Boar Brush Prep - Why Refrigerate?

[xiletero]

Thanks for highlighting this. I've been a pretty strong advocate for the "fast break-in method" and have posted in the past about sticking a new boar brush in a glass of water and leaving it in the refrigerator overnight. (look for posts by me 3 years ago if the handle isn't familiar )

Thankfully, none of the dozen or so brushes I tried this on suffered any damage from being in the refrigerator and they all broke in within 3 cycles of the process.

I've also noted on this thread that folks think the brush needs to be left in water for 7 days continuously, but that's not needed, it's the number of long soak + fully dry cycles you perform on it that matters.

So
1. Soak in a glass of water (NOT in the refrigerator) overnight, about 12 hours
2. Shake off water and use a bath towel to scrub the bristles dry ( like you would fluff the brush, not like you want to mash it down into the towel ) till you get it as dry as you possibly can
3. Leave it standing upright to fully dry off

3 cycles of this and in about 3 days, give or take, you got yourself an almost fully broken-in boar shave brush

Interesting, I did not dry it completely. Also out of desperation soaked in contrast baths (cold/hot) rubbing in between. 3 Omegas, the little one is still NOT broken in.....instead I am broken down (had arm pain). I think I am NOT a boar person.....

 

[xiletero]

Beautiful!

I loved loved loved my SOC boar for around 100 shaves. Then, something changed. It became dreadfully floppy and unusable. I didn’t change a thing in my use of it. But it changed for the worse. Bad [emoji203].

This one sounds like it's in dire need of Viagra or Cialis.....

 

[vsp]

OK, guys. I've been trying to break in a Semogue 610, my 1st boar brush in many years. I've tried 24 hours in water in the fridge and about 10 face-lathered shaves--some with TOBS cream, others with WK soap.

The hair in the knot may be a bit softer now, but the ends are not at all split, hooked or changed in any other way. The shaving experience hasn't changed, and it's not positive. Every badger brush I've used, in every grade, generates far better face lather more quickly and retains far more warmth and moisture.

Will this brush ever work right? Or is it me?

I have a few pieces of advice on breaking in new boar brushes. Not sure at what stage things might have gone wrong with your boar brush, but here goes - see if it helps

1. Thoroughly wash your new boar brush under warm water.
2. Immediately leave the brush soaking for about 30 min, so that the individual bristles get to absorb whatever water they're going to and then not absorb the cleaning agent from the next step
3. Lather a little dish detergent with it and wash it all off. This step is to get rid of any factory gunk in the knot. You can use shampoo too, but wash it all off.
4. Then do the "fast break-in" I highlighted earlier in this thread and in about 3 days, you will have the brush with most of its bristles having begun splitting and therefore broken-in. It will of course get much better broken-in with repeated use.
Boar Brush Prep - Why Refrigerate? - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/boar-brush-prep-why-refrigerate.579612/post-11094317

This has worked for me with Omega, Semogue, Zenith (one Boreal) brushes and I would strongly recommend it to anyone who like me wanted to hasten the break-in process.

"Use the damn brush till it breaks in" is of course valid advice too

 

[vsp]

One more thing I can think of to revive your brush

Thanks for your thoughts, guys. Grumpy or not, it's all useful info. I'll try another half dozen or so shaves with the 610 in hard soap and also soaking it longer before shaving. But there's a limit to my commitment. Maybe I just prefer badger brushes no matter what. I'll let you all know how it goes.

If your brush absorbed some cleaning agent and is now hesitant to lather because of it, try a 30 min soak in distilled water. That should pull out any minerals or cleaning agent that the bristles might have absorbed.

 

[Demaratus]

To break in a boar, I lather it once with MWF to clean the stink, then let air dry 2-3 days. Then I soak the brush for 10 minute, shake it dry and towel it off, and then let it dry for 2-3 days. I repeat this cycle for a month, and voila it has split ends. No reason to use an unbroken boar for shaving, let the drying cycles do the work for you and then enjoy it at the end.


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[Chandu]

Semogue has like five or so different grades

I stumbled across this the other day. It shows the various grades of hair Semogue uses and which brush is which.

 

[Al Bundy]

I don't know if the refrigeration makes a difference vs not doing so but it's the advice I have followed on the few boar brushes I have.
I recently decided to give Arko soap a try and so bought it in a set with an Omega boar brush - it's been sat in half a glass of water in my fridge for 24 hours until last night and this morning, having been left to dry overnight, the ends are starting to split nicely.

 

[VerbaVolant]

I admit I didn't have the patience to read all posts because, in my opinion, refrigerating a brush is not a smart thing to do.
But, if the internets say otherwise, well... it must be true.

 

[Ravenonrock]

I tried to hurry the break in process with my first Omega boar, with both soaking and a few overnights in the fridge. I now feel confident enough to know I can just use the brush and let it break in over time. My new Semouge gets worked vigorously on hard soaps and equal treatment on a dry hand towel after. It’s breaking in as it should, with use and I can appreciate the differences over time. Live and learn.

 

[Samon]

My first brush was a really cheap random brand wood handled boar brush that I bought when I started straight razor shaving, it was £5. I used it on my head from new not knowing anything about natural fibres or anything about breaking it in or that it even needed to be broken in. I used that brush every day on my head, whip dried it and left in bristles up on the sink as I had no stand. I noticed it had split ends forming after a while and wasn't sure if it was normal and do consider cutting them! Lol. Anyway I figured out myself that it's beneficial and probably normal so just kept using it. I did however wax and oil the handle as I could see mould forming on it and the bristles absolutely stank like wet pig but the stink sort of went mostly away over months.

I only picked up that old boar brush again for the first time in years yesterday and it's superb! Better than my badger I bought last year that I'd been using for all my shaves. That backbone really gets soap on the hairs without hogging it and even though I don't go nuts face lathering cuz of sensitive skin and choose to paint the lather, the longer stiffer bristles actually worked perfectly. There I was thinking I needed a soft tip synthetic next.

Anyway, I bought an Omega 98 earlier online and can't wait to receive it and see if I can break it in without removing the skin off my face. I'm gonna try the cold water method cuz I want to get shaving with it asap! Keep the great advice coming!

 

[Chandu]

Honestly, I think it's just all about wet/dry cycles with boar. Its gonna take what it takes for the ends to split an it gets like you like. On any I've owned, ends started splitting after just one use.