Taking care of a (Badger) Brush

[Gringo]

Hello gentlemen,

I live in The Netherlands where old school barber shops are scarce and it's hard to find good wet shaving supplies. Luckily, I live in Leiden where the owner of the Dutch webshop Scheerwinkel has his barber shop and keeps most of the equipment he's selling on his website.

I went by the other day to ask him if he had any inexpensive best badger or silvertip badger brushes to show me and what his ideas were about them. He showed me some fine brushes and asked how I was taking care of my present brush. When I told him I was soaking my brush he laughed and told me about the same I later found out is on his website as well. I've freely translated the part about taking care of the brush, which can be found here.

Start with dipping the brush in hot water and move the brush over the soap lightly. Be careful, it's the the tips of the hairs that make the lather, so it's important to use no real pressure. Do not soak the whole brush, just the tips are enough. In this way the lather will reside on the tip of the brush only; it's not our hands we're about to lather. Sweep the brush lightly across the soap and add little bits of water if neccessairy until you get a firm and shiny lather.
Use a fast back and forward motion when lathering (like a painter). Circulating motions, and pressure in particular, can damage the center hairs or even tare them out. By supporting the hairs with your fingers you can make the brush more rigid which makes it easier to lather between nose and lips.
Rinse with warm water after completing the shave. Shake vigurously and optionally move it across a dry towel a few times.
Hang the brush upside down to dry and do not store in a closed box or closet. The brush should be able to dry in air at all times!
Some handles, like horn and wood, are sensitive to water. These materials have a classy appearance but do require some extra care. They can withstand water when they're in use but should be kept in a dry place after shaving.

So no soaking and no circulating motions? I'm confused.

 

[mdunn]

sounds like he doesnt know what he's talking about.

Soak the brush and use circular motions.
Maybe the brushes he's selling are so poorly made that the hairs break and come out easily, but decent brushes can stand a fair bit of abuse (theres a picture of the B&B06 being burnt and run over and still working), let alone some water and pressure.

 

[New Orleans]

I think these are interesting observations. Plenty of people soak the brush, and then use a circular motion. Sometimes people have ideas they can't back up with any evidence; it's just how they do things. This is food for thought, we'll see what others say.

 

[Gringo]

sounds like he doesnt know what he's talking about.

Soak the brush and use circular motions.
Maybe the brushes he's selling are so poorly made that the hairs break and come out easily, but decent brushes can stand a fair bit of abuse (theres a picture of the B&B06 being burnt and run over and still working), let alone some water and pressure.

He's mostly selling Muhle and Omega brushes. Boars, pure badgers, best badgers and silver tips.

I think these are interesting observations. Plenty of people soak the brush, and then use a circular motion. Sometimes people have ideas they can't back up with any evidence; it's just how they do things. This is food for thought, we'll see what others say.

That's what I was thinking, actually. What he told me in person was that if you soak, the water might get sucked into the knot and loosening the hairs which cause them to fall out. This sounds pretty reasonable to me. Still most people thoroughly soak their brushes.

 

[New Orleans]

I like the point about wetting the tips. Lots of lather is in the center of the knot, where it is wasted. I'm going to try this.

 

[mdunn]

Well the point is to suck water in to the knot - and it slowly releases as youre building the lather. The makers expect the brushes to get wet, and glue the knots accordingly

My omega silvertip lost some hairs before I learnt to be super gentle with it, which may be the source of what he's saying (though I still soak and circular with it, just more gentle drying)

 

[Gringo]

Well the point is to suck water in to the knot - and it slowly releases as youre building the lather. The makers expect the brushes to get wet, and glue the knots accordingly

My omega silvertip lost some hairs before I learnt to be super gentle with it, which may be the source of what he's saying (though I still soak and circular with it, just more gentle drying)

Yeah, I told him I didn't really care about my $8 boar brush and I squeezed it dry. He said that whipping it dry was as easy and should double the lifetime of the brush. He was totally right on that one

 

[New Orleans]

Good point. And after all, you are a "Lord of Lather." (LOL)

 

[mdunn]

Good point. And after all, you are a "Lord of Lather." (LOL)

if only the title came with an estate

 

[New Orleans]

I was watching a movie in which there was nobility, estates, and the court. Having an estate seemed to have its problems.

 

[mdunn]

The problems of nobility, estate and castle upkeep are problems I enjoy.

 

[Gringo]

I think my topic was hijacked for chatter Thanks for the quick answer anyway.

 

[Colphax]

I think part of where your barber is coming from is based on the fact that, as a barber, he was trained to shave clients, and this carries over to his techniques. Think about it--a barber is a bit more interested in control; he's got to put the lather where he wants without making a mess, both on his hands as well as on the client's face. The biggest clue to this was the recommendation to stiffen the bristles with your fingers. If I recall correctly, that technique is one way to lather the upper lip without getting lather in the client's nostrils.

 

[Anton von Tripp]

The problems of nobility, estate and castle upkeep are problems I enjoy.

Always remember when speaking to an Australian that their idea of an "estate" is about half the size of Europe.
Wait -just remembered I'm posting on an American site - er - think quickly - um - gottit! - about the size of a large State!

Cordially, AvT.

 

[New Orleans]

Sorry for the thread diversion.

 

[Gringo]

I think part of where your barber is coming from is based on the fact that, as a barber, he was trained to shave clients, and this carries over to his techniques. Think about it--a barber is a bit more interested in control; he's got to put the lather where he wants without making a mess, both on his hands as well as on the client's face. The biggest clue to this was the recommendation to stiffen the bristles with your fingers. If I recall correctly, that technique is one way to lather the upper lip without getting lather in the client's nostrils.

Ah, I haven't thought about that one! It makes complete sense to me. I'll tell him that, the next time I see him. I really like the guy, but when we were talking about brushes at one point I thought he was talking utter cr*p

 

[Gringo]

Ok, so I accidentaly found some more info on brush care on the German website of Hans Baier. German is not my native language, but it's quiete straight forward on the website so I'll try to translate. Check the website below for some great pictures of what can happen if you do not take proper care of your brush

http://www.baier-langenfeld.de/lang1/care_advice.html

Cleaning your brush:
- Rinse with warm water.
- Shake thee brush until dry (so I guess no squeezing the brush).
- Hang upside down to dry.
- If the brush has a lot of soap in the brush itself, rinse in a hot water bath with a few drops of mild cleaning soap or shampoo.
- Do not clean with an acid or with a sharp tool!

The first picture shows fungus caused by not leaving the brush upside down to dry. The water cannot escape from the bristles and the knot.
The second picture shows a brush that has lost a lot of center hairs by pushing the brush too hard on the skin. This is what my barber stated as well! He added that circulating motions of the brush on the skin cause the same problem.
The third picture shows a brush that wasn't cleaned well. It shows traces of soap causing the hairs to fall out.

 

[New Orleans]

That brush has been abused!

 

[scottish steve]

- Do not clean with an acid or with a sharp tool.

Damn! I knew I was doing something wrong. I think if you need to be too precious with something, you shouldn't be buying it. I'm not suggesting you try to clean your car with a Plisson or anything, but the whole purpose of a brush is to get wet and be rubbed across your face. I expect it to last.

 

[Rudy Vey]

- Do not clean with an acid or with a sharp tool!

As a matter of fact I am German, and have to disagree with this translation.
From Hans's website, this sentence should be translated as:

"Never use Vinegar or other strong cleaning agents (scharfe Mittel) to clean your brush"