Shedding Shavemac (never thought it would happen to me!)

[thunderball]

I know there are 101 of these types of threads but...my beloved Shavemac 429 has started shedding. I got it new from a fellow member on here and I'm not sure what vendor he used, though I guess I could find out. I've had it about a year and it's been awesome but over the last week or two I get about 2 or 3 hairs a shave coming out onto my face. Would it be worth contacting the original vendor or maybe Shavemac themselves or is it too late? Dang....such a sweet brush otherwise.

 

[Unknownsoldier]

Is it a real shavemac? Not suggesting otherwise, but with the recent "developments"...... Also do you dry your brush up or down.......? My boar sheds, and that only been dried upright, so guessing the knot could have been weakened?

Tom

 

[thunderball]

Is it a real shavemac? Not suggesting otherwise, but with the recent "developments"...... Also do you dry your brush up or down.......? My boar sheds, and that only been dried upright, so guessing the knot could have been weakened?

Tom

Yep, it's a real one. (Checked out Shavemac's 'how to spot a fake' tutorial). I think it was bought from a very reputable vendor as well. I shake it out very well each time and dry it upright...I guess it is possible that the knot may have been weakened but I've treated every brush I've had the same way and they've been fine. Hmmmm....we have a mystery on our hands.

 

[Unknownsoldier]

Email Bernd, he may be willing to look at it for you..... as it's unusual for a shavemac to do that I would have thought?

Tom

 

[AFG]

Give it some time. It hasn't lost much and I would think the best thing to do is keep using it and see what happens. A few hairs in that short of a time period doesn't mean much. Use it for a while so and if it continues over the next few weeks that is the time to contact Shavemac. They will likely take care of it if the shedding doesn't stop.

 

[DSB]

I would email Bernd. It's obviously bothering you, so you need to find a solution.

 

[negncic]

I had the same issue with my brush. I e-mailed Bernd and he suggested that I use it for a little longer and if the shedding continues he would replace it. Well.. I listened to him and it stopped shedding shortly thereafter and I haven't lost a single hair since. That was over 3 months ago

 

[Hughies_online]

Initial shedding can sometimes be common for the first 2 months. See how she goes and if it continues, contact the seller or manufacturer for rectification

 

[thunderball]

I had the same issue with my brush. I e-mailed Bernd and he suggested that I use it for a little longer and if the shedding continues he would replace it. Well.. I listened to him and it stopped shedding shortly thereafter and I haven't lost a single hair since. That was over 3 months ago

This makes me feel a lot better actually. I'll just keep using it and see how it goes.

 

[strat1117]

This makes me feel a lot better actually. I'll just keep using it and see how it goes.

The only thing that strikes me as odd about your situation, if I am reading your initial post correctly, is that you didn't have any shedding for a year, and then it suddenly started. It is not unusual for new brushes to shed, but it is not normal for a one year old brush to suddenly start shedding on a regular basis. Did you change something about your routine, or perhaps clean it too aggressively? Anyway, it doesn't sound like you're losing a lot of hair, so it's certainly not an "emergency", but I would still consider contacting Bernd at Shavemac to get his take on it.

Good luck!!

 

[VR6ofpain]

I had a Shavemac I purchased new from VintageBlades. It was the acrylic handle 163. It shed like crazy. More than any other brush I owned. I am talking 10+ hairs per shave. It was quickly going to go bald.

Bernd was nice enough to replace the knot, but I had to ship the brush to Germany at my expense. When I received it back there was (and still is) residue all over the top of the handle, from when the new knot was put in. I tried some Goo-Gone to remove the residue, but it seems it will not come off.

Basically the whole experience was bad and I will neither shop with VintageBlades or buy Shavemac products again. My 2 cents.

 

[Nick-Z]

sympathy

 

[Zen Master Kool-Aid]

I had a Shavemac I purchased new from VintageBlades. It was the acrylic handle 163. It shed like crazy. More than any other brush I owned. I am talking 10+ hairs per shave. It was quickly going to go bald.

Bernd was nice enough to replace the knot, but I had to ship the brush to Germany at my expense. When I received it back there was (and still is) residue all over the top of the handle, from when the new knot was put in. I tried some Goo-Gone to remove the residue, but it seems it will not come off.

Basically the whole experience was bad and I will neither shop with VintageBlades or buy Shavemac products again. My 2 cents.

That's really unusual and I'm sorry to hear that.
I've had nothing but great experiences with Shavemac. I love my Shavemac brushes.

 

[Ru4scuba?]

I had a Shavemac I purchased new from VintageBlades. It was the acrylic handle 163. It shed like crazy. More than any other brush I owned. I am talking 10+ hairs per shave. It was quickly going to go bald.

Bernd was nice enough to replace the knot, but I had to ship the brush to Germany at my expense. When I received it back there was (and still is) residue all over the top of the handle, from when the new knot was put in. I tried some Goo-Gone to remove the residue, but it seems it will not come off.

Basically the whole experience was bad and I will neither shop with VintageBlades or buy Shavemac products again. My 2 cents.

Gabe,

I too had a Shavemac that turned out to be a shedder purchased from Vintage Blades...but both Jim at Vintage and Bernd worked with me and I got a replacement. I'm sorry you did not have a similar experience

Bernd really stands by his brushes...if you have a problem, he'll take care of it for you. That said, mistakes occassionally can and do happen. The brush I recieved from Bernd was tip top shape and in perfect order.

 

[VR6ofpain]

Bernd really stands by his brushes...if you have a problem, he'll take care of it for you.

As I said, he replaced the knot. The problem is the brush has residue from the glue used to secure the new knot in. Also there is a little bit of extra glue at the bottom of the shafts of some of the badger hair.

This was disappointing considering I purchased the brush brand new from Vintage Blades. I ended up with a workable, but ugly brush. Since this was the best Shavemac could do for me I will not buy another brush from them. Since Vintage Blades simply asked me to contact Bernd myself (not helping me), I will not purchase from them either.

Yes it is sad that I had this experience. This compared to Kent who simply sent me a brand new replacement brush and even through in a brush stand for my troubles. I would buy from Kent again, as that was world class service.

 

[Ru4scuba?]

I can understand your concern and frustration after sending your brush back in and paying German shipping costs.

All I can say is that I did not have the same experience. From your perspective, I understand where you are coming from.

 

[thunderball]

The shedding hasn't really stopped so I emailed Bernd about 5 days ago...no reply yet.

 

[Ru4scuba?]

The shedding hasn't really stopped so I emailed Bernd about 5 days ago...no reply yet.

Dave,

Give it some time. If he doesn't reply by Monday, I'd hit him again. He's got pretty good customer service IMHO.

Good luck and post what happens!

 

[thunderball]

Dave,

Give it some time. If he doesn't reply by Monday, I'd hit him again. He's got pretty good customer service IMHO.

Good luck and post what happens!

Thanks. Yeah, I've heard he's quite busy but a good guy to deal with so I'll definitely keep trying at him.

 

[Ru4scuba?]

Everyone's experience is different, as Gabe's shows above...but you gotta wonder whether or not Bernd simply had a bad batch of brushes. There have been a number of threads about shedding Shavemacs...and it all seems to be within the past year!