Pure Badger hair question

[Cannon Cocker]

I just received a Simpson Islington brush with pure badger hair. The tips of the knot have been trimmed as I have heard is common with pure knots. If I remember correctly Shavemac said they did not trim their pure hair knots.

My question is why brush makers find it necessary to trim pure hair knots.

 

[Multum in parvo]

I just received a Simpson Islington brush with pure badger hair. The tips of the knot have been trimmed as I have heard is common with pure knots. If I remember correctly Shavemac said they did not trim their pure hair knots.

My question is why brush makers find it necessary to trim pure hair knots.

I have 2 Simpsons Pure (Special & Eagle) and they do not look/feel trimmed to me. Could you please post a pic of the bristles on your brush?

 

[Cannon Cocker]

I have 2 Simpsons Pure (Special & Eagle) and they do not look/feel trimmed to me. Could you please post a pic of the bristles on your brush?

I have 2 Simpsons Pure (Special & Eagle) and they do not look/feel trimmed to me. Could you please post a pic of the bristles on your brush?

I have 2 Simpsons Pure (Special & Eagle) and they do not look/feel trimmed to me. Could you please post a pic of the bristles on your brush?

I have 2 Simpsons Pure (Special & Eagle) and they do not look/feel trimmed to me. Could you please post a pic of t

 

[Cannon Cocker]

The photo really doesn’t show the trimmed hair. I had to use a magnifying glass to see it.

 

[Cannon Cocker]

I have 2 Simpsons Pure (Special & Eagle) and they do not look/feel trimmed to me. Could you please post a pic of the bristles on your brush?

I have 2 Simpsons Pure (Special & Eagle) and they do not look/feel trimmed to me. Could you please post a pic of the bristles on your brush?

I have 2 Simpsons Pure (Special & Eagle) and they do not look/feel trimmed to me. Could you please post a pic of the bristles on your brush?

I have 2 Simpsons Pure (Special & Eagle) and they do not look/feel trimmed to me. Could you please post a pic of the bristles on your brush?

 

[Multum in parvo]

I think I can see some blunter ends in the knot. Do the single hairs poke you or is the whole knot rough?

 

[Multum in parvo]

My Pure ones @Cannon Cocker

And an Omega one for good measure (floppy mess)

 

[Cannon Cocker]

I think I can see some blunter ends in the knot. Do the single hairs poke you or is the whole knot rough?

The whole knot is rough, but that is what I expected. What I would like to know is it a normal practice to trim pure hair, and if so why.

 

[Multum in parvo]

The whole knot is rough, but that is what I expected. What I would like to know is it a normal practice to trim pure hair, and if so why.

The only thing that comes to my mind is to tie the knot as quickly as possible and then cut to shape. This would be only done with the cheapest brushes. Yet the Islington runs at approximately 50 so definitely not a cheap one.

 

[Cannon Cocker]

The only thing that comes to my mind is to tie the knot as quickly as possible and then cut to shape. This would be only done with the cheapest brushes. Yet the Islington runs at approximately 50 so definitely not a cheap one.

Your suggestion makes some sense.

 

[Rudy Vey]

Shavemac never cut the tips of their pure grade. I had some of the grey (three band!) ones that were better grade of hair than Best grade. Too bad they do not offer them anymore.

 

[helicopter]

Most of the hairs on my S1 are trimmed. A few escaped the scissors.

I think it is done to give them some scrub and perhaps to even up their lengths if it is a mixed up mess of hairs.

 

[Cannon Cocker]

Shavemac never cut the tips of their pure grade. I had some of the grey (three band!) ones that were better grade of hair than Best grade. Too bad they do not offer them anymore.

Rudy,
Do you know why some manufacturers trim their pure hair knots?

 

[Rudy Vey]

Rudy,
Do you know why some manufacturers trim their pure hair knots?

No, but I think it is just rushing making a cheap knot and not caring to align the hair properly, so cutting is their way out.

 

[Alex Jr]

Most of the hairs on my S1 are trimmed. A few escaped the scissors.

View attachment 1928612

View attachment 1928613

I think it is done to give them some scrub and perhaps to even up their lengths if it is a mixed up mess of hairs.

My face turned a little red just by looking at this.

 

[helicopter]

No, but I think it is just rushing making a cheap knot and not caring to align the hair properly, so cutting is their way out.

I think this is unboubtedly the true original root cause, and an important cause that persists.

Some people actually will like the scrub. Having them in the lineup has become a tradition for Simpson, and it works for their lineup, with something like the old hardware store "good," "better," "best" market positioning.

"Try this one. See how scratchy that is. It is certainly a good brush made in the UK by hand. But try this. See how much nicer it feels, but still some scritch. OK, now I know you probably aren't seriously interested in a luxury product, but just quickly test this Super. See! Totally soft. And then, if you ever want an expensive Christmas present or something, there are also Manchurian, and some others."

 

[stevieo]

I recently purchased another Simpson brush in best badger but received Eagle Pure Badger by mistake but liked the look and feel and noticed the same exact bent hairs. It was hard not to notice. It concerned me but I tried it anyway. I have and have had many Simpson brushes and never noticed hairs like that. The Pure Badger is stiffer than best badger which make it great for extra hard soaps. I did not notice the weird hairs after a couple shaves. I think it is because of the stiffer hair needs a soaking to straighten up.

 

[Big Jim]

The only thing Pure Badger means is that it is only badger and is not mixed with boar, horse, or synthetic. Technically nearly all badger knots fit this category, even Best and Silvertip. Much of the time that a company states Pure Badger is that they don't feel it warrants describing it as one of the higher grades. Much of the time it is their lowest and cheapest grade. Being their cheapest, they make it with the cheapest hair possible and take as many shortcuts as they can in making them, including trimming the hair to shape instead of aligning the hair with what would have been the outside tips of the hair and shaping the knot into a bulb or fan, they shape it by trimming it.

I have had some heritage brushes that were labeled as pure that were reasonably nice and I'm sure they were not trimmed. Any recently produced brushes I have used were trimmed and were really rough on my face unless you were able to use very careful painting strokes so the tips never touched my face. I would not wish such torture on my worst enemy.

 

[Rudy Vey]

The only thing Pure Badger means is that it is only badger and is not mixed with boar, horse, or synthetic. Technically nearly all badger knots fit this category, even Best and Silvertip. Much of the time that a company states Pure Badger is that they don't feel it warrants describing it as one of the higher grades. Much of the time it is their lowest and cheapest grade. Being their cheapest, they make it with the cheapest hair possible and take as many shortcuts as they can in making them, including trimming the hair to shape instead of aligning the hair with what would have been the outside tips of the hair and shaping the knot into a bulb or fan, they shape it by trimming it.

I have had some heritage brushes that were labeled as pure that were reasonably nice and I'm sure they were not trimmed. Any recently produced brushes I have used were trimmed and were really rough on my face unless you were able to use very careful painting strokes so the tips never touched my face. I would not wish such torture on my worst enemy.

Some continental European companies, like Plisson, Hans Baier etc often call all their badger grades either Pure Blaireau or Reindachs, and mean exactly what you say. However, they apply this even to their highest grade.
Others, like Simpson, designate their lowest grade with this. Unfortunately, a brush maker can make anything up to describe (or not...) what their badger is. There is no agreed upon grading or naming system.

 

[Quaznoid]

OMG !