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Breaking in a NEW Boar brush a little quicker!

My new Razor Rock Boar arrived late Wednesday evening.
The picture below is the brush soaking for 30 hours at room temperature.
It is soaking in room temperature water, five drops of Dawn, and a pinch of salt.
Bacteria cannot thrive in salt water and this was a a small measure to relieve mild boar funk.
Razorock Boar 1.jpg


This mornings first shave was a quick shave.
A large tree limb fell on their lawn and damaged the fence and gate.
It was a quick and good shave before I went over to help out.

Razorock Boar 2.jpg

It was a good and quick two pass shave.
Clean, smooth and comfortable.
The handle may be a bit small for some.
I have small hands and it was a very nice fit for me.
The RazorRock boar is going to be a fine brush to lather with.
It will need some breaking in, but it works well already.
Even after soaking the brush exhibited a firm backbone and soft tips.
There were some tips already split before soaking and some more after the soak.
The brush loaded easily and I had no difficulty generating a slick creamy lather.
There was more than enough for a two pass shave and the lather was slick and comfortable.
The picture in the bowl is before the second pass.
If you're looking for a boar brush, give this one some consideration.
I know I'm going to enjoy mine.
 
My new Razor Rock Boar arrived late Wednesday evening...
...I have small hands and it was a very nice fit for me.
The RazorRock boar is going to be a fine brush to lather with. It will need some breaking in, but it works well already...
Your new brush looks nice, it's quite similar to the Zenith brush model 506. Zenith has the same knot in a taller handle which is model 507. It looks nice, maybe I'll get one later on after the annual sabbatical. I'm a big fan of the Zenith model B03-A26 with aluminum handle.
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Your new brush looks nice, it's quite similar to the Zenith brush model 506. Zenith has the same knot in a taller handle which is model 507. It looks nice, maybe I'll get one later on after the annual sabbatical. I'm a big fan of the Zenith model B03-A26 with aluminum handle.
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I am all but certain that this is a Zenith made brush.
When I opened the package the label said it was a 506U.
I know from looking at the Zenith brushes that "506" is a model or type number.
If this is indeed the case, then I may have to spring for one of those copper handled gems.
Ed
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
I am all but certain that this is a Zenith made brush.
When I opened the package the label said it was a 506U.
I know from looking at the Zenith brushes that "506" is a model or type number.
If this is indeed the case, then I may have to spring for one of those copper handled gems.
Ed
Nice looking brush, could you take a side view and top view of the knot to see how the splitting is occurring. I pre soaked knot 10 min & then 1st cleaning 4-5 shampooed knot and seem to loose some hairs and helped in splitting possibly and then into the fridge for 18 hrs. I pulled mine out around 18 hrs (2nd cleaning) and did some towel drying and re-lathering with hair shampoo 2 times and also used hair conditioner 2 times and rinsed and then final towel drying and put in stand for 24 hrs to see results. I have used mine 4 times since and seems to work excellent.
 
Nice looking brush, could you take a side view and top view of the knot to see how the splitting is occurring. I pre soaked knot 10 min & then 1st cleaning 4-5 shampooed knot and seem to loose some hairs and helped in splitting possibly and then into the fridge for 18 hrs. I pulled mine out around 18 hrs (2nd cleaning) and did some towel drying and re-lathering with hair shampoo 2 times and also used hair conditioner 2 times and rinsed and then final towel drying and put in stand for 24 hrs to see results. I have used mine 4 times since and seems to work excellent.

Sure.
I'll get on it.
I didn't have any hair loss.
Losing a few hairs wouldn't bother me unless it was a repetitious problem.
Ed
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
It's been a few months and just bought another Yaqi "Viper" Boar brush and was impressed how doing my simple quick break in method( post #1 explains). So when I bought the Viper I wanted to use the method a second time.
I will be using the Viper tomorrow morning for a shave as it is going through the 3rd day of final soaking in the fridge. You do not have to soak in the fridge some claim if you do not want to and just soak it cup on the counter top. The red handle boar brush was bleached treated more and the viper less bleaching and with slightly thicker knot packed IMO & maybe possibly thicker pig bristle. Just thought I would share a little more information on results of 2 boar treatments. The Viper is about 70-80% broke in and needs some use to finish the job. The red handle boar brush is working well and very enjoyable to use No hair bristle loss anymore with the red handle brush. The Yaqi viper did lose a few (16)hairs on first cleaning and second cleaning loss (2) hairs and has mostly stopped.
Yaqi #1 Viper 24mm boar brush (2).jpg


Yaqi boar  brushes comparison 2.jpg

Have some great shaves!
 
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I bought a few cheap boars and tried different methods on each of them to see which one did the best job splitting the tips quickly and fully. Most effective method was repeated soak / lather / blow-dry / air-dry cycles; the blow-drying did a much better job splitting stubborn tips than the brushes I towel-scrubbed.

The blow-drying is done at the Hot setting and just long enough to dry out the tips and make them fluffy; you don't want to heat the knot all the way down to the glue bump and handle and wreck 'em... a 24hr air dry cycle before the next soak will take care of drying the base of the knot.

Photos and time lapse:
 

Ron R

I survived a lathey foreman
I bought a few cheap boars and tried different methods on each of them to see which one did the best job splitting the tips quickly and fully. Most effective method was repeated soak / lather / blow-dry / air-dry cycles; the blow-drying did a much better job splitting stubborn tips than the brushes I towel-scrubbed.

The blow-drying is done at the Hot setting and just long enough to dry out the tips and make them fluffy; you don't want to heat the knot all the way down to the glue bump and handle and wreck 'em... a 24hr air dry cycle before the next soak will take care of drying the base of the knot.

Photos and time lapse:
Looks like you discovered a 4th method of breaking in a boar brush, I watched your time delay of the photo and it is impressive photography.
The boar brush in the glass of water with water level 3/4 of the way up the knot break-in 2-3 day period for the split hairs to multiply, my thoughts behind it is to soften the whisker fiber and then by towel drying the tips it does a few things after some thought & experience is it gets rid of any lose & broken hairs and then the towel drying starts to fracture the hair ends from the soakings but gives the lower part of the bristles flexibility from breaking further down the whisker towards the glue plug.
So it looks like there are 4 methods or more.
1/- Manufactures pre-break in the tips with certain chemicals and also sterilizing by bleaching of hairs prier to packaging for retail sales.
2/- Just use the brush and overtime it will naturally break in. (months of use from what I recall on my 1st boar brush)
3/
- place boar brush in the glass filled 3/4 of the way up the knot with cold water and soak for 3 days and removed every 24 hrs to towel dry the tips for 4-5 minutes to start the split ends process & back in the water until 3rd day of towel drying intervals gives about 70-80% break in and just use it and enjoy it . (I used this method on 2 brushes and works well).
4/- @USS-SpongeBob method, Wet the brush well for a few hrs and just use the hair dryer on max on just the hair tip areas to help speed up split ends and leave for 24hr intervals to air dry brush . (need some skill level not to dry the whole length of bristle to glued plug of the knot, I could see this working also).

I have used mostly Synthetic & 1 boar brushes for over 4yrs and recently tried some 2band badgers and to be honest I enjoy the different face feels the different brush knots give. Synthetic whisker brush technology for shave brushes has only really gotten any good in just the last 4 years IMO and natural hair shave brushes where much superior to the fish line type synthetic brushes first introduced many decades ago.
 
Yeah, I usually start with a good long 2-3 day soak too (just not in the fridge because it's not necessary - that advice came from a misunderstood translation from an Italian interview). I just didn't have much luck with towel scrubbing; yes, it split ends faster than doing nothing, but it wasn't nearly as efficient as the blow dryer. Once I discovered how effective the blow dryer was I took it to a Semogue 1305 with 40+ lathers & scrubs on it that had never really broken in very much... half a dozen blow dry cycles later it's fluffy and soft and one of my favorite brushes.

You're right that blow-drying alone won't remove loose bristles or the upside-down bristles that are barely glued into the knot; that's why I do a pretty rough hand lather with every cycle too: it helps flex the bristles, soften them up, and bust out those loose / barely-glued-in bristles.
 

linty1

My wallet cries.
I just do the "soak in a cup of water for a night, rub against a towel for 10 mins, repeat the process 2-4 times" thing and then just start using it. I only have 1 boar brush (and 1 mixed hair which I did the same) (which I both really like) so I don't have vast experience.
 
I find Borax and warm, not boiling water is quite effective, left to soak for 30min, then rinsed...you need to do this several times until the smell is gone
 
Unfortunately they do not make a brass / aluminum 507 they make a acrylic one.
Ergonomically the 507 is a great handle have it with extra soft horse hair in olive wood.
 

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Unfortunately they do not make a brass / aluminum 507 they make a acrylic one.
Ergonomically the 507 is a great handle have it with extra soft horse hair in olive wood.
I have the Zenith 507U XSE (unbleached boar) on my wish list already and it will probably be moved to the shopping cart in January 🤑
 
I have the Zenith 507U XSE (unbleached boar) on my wish list already and it will probably be moved to the shopping cart in January 🤑
Have fun I can also recommend the soft horse it is a floppy lather monster and no it does not tangle
 
Have fun I can also recommend the soft horse it is a floppy lather monster and no it does not tangle
Thanks for the recommendation; I'll definitely consider it since I already have several boar brushes and the horse will add something new to the mix.
 
Thanks for the recommendation; I'll definitely consider it since I already have several boar brushes and the horse will add something new to the mix.
Performance wise it is like a synthetic on the soft floppy side fast lather not hogging soap and a quick dryer. Not a scritch scratch thing imho.
 
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