So I recently acquired a VB Brand Finest Badger brush. It is my first high quality brush and I love it. Only one problem. I can never rinse all the cream out of the tips of the bristles and they feel slimy And once they dry they are hard and crusty and clumped together (only at the tips). I have already cleaned it with diluted dish soap followed with diluted vinegar twice and have only had it for a month. This fixes the problem but I don't think I should have to clean it on a weekly/bi-weekly basis. The problem persists no matter what cream or soap I use. Does anyone know why this is happening or what to do about it?
Brush Maintenance Help
- Thread starter ShavingPrivateRyan
- Start date
What kind of water do you have? It could be extremely hard water?
Are you using too much cream? What cream is it?
Are you using too much cream? What cream is it?
- Thread starter
- #3
My water isn't hard. I have used Proraso green, TOBS sandalwood, TOBS Grapefruit, and Colonel Conk Bay rum. They all seem to build up pretty equally. I have never had this problem with any of these cream and my other cheaper brushes (VDH Boar and a Tweezerman Deluxe). I am inclined to think it is something with the new brush because that is the only thing in my setup that has changed.
Try a cold water rinse and towel dry, this may help to remove the soap film.
Soak in straight Vinegar for at least 3 hours then give it a good warm water rinse till the vinegar smell is gone.
When wet, do the tips look hooked and clumped like the photo below? If yes, what happens when you run your hand over them after they dry up?
I've been doing this with my Badgers: Rinse brush under lukewarm water until looks like soap is all out and water is running clear THEN give the knot a very gentle squeeze and see if you see more white lather rising to the tips; that's more soap still up in knot. Repeat above steps until you don't see white anymore when you do this. You can feel it too - if the tips feel slimy there's probably still soap in there.
Previously I was noticing after I rinsed brush it would seem clear but when I turned bristle side up I would see one spot on brush where soap was starting to rise up to tips of bristles.
Previously I was noticing after I rinsed brush it would seem clear but when I turned bristle side up I would see one spot on brush where soap was starting to rise up to tips of bristles.
When wet, do the tips look hooked and clumped like the photo below? If yes, what happens when you run your hand over them after they dry up?
Most likely this is what is going on...I have a couple TGN finest knots that do this, they feel great when in use, I clean them up and when they dry they feel a bit crusty at the tips, when wet again they feel great, it is just the type of hair. Hopefully this is what is going on with yours and if so it isn't a problem at all.
+1. I haven't tried the Vintage Blades brand brush but at least one of my brushes does this too. I wouldn't worry about it.
I would not recommend this at all. I would never soak any of my brushes in vinegar/acetic acid for three hours. If you want to clean your brush, take a look at this thread. It takes less than 10 minutes to do and I've done it several times with used brushes that I've purchased with good results.
Some great advise above. No need to soak your brush in vinegar on a regular basis, actually I never do.
The crusty dry tips are normal makes for a very soft brush when in use.
My Thater did it, my Rooney's do it, my T&H now does it...I think even my ultra soft a kent does it to a degree.
unluess you are using your brush dry to lather, don't worry about it.
The crusty dry tips are normal makes for a very soft brush when in use.
My Thater did it, my Rooney's do it, my T&H now does it...I think even my ultra soft a kent does it to a degree.
unluess you are using your brush dry to lather, don't worry about it.
I would hesitate to suggest you clean your brush as vigorously as you are now doing more than once every year or two.
I don't think I have cleaned any of mine in a couple of years and they are just fine.
I don't think I have cleaned any of mine in a couple of years and they are just fine.
Here's the link to the Shave Wiki concerning brushes and brush maintenance.
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Shave_brushes
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/Shave_brushes
