Brush Appearance

[Tony]

I'm new to wet shaving and am just using my new Merkur Futur badger brush. It seems that after the brush "bloomed" following my first shave with it that there are "straggler" bristles around the perimeter of the brush. I'm wondering if I'm putting too much pressure on the bristles when I lather up - I'm moving it in circles and up and down, and naturally the bristles collapse. Am I doing something wrong or are these perimeter bristles supposed to look in disarray? Using Futur razor with Porasco soap/Ocean Breeze soap by Muhle on alternate days. Is there a place to get Derby Blades other than Ebay?

 

[HlSheppard]

Hi Tony -

Welcome to the forum and to wetshaving in general!

When your brush is wet, the "straggler hairs" around the perimeter are completely normal. They will "shape up" again as the brush dries.

I basically pound the heck out of my brushes (esp. using the CAR/Methodshaving process where you repeatedly pump the brush on the soap cube). So far, they've all been fine.

I see the Simpson's instructions that came with my brushes about "painting" the lather on the face. Phooey, I say! I prefer to apply my lather in a circular 'scrubbing' motion; then I might paint a couple of passes just to even everything out. So far, I've seen no ill effects to my badgers whatsoever. If I'm causing some type of longer-term damage (and I don't believe I am), so be it. That will be my excuse to feed the addiction!

Sorry I can't help you on the Derby blades. I'm sure someone on the board can help you out with some if you post in the Buy/Sell/Trade forum.

 

[With The Grain]

my pure badger brush has this same problem, i think it's just inherent in that level of brush and or badger grade. there isnt a hint of a straggler in my shavemac

 

[Austin]

I do the same as Howard. No injury to the brush. After all it is a shaving brush.

 

[guenron]

I'm new to wet shaving and am just using my new Merkur Futur badger brush. It seems that after the brush "bloomed" following my first shave with it that there are "straggler" bristles around the perimeter of the brush. I'm wondering if I'm putting too much pressure on the bristles when I lather up - I'm moving it in circles and up and down, and naturally the bristles collapse. Am I doing something wrong or are these perimeter bristles supposed to look in disarray? Using Futur razor with Porasco soap/Ocean Breeze soap by Muhle on alternate days. Is there a place to get Derby Blades other than Ebay?

Yes, I've got 5*100 Derby Extras coming in.. I too dislike the ebay milieu. Approximately 300 are spoken for, so when they arrive I'll put up a post on the Sale forum. As far as your stragglers, are we talking about something like those on the left of this pic?:

When I rinse out my brush, after shaving it (non-violently), I pass it twice in each direction on my hand towel thereby wiping off excess water and also grooming the hairs so they dry all together as a neat badger bundel.