It's machine made. The knot isn't dense enough and it probably shed quite a few hairs before it came into your hands. Tangling is a non-issue on boar or badger handmade knots, so this isn't something that we see very often. Try to just use the tips of the brush when you are lathering and you should see most (if not all) of the tangling issues go away. You might want to take a look at this recent thread: http://theshaveden.com/forums/threads/recommend-me-a-good-starter-brush.34509/ I actually mentioned (but not recommended) the Van der Hagen badger brush in that thread. I'll also add your issue to the original post in this thread.
Thanks for such an interesting thread Not got to the end of the thread yet but already thinking we may need another brush fairly soon as the one we have is very old and probably needs lots of TLC to get the best out of it.
Very informative article, Ryan, and this thread is an invaluable read for any wet-shaver. I enjoy using a variety of shaving brushes and learning the attributes of each. The differences between makes and materials, such as boar vs badger for example, do become obvious with regular use. Although I do enjoy the soft luxuriousness of a good badger brush, I find myself drawn to the boars most mornings.
Update - a new, slightly larger bristle brush (assume boar) is working lots better, still learning the 'knack' though.
Choices choices choices.......Reading this forum and thread, is like a kid in a See's Candy Store where they are giving away any 1 pound combination box of candy. Ryan Thank you for this thread. Thanks for such an interesting thread. I must have forgotten there is such an art to shaving and choosing the best brush. I guess I will need to make another pot of coffee.
Thanks for explaining all those brush options. I'll be on my guard for differing brush grade names now.
Added a section for Manchurian/High Mountain badger. They've been around long enough for people to figure out what class of brush these fall into. I apologize in advance for offending people with my somewhat cynical view of these "limited edition" special grade, etc. brushes. Also added a section on brush longevity.
I own a Simpson Chubby 2 Best Badger which is I think is better overall then the Kent BLK 8 Silvertip. I think that it depends on the manufacturer more than how the brush is graded that determines quality. You really have to research the manufacturers and place close attention to the reviewers. You may not agree with some of the reviews but it does give you a great reference point in helping in choosing the right brush. The same goes for the other shaving items.
I agree up to a point. Any of the reputable long established companies make high quality brushes. Vulfix-Simpson, Rooney, Kent, Semogue, and Omega (edit: and Plisson) all make great brushes. I have a Rooney finest, and I much prefer my vintage short loft Hardright badger brush. Overall, I prefer boar brushes. I'm not surprised that you find the quality of the Simpson brush to be higher than the Kent. After all, the Simpson brand is built on shave brushes. The Kent brand is built on men's grooming products, and most specifically, handmade hair brushes.