Thread: Under appreciated

I have had a Muhle Retro LE brush for a long time which saw little use as I did not care for it. That was until I used it for this weeks shaves and modified how I loaded the brush with soap before face lathering. It is still soft and a bit floppy but it lathers easily like a champ with that little change. That little change has made it eminently useful and placed it in my regular rotation of shave brushes to use. Just another example of the gear not being at fault but the problem was user error. Happy the penny finally dropped on this one.



Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

I have had a Muhle Retro LE brush for a long time which saw little use as I did not care for it. That was until I used it for this weeks shaves and modified how I loaded the brush with soap before face lathering. It is still soft and a bit floppy but it lathers easily like a champ with that little change. That little change has made it eminently useful and placed it in my regular rotation of shave brushes to use.

And here the obvious question: What did you change about the way you load this brush?

I do admit, Mühle (badger or their Silvertip Fibre©) brushes work(ed) well for me even though they are no longer in regular use.


B.

Originally Posted by beluga

And here the obvious question: What did you change about the way you load this brush?

I do admit, Mühle (badger or their Silvertip Fibre©) brushes work(ed) well for me even though they are no longer in regular use.


B.

I simply dipped the silver tip badger knot further into the water as my customary way is just dip the tips before shaking the excess water out before face lathering. After that just the tips when making lather on my face. The brush now loads and releases the lather much better than before. My guess is that the knot being fairly dense was not getting enough water on the initial loading by just dipping the tips.

Bob

Yes, variations of the initial loading will find the sweet spot on most brushes,
Much better than tossing one in the sink!

I just run the tap until it's as hot as it will get, then I fill my mug until the water comes about 1.4 inch from the handle and leave the brush soaking while I shower.

My brushes are cheap boar mostly, I don't have anything expensive.

I do not use hot water at all for shaving never mind soaking a brush for an extended period of time in a mug. Everyone finds what works for them. There is no one correct way to do things in shaving. That is one of the reasons I did not say what the change was that I made. The point was only that the brushes poor performance was not the brushes fault but operator error in not finding what will make it work.

Bob

Steve, we really must get you out of that habit!
Sometimes I wonder if somewhere it is written (or repeatedly UTubed) that you should soak your brush.


Brings to mind our departed friend Pixelfixed. His lovely creations of wood, ivory, and other exotics combined are truly remarkable.
Someone once posted a rant that his brush handle was splitting and coming apart. Said a shaving brush should be able to be tossed into a sink of hot water and emerge unscathed. Pixel blamed him for tossing the brush. Expressed regret for selling him one. Boy...That was a hoot.

I always begin with a dry brush, dip the tips and begin to lather, dipping the tips once and proceeding until I am liking the lather. Soaps are all different as well as brushes when it comes to the right ratio.

Too much water makes for a floppy brush and lather which is runny and weak beyond correction. JMO

Originally Posted by sharptonn

Steve, we really must get you out of that habit!
Sometimes I wonder if somewhere it is written (or repeatedly UTubed) that you should soak your brush.


Brings to mind our departed friend Pixelfixed. His lovely creations of wood, ivory, and other exotics combined are truly remarkable.
Someone once posted a rant that his brush handle was splitting and coming apart. Said a shaving brush should be able to be tossed into a sink of hot water and emerge unscathed. Pixel blamed him for tossing the brush. Expressed regret for selling him one. Boy...That was a hoot.

I always begin with a dry brush, dip the tips and begin to lather, dipping the tips once and proceeding until I am liking the lather. Soaps are all different as well as brushes when it comes to the right ratio.

Too much water makes for a floppy brush and lather which is runny and weak beyond correction. JMO

My way has always worked for me but I do place my brush on a folded paper towel between applications because pools of water / lather run off it and the lather is very wet (which i always assumed was a good thing) and drips all over my chest.

My technique might very well be wrong and I bow to your experience so tomorrow when I shave I won't soak my brush, I'll do as you do and just dip from a dry brush, hopefully I will enter a whole new era in my shaving journey eh?

Yea if your making a mess it’s too wet, but you may like soap dripping all down your chest,, the sweet spot is not dripping yet still wet enough not to dry out too fast, got to try many things

Give it a try, Steve!
I have a small mug I stick my brush in between passes. I never put the bristles up unless I am applying to the face and hang it bristles down to dry. No need for lather/water in the handle.

If you apply lather and it seems a bit dry, a dip of the tips and go over the lather to moisten it just right.