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Badger Brush Broken Bristles

I have owned two badger brushes and the hairs in the center of the brushes always break. One was a Vulfix Super Badger I think I paid about 50 bucks for and the other a cheap Van Der Hagen. Is it something I'm doing wrong? I have thought about dropping money on a nice brush, but I'm timid about buying a more expensive brush if it isn't going to last more than a few years. I have an Omega Boar that has outlasted both of them.
 
A few questions:
  • Do you mash the brush when loading it or lathering your face?
  • How old are the brushes?
  • How do you clean the brushes after shaving?
  • Could you post some photos of the brush so we can see them?
I have never had that problem. In fact, below is a photo of a brush I bought in 1993 and for a number of years was my only brush. As you can see it is in great shape.

Hoffritz.jpg
 

ajkel64

Check Out Chick
Staff member
A few questions:
  • Do you mash the brush when loading it or lathering your face?
  • How old are the brushes?
  • How do you clean the brushes after shaving?
  • Could you post some photos of the brush so we can see them?
I have never had that problem. In fact, below is a photo of a brush I bought in 1993 and for a number of years was my only brush. As you can see it is in great shape.

View attachment 1287080
What Jim said.
 
Nothing wrong against using only boar if this works for you. As said above, hard mashing and/or a not properly hydrated brush will lead to breakage. You could try a back and forth whisking motion instead going in circles to better control the downward force.
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
You could also try heating brush in a cup with warm water a few minutes before needed to make natural hair a little more pliable like a boar brush to prevent breakage. You should always soak a boar brush for a least a few minutes like mentioned already but I do it with my badger brushes but not my synthetic brushes, synthetic brushes just hold under the tap with warm water for 5-15 seconds seems to work well.
I see a few brushes that have been mashed from heavy scrubbing of face and bowl lathering or combination of both.
Synthetics might help if you like to be heavy handed when applying lather or making lather.
I have synthetic brushes that are very nice scrubbers(24mm Tuxedo knots) and can paint lather better than anything out there IMO. I use boar, Badger and mainly synthetics and enjoy them all, I have a dedicated 24mm Cashmere knot for Pre shave that I use for brush washing my whole face to prep clean for the last 2.5 years and it still in good condition for the amount of scrubbing it has seen. I need the Cashmere knot (softer knot) for cleaning around my eyes to prevent dry eye with great success, sure beats eye drops.
 
A few questions:
  • Do you mash the brush when loading it or lathering your face?
  • How old are the brushes?
  • How do you clean the brushes after shaving?
  • Could you post some photos of the brush so we can see them?
I have never had that problem. In fact, below is a photo of a brush I bought in 1993 and for a number of years was my only brush. As you can see it is in great shape.

View attachment 1287080
I'll post a picture in a few minutes.
 
This was my first brush. It lasted about a two years before this happened. If this isn't typical, then I'm pretty sure I'm just pressing too hard when I load my brush or lather. I believe this was a Vulfix Super Badger #375.
IMG_3546.jpeg
 

ajkel64

Check Out Chick
Staff member
Thanks for the photo, it makes it a lot easier for us to work out the issues. Plus when you buy a new brush you can muck around re-knotting this one. Win win.
 
When lathering, don't push down at all. Only allow gravity as the downward force, and most certainly don't pump the brush while lathering.

Also try as much as possible when allpying lather to your face, apply from the sides of the brush like a paint brush. Allow some natural splaying but don't make it the dominant method of application.

You can still develop the dreaded donut hole with a boar brush, but it takes longer and replacing one doesn't cost as much.
 
Well I was doing both everything you just mentioned. I face lather and build a little on the puck. I was grinding to get the soap on there and then splaying it on my face. All this time I thought I was getting a good lather. I was actually murdering my brushes.
 
I have owned two badger brushes and the hairs in the center of the brushes always break. One was a Vulfix Super Badger I think I paid about 50 bucks for and the other a cheap Van Der Hagen. Is it something I'm doing wrong? I have thought about dropping money on a nice brush, but I'm timid about buying a more expensive brush if it isn't going to last more than a few years. I have an Omega Boar that has outlasted both of them.

Breaking=not soaked?
Shedding= simply bad quality glued brush....
 

steveclarkus

Goose Poop Connoisseur
I have owned two badger brushes and the hairs in the center of the brushes always break. One was a Vulfix Super Badger I think I paid about 50 bucks for and the other a cheap Van Der Hagen. Is it something I'm doing wrong? I have thought about dropping money on a nice brush, but I'm timid about buying a more expensive brush if it isn't going to last more than a few years. I have an Omega Boar that has outlasted both of them.
I’ve used the same Omega Pro for the past 12 years and it is still going strong. I find Badger to be uncomfortable so you aren’t alone. In my opinion, if something is working, don’t change it.
 
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