VDH Boar brush question

Discussion in 'The Brush' started by 1969Fatboy, Jan 23, 2009.

  1. UncleStu

    UncleStu Member

    Re: the Ebay brush & stand:
    I bought that same brush & stand(except with a red handle) from the same seller. It arrived today, looks great, and for $13 shipped it's gonna be very tough to beat!:D

    BTW- My old brush is the direct ancestor of the VDH brush, it was sold under the name "Surrey". The old Surrey is exactly the same handle(except for color, mine's a medium blue) & dimensions as the brush now sold as VDH. I even stood the old Surrey side by side with a new VDH- they're the same brush, mine has more symmetrical bristles, but that could easily be just unit-to-unit production line differences- even though mine was made more than 10, & maybe more than 20 yrs ago!:eek: Someone's been making the VDH-pattern brush for a *long* time. And FWIW- the bristles on my old one are *not* "swirly". :happy102

    And when I stood my nice new Omega red-handle beside the old Surrey(VDH) today, they were exactly the same height. *BUT*- the Omega had a bit shorter handle & longer bristles than the old Surrey/VDH. And even though the Omega is one of their cheap models, it's already impressed me enough that I'll probably get another- but a really nice-looking one(or two- or...:o). I've discovered that I'm a real sucker for the clear/color types, like the 31064.;)
     
  2. rollsshaver

    rollsshaver Peace be with you

    I like beef better
     
  3. Damon

    Damon Member

    My VDH brush's knot is not straight when wet (curls inward), but straightens out as it dries.
     
  4. DarkAudit

    DarkAudit Active Member

    It dries? :eek:

    Mine eventually does, but it takes so long it might as well not bother.
     
  5. Old Spice Guy

    Old Spice Guy Member

    I've been using my VDH since about last September and it works very well for me and is not 'swirly' at all. I never used any conditioner on it though. My biggest complaint is it loses hairs almost every time I use it.

    I would NOT hesitate to tell a newbie to pick up a VDH brush and use it, I'd just make sure they understood it is an "entry level" brush to get started with that it's likely to lose some hairs but gives and excellent lather for the price. Mine will hold lather enough for three passes easy though I usually only need two.

    I have a Tweezerman on the way and I'm thinking of ordering one of those Omega Boars hair brushes. If they work as well as the VDH but don't lose hair I'll be a fan.
     
  6. J T

    J T Member

    I ordered a few boar brushes from Gio at the beginning of the week. He called me yesterday (THUR.) to say two of the brushes were just shipped from Italy, and would I like my order sent or held a few days till the brushes arrived. That is excellent service.

    As to the VDH brushes, the pictures show 2 different grades of brush. The green handle is the regular brush and the white handle is the Deluxe, a far better brush.
     
  7. 1969Fatboy

    1969Fatboy New Member

    That makes since about the different colored handle brushes. I just ordered the Omega on the bay so i should be set.... VDH will go to a newb at some point.
     
  8. I used my newly acquired drugstore boar again this morning with TABAC... can't remember if it is a VDH or Surrey...I threw away the luxurious cardboard box it came in but I got it at CVS. I did order an Omega last night from a B&B member/vendor in Singapore, ( dridiot), it is a simple Omega in Blue and Clear Lucite Acrylic handle... also picked up a bar of TABAC Luxury Bath Soap in the Faux Horn Shell from him while I was at it. I kinda like using a boar brush every now and again... figured I might as well try a economical Omega Boar for the heck of it.
     
  9. 1969Fatboy

    1969Fatboy New Member

    Its funny how a guy that owns Plisson brushes is going back to the boar:) Or at least giving it another chance!
     
  10. Ursa

    Ursa Well-Known Member

    FWIW: My VDH brush looked perfect when I got it, but now has an irregular shape to the knot and curly bristles much like the one pictured at the top of the thread. It doesn't lather soap worth a damn and can be very scratchy depending on how you orient the protruding lump of bristles in the knot. I've considered writing VDH and requesting a replacement. It's just awful.

    OTOH, my cheap Burma-Shave brush has become my favorite. It's stopped shedding, has developed a nice fan shape to the knot and the tips have become luxuriously soft. It also makes lather in a small fraction of the time that it takes with the VDH. After using it I splay out the bristles and park it in front of my bathroom air cleaner to dry; it's always nice and fluffy for the next use.

    I've since obtained a English (Vulfix?) boar but haven't tried it out yet.
     
  11. AsylumGuido

    AsylumGuido New Member

    Same here. Soap explodes on mine. I have three badger brushes that I never use because this one works so great. One thing I always do with mine, though, is that I always wring and shake it dry and then brush it drier on a towel after use. The knot is just as well shaped as when it was new. Maybe even better.
     
  12. FatHead

    FatHead New Member

    That green VDH brush is defective; plain and simple.
     
  13. 1969Fatboy

    1969Fatboy New Member

    Its all good. I never did anything wrong with it. It looked liked that out of the box. I just ordered an Omega for $13 shipped so will give that a whirl. Still wont replace my badgers but something different.
     
  14. Old Spice Guy

    Old Spice Guy Member

    I know they're designated that way, but I have both and can't tell the difference and they each cost the same. Interestingly I haven't found a store that carries both brushes. I got the green handled one at Walgreens and the white one from CVS.

    Both mine work quite well but any differences are minor.
     
  15. Old Spice Guy

    Old Spice Guy Member


    These different experiences would seem to indicate to me that, a) brushes of the same brand may vary widely, after all different badgers/boars will have varying quality of hair depending on age, location, diet etc. and b) two different people using the exact same brush could experience it differently depending on their own methods of lathering and what brand soaps they use.

    So while it's great to read reviews and the experiences of others, in the end we each have to acquire and experience each product for ourselves, for indeed the old saw that "One mans trash is another mans treasure" bears out here as well as anywhere else.
     
  16. 1969Fatboy

    1969Fatboy New Member

    I think VDH QC might be a factor as well though. Clearly the brush is defective with all its swirliness. Unless the hair was extracted from a boar that had a bad 80's do or a mullet? This is basically what it looked like out of the box and I have tried to remedy it.

    I do admit that the same brush does perform differently for different people though. It is also what people get used to. Someone who uses a Simpson Chubby for years and goes to a VDH will never expereience the same level of lathering capabilites. But someone who started with a VDH may always appreciate it. I like the feel just hate its current hair style! I might do the whole buy one and return it deal....at the same store of course. If that one is jacked then I done. Back to the badger.
     
  17. Morgoroth

    Morgoroth Member

    So this conditioner thing....
    Does it matter what kind of conditioner you use?
    Also, what does the conditioner do for the brush?
    Soften? Straighten? Give it that hair commercial shine?
     
  18. wchnu

    wchnu Duck Season!

    I used my VDH green handle boar again this morning with some Williams soap. Great lather and had enough for 3 pass shave no problems. I do Bowl lather mostly so that might have something to do with it.

    Fuzzy
     
  19. 1969Fatboy

    1969Fatboy New Member

    Conditioner just softens the bristles up a bit. I just use what ever the GF has in the shower and nothing fancy. Really helps with badger hair when breaking in the brush IMO.
     
  20. Morgoroth

    Morgoroth Member

    Good to know. I think one of mine is the green handled one in the pick and it is a little swirly so maybe I will try and soak it.

    How long about does it take to soak?
     

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