As many of you know I only use boar brushes and mostly all made by VDH. I know what everyone is thinking, why in the heck is he using those cheap boar brushes? Well, all I can say is they work well for me and I like em. I've owned many of them and would like to point out an observation. I've used green handled, blue handled, and a white handled. I've read a lot of information about these brushes and have seen emails from VDH themself stating that the handle color has nothing to do with the quality of the brush and they are all the same. Well after using many of these brushes I can say this "Nonsense"! The White handled is the best. It has a much denser knot and the bristles are much softer when broke in. The dark blue handled is the next. It's knot is almost as dense as the white but the bristles aren't quite as soft. Lastly is the green handled. It's knot is much less dense compared to the other two and is very difficult to break in. This is just my observation. Your thoughts? P.S. so if you have one you don't want I'm here. lol
Big T, The VDH company is a direct descendant of the old Surrey company. They are a Texas based group. The white handled units (usually Surreys) are older stock and more than likely used a different knot supplier than currently in use by VDH. So yes there is a difference in even the lowly VDH. It is not your imagination.
I've had two. The green handled one was pretty much unusable. The white handled one isn't bad at all. I used mine the past two days as a matter of fact. The hairs on it are actually softer than my Semogue Owner's Club (pretty well broken in BTW).
My white handled one was bought pretty recently. Less than a year ago anyway. I got mine at CVS and it's the only place I've seen them.
Here is some information on VDH from Liberty Hill, Texas. Their stock and trade is soap production. http://www.vdhent.com/about.html Here is what happened to the original Surrey company. http://www.bizjournals.com/austin/stories/2001/04/23/daily14.html?page=all
Most of the VDH brushes now are in green, however the stock could have been transferred in the sale of the original company or white units made in later production runs. The white ones are still on their web site. I would not believe these to be manufactured in the U.S. but imported and sold through VDH since soap production is really their stock and trade. http://www.vdhent.com/products/premium.html
Interesting! Personally, I hate boar brushes?... I own several and rarely use one, BUT, the VDH was the best boar I ever used - because it was the only boar I ever used that had any kind of respectable capacity and flow thru. I know, I know - I'm probably an idiot... But that was my experience!
I find it interesting that VDH is expanding thier product line to include a face scrub, balm and lotion. Also heard they now have a safety razor selling on Amazon. Wonder what's next? Aftershaves/Colognes?? Might need to keep an eye on them. Oh, I still use my VDH boar brush. It was my first brush and I think I'll keep it. It's very soft, held up to a lot of abuse and I like it.
This is all pretty interesting. BigT, thanks for putting it out there and raising the question. GDCarrington, you're a wealth of info. My only brush so far has been a white VDH and I'm pleased. I'm looking forward to trying other brushes out of curiosity, but I'm not searching for a replacement.
I've used the white-handled VDH brush in my rotation for some time now. Initially I was put off by it's extreme stiffness, but after patiently lathering up with it many times, I came to appreciate the VDH's stiffness both on the face and in lather making. However, with the constant acquisition of new brushes, plus the increasing tendency of the VDH to shed (a condition that is progressively getting worse, not better), I've pulled the VDH from the regular rotation and dropped it into the 'time out' drawer. I simply grew tired of stray boar hairs sticking to my face & mouth.
Sadly that is usually what happens to the knots. The handles are double tough however and can be revved up. Here is what Tom did with some that were sold under the Surrey name. I have polished one up like that as well and if you work them right the handles become shiny and hard to the touch. http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/spruced-up-a-surrey-brush.34336/
The brush I purchased as a "Beeline Boar" is, so far as I can tell from pictures, identical to what you're calling a "white-handled VDH brush," except that it is not in any way denser or softer than the blue VDH I alternate with it. Interesting thread.
It worked so well it's now my favorite brush. Caused me to buy two more. Thank you! You can alway rely on GDCarrington for good information. A wealth of knowledge.
The white Surrey I have is marked Deluxe Natural Boar and has a different model number, 34014, than the two blue ones that just say Natural Boar and have the model number of 31014. The white one is a very good brush, much better than the blue, which is why I replaced the knot in the blue one with the very, very good Omega knot.The other blue one is in the "box of future projects". Of course these are Surreys, but the VDH brushes may be made the same.
