The Brush: Basic Information Everyone Should Know
- Thread starter PLANofMAN
- Start date
Lord Fatboy
Forgo Mud !
Nice! Good info on horse hair. Thanks for not mentioning anthrax in connection with the decline in horsehair in the early 20th century. There is some truth to that, but every you tube video mentions it as the major factor, even tho' horse hair brushes were continuously made in Southern Europe and both the US and British army used horse hair brushes in WW2.
(Oh, and RIP Charles Roberts)
(Oh, and RIP Charles Roberts)
Lord Fatboy
Forgo Mud !
Yeah, he died in December last year. Sad. Every time I see some idiot comment under a "Method" video on YouTube I get a twinge
http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/statesman/obituary.aspx?pid=176913136
Lord Fatboy
Forgo Mud !
I feel the same,
It's only 8.43 and I've already put a downer on the day.
PLANofMAN
Retro Razor Junkie
Semogue sources hair from European badger, but they may be the only ones who do so.
The anthrax outbreak was the reason brushes starting being sterilised (sterilized) in the 1920's, though I would not say that was a reason for horsehair decline.
Lord Fatboy
Forgo Mud !
Well said. If you type "shaving" into Google - @PLANofMAN comes up fairly quickly.
PLANofMAN
Retro Razor Junkie
I do? Hmm.
I wish I knew as much about wet shaving as people seem to think I do.
Acer89
James
This has taught me a lot @PLANofMAN Thank you. Until recently I've been a mostly synthetic user and I'm still a great fan of the modern synthetics. I was lucky to secure a purchase of a TGN 2 band as my first badger and loved it. I then took a punt on the ATG 2016 Shavemac group buy unique 2 band and several badgers later I've just ordered my first Shavemac D01 2 band and High Mountain White.
Couple of questions if I may:
How do you know when a brush has fully broken in... what's different?
I read that caring for a brush in a hard water area it's advised to soak the knot in (70% water) to (30% white vinegar) three or four times a year to remove the hard water deposits and soap build up. Follow this with a gentle shampoo to maintain your brushes in good order. Is this advisable?
Couple of questions if I may:
How do you know when a brush has fully broken in... what's different?
I read that caring for a brush in a hard water area it's advised to soak the knot in (70% water) to (30% white vinegar) three or four times a year to remove the hard water deposits and soap build up. Follow this with a gentle shampoo to maintain your brushes in good order. Is this advisable?
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PLANofMAN
Retro Razor Junkie
It depends on the brush. Boar brushes become noticably softer. Badger brushes don't generally 'feel' much different, but their lather production about doubles. This applies to best/finest mostly. True Silvertips don't ever really break in more than they are when new, and the same is true of Pure knots. If you have a Pure knot and are wondering when the scritchyness will go away, the answer is pretty much, "never."
The Shavemac D01 is a special case. The hairs are very stiff, even though the tips are soft. You'll know it's broken in when it starts blooming after a shave...Or starts feeling like a brush, rather than a vaguely fuzzy round ball being rubbed on your face. It will start releasing water and lather readily (flow through). The same amount of cream will start lasting long enough for three passes, rather than one and a half. Berndt packs the same amount of hair that is usually found in everyone else's 'regular' 26mm knot into a 20mm knot size for his D01 models.
As for caring for your brush, the water vinegar trick works, as does Dawn dish soap and an equal amount of olive oil. My preference is for M.A.C. make-up brush cleaner. It can be filtered through cheesecloth or a drip coffee paper filter and reused. Brushes are pretty durable. I've read of people using hair shampoo and conditioner, and borax.
That last one, I don't really recommend, as it will strip out any natural oils still found in the hair.
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Lord Fatboy
Forgo Mud !
What about 'super' badger - I imagine because the tips are 'treated' (whatever that means) they are as soft as they are gonna get? I haven't really found much about super compared to others. Is it relatively new..?