Thread: My brush keeps losing hair

Originally Posted by raneyday

I have a similar problem with an SRD #3.

It didn't lose any hairs when it was new, but after about four or five weeks it started losing 20-40 hairs per shave. The only change in my routine during that time has been a switch to face lathering.

I do dry the brush on it's base (bristles up) but didn't think that would cause this much of a problem. I emailed SRD and Don suggested I shake it very dry when done, which I've been doing, but to no avail.

Is my brush toast??

--David

Could be. As stated, first 30 days isn't unusual, after that prolly means theres a problem. Just shake it out to dry like you were advised, and if it keeps it up you'll prolly want to get it replaced. Give it a couple weeks to be certain.

Several years ago I bought a Col. Conk badger brush and it decided to shed like a mangy dog. I would estimate that it shed at the rate of about 10 hairs per shave for weeks. I finally cut the rest of the hairs off at handle level and use them to test edges as I hone.

Then I got a good quality Rooney brush and that works great. I have no faith in any Col Conk products.

P.S. Hey Pete, You are prolly right!!

If you've ever taken one of these brushes apart, you will know why it's ok to have a few stray hairs when you first start using the brush, but if the shedding does not stop or starts after you've been using it for a while, then there's a big problem.

All of these hairs are held into place by a large plug made out of some type of resin or glue -- typically called the "knot." Ideally, each individual hair would be surrounded on all sides (and held firmly into place) by the glue, but that just does not happen in the real world. Instead, in the normal process of manufacturing the knot, some of the hairs are just not surrounded by as much glue and therefore are not cemented as tightly as they should be into the plug. You could imagine, for example, a thick clump of hairs where only the hairs on the outer surface of the clump are actually in contact with the sticky glue, while any hairs in the interior of the clump are merely being held in place by friction. When you first start to use the brush, these hairs will shed through normal use, and there's nothing you can do to stop it.

But we would hope that these non-glued hairs, although unavoidable, are the exception not the rule. A brush that sheds a few of these hairs in the beginning is not a problem. A brush that sheds hairs in the beginning and then keeps on shedding, however, has not be manufactured correctly. Either the glue is not holding the hairs in the knot because of some chemical problem with the glue or the hairs were not arranged correctly within the knot when they were glued.

The bottom line is that a new brush that sheds hair consistently after about two weeks or so of use has problems and should be sent back.

(By the way, drying the brush with the bristles up or down should not affect the shedding at all. Drying the brush with the bristles down keeps all of the accumulated soap and minerals from the water out of the handle and on the tips of the hairs, where it can still be flushed away with the next use. But that should have no effect at all on shedding.)

Originally Posted by AnthonySzum

I have a Simpson chubby 1 in super badger that I ordered with my kit from SRD.
I have used it about 9 times and if I had to guess, it lost about 25-30 hairs already. I am not using this brush rough at all and taking proper care of it. I am not pulling it when cleaning after use either.
Is there any reason this would be happening and how I can stop it? This wasnt a cheap brush and for the price and the name, I doubt this should be happening.
Thanks,
-Anthony

Anthony You are kidding ?
My head is loosing hair every time i wash darn head.

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

Anthony You are kidding ?
My head is loosing hair every time i wash darn head.

Try some epoxy on your head that will stop the hair loss.

It it does not stop let me know. It is somewhat normal and with those overstuffed knots it can take a few uses for the loose hair to work out but if it is going bald, there is a problem. Sometimes you just get a bad knot. I am sure Don will take care of the issue but if it continues send me a PM. I make them for SRD and I will fix anything that is not right. Would not want to spend my hard earned cash on bald badger, would not expect anyone else to either.

Originally Posted by raneyday

I have a similar problem with an SRD #3.

It didn't lose any hairs when it was new, but after about four or five weeks it started losing 20-40 hairs per shave. The only change in my routine during that time has been a switch to face lathering.

I do dry the brush on it's base (bristles up) but didn't think that would cause this much of a problem. I emailed SRD and Don suggested I shake it very dry when done, which I've been doing, but to no avail.

Is my brush toast??

--David

Hah you better send it back

Originally Posted by hi_bud_gl

Anthony You are kidding ?
My head is loosing hair every time i wash darn head.