I have a boar from the 70's that has worn to the point that it only gets occasional use. I have three in the rotation at present with this one falling in once in a while.
Ever wear a brush out?
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- #22
So when you say worn out what does that mean? Did the bristles wear down to little stubs?
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- #23
So you did wear out a badger brush. Interesting.
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- #24
Did the bristles wear down to little stubs?
I wore an Omega boar brush down to stubby bristles after 24 years of exclusive use. Still usable condition, but not what it once was.
Through most of that time I was not a daily shaver, and for a short while I was bearded.
The hunt for a replacement brought me to B & B.
Through most of that time I was not a daily shaver, and for a short while I was bearded.
The hunt for a replacement brought me to B & B.
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- #26
Wow! That is worn. That's what I was looking for. An actual picture of a brush worn down from use. So it took you about 24 years to do it.
I wore out two English brushes which I alternated daily over a 35 year period.
I had a boar-badger brush that was on the small side (probably 19mm). I got it from my father and he probably used it for at least 10 years. I had it about another ten years when the bristles in the center of the brush began to break. A hole began to form in the center and the brush began to take an inverted L shape to it. That's the only one for me.
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- #29
I guess if I stuck with just one brush I could wear it out. Good thing I have about 12.
What about synthetics though? Id expect a natural hair brush to break down over time because the hairs are still natural but synthetics are just plastic, which may or may not ever break down.
I wore out a Duke 2. I used it every day for somewhere between 7 and 10 years, and and the bristles were down to 1/2 to 2/3 of their original height. I still have the handle with a Virginia Sheng knot in it.
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- #32
The synthetics may not break-down but they can still wear out just like the examples of a couple boars and badgers here.
Yes, to a degree. But I beat the living daylights out of it.
I've changed up my lathering technique many times of the last 30 years, most in the last ten. This brush got mashed, swirled and pumped 'til the Dickens was blasted out of it. I've settled on painting strokes (and actually did so before retiring this brush) and they provide the lather I like in spades.
There are those that have posted (maybe here but also elsewhere) that brushes last a lot longer (decades) when treated right. Hopefully that is the case with my replacement brush.
Chris
I've been shaving since the late 50s. I have not paid attention to the drug store boar brushes that I have worn out. I mostly used them one at a time and I would guess two or three. That was using them until hair was falling out or the bristles became too short. Now my grandfather's Erskine badger is another story. I don't know when he bought it. He passed away before I was born. It was passed on to my Dad, then to my older brother. The knot was beyond it's prime, but I still used it, sometimes continually or sometimes occasionally as it continued to age. It finally fell into seldom used. Then I discovered this forum and that badger was really still available.
So I reknotted it. I guess this brush fits both categories of being worn out. The knot was shot, but the brush lives on with a new knot. I really love this brush.
So I reknotted it. I guess this brush fits both categories of being worn out. The knot was shot, but the brush lives on with a new knot. I really love this brush.
OldSaw
The wife's investment
I was at my cottage today and examined my Art of Shaving pure badger brush more closely. This is the one that I said I benched after six months of using a fairly dry damp brush to load soap and felt that this was the cause of having a lot of hairs break off. Well, I looked it over pretty well and I believe that it is simply extremely poor quality badger hair.
There are a great deal of hairs that are kinked in multiple locations up and down the shaft. Nearly half the hairs have multiple blemishes, which I now believe are the cause of the great deal of breakage.
There are a great deal of hairs that are kinked in multiple locations up and down the shaft. Nearly half the hairs have multiple blemishes, which I now believe are the cause of the great deal of breakage.
Haven't worn out a brush yet. Of course I doubt I will either. I've had only had 2 brushes that were failures. Boreal boar brushes.
My ivory colored VDH boar brush from cvs. Purchased in 1998, died in January 2018 R.I.P. Rinisng it one day and a few loose hairs came out then the whole middle just fell out. I may have shed a tear.
I have never worn a brush out. I have too many in rotation to ever reach that point but all my Badgers show very little wear.
My cheapo gillette synthetic used for travel has many miles on it (figuratively and literally) and has only lost two or three hairs due to getting squeezed/mashed/twisted while in the dopp kit. At this rate it will last a lifetime.
My cheapo gillette synthetic used for travel has many miles on it (figuratively and literally) and has only lost two or three hairs due to getting squeezed/mashed/twisted while in the dopp kit. At this rate it will last a lifetime.
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