Strange Defunking Secrets and Rituals

[Topgumby]

My Omega #49 has opened my eyes to the wonderful world of quality boar brushes.

It did, however, make me want to close my nose for about a week. In desperation, I grabbed the wife's Burt's Bees Peppermint and Rosemary body wash she received as a gift this Christmas.

A single session of lathering up the body wash completely defeated the funk. Come to think of it, I've never seen a pig rolling in Peppermint and Rosemary, maybe there is something to this stuff.

Any other slightly strange defunking secrets out there? `

 

[Navig8tor]

I wish I had known that a month or so ago. A friend purchased the VHD kit from walmart and wasn't sure about the brush so I swapped him and old badger brush for it. I never used a boar brush but I figured I would give it a shot. The funk was unbelievable. After the first shave I lathered it several times in all kinds of soap and it still wouldn't go away. The smell would seem like it was fading and as soon as it got wet it would stink again. After four shaves of almost gagging from the smell I finally trashed it. I couldn't even bring myself to save the handle. It was the worst smell I have ever put near my face in my life. I can't image what insanity raged in me that made me try it 3 more times after the first horrible experience.

 

[Sullybob]

I wish I would have known about this when I got my Omega pro. I shampooed it, test lathered it with about 5 different soaps one after another. Shampooed it again and then lathered up a mountain of Tabac lather and that brush still stunk worse then any wet dog I have ever smelled. Cade shaving soap is what finally made that brush bearable.

 

[Grace]

I, too, have an Omega Professional boar brush; in fact, it's my only brush. My brush started out with a very strong smell. Besides dead animal, the scent also had chemical overtones, the way I would imagine a taxidermy shop to smell like. In other words, not something you'd want to rub on your skin. Determined to make it work, I rinsed/soaked in hot water countless times, which helped, but didn't fix it. I then shampooed it a couple times, which also helped, and also didn't fix it. I then rinsed/soaked with a mixture of white vinegar and hot water several times, then shampooed again just for good measure. At this point I sort of resigned myself to using a smelly brush and moved on to practicing lather-making. Much to my surprise, it was after several practice-lathering sessions that the brush really gave up it's funky scent.

I feel I should note that when I did this, I really scrubbed and abused the tips of the brush in an effort to make the hairs split and become softer. This probably also helped with the smell.

Now, when I use the brush and rinse with warm water, it smells like the soap I just used. However, when I rinse it with really hot water, it has a hint of its old stink. I take this as meaning the brush is really and truly clean of all soap residue.

 

[mblakele]

My Omega #49 has opened my eyes to the wonderful world of quality boar brushes.

It did, however, make me want to close my nose for about a week. In desperation, I grabbed the wife's Burt's Bees Peppermint and Rosemary body wash she received as a gift this Christmas.

A single session of lathering up the body wash completely defeated the funk. Come to think of it, I've never seen a pig rolling in Peppermint and Rosemary, maybe there is something to this stuff.

Any other slightly strange defunking secrets out there? `

That's a funny coincidence - for my new #49 I used Nancy Boy signature scent, which also has rosemary and peppermint. That combination has been kind of trendy for the past few years, but it isn't my favorite. Anyway I didn't use shampoo or any of the other tricks at all - just lathered up a time or two. So far I like this brush.

 

[gaj90027]

I used shampoo and conditioner then made test lathers with CO Bigelow, then Tabac and finally Speick. After this the brush smelled great

 

[kingfisher]

Lathering up C.O. Bigelow about three times after shampooing once took care of most the funk of my Omega.

The Semogue limited edition brush I just got doesn't stink. Didn't even stink the first time I smelled it, right out of the box.

 

[WhosYerBob]

I've used cheap colognes to knock down the stench of a stinking boar brush.

 

[icon]

I received a new Shavemac pure badger brush for Christmas with slightly funky smell too.
I sticked a 3-4mm slice of Arko soap in a bowl and lathered/rinced till the slice totally disappears.

 

[ezeman]

I defunked using shampoo, arko, then a soak in mint Listerine, it worked well.

 

[Shadow-cw]

My cheap boar brush smelled the worst. Use a vinegar soak and my wife's kudzu soap to knock it out.

 

[poppi]

I shampoo and condition the brush with strawberry scent stuff. I then do about 3-5 practice lathers with Arko SS. So far it's worked every time for me.

Or maybe my nose just doesn't work so well anymore and the brush still stinks, I just can't tell it.

 

[htownmmm]

A few years ago while on a trip, I left my shave brush at home and had to purchase one from wally's world. Not wanting to be arrested for murder as a result of the smell coming from my hotel room, I left the brush soaking in the green apple conditioner and water left in the sink overnight.

By the time i got up in the morning, the funk was gone and the brush was soft and ready for shaving. This is now my go to with any new brush.


marty

 

[Deltaboy]

Soak over night in Apple cider Vingar. Wash with shampoo and rinse = no bad smell.