowl of water and let the brush soak while I'm in the shower, shake out the water and build a lather. Post shave I rinse it out and give it a few shakes and hang it to dry until the next use.
I tried pure badger, didn't like it because of this. Maybe install a different knot with a little more backbone. Like Finest Badger, of course this is my favorite grade of badger so FWIW
It may be time to clean your brush. Check out the thread on brush maintenance in the SRP library. . Lots of folks use a mix of white vinegar, Dawn dish washing soap and water. Some folks get good results using "Old School Prell Shampoo". When my brushes are dry, I periodically comb them with a wide toothed hair comb. Combing helps untangle and straighten the hair. It also gives the knot a nice full uniform appearance.
Be careful if you decide to comb your brush. Using excessive force and to narrow of a comb will break and remove the bristles.
Looks like low grade Hair to me with to high a loft,JMO
Have never done it but try using am O-ring at the base of the knot where in enters the handle.
Great idea pixelfixed!
I have been using a Chinese pure badger brush for a few months now and really like it.
It only soaks as long as it takes for the sink to fill and is rinsed well afterward. Than it is flicked a few times and fluffed on a towel untill fairly dry and hung.
I hope it doesn't develope the dreaded floppies.
With shaving brushes,(and other things in Life) Floppiness happens sometimes:)Quote:
Originally Posted by Galaxy51
I bought that same brush for my father a long time ago and also noticed it seemed thin/floppy. I think it was just a function of knot density and loft.
The TGN finest knots seem to perform really well if you wanted to replace.
Pixelfixed's suggestion also seems like a good one to try
I've never seen a badger that looked like that; I think someone slipped you a beaver brush,,,:beer2:Quote:
Originally Posted by asudue86
It's just a pretty basic brush with a thin fill. I'm not sure you can do anything other than what pixel suggested.
The price of Quality Knots is going up,the supply is going down,you get what you pay for.
My understanding is that most, if not all, new brush knots are from China. I find that ordering from China to be taking a chance. Sometimes I have got what was described and sometimes not.
The brush I presently use is a very cheap Chinese Pure Badger that turned out to be a very nice brush.
I have several knots of better quality badger that I haven't made up yet.
I guess time will tell if the knots hold up or not.
An o-ring is an interesting idea. Please let us know if you end up trying this. I'm interested to know how it turns out.
I have heard it suggested a few times before, seems reasonable, as it would effectively reduce the loft, i am not sure how it would affect drying though, maybe stsrt with something easily removed like a wide elastic band wound round a few times.Quote:
Originally Posted by FacialDirt
Thanks everyone. Pixelfixed I'm going to try your o-ring idea and I'll report back with results. I'll probably end up replacing the thing and it was a rather cheap brush. Like I said it was my first brush so I'm sure I've done a lot of things that have been wrong which may have led to it being like it is. I just didn't want to pay the price for an expensive one on my first go around.
The other i spoke of is from China. It has an LS sticker on it and I bought it off Ebay. It is a lot more stiff than my parker. It claimed to be a badger silvertip but I'm not schooled enough yet to know if I actually got what I purchased.
