Donuts or Doughnuts | Pictures of Brushes with Holes in the Center | Stories

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

If you have any brushes with holes in the center (so called Donuts) would you share photos and tell us how the holes got there if you know.

I don't have any such brushes and hope I never do, but, since I'm a masher, splayer, and swirler, you never know.

Thanks and happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Timeclo]

Only brush that had a temporary donut was my horse hair, Vielong 12705. It tends to get tangled up in the middle so I combed it with a fork and it's fine now.

I also bought a Maggard synthetic brush on BST that had a slight donut in the middle. I washed it up thoroughly and it reverted back to is original shape. No pictures though...

 

[SliceOfLife]

I've owned literally hundreds... about 50% of vintage brushes you buy have donuts. But I drill most of them out shortly after I get them... Here's one that just arrived. This is about average... still usable arguably, but it's not gonna be anything like it was originally. You'll see some that are almost bald in the center.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Here's from just the top 20 or so listings for "vintage shave brush" on eBay.

Second pic is a PERFECT example of donutting. This is what I see on about half the vintage badgers I pick up. Based on what I've seen, I'd estimate this is what ballpark 1000+ shaves using twisting, swirling and mashing does to a badger knot. Boars see similar, but they tend to break further down creating more of a "caved in" look when the brush is dry.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Thanks. Good examples. You have a wealth of experience with brushes. Thanks for sharing it, @SliceOfLife.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[SliceOfLife]

Here's my Finest I got on BST for cheap because of the Donut. Based on when these were being sold, I estimate it was 10-15 yrs old. Seller said it was in a rotation with a few other brushes, but I suspect it was the most frequently used. Wild guess, it had 1000-1500 uses... but that's just a hunch on my part. He said he was not rough with it, but did swirl.

And after I gave it hair plugs (about a year ago... maybe 40 uses since):


I've also got a finest I am the original owner of in absolutely immaculate shape. You couldn't tell it's been used. But that's not very relevant as it's a "special occasion" brush. Last time I used it was my wedding day. But... That brush literally never shed a hair and has probably the most resilient hair I've ever seen in any brush. If any brush could survive the abuse of twisting and mashing, it's a Rooney Finest.

 

[never-stop-learning]

Here are four synthetics with the beginnings of 'holes':

From L - R:
AP Shave Co. 'Synbad'
Mr. Fine 'Angel'
Yaqi 'Cashmere'
AP Shave Co. 'Cashmere'

Soaking, picking with the 'Indispensable Shaving Brush Tool' and drying restored all to their former glory.

The three that really benefited were my three horsehair brushes. The 'donut holes' were much more significant than the four synthetics or the brushes posted by @SliceOfLife - much more. Here is how they look now:

Hope this helps.

 

[SliceOfLife]

Tangled cores are a very different thing from donutting. Donutting is caused by the hairs breaking. Combing won’t help.

 

[never-stop-learning]

Tangled cores are a very different thing from donutting. Donutting is caused by the hairs breaking. Combing won’t help.

Well.....Glad to learn that. Thank you.

I am certainly not an expert in the variety of things that can cause gaps in the middle of brushes.

 

[Cal]

DONUTTING CAUSE: ANOTHER POINT OF VIEW

OK, I'm no expert. Just humor me.

I believe it's caused by hard water, poor brush hygiene (lack of thorough rinsing), or both.

No matter how well you rinse your brush, if you have hard water the chemicals cling to the hairs/bristles/fibers, and soap clings to those chemicals. Also, if you don't rinse your brush thoroughly some soap will be left in it even if you have soft water. The concentration of this trash will mostly be in the least accessible part of the brush, the center.

A good tell-tale sign of this is that the brush (when sniffed) smells of the previous soap used, rather than simply "fresh." Another dead give-away is "the dust cloud" when thumbing over the dry brush thus:

So this weakens the hairs/bristles/fibers, starting at the center and they start to snap off. Regarding the yukky vintage brushes found on eBay and such places — consider the old boys who lathered up in their shaving mugs and simply left their wet and soapy brush in there till the next shave.

After the brush is compromised as above a little mashing, splaying, and swirling will definitely help it on its way to full donut, but not before.

That's just my two cents, and opinion. YMMV

 

[SliceOfLife]

It’s definitely possible for damage to happen due to the brush not being rinsed thoroughly. If nothing else it contributes to weakening the hair and making it more prone to breaking.

Both are important to keeping a brush in good shape. You have to ensure that you thoroughly rinse it after use and don’t abuse it when using it. I’ve seen a couple guys post that they never rinse brushes out, they save the lather for the next day. Usually they’re using 10 or $20 boar brushes so if the brush lasts year or two they’re fine with it... if you’re buying $100+brush you probably want to take better care of it.

 

[Demolition]

Here's a Fine Accoutrements Classic (on the right) with a donut hole:

The thing that makes it "special" is that it arrived this way, brand new out of the box. An inspection revealed broken-off hairs and, oddly, several that were looped over (both ends glued into the plug). Wetting it caused a bunch of hairs to fall out of the centre.

Fine replaced it without question.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Cal @Cal, I don't know if a brush will not donut if properly rinsed. It's certainly an interesting thesis and you presented it well. I think we know for sure that soap left in the brush is damaging.

I'm one to very thoroughly rinse my brushes after each use, so, if you're right, maybe I'll dodge the donut bullet.

On the other hand, with the number of brushes I have and the age I've already achieved, it's likely my brushes won't be used long enough to be damaged. Not that I'm planning to kick the bucket within the next thirty years, but just saying.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[Ad Astra]

Had a ($6 plastic) Burma Shave boar brush go south ... shed, shed more, then chunks came out! A donut it was but then hurled in the trash.

I'd bought two of them in an olde-tyme drugstore. Still have the other.


AA

 

[SliceOfLife]

Talking about Rooney Finests reminded me how long it'd been since I used my big one... so I broke it out for today's shave. Damn, it really blows my mind how close the 70/30 Mixed knots are to the old Rooney finest.