Thread: Using vinegar and water solution to clean a vintage "butterscotch brush?

Hi, I recently purchased a butterscotch Rooney brush. This is a vintage brush, and the "butterscotch" coloring has darkened to a deep patina.
I would like to clean the knot by submerging the knot up to the handle in a solution of vinegar and water, to clean any soap build up from the base of the knot.
Has anyone done this to a brush like this before, and is there a danger that it will lighten the butterscotch patina at the knot opening?
Thanks.

I would have thought that vinegar, once introduced to the knot, would be extremely difficult
to rinse out entirely

Perhaps a better solution would be to shampoo and condition the knot....several times ?
Is it worth saving ?....maybe a replacement knot would be a better option.

We have some great brush experts/restorers here ( I'm not one of them),
so I expect they will chime in soon.

Good luck and let us know what eventuates

Bongo, thanks for the reply.
A vinegar and water solution(or borax and water) is a common method to loosen and release glue build up at the base of the knot of a shaving brush. Since this is a vintage brush, I would be willing to bet it could benefit from this.
I have shampooed it 6 or 8 times, and conditioned it twice.
I will eventually replace the knot, but funds are low, and I would like to try using it in the meantime.

Do not dink around with that brush using acidic agents,palm lather in shaviing soap than use it.
If you do not like the knot,than replace it,simple stuff.

Originally Posted by pixelfixed

Do not dink around with that brush using acidic agents,palm lather in shaviing soap than use it.
If you do not like the knot,than replace it,simple stuff.

Thanks. I'll take that advice! Much appreciated.

Hi Mike,

"to loosen and release glue build up at the base of the knot of a shaving brush".

Sounds like you've already made a decision, Sir !!

Yeah, limited funds are always a bummer, but there are vendors out there who sell knots
at a more than reasonable price.
I've never bought from TGN, but everyone here recommends them for price and quality :

LINK: Badger Hair Knots - Wet Shaving

Failing that, ebay has some Chinese vendors who sell silvertip Badger knots.
I can't recommend them,because I've never bought "just a knot", but I can recommend
their shaving brushes.

I have five and I'm very happy with their performance.

Your Rooney deserves the best that you can afford

Bongo

Sorry, I meant soap build up at the base of the knot, lol.
Thanks for the reply!
But you are correct that I have made up my mind. I'll be putting a 22mm TGN Finest Fan in it when funds allow.
Meanwhile, I shaved with the brush tonight, and it did a marvelous job building lather and applying it, so I'll most likely enjoy it in the rotation until time for the re knot. I already own that knot in a couple of brushes(TGN Finest), and it is far superior. Then it will be even more marvelous, lol.
Thanks again.

No matter what you use the dried built up soap and other nasties will never come out 100% or anything near that. You would need to use something so strong it would probably eat the brush. It's why many will not use a used brush (me included).

You can clean the upper portions of the brush fine. I would let it soak in some Borax.

Thanks, bigspendur! I am going to go pick up some borax later today. I just want to get it in the best shape I can, and see if I think it is worth using until I can do a transplant. I used it last night, and despite the condition the knot is in, it whipped up a fantastic lather off of a hard puck incredibly fast. But when you sit it beside my other brushes, you can see that the knot has been "rode hard and put away wet", as the saying goes. Lost a lot of hair and IMO is probably much shorter than original. Loft is 48mm, btw.
I will definitely be doing surgery as soon as i can.

looks like a nice brush to me....use it and use it well. What do I know I am fairly new at this SR shaving. I do have a Rooney brush it was the first brush I ever bought. Bought it 3 years ago love it.

By the way that is a great looking brush with lots of character....how old do you figure it is?