My brushes need Viagra!

After only 2 years my brushes have gone limp.
I thought about putting a new knot in them, but I'm not sure how dense the knots from TGN are.
Nothing worse than a floppy knot. I put a rubberband around the base of the hairs to tighten them up, it works ok, but there just doesn't seem to be enough hairs packed in there.

Back to the boar brush until I get this sorted out... LOL
BTW, the brushes that have gone limp are a 21mm EJ and a 21mm Merkur. The Merkur has held up better.
I like the smaller brushes, 21mm is plenty large enough, but what I have just isn't dense enough to hold up.

Suggestions?

a new knot sounds like the best idea to me, actually, how about a new brush :) I just got my first ever simpsons brush and am totally in love with it

Yeah, I thought about getting a Shavemac or Simpson, although I don't feel like dropping all that money unless they will not wilt in 2 years. I know you get what you pay for (well sometimes), I just don't know how well any brush stands up over a few years.

How do the top-shelf brushes hold up after years of use? Any flop? I'm sure it comes down to how dense the brush is packed.

Golden Nib supplies a great knot. I use them and no floppiness.

I have a brush with a 24mm TGN extra-stuffed two band finest, and it's got more body than some of my boars. Has a lot to do with how deep it's set, too; mine is fairly deep.

I have been using a Kent brush (BK12) for over 4 years straight, no rotation just this one and still like new. I'm very happy with it.

Good luck!

Just get yourself some old fashioned starch and soak them in that and they will be as stiff as a...well....:rofl2:

he said 'viagra'...

*runs and tells Lynn*

I knew a guy once who chewed and swallowed two viagra...he had a stiff neck for 8 hours <Insert Rimshot here>

...and if your brush remains stiff for four hours, stay out of the malls and Walmart... <another rimshot>

If my brush remains stiff for four hours hospital be damned I'm showing everyone in a five block radius! Chief, I'll see your rimshot and raise you one.

If you want backbone, get a Rooney.

Inuendos aside, this is why my mantra for years has been "We don't need no steenking badgers" a boar brush will soften a little with repeated use but across the board they seem to remain quite a bit coarser than their badger counterparts. Granted they're not as trendy, stylish or expensive but IMHO (YMMV, etc.) I'll take pig hair over a badger any day. While lots of guys kinda like the soft feel of a badger I really do prefer the abrasive scrubbing of a boar brush. Just my opinion, FWIW (which probably ain't much.) Oh and while we're on the subject, here's my all time favorite youtube video
We Don&#39;t Need No Stinking Badgers! - YouTube

I've no experience with the smaller boar brushes but my 27mm Omega is soft on the face but with great backbone. YMMV.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by onimaru55

I've no experience with the smaller boar brushes but my 27mm Omega is soft on the face but with great backbone. YMMV.

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27mm is huge, imo. I think it would cover my entire face with a single swipe. LOL
I could always cut the difference and get a 24mm...

Anyway... I like boar brushes and have no problem using one--as long as it doesn't shed like a German Shepard in Southern Texas.
My one and only boar got passed over to my nephew after I picked up a badger. The badger was great, but softened up too fast. I think badger makes better lather, but I've never used a 'quality' boar brush.

I think I'll throw a new knot in one brush then buy that Semogue boar.

Thanks for the replies.

24 mm could be a good compromise . I used to use a 20mm silvertip which easily got me thru a 3 pass shave.
Now I have one of those scuttles that could double as a bucket so wanted a looong brush. I also liked the idea I could buy a good ready made brush for cheaper than I could make one.:)

I ordered a brush from one of those online pharmacies in Canada and... nevermind...

*runs away*

Quote:

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Originally Posted by JohnnyDemonic

Anyway... I like boar brushes and have no problem using one--as long as it doesn't shed like a German Shepard in Southern Texas.

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Trouble is they can smell like one for a few weeks :)

I'm awaiting on a 24mm knot from TGN. I went out and bought a cheap brush from my local supermarket, just for the handle. Thought I might have trouble seperating the knot from the handle, but found it just about fell apart in my hands. I'm just doing this for a little personal project I've set myself. The knot I ordered is the all black badger, that I plan to set in the black handle to go with a razor (yet to be found or an already owned, but yet to be customised) with black scales and a deep blued blade. Gonna be my Spec Ops kit :)


Mick

I bought a 24 mm Super Silver Tip knot from TGN for $33 and one of their resin brush handles for I think $22. I used 30 minute epoxy to glue it together, and I now have a very sweet brush for half of what I'd spend on many others that aren't nearly as nice. You can't go wrong for a TGN knot for that price.

My brush handle came in under $5. Wouldn't be as nice as a TGN resin handle, but I'm just doing this for a bit of fun. I can always make or buy a new handle if this one ever packs it in.


Mick