Broken B&B Essential - HALP!

[drandall]

so i was rinsing out my B&B essential brush this afternoon when i heard a cracking sound and then the knot came out.

the resin knot base appears intact and isn't cracked or chipped...although some material from the inside clearly chipped or cracked off when the knot came out.

i'm not comfortable with drills and epoxies, especially not as a first time project.

does anyone know of anyone who repairs brushes?

thanks,

david r.

 

[Bobtrumpet]

Pictures of the pieces would help.

If the know just fell out, it's likely that all you'll have to do is scrape out the old epoxy with a knife and put in some new. No power tools required. Just depends on the type of damage.

In any case, good luck with the fix.

 

[kooshman7]

Pictures would help like stated, but if you want someone to repair the brush for you, and maybe even with the old handle, I'd give Rudy Vey a pm. Never used him personally, but when I decide to he'll be the one I'll contact for sure from the numerous projects I've seen him do here in this forum!

 

[drandall]

here are some pics. a bit crappy, but they certainly tell the story....

 

[mkevenson]

That is an easy fix but if you want someone else to do it send it to Rudy Vey a member here. I have used him and you will not be disappointed.

 

[Schwert]

I think that would fix in a heartbeat, but Rudy will make it right for sure if you do not want to attempt it.

What a shallow knot set.

 

[cvac]

Wow. Hopefully it can be fixed. I sold my BBE because I didn't use it much (too scritchy for me) but I hope this is an isolated incident for BBE owners.

 

[Darjeeling Express]

David, two words, Rudy Vey. He is restoring and Ever Ready for me, as we speak. He's a master. All problems, whatever they are, if the word "brush" is relevant, Rudy can solve it.

 

[Blondie]

Wow. Hopefully it can be fixed. I sold my BBE because I didn't use it much (too scritchy for me) but I hope this is an isolated incident for BBE owners.

Same thing happened to me a couple of weeks ago as well. I used the gray Ace marine epoxy as well.

 

[Stick Monkey]

Is this a common problem with these brushes?

 

[cvac]

I don't think there is enough data yet to know that.

Is this a common problem with these brushes?

 

[Blondie]

Is this a common problem with these brushes?

It doesn't really matter, as there are no more and they are unavailable. If memory serves me correctly, this was going to be an item stocked permanently in the B&B Store, however inconsistencies between the first two batches caused this not to happen. Now we are able to get the Limited Edition brushes on an annual basis, which are made by reputable manufacturers. Whoever made the BBE remains elusively anonymous, and as a result of this, there is no recourse when there is a problem with the brush. As always, caveat emptor. I look at it this way, at least I know how to set a knot now!

 

[andrew98]

I'd definitely have Rudy fix that if you don't want to fuss with it. There's also room in the handle to drill a little more, so the knot can easily be set deeper if you want a little more backbone.

-Andy

 

[Schwert]

I'd definitely have Rudy fix that if you don't want to fuss with it. There's also room in the handle to drill a little more, so the knot can easily be set deeper if you want a little more backbone.

-Andy

That knot is so shallow, I would have Rudy drill it out a bit. I am not sure what the loft was on these, but I would shove it deeper for sure.

 

[drandall]

thanks to everyone for the rudy vey referral.

i've already been in contact with him and he's going to do the repair so that i can be confident it's done correctly.

i enjoy my BBE and would hate to screw it up through my own inepitude


thanks to everyone for the great info.

 

[VR6ofpain]

INow we are able to get the Limited Edition brushes on an annual basis, which are made by reputable manufacturers. Whoever made the BBE remains elusively anonymous, and as a result of this, there is no recourse when there is a problem with the brush.

I'm pretty sure the BBE was also made by Kent, just like the LE brushes. That said, Kent makes great products and stands by what they make. I had a shedding BK4 that was over a year old and they still replaced it free of charge (just had to send it to them). Considering the special production of this brush, I don't think such an exchange is possible.

 

[cvac]

I'm not sure that is entirely true. For people who bought their BBE direct from B&B, it seemed like the moderators were able to resolve some problems at the beginning for those that got a shedder or a bad brush. I don't remember if the brushes came with some kind of explicit or implicit warranty or how long that would be in effect if it existed. What I do know is that all the BBEs in circulation now are at least a year old.

Whoever made the BBE remains elusively anonymous, and as a result of this, there is no recourse when there is a problem with the brush.

 

[cvac]

Those brushes have a 19mm knot and the hairs were some sort of mid-grade type of badger that plenty of backbone and the knot was fairly dense. It had no problem picking up soap. It wasn't floppy at all. There is no real reason to set the knot deeper. Personally, I would just leave it alone.

Also, someone correct me if I'm wrong on this but I don't think traditional brush manufacturers set their knots super deep even on the short loft brushes. I think they either trim (or sort maybe) the badger hair so it's the right size for the loft they want for that model without the need to set it deeply. Setting the knot deep into the handle is done with custom brush handles because the knots are pre-made - it's basically a workaround so you can get a short loft with a pre-made knot. Again, someone correct me if I'm wrong on this.

That knot is so shallow, I would have Rudy drill it out a bit. I am not sure what the loft was on these, but I would shove it deeper for sure.

 

[Blondie]

I'm pretty sure the BBE was also made by Kent, just like the LE brushes. That said, Kent makes great products and stands by what they make. I had a shedding BK4 that was over a year old and they still replaced it free of charge (just had to send it to them). Considering the special production of this brush, I don't think such an exchange is possible.

So does that mean that if you have a Kent LE, and something goes wrong, they will not replace it?

Also, I hope my original post did not come off as snyde, I just wonder why the maker of the $58 brush is secret, but the maker of the $140 dollar brush is public knowledge. If it were Kent, why would they be known in subsequent projects, but anonymous with this one? Also, why would a brush maker not want their identity known to the largest shaving forum on the web?

 

[cvac]

The BBE was a budget brush. Basically supposed to be the best brush money could buy for around $50 (plus S&H). It was supposed to an all-arounder and good for newbies. It didn't come with a case, box, or any kind of leaflet. Also, after a brush is made and the glue cures, the hairs are supposed to be combed out to get rid of any stray hairs so the brush doesn't shed too much on the first few uses. For the BBE, this step was skipped in order to save $ and keep the price down. From what I understand, the manufacturer wanted to be kept anonymous because the brushes were a special deal and would undercut the prices on similar brushes under their official brand name.

The LE brushes come in a Kent box with a Kent logo stamped on the brush. I've never had a Kent shaving brush but I would be VERY surprised if they wouldn't be willing to stand 100% behind that brush if any problems arose with it.