Thread: A Brush Primer

Originally Posted by Gibbs

....So with murder in my heart slooooooowly I turned ,step by step, I crept upon him and when I saw him I struck and I grabbed him. TAG, you're it!
Sorry, couldn't resist.

I would like to comment on my experience with the good, the bad, and the ugly....well at least my take on the former 2.

I have been using a badger brush from my Uncle Herm's gift to me years ago. I have wet shaved many many years, since 1970, but until a couple of years ago it has been mostly Barbasol, etc., canned foam. Works ok, and I have had no complaints about it. But, I thought I'd dig out the badger brush and old crock shaving mug that he had bought back in the late 1940's. I found Van Der Hagen soap at Wal-Mart and marveled at how silky smooth the lather went on. It was almost sensual, in the softness of the brush and lather against my skin.
Yesterday I stopped in Walgreen's to get my prescription and bought a Van Der Hagen boar brush for $8.99. I included price as someone someday will note the date and price I'm sure. Used it last night. WHAT a PRICKLY SOB!!! My thought was boar what, porcupine?? There is a world of difference. The old vintage 1950 brush is soft and luxuriant, while the new brush feels like I need to break it in, maybe with a bench grinder and a wire brush! You put on the later with it and it pricks you literally. It does build a nice lather, but I could get that from one of my wife dish brushes just about, and the cleaning brush would at least expect to feel harsh.

My take is a good quality Badger brush, and I only have my old vintage to judge against, is far and away the nicest piece of brush I want to put against my skin. Seriously, is there anything I can do to this new brush, other than some "Nair" to soften it?

Gibbs,

In defense of the $7 VDH brush...they take time to "break in". An expensive badger brush will lather and feel wonderful from the get go. When the little VDH has had many shaves, the backbone will soften, the hairs will split and it will lather and shave beautifully! My problem is, when I get them right, I give them away! OTOH, I am not going to give my 24X58 silver tip badger to a nephew or cousin. The much maligned little drug store brush has ended up being the genesis for many of the young males in my family to give up aerosol cream and disposable razors and begin wet shaving; for this reason, and others, I love them!

A request....shave with the brush for a few months, then get back to us.

Originally Posted by oldschooltools

Gibbs,

In defense of the $7 VDH brush...they take time to "break in". An expensive badger brush will lather and feel wonderful from the get go. When the little VDH has had many shaves, the backbone will soften, the hairs will split and it will lather and shave beautifully! My problem is, when I get them right, I give them away! OTOH, I am not going to give my 24X58 silver tip badger to a nephew or cousin. The much maligned little drug store brush has ended up being the genesis for many of the young males in my family to give up aerosol cream and disposable razors and begin wet shaving; for this reason, and others, I love them!

A request....shave with the brush for a few months, then get back to us.

Give a well broken in $7 boar brush --- oh my.

A better solution is to give the beginner (I am betting you give them to beginners)
and include a puck of Williams with the advice that after working through half
a puck of Williams practicing, the beginner will have learned a bit about Lathering
and the $7 brush will be well on its way to being right.

Originally Posted by niftyshaving

Give a well broken in $7 boar brush --- oh my.

A better solution is to give the beginner (I am betting you give them to beginners)
and include a puck of Williams with the advice that after working through half
a puck of Williams practicing, the beginner will have learned a bit about Lathering
and the $7 brush will be well on its way to being right.

Tom (niftyshaving),

A simpler solution albeit, flawed. If the young men (used to instant gratification) don't find the mug and brush more effective than Edge Gel, my bet is they'll go back to the easy way. As an evangelistic wet shaver, I'd rather not end up being the kooky, old, fuddy duddy Uncle trying to foist his arcane ways upon the next generation.

So, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" seems to apply here. The VDH brush, VDH Deluxe (melted w/sandalwood added) and a vintage Gillette safety has worked twice with the jury still out on the third. And, a cousin one generation down is ready to try a straight. I'm willing to put in a little more effort, rather than a bunch of money, in order to "enlighten" them. I did mention that I'm an evangelistic wet shaver?

With sincerest respect,
oldschooltools