The shedding brush ...

Discussion in 'The Brush' started by icedog, Oct 10, 2019.

  1. icedog

    icedog Member

    I've put together a few dozen brushes over the past number of years. Some were rebuilds using vintage handles, some used handles I built myself from antler and/or wood, and others used handles purchased from "overseas" suppliers. All of the brushes used knots from a few of the better known suppliers in China, including Vigshaving. All of the knots were fixed in place with two part epoxies, and to date, only the one I am currently using ( a reasonably nice "finest") has shown any "beyond normal" degree of shedding (mostly from the centre of the knot). I want to believe the problem is with the knot itself, not with something I did in setting it. Any thoughts otherwise?

    By the way, I'm not usually a daily shaver, and am fairly coscientious about ensuring that the brush has a chance to dry properly after each use.
     
    kjbarth, AGHisBBS and RyX like this.
  2. RyX

    RyX DoH!

    I'm a cool water shaver. My boar knotted brushes might get a couple minutes of soak. Badger and horse a quick dip but rarely more than a minute of soak. Synthetics don't absorb (yet?) so just a dribble from the tap and go. One or two of these different knots drop an occasional bristle or hair. The only one that is prone to more than that is a Van Der Hagen boar. They are know to be shedders.

    Do you use hot water? That may soften the glue, or cause expansion of the fibers that over a period of time and repeated sessions might loosen up a hair or bristle.

    I also nearly exclusively bowl lather using a suribachi. That's a rough textured ceramic dish. I had concerns early on that it might cause wear on the brush tips. Can't say it's done any damage in several years of use. Maybe if I mashed and bent the knot? Do face latherers splay more than bowl latherers?
     
    kjbarth likes this.

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