Simpsons 2016 Manchurian batch - schritch experinces

[quentin compson]

Gentlemen hi,

few days ago I've received my Chubby 3 Manchurian. After first two shaves (face lathering) I've noticed considerable amount of schritch. I understand that it is a new brush that needs some time to break in. Please, from your experience, especially with the newest manchurian batch - do you find this common, and if so, how long did it take for your manchurian to soften?
Thanks for all the help.
Q

 

[Rxdude]

congrats on your new brush. I too purchased a manchurian from Simpsons website, I went with the M7. I have found the brush has much more scritch than my other Simpsons brush. I'm about five shaves in, and a few added bowl lathers. Maybe it has started to soften now, I'll know more with tonight's shave. I do think it's going to need a decent break in period. Anyone have tips on this? The funk is pretty much out now.

 

[Rxdude]

I see the CRSW in the background, which scents? View attachment 648590

 

[nelamvr6]

I got my Chubby 2 in Manchurian last year, so it must have been a different batch, because I don't have any scritch, but plenty of backbone.

 

[bakerbarber]

My M7 is the March special too.

The most recent ones I've seen since in various other handles look more like three bands. I reckon maybe sometime after the pastel striped ones is when I noticed people acquiring Manchurians that looked a little different in the knots.

My M7 is scrubby but not scratchy at all to me.
I like the backbone it's got.



It's opened up a bit since that picture was taken but not a whole lot after it has dried for more than a day. I still think it's breaking in. Has felt soft at the tips since day one. Not silvertip soft. Soft nonetheless.

 

[malocchio]

I have the Duke 3 Manchurian ,the break-in time is very long.You can lesson the scratch by bathing the knot in Ship-Shape...

 

[bakerbarber]

What is ship shape?

 

[TonyJoe]

http://www.shipshapecleaner.com/products/ship-shape-comb-brush-cleaner/

To [MENTION=28956]malocchio[/MENTION]: have you done this with a lot of brushes? I've got a Duke 2 in Best that I would love to keep, but it's just a little to scratchy for me.

 

[nelamvr6]

I've got: Jardine D'Orange, citrus, puro fresco, bourgemont & bay, and American barbershop. Need to acquire vetiver at some point.

Noice! Love me some CRSW! Puro Fresco is almost an obsession, what a great soap. I've never tried a CRSW soap that I didn't love.

 

[malocchio]

Yes....my 90 day cleaning routine is to soak the brush in properly prepared Ship-Shape and warm ( not hot ) water for 3 minutes.You must cover the entire knot ....After a thorough rinse the brush gets another 3 minute soak ( cover the entire knot ! ) in properly diluted Mar-V-Cide ,which kills the microbes . Don't forget , Ship-Shape is just a cleaner and conditioner , not a disinfectant. Another thorough rinse ,shake out and an upside down drying.I can really feel the difference in the knot , it becomes much gentler..Why cover the entire knot ? If you don't kill the germs that are deep down in the knot where it is tight,at the glue disc ,they will continue to grow.I know this well from a Duke 3 best Somerset I got in the early 80's...I used it 25 years ,then it developed a crack.I sent it to Rudy Vey for a new handle,and when he did the autopsy he found a mass of scummy bacteria...My only cleaning in those days was a good rinse under running water , today I know better..My daily rinse routine after shaving is to run water into a soup bowl size mug ,bobbing the knot up and down until the water is clear,then I repeat the routine in a smaller ,higher wall clear glass coffee mug.This routine plus the heavy cleaning every 90 days has helped me keep my brushes like new,and hopefully ,germ free.

 

[de_shaver]

I've read on a reddit thread about the Simpson Manchurian brushes being quite scritchy indeed. Break-in time/use is probably your only solution, other than soaking it with a substance like other users have suggested.

 

[quentin compson]

Gentlemen,
thank you all for your kind replies and advices. I do expect it to soften in time. I own a CH2 Manchurian, purchased in mid-2015, which is very robust and scrubby yet soft, with no scritch at all. However, this new CH3 is, performance-wise, the best brush I have ever owned.
And - not less important - it's a beauty.

 

[ssultan]

Chubbies are incredibly dense...this coupled with the rigidity of the manchurian hair results in a lot of 'scrub' and a bit of scritch. Again, definitions of scrubbiness and scritch vary between users. Chubbies will loosen up over time but require quite a bit of use before they reach their full potential. Since these are hand tied knots, depending on batches, there is some variation in density, scritch levels and even scrubbiness. That is why one can procure a chubbies in similar sizes across various batches and still get a different lathering face feel.

If you're not interested in strong scrub or some scritch, I can recommend going for Bernds (Shavemac) 2band Silvertip...NOT the 2band D01 as the D01 will be scritchier than the Manchurian and requires a lot of breaking in before being comfortable IMHO. The D01 scritch reminds me of the old Rooney Finests when we all had them in the good old days

 

[ssultan]

I'll leave you guys with a random shot of some of my chubbies taken for a member in another forum.

 

[blzrfn]

I have Simpson Manchurians from 2012, 14, and 16 and the latest is the softest of them all out of the box. I can't wait to see what, if any, break-in does to the performance.

 

[wandering eye]

I got my Chubby 2 Manchurian yesterday and there is tremendous amount of scritch. Out of the box, as you lay a hand on that brush, you can feel the pointy things pricking your palm. Had the shave today morning and it was a bit tough experience. I truly hope that these tips soften up over time.
Anyone here who has actually experienced the softening process...how long does it take to break in? And how soft do these things become? Just wondering if I have made the right choice.

 

[EclipseRedRing]

I have owned many Simpson brushes of all grades except pure and currently own several Manchurians. My latest acquisition, in December 2019, is a Chubby 1 in dark tortoiseshell and it is the first Manchurian I have purchased which had a noticable unpleasant smell when wet. I have done several palm lathers and this has now gone completely. I have not noticed any scritch or prickle with any brush from new and the tips have not softened much with use, as they were already soft although they may feel slightly scritchy when dry. My Manchurian brushes have not noticeably bloomed although I do actively encourage them to retain their new shape as I find brush bloom very visually unattractive. I would give it time and perhaps try a hair conditioner. Good luck.

 

[Rudy Vey]

I have two, one from 2014 and one about two years old, both do not have any scritch. But, we all do feel shaving brushes differently. What is soft for one, is too stiff or scritchy for another one. A prime example in my experience is as follows: I have made many brushes with Muehle STF 25 mm knots, everyone who got one, except one guy, feel this knot is super soft. The one guy, however, says it is too scritchy for him. I use this fiber myself and do not feel any scritch at all. So, the feel of a brush is extremely subjective.

 

[A Cut Above]

I have 2 Zenith Manchurian brushes and they are thick with firm spine yet soft tips. Really holds water and lathers great with soap or cream.

 

[wandering eye]

I wrote to Mark about the scritch and pointy tips. He assures that it will go away with use. The issue doesn’t seem to be subjective, but real. I think its the badger lot which matters.
After five shaves, the scritch has reduced, but still significant. Nothing close to soft tips, i say. I am ok to keep working on this brush and see where it leads me. Love the backbone though.