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How much shedding is too much?

I've had an Omega 31064 since about February and a Savile Row 3226 since....April-ish. Both work amazingly, but both still shed 1-3 hairs per shave even now. Think I'm over-reacting? The boar is totally broken in and works beatifully- I know I started a thread about how I hated it initially, leave me alone :w00t: - and the 3226 was an anniversary present from the GF so I'm loathe to replace either. You guys think anything's actually wrong with them?
 
My brush loses a hair or two every other shave. Is it normal? I don't know. It bothers me somewhat, especially since it was a gift from my wife, but I'm still gonna use it every day. If it goes bald I'll just have the handle re-knotted.
 
Initially, a brush will shed hairs, possibly as much as several hairs per week for the first few weeks. This is not out of the bounds of normal. However, if it persists for a month or so then you might have a problem. I would say an occassional hair loss of 1 hair every week is quite acceptable, though a litte more isn't too bad either. Boar brushes are more prone to shedding as their stiffer bristles suffer from breakage more often.
 
Your Omega should definitely have stopped shedding by now. If you're losing bristles every shave then contact your vendor.
Badger brushes have many more individual hairs than boar brushes. With a dense, large knot like a 26mm Saville Row you may still have some loose hairs that were left in the knot when it was made. Losing 1-3 hairs per shave won't affect the feel of the brush for years, but it could be a symptom of a shedding problem.
Wash the brush as in Em's video linked below. Let it dry completely and then comb it with a wide gapped comb. This should get rid of most of the loose hairs in the knot. Use the brush as normal. If it's still shedding after a couple of weeks, then contact QED.

http://www.shaveinfo.com/videos/brush_cleaning.htm
 
I've been finding pretty much what DE Shaver said.

I used to think it was unavoidable to have a few hairs lost every time I shaved! Then I got different brushes. Don't recall losing more than maybe one hair total from any of 3 badgers and 4 boars I've been using over the past couple of months. One of those is an Omega, the 81052.

The one exception was a re-knot I did with TGN UK boar on one vintage...it lost about 10 hairs after I made it up. But it seems to have stopped dead now. None of the others continued to shed after the first few shaves.

Not wanting to blame you (could be luck of the draw), but is there any chance you're doing something that might be prolonging the loss?

- Bill
 
I have a Simpson Chubby 2 Best that is worrying me as well. It as lost ~20 hairs in about 5 shaves. I hope it settles down. Luckily the Chubby 2 is a very dense brush, and those hairs won't be missed too much. However, it is stressful to have bought something so nice and have it do this. I'll give it a month of shaves before I contact the vendor. Luckily, Vulfix seems to have better customer service compared to what I have read of the old Simpson's company.
 
Your Omega should definitely have stopped shedding by now. If you're losing bristles every shave then contact your vendor.
Badger brushes have many more individual hairs than boar brushes. With a dense, large knot like a 26mm Saville Row you may still have some loose hairs that were left in the knot when it was made. Losing 1-3 hairs per shave won't affect the feel of the brush for years, but it could be a symptom of a shedding problem.
Wash the brush as in Em's video linked below. Let it dry completely and then comb it with a wide gapped comb. This should get rid of most of the loose hairs in the knot. Use the brush as normal. If it's still shedding after a couple of weeks, then contact QED.

http://www.shaveinfo.com/videos/brush_cleaning.htm

Thanks! I'll email WCS (or should I just PM letterk?) and I'll wash/comb the brush ASAP.

Not wanting to blame you (could be luck of the draw), but is there any chance you're doing something that might be prolonging the loss?

- Bill

I don't think so- They've always been treated well. Never left in an enclosed spot, dried on a towel a bit after being used, have been both hung upside down and left standing up with no change in shedding. Both consistently lose a few hairs per shave. Haven't noticed any change (hell, the Omega is already better than the 3226 and getting better!)

I have a Simpson Chubby 2 Best that is worrying me as well. It as lost ~20 hairs in about 5 shaves. I hope it settles down. Luckily the Chubby 2 is a very dense brush, and those hairs won't be missed too much. However, it is stressful to have bought something so nice and have it do this. I'll give it a month of shaves before I contact the vendor. Luckily, Vulfix seems to have better customer service compared to what I have read of the old Simpson's company.

That's what's distressing me- both are from great companies that I've purchased from before and will continue to purchase from. One was a gift to myself, and the other was a gift to me.

Thanks guys!
 
I was having the same problem. I blame the over heating and the fully submerging in water that I used to do. I thought simpsons were supposed to be better than that, but I think any brush would have problems with mishandling.
 
Alright guys, have both the brushes washed in the Em's style- the Savile Row lost another couple of hairs during the washing. Setting them up in front of the fan to comb out later. Will report after I shave in the morning.
 
My brush loses a hair or two every other shave. Is it normal? I don't know. It bothers me somewhat, especially since it was a gift from my wife, but I'm still gonna use it every day. If it goes bald I'll just have the handle re-knotted.


Where do you get a re-knot from??
 
That's too much shedding IMO :bored:...If after your cleaning regimen, the issue persists, give Charles @ QED a call and I am sure he will rectify the situation.
 
The Issue may be, Unless you pay vast sums for British made knots, which do not suit me, even the best (sold in this country) knots have fillers, this may be what you are seeing,I have no problem living with that.
 
Alright. Brushed both of the brushes out- each lost two hairs in the brushing process. Shaved with the Omega this morning- nothing fell out! I hope it was just loose hair for both brushes.

PS- washing with Vinegar and Glycerin makes my boar so much softer! Loving it. I need a new boar soon.
 
I've started loosing a few hairs from my GeoF.Trumper brush, had it for over 10 years now an not looked after it so well sometimes.... oops.... but it is so dis-heartening to see your favourite brush loosing hairs
 
I feel like I should give a final update.

The Omega's hair loss is slowing- nearly stopped. Only loses a hair every few shaves. I can live with that/it means I can get a Semogue when this one gets bad...

The 3226 was sent back to Charles after doing some more tests and a lot more hair falling out. I asked for a slightly smaller diameter brush, as the 3226 was WAY too much for a face lathering brush. He sent me a shorter lofted 3124 (50mm loft when compared to the 55ish mm loft of the 3226). Brush has only lost a hair in 5 test lathers/shaves.
 
I have a Vulfix #3 boar that sheds like an old man. It's been used at least once a week for six months and still drops hair with almost every use. I've only had minimal shedding with any of their badgers. My Semogues have all been great.

Maybe Vulfix just doesn't care about boars. They probably would rather sell badgers under all their various names. You see very few of their boars being sold here. Maybe I just got the bad one. But for what ever reason, at only $10 for that brush it's not worth the effort to complain to them or the vendor. I can always reknot the handle.
 
I had a Semogue 1305 which shed every shave. The bristles would break in the middle and this issue kept on going. I spoke with the vendor and he replaced the brush for a new one. So far so good, no shedding.
 
Every brush I've owned has shed 1-5 hairs and then nothing after that. If my brush was shedding 1-3 hairs a shave I'd send it back.
 
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