Sometimes "Badger's Bum" Frightens Me...

[Atrin]

My brand new Shavemac Traditional D01 just keeps...um...leaking brown things into the water. I haven't used it yet, I've just been trying to get it "broken in" but it just KEEPS ON leaks brown into cheap shave creams/soaps and the water I dip it into.

My next step is shampooing the damn thing. I generally prefer to do that smell-killing with shave soaps and creams if possible. But those have failed. So if I need to shampoo it, so be it.

But does anyone want to put my mind at rest and reassure me this is just chemicals used to treat the badger hair...or at least that the treatment chemicals destroyed any evil bacteria on the thing?

I just hate to think the badger used for my brush soiled himself or dipped himself into some mud and no one bothered to clean it.

 

[DSB]

I always shampoo my brushes a few times before use. It helps to get rid of any residue on the hairs and it gets rid of the funky smell.

Shavemac is renowned for its great customer service. If shampooing the brush a few times does not solve the problem, contact Bernd at Shavemac, and he'll set your mind at ease.

I'm 99% positive that shampooing the brush will solve the problem, though.

 

[southernmail]

I had a similar experience with my D01. I shampooed it multiple times, and then made lather with it daily for a couple of weeks. Eventually the badger scent faded.

I believe it is something natural from the badger itself. Happens with some brushes.

 

[dpmtherrien]

I always shampoo a new brush before I use it. What's worked really good for me has been tea tree oil shampoo, followed by the same conditioner. 2 or 3 good shampoo's and conditioner's have always taken care of any smell and/or residue. That along with any shave soap/cream in regular use solve the problem.

I'd be almost certain that that residue is just normal stuff . Oils from the animal itself, and any manufacturing process. Not from where you're thinking.

 

[Dpflaum]

Sounds like a bad case of badger poo to me. The only bad brush I have is my Duke 1. It stained the cream brown the first 4 or 5 times I lathered with it but has since stopped.

Still a little funky though...

 

[Thebigspendur]

There is no reason anything off color should come out of any brush. If it does then I'd say one of two things are going on, either the hair was never properly sanitized and cleaned like it should have been or the hair was dyed and some of the dye is coming off. This has nothing to do (by the way) with the smell some badger hair brushes exhibit when new.

 

[Atrin]

That's not reassuring.

 

[mkevenson]

Is the handle wood? If so might be due to finish on the wood. If not Badger poo is also my call.

 

[Atrin]

Think it'll damage he hairs if I give it an alcohol bath?

 

[Monkeydad]

C'mon, I'm eating tacos right now! (serious)

 

[mretzloff]

There was a thread about this a while back. Some guy had this problem with his Tweezerman.

If I were you, I would contact Bernd at Shavemac. I have dealt with him several times and can tell you that his service is excellent.

 

[Walter Sobchak]

Think it'll damage he hairs if I give it an alcohol bath?

Don't give it an alcohol bath. Alcohol will not be kind to it. Keep shampooing. It WILL wash any ickiness out. There HAS to be a finite amount of whatever's leaching and it will eventually go away.

Badgers are Mustelids (mustilidae), like skunks, otters, ferrets, weasels, etc. They are known to have pretty much the most well developed scent glands of all mammals. They're also well known to have very oily skin and fur (it goes with the whole mustelid deal). I suppose, if this knot weren't properly rinsed, it could release some oils/musk/whatever. But even if it did there'll be no harm to you. There's also the possibility the hairs were bleached or dyed and the residue hasn't fully dissipated.

My Simpsons Chubby leached brownish/grey the first few times I rinsed it, too. No big deal.

Just keep rinsing it or send it back for a replacement.

 

[Atrin]

Well I set it on fire, and that seems to have solved the browning problem.

Everything's OK now.