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I just received my brand new Thater 22m 2 band silver tip brush for SRD. While the feel of it is luxurious even compared to my super badger brushes, the lathering performance is subpar so far. It seems to need lots of time to get lather.
I know I have to learn its nuances re: how much water it holds but my question is this, is there a break in period for a brand new brush?
Will its perfomance improve with some more use? or is it I just need to "learn" how to use it???
Cheers
Chris
For all my new brushes, badger included, it usually takes about 2 weeks of daily use to get them to relax and soften up. Then they are a pleasure.
The "break in" time is only how long it takes you to learn how to use it properly. The brush doesn't much care.
As far as I know, badger hair works the same way as every other type of hair. By this I mean that over time the tips of the hair start wearing thin (sort of like hair erosion) and it will get softer, but that will take a while. So far, I've used four badger hair brushes regularly and intensively and not noticed any short-term difference for better or worse.
Boar's a different animal as you have to strive for splitting the hair, which will take a good twenty to thirty shaves or so. Don't know about horse, but my unbleached Vie-Long hasn't changed one bit after about twenty shaves.
I have a Thäter three-band and it holds an insane amount of water, so I prefer to manually add water instead of dipping the brush in water. Maybe that's where your problem lies, the amount of water your Thäter holds. So I think you just need to learn to work its magic.
Well just to update I used the brush again tonight and I had much better results. Plenty of lather actually and still that luxurious feel on my face :)
I think with a little more practise I am going to love this brush.
Those Thater brushes are lovely. I think it took me a week or two to "learn" them. After that, smashing results for par.
I love Thater brushes .... the two band ... the three band may be fine too, I just haven't had the pleasure. As for breaking in a brush. I have had a few that just keep improving over a few years. Hard to describe but like Justice Potter Stewart said about pornography ... I know it when I see it. :)
I don't think I have ever had to break in a brush unless you're talking getting the smell out and the initial bloom after first use. I'm talking badger. I think once you have lathering down it's just a matter of getting accustomed to the brush. Getting used to individual soaps is more involved.