My 1918 Gillette travel brush. Should I restore?

[Ollivander]

I've been looking at my newly acquired brush and if the hair is original, it's in really good shape. It's flexible and only a couple hairs have come loose. I was thinking of replacing the hair but should I? Other than it smelling like a 93 year old wet dog (or wet horse, I think it is horse hair), it might be a fully functional brush. I haven't tried making lather with it yet but I'll give it a go.

Take a look at these closeups and let me know what you think. The base has a couple cracks which concerns me if I start trying to take the knot out. I have also never restored a brush before so this might not be the best one to start on. I do have a couple more brushes I also picked up which might make for good practice.

 

[Trenton]

I'm beginning to save original knots if I can, but I have a good number of brushes and don't need to use them all. You might get away with using that one, but it is one that I would keep for display. There looks like small cracks around the base of the knot which might be a problem area. Nice brush.

 

[Snargle]

I agree with Trenton...those cracks look problematical. Pick up an inexpensive Rubberset or Ever-Ready handle and get some experience on those. You can always come back to this one later.

 

[KM-instructor]

I agree with Trenton...those cracks look problematical. Pick up an inexpensive Rubberset or Ever-Ready handle and get some experience on those. You can always come back to this one later.

That's logical.

 

[Snargle]

Looking closer at the pictures, I'm doubting if that brush was ever used...I'm pretty sure those are boar bristles, but I can't spot any split ends. To me that means that the brush is new or at least minimally used. And the fact that it still stinks contributes to that conclusion.

Here's a link to a Wiki article that will help you get rid of that funky pig smell and make the brush much more pleasurable to use:
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/How_to_Break_in_a_Shaving_Brush

 

[Ollivander]

Looking closer at the pictures, I'm doubting if that brush was ever used...I'm pretty sure those are boar bristles, but I can't spot any split ends. To me that means that the brush is new or at least minimally used. And the fact that it still stinks contributes to that conclusion.

Here's a link to a Wiki article that will help you get rid of that funky pig smell and make the brush much more pleasurable to use:
http://wiki.badgerandblade.com/How_to_Break_in_a_Shaving_Brush

So are you saying that it's a new brush as in recently replaced or 1918 'new'?

 

[Snargle]

So are you saying that it's a new brush as in recently replaced or 1918 'new'?

I'd say 1918 new...that doesn't look like a replacement knot. I don't find that unusual for shaving equipment designed and sold for travel. A lot of travel kits get purchased as gifts and end up stashed away in a closet or drawer for a few decades!

 

[chuckman]

IMHO.......the brush looks good as it is ... Any restore efforts may be regret later.....

 

[eastomjac]

IMHO.......the brush looks good as it is ... Any restore efforts may be regret later.....

+1

 

[Ollivander]

I used the brush for the first time yesterday. Other than the smell, it worked beautifully! It's stiff but I think it should be. (I'm used to my badger brush.) I left all the lather in the brush and let it dry to help with the smell. After it was dry I rinsed it and it smelled a little more like my soap. Tabac, of course. Smelling it today there was very little of the original musty animal smell. Overall it's a great little travel brush. I'm not going to do anything with it except use it!

 

[Snargle]

Assuming it's boar, it should soften some over time as the tips of the bristles split (split ends can be a good thing!). And a couple more latherings with Tabac should take care of any residual pig funk. Congratulations on a nice vintage brush...may it give you many happy shaves!