Just picked one up on a whim - 7 dollars and some change, sad considering I bought 6 or 7 Omega brushes in Dubai collectively for the same price USD. Regretfully I traded off all but one - the small 10077 - and consequently didn't have a medium-sized boar in my collection, which I wanted and so I went VHD. Right out of the box it was shedding hairs and I whipped up a lather with it during which process more hairs were lost then toweled the brush off causing more to fall out. I love the brush's loft and the handle's weight, and I knew from the outset the VHD Boar is known to be a shedder; but what I want to know is: Are the hairs in this brush just very insecurely knotted into the base, or is the shedding just something that occurs during the brush's first few runs. I'm assuming the former, but still would like to know. I see a good deal of ppl on this forum like the brush...
The brush is densely packed when its new; some brush makers say that shedding boar is normal in the beginning and that they pack the knot extra densely to make up for what is an expected initial shedding. I don't buy that, and I don't like this brush, however, a lot of people do. I have a couple of them, one white and one green handled. They are NOT the same brush. Both will shed a lot initially, and then settle down. The hairs will soften and it will work well, but because it has so short a loft and so much glue so high into the knot, it will always be somewhat of a 'stiff' brush. Pick up a Semogue from Leon, K.
It will slow down sheading. They are a work horse brush kinda like a Ford Pickup. I have several around and they all do their job well. Not the prettiest gal at the ball, but still popular for a reason. Nice and cheap..and work. fuzzy
I like my VanDerHagen boar brush, and still pull it out about once a month for old times' sake. It shed for the first few weeks I used it, then settled down. It still looses a hair now and then, but that doesn't really bug me. It's a nice combination of soft tips and scrubby/stiff brush. Doesn't hold much lather and seems to take forever to whip up a good lather with the hard water I've got here (higher loft is better). FWIW, I just picked up a 'vintage' Everready boar (it can't be too old, because the box has a barcode). It's about the same size and shape as my old VDH, but seems to be built better. I'll probably give it a whirl (pun intended) some day in the not-too-distant future.
I've got a VDH Boar that I've used regularly for a long time. Seems to me that it shed a LOT to begin with but now I only rarely get a hair out of it. This baby is getting fairly shabby so I'm going to turn a handle for the new Boar knot that should be on it's way from TGN. I'm headed out to the shop soon to see how things are for the new UK silver tip I glued into a Corian handle I turned last night.
I had a VDH boar for almost a year. It shed quite a bit during the first couple weeks, then slowed down to about 1 hair/shave (some 1, some 2, some none). I used it exclusively the first couple months as it was my only brush at the time. Once I picked up another brush, it was reduced to a travel brush. Then when I was travel almost constantly for a couple months it was used more than normal and started shedding again. This time it was just getting worse every shave. At that point, I ordered a couple new brushes and tossed the VDH. I'm curious who actually likes the VDH boar more than other boar brushes. I'd take any of my brushes over a VDH.
I've had my VDH boar for about 3 yrs now and it has held up great. It didn't shed much in the beginning and has now stopped completely. It is wonderfully soft and still has good backbone. I'm able to use it with creams or soaps equally well, plenty of lather for 3+passes easily. It has not been babied either. I use to just throw it in a sink full of water to soak while I did my other prep, use it, rinse (kinda) and just stand it up on the sink till the next day. It was used exclusively for about 1 yr. Still a good brush (for me) and gets regular use. Hope yours works out as well as mine has.
I was thinking the same thing, that anyone would say "The VDH is my go-to brush" if that person has 2 or more brushes in their arsenal. I do have a couple of shoeboxes full of brushes that are sub VDH; anything that's on a shelf or in a cabinet is far superior. Come to think of it, both of my VDH brushes are in a shoebox. I'm the anti-snob here; but for $9 you can have an Omega #49, so economy is not the topic for me.
The VDH boar being considered someone's "go-to," bahahahaha! My God, I only shaved once with it - white-handled version - but played around with it extensively. Twasn't a time it didn't shed an astounding number of hairs. I'm done with brushes - I've two badger, two boar - and love each. Consequently, the VDH is back at CVS - in the return bin.
I used a VDH for about a year. I actaully liked it, BUT A) it sheds way too much; and B) the knot came unglued a few months ago, and even though I re-glued it, it came out again (though I could have used better glue). My biggest isse was the constant shedding. A few weeks ago I got an Altesse badger brush at Life Check Drugs in Houston and I'm not going back to boar any time soon (though I could see getting an Omega boar for travel).
A VDH boar was my first brush. I kind of wish I still had it. I think I had pretty much just gotten it broken in and then I replaced it. Hope to have a new boar in action soon.
I mean, as Zach pointed out, when you can get an Omega for a few dollars more, why resort to VDH? The only Omega I kept - I wish I'd saved more - is my best brush so far as quality is concerned. While my C&E brushes each lose a hair here and there, I have never seen my Omega drop one. And I treat the Omega very roughly compared to the badgers. Q: I know a local store that sells the 48 Professional for 15. I want to buy it but it bears both the Omega and Marvy names on it. It looks exactly like the 48 I owned, but I'm a little put off the Marvy - owner said in the US that's Omega's distributor... Also, how long does it take for the smell of boar to clear from the brush?
I must have gotten a good vdh brush. The knot is very dense and has not lost anymore hairs than any other brush I have. It works great and is still in my rotation. I like it. I have owned it for 6 months.
In my experience, way too long Mine never seemed to shed either. I lost maybe 5 hairs in a period of months.
I think that's part of the issue - inconsistent quality. If all the brushes were like yours, I think they'd be worth considering. Even if it didn't shed a single bristle, I'd still take an Omega or Vulfix boar over VDH. But, I might take a no-shed VDH over a really cheap pure badger.
My VDH is the only brush I have used so far. It shed uncontrollably for the first week then slowed down to 2-3 hairs a shave. I have only been able to shave 1 time without shedding a single hair. This brush gets used every day at home and it travels a lot. Since I have nothing to compare it to, I hope that the brushes I ordered from Vintage Scent (hurry up and get here!!!) are of a much better quality.
Van Der Hagen HQ is in Liberty Hill, TX. Don't know for certain if they make the brushes in the USA, but suspect they do. They make many soaps (most with someone else's name on them).
