I have a Simpson Chubby 1 "Best Badger." I purchased it 7 months ago from Smallflower in Chicago. Considering the time of purchase, I am fairly sure it is a Simpson that comes from the new Vulfix owners and not the original company. From the very first shave it has dropped one or two bristles when used. Now it is shedding quite a few more with each use. I am concerned because I have owned both Badger and Boar for over fifty years and take good care of my equipment. Even the cheapest brush I ever used, hardly ever left a hair in the sink. Does anyone else have a similar complaint with their Simpson? I had never spent as much on a brush. My Semogue Boar 610 has become a first choice lately because it doesn't shed. Is there any way to shake loose all the potential loose bristles so that the litter in the sink can be over and done with?
My Chubby Won't Stop Shedding Bristles
- Thread starter Westaway
- Start date
Very unusual - not right at all. I have chubby 2 in best and had chubby 1 in super and I have yet to see any hair falling off - except for the ones coming off my head
Contact Simpson's directly and voice your concerns. Document your issue with photos. Ask them for help!
http://www.simpsonshavingbrushes.com/
http://www.simpsonshavingbrushes.com/
- Thread starter
- #4
I have already emailed Progress Vulfix. I brought the issue to the forum to see if anyone else had a similar problem. I would welcome a magical fix type of suggestion from forum members. It would be nice if a brush could be soaked in a mixture of Borax or something else more or less exotic and the bristles would be permanently set in the handle forever. Unfortunately, I think the problem with my brush could be that something went wrong when the knot was set in the handle. Hopefully a very, very rare circumstance considering the hallowed reputation of the brand that Vulfix has acquired. Other than the shedding, the brush performs wonderfully well. I've never heard anything negative about this particular model except that some of criticized it for being too small. I find it to be a perfect size for palm bowl lathering...... any larger would spill too much lather over the bowl's edge. And finally..... as dense as this brush is packed, it would take several years for the hair loss to be noticeable.
I had a Simpson Special that shed like crazy. Luckily it wasn't an expensive brush, so I just ate it. So to speak.
You need to bug the hell out of Smallflower and Simpson and have them to make it right with you. There are going to be a few brushes that shed, but those brushes need to be replaced by the manufacturer!
You need to bug the hell out of Smallflower and Simpson and have them to make it right with you. There are going to be a few brushes that shed, but those brushes need to be replaced by the manufacturer!
I got my Chubby 2 in best a couple of months ago. A loose hair will work its way out every now and then but not at the rate you are describing. I always figured that as dense as the brush is there are bound to be a few loose hairs in there. I would deffinetly contact the vendor about it.
The Semogue 610 is often my first choice.
My Simpson shed about a dozen hairs the first lather and half a dozen the second. Since then it's been a great brush.
I had a brush(not a Simpson) that started shedding after three months of continuous use. It never got better.
At the very least, I would suggest you send the handle back to Simpson for re-knotting. Maybe Simpson will do right by you.
My Simpson shed about a dozen hairs the first lather and half a dozen the second. Since then it's been a great brush.
I had a brush(not a Simpson) that started shedding after three months of continuous use. It never got better.
At the very least, I would suggest you send the handle back to Simpson for re-knotting. Maybe Simpson will do right by you.
I would definitely contact Simpsons directly and explain your problem. From what I've heard here, they will work with you to make it right.
My beloved Duke 3 developed a shedding problem after a few months and Simpson replaced it for me. I had to send them the brush and a copy of my receipt but other than that it was painless and my new brush is very nice. They stand behind their products.
- Thread starter
- #11
A manager with Vulfix responded immediately to my email concerning the brush. He said that some shedding is more common with their Chubby and Duke lines than with other brushes in their inventory. The density sometimes exceeds 20,000 hairs per knot. He suggested a good shampooing with warm water rinse, followed by a comb out away from the knot or handle. They are interested in if this improves the problem with shedding. After a couple of months, they want me to report how the brush is doing. I believe that they will replace the brush if the shedding continues, but after the shampoo and comb out, the brush seems to be dropping fewer hairs. We will see. I think that if the brush is defective it will continue to lose hairs at the rate I have experienced over the last seven months. I trust the company and believe that they will replace the brush if it continues to be a problem. The brush is a joy to use and I don't mind waiting to see if the shampoo treatment works.
That's great advice they gave you and good for everyone to see! Companies like this really have an interest in making members of this forum, and others, happy with their products. It's loyal customers that provide repeat business as well as strong recommendations to their friends, family and foes! I'm glad to hear that they were so quick to respond and seem so willing to help.
- Thread starter
- #13
Update: since I have applied the Vulfix suggested shampoo treatment a couple of times...... The brush is only losing one or two hairs per shave. A marked improvement but I will be more pleased when the white porcelein sink shows no hair at all.
In my experience, all manufacturers produce the occasional shedder. The good news is that Simpson has an excellent reputation for making things right when there is a problem.
- Thread starter
- #15
Following their suggestions of shampooing and combing out the brush (about 4 times so far)....... things are improving. This morning only one hair left in the sink and yesterday there were only three that shed.
garyg
B&B membership has its percs
I had a new Chubby that was giving me some worries as well, followed the shampoo/comb out regimen as outlined and it did settle down. I did the usual defunk when I got it, but it was giving up 5 or 6 hairs a shave until it was combed out (that didn't produce many, so perhaps it was out of loose hairs anyway). There was another several years ago that continued to shed half dozen a shave (not a Chubby) after the comb out that the vendor replaced.
They are hand made after all, glad to hear that Simpson's continues to provide proper customer service
They are hand made after all, glad to hear that Simpson's continues to provide proper customer service
- Thread starter
- #17
Yesterday my brush only lost one hair while towel drying after my shave. It has only been about a month since the shampoo and comb-out treatment suggested by Simpson Co. was implemented. A few days before one shave experienced the loss of a couple of dozen hairs which was quite an event. There is another month or two before the time they suggested to check back with them concerning hair loss. Other than hair being dropped (and there are tons left), the brush performs wonderfully well.
I have the same issue with my Duke 2 in best. There was no shedding for a year, then it suddenly began to lose 4-5 bristles per use. I don't know which Simpson company (pre- or post-Vulfix) made it, but it is not uncommon, from what I have read. In fact, whenever I lose a hair from a brush, it is a Simpson, although none are close to the Duke 2's shedding. I have about 6-7 Simpsons and not all shed. I also have 5-6 other badger brushes and they do not shed at all.
Frankly, I'm really pissed off - Duke 2 is a great brush. After a year and a half I cannot locate the receipt.
Frankly, I'm really pissed off - Duke 2 is a great brush. After a year and a half I cannot locate the receipt.
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- Thread starter
- #19
After a week or so with little or no hair loss, I was disheartened to lose six or more hair strands. they were pretty much full length so they weren't broken off. I combed after a shampoo soak once again and hope that there will soon be an end to this. This is my favorite brush. I have zero loss from my Kent BK8, Savile Row 3120, Col Conk 1020, Semogue 610, or Semogue 1305. What really disappoints is that my least favorite and dirt cheapest and uncomfortable Escali badger has never lost a hair. Thank goodness the Simpson is packed so densely that I can count on a few more years of use. The brush is still my favorite in rotation and I would not hesitate to order another Simpson.
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Of the brushes that I own, or have owned, my only shedding brushes have been Simpsons, unfortunately. Probably about half of the 6 Simpsons that I have owned have ended up shedding. You can have the brush re-knotted by Simpsons if you have kept the receipt, or pay for it yourself if not. I like Simpsons brushes, but their QC seems to be questionable, IMO, from both building to the specifications they post to general quality.
