I wish I had a teacher that talked like that.
BRUSH ABUSE
- Thread starter Fuzzypeg
- Start date
I wish I had a teacher that talked like that.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Mine are subjected to swirling on hard soaps. They're mashed into my skin causing splay. I immerse them in water perhaps hotter than some might advise. My brushes are also loved and well rinsed after each use, and allowed to dry between uses.
I see no signs of them being damaged.
In my opinion the main things are rinsing them clean and letting them dry. To believe some of the manufacturers brushes should never be driven over 45 mph or taken out of the garage in the rain or loaded up with people and suitcases for a weekend trip.
Excessively hot water is a definite no no, but how hot is excessive? I think the answer is brushes can stand water just a little hotter than my skin can, but not much. Not saying this is more than my opinion.
Happy shaves,
Jim
I “abuse” the hell out of my brush and have for the past 11 years often not even rinsing it and leaving it in the bowl. All it has done in all those years is improve. It is incredibly soft, maintains its backbone and lathers anything like a daemon. I wouldn’t trade that Omega 10048 for any brush made. My advice, if you want to have a brush that can’t be bought, is to treat it like your grandfather treated his.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
Hard to argue with your experience. Not that I'd want to.
My grandfather may have used a straight razor and a brush or a safety razor and a brush, but not in my lifetime. I remember him using an electric. He wanted me to use an electric, too, and bought me at least one. It ate the skin on my neck alive and wanted seconds.
My wife reports her grandfather used one straight razor, one brush, one shaving mug, one of whatever it was his whole life. Knowing how cheap he was I don't doubt it, but mostly I hear about it relative to my excesses as in how many brushes or soaps or whatever do you need my grandfather only had one?
Anyway, her grandfather's brush, over time, wore down to a mere nub of a knot (according to my wife). It was still useful by his standards and he certainly wasn't going to buy another one, but she does admit his was not so great looking.
If I'm hearing her right he had a very nice handle, perhaps ivory. If so, someone gave it to him.
None of that is germane to our discussion except to say it's up to each of us to decide how to take care of our equipment.
- I abuse my brushes by some folks's measure but I also rinse them very well and dry them.
- Others go by the manufacturers's advice and baby their brushes.
- Still others ride 'em hard and put 'em in the barn wet.
Or, maybe not, but it's still my way.
Happy shaves,
Jim
When I started I had a Wilkinson Badger (I guess) which I always forgot in the sauna the handle cracked it shedded hairs and when I learned more I replaced it with some synthetics which i should rotate and keep out of the sauna bit still forget today. One handle fragmented dropping in a Cambodian shower last year. But rescued the knot and glued it in an other handle...
But hey I do not paint my house with them do not do the dishes or.....
But hey I do not paint my house with them do not do the dishes or.....
In all likelihood, it doesn’t make a whole lot of difference how you do it. Mine has worn down a quarter of an inch and it is so so soft. I do have two in reserve though. I should use them more to get the break in process on the way but it is so hard not to use the old one that should probably be put under glass and hung on the wall. My grandfather was so tight you could screw him into the ground. I don’t remember his shaving equipment except I believe, but am not sure, I remember a strop on the wall. My dad said he asked him for his straight razor when he went to a DE and granddad wouldn’t give it to him. Said he wouldn’t be able to keep it sharp. Funny how things were. I’m sure I never saw the razor. I did have his barber hone but one of the kids dropped and broke it. No great loss though. Like my father, I don’t have an ounce of sentimentality in me. I consider my brush “vintage” because I’ve had it so long.
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
My grandfather carried a little notebook. He recorded every penny he spent in the book. I mean that literally. If he put a penny in a parking meter...
Not that he wasn't a kind and generous man.
Happy shaves,
Jim
That is a very nice comment Jim. By the way, I hope you are doing well.
Steve
Chan Eil Whiskers
Fumbling about.
I should also mention that my grandfather was one to take care of his tools. In his retirement he had a wonderful basement woodworking workshop. The best of the available tools (many from Sears; this was back when Sears had truly great tools; probably in the 1940s) organized and well maintained.
All his garden tools and such were also of the bought once, maintained perfectly, and kept forever variety.
If he'd purchased and used a shave brush it would have been cared for properly. He would not have been obsessed with it (like many of us including me are) but he would have been what he thought of as a good steward.
He died when I was in college. All these decades later I value his presence and influence in my life. I was very fortunate to have excellent grandparents. I knew them all to a degree.
Thanks for you comment, Steve. I hope you're doing well, too, sir.
Happy shaves,
Jim
July 1956?
Treat ‘em like a cheatin’ wife and they will lear to love ya’.
