Shedding Brush

[laredo]

I have been wet shaving for more than 2 years and have read quite a lot on this forum. I use a 1950 Gillete Superspeed and have settled on hard soaps as my favorite but I like creams also. I face lather. My favorite hard soap is DR Harris Arlington but I have GFT, MWF and PDP now in the rotation. I use Derby blades and shave at night. I love Lucky Tiger and Superior 70 as inexpensive aftershave.

My problem is with brushes. I started with a VDH boar and moved on to a Tweezerman badger and then a Simpsons Commodore badger. All my brushes shed one or two hairs each shave but after a year the Simpson started shedding 6 to 8 hairs per shave. My soaps look like a mess. I emailed Simpson and they told me to contact the vendor but it is not the vendor's fault so I told them I would not. Simpson offered a reknot at cost but I told them I would just re-knot it myself.

Now I am willing to take some of the blame. Maybe I am too rough. I swirl the brush 60 times on the puck to get all the lather I want. So what brush should I buy next? I read some good reviews on the Muhle syhthetic brushes. Would they hold up better?

I just want a brush that will not shed hairs every shave! I do not care if it is boar, badger, horse or synthetic.

 

[GDCarrington]

Laredo, as far as using the circular motions and rougher treatment I would recommend a synthetic because the fibers are simply stronger than natural hairs.

The Muhle Silvertip series is an excellent brush line. Are you using the Commodore X3 (Total Height: 100mm, Bristle Loft: 50mm, Knot Diameter: 24mm, Hair: Simpson BEST Badger)?

If so, you will need to concentrate on the 35 series line that has a 25 mm knot.

Here are the two Muhle Silvertips I have compared to a Simpsons Colonel X2L.

 

[brucered]

I scuttle lather many of my brushes on a DB webbed ridge bowl, lather on my soaps for a good 45sec or so, and have no shedding issues with any of my 10 or so badger brushes in rotation. i have been face lathering all of them the past few months, and still no issues with shedding. most quality brush makers, simpson included, should have no shedding issues with vigorous lathering on the puck or your bowl.

The odd time my brushes sheds a hair, but rarely do they even do that after the initial break in period. Initially, they may shed a handful as they are so stuffed with badger but I've had some not shed a single hair right from the get-go. I don't have any Simpsons in rotation at the moment (soon to change), but of the ones I have had (Rover, Colonel, Duke 2 and Duke 3 all in BEST), none had any shedding issues.

I would contact them again and explain that it is not a "vendor" issue, but a "manufacture" issue. if they give you the run around, you could try the vendor and explain you tried to fix this thru Simpson but did not get an acceptable response.

 

[tomcj2]

Contact the vendor and explain the situation. Simpson may have an arrangement with them to ensure customers are made happy through the facilities of the vendor , but at the expense of Simpson.

 

[lurker4life]

Contact the vendor and explain the situation. Simpson may have an arrangement with them to ensure customers are made happy through the facilities of the vendor , but at the expense of Simpson.

Exactly. There's probably a reason why Simpson told you to go back to the vendor other than just passing the buck.

 

[celestino]

Welcome to the forum! If you want a great brush, you can look at the Omega and Semogue boars for inexpensive brushes that will last you a very long time! Great brushes. i prefer the Semogues.

 

[laredo]

Thanks everyone. I think I will look at a synthetic brush next.

 

[agreenspan99]

The new breed of synthetic brushes are great, and in some ways, even better than badger. They can definitely handle lots of abuse, including constant circular motions combined with pressure, which can cause center hairs to tangle and break with natural hairs.

 

[Invicta]

It should be just the tips working on the puck. "Mashing" or forcing the brush onto the puck does cause damage to the hair. I have a Commodore X3 and it seems to be fine at present. I have not used it much so time will tell. I would say the Commodore is relatively soft and so probably not best suited for working a puck.
I have a Lijun 24mm knot and that that works a puck or bowls lathers equally well. It has a lot of backbone so may suit you better. It is also fairly cheap.
The boar brushes are good for working a puck of soap. I used them for about 20 years and they lasted reasonably well. They are relatively cheap. The Semogue brushes are very popular and Omega may some good ones. Hope this helps.