Acceptable bristle loss?

[sombra]

I received a Rooney Heritage Stubby 2 for Christmas -- and was allowed to open it early on 12/11. I've used it about 4-5 times per week since then. On the first day of use, I lost three bristles.

Since then, over the last three to four weeks, I lost probably an average of one or two bristles a week. But today, I lost four. So, in total, I've probably lost 12-15 bristles.

Should I be concerned?

I don't think I'm doing anything harmful to the brush. I soak it in hot water before use, and afterward I rinse, shake off in the shower, rub the tips across a towel, and hang upside down to dry.

Is this typical? Or a manufacturing defect?

 

[kingfisher]

Never had a rooney, but it doesn't sound like cause for concern to me.

 

[biomesh]

This doesn't seem out of the ordinary for a new brush. Once you use it ~30 times the shedding should stop. Make sure the water you are soaking the brush in is not boiling water as this can damage the brush.

 

[Greybeard]

I wouldn't be concerned right now. If you continue to lose 4 or 5 hairs or more every shave for another couple of weeks it would be a worry. Losing a few hairs when the brush is relatively new is normal.

I've had 2 Rooneys. They're very dense brushes. They each lost about 6 hairs in the first month and then hardly any after that. I've read that each Rooney has 16,000 - 20,000 hairs, so you have some margin left .



- Peter

 

[dreadpirate]

Maybe a bit high - but give it a chance. New brushes may shed a bit at first. If it keeps up, then think about exchanging it.

 

[WhosYerBob]

A brush is a consumable - just like tires on a car; they don't last forever. If the cost is too dear, don't buy the expensive ones.

And if you think I'm crazy, try painting with Winsor & Newton Series 7 Kolinsky Sable Pointed Rounds. One that is a tiny fraction of a typical shave brush in size can cost $391, yet it too will eventually be reduced to nothing over time.

Sorry - I just feel the obsession over shedding is going to extremes these days.

 

[deshaveman]

One tip I'll offer is not to soak the entire brush in the water, just the exposed hair.

I used to leave the entire brush in the sink filled with hot water(not anywhere near boiling) and I noticed my brushes would steadily lose hair. Some more, some less, but every few shaves my brushes seemed lose a hair or two.

Now I soak just the hair and not the handle and my brushes haven't lost a hair in a while.