VDH Brushes

[nesta]

Before getting started, I, like many, purchased the VDH Premium Shave Set. This includes a boar brush which, by every account I've seen, is very low quality.

Most complain that it sheds constantly, some that the whole thing even falls apart pretty quickly.

To be sure, I did lose a few hairs the first few times, and it smelled like a wet dog for a few days. But in very short order both problems fixed themselves.

It is no longer shedding - I almost never find errant hairs in the soap, lather, or on my face. It is smelling clean. It is soft and comfortable to use.

My only other brush is another cheapo - a synthetic Body Shop brush. I like both, but they're very different from each other.

Anyway, my question regards the VDH brush. Is the problem with them quality, or quality control? That is, even if it doesn't lose hair everywhere all the time, is there something about the brush that is supremely sub par that I simply can't appreciate having not used a much better brush yet? Or is the big problem that it's such a crapshoot, and I happened to get lucky and get a decent brush from them?

 

[R-squared]

I bought the same kit from Walmart, and after five weeks with mine I think it's a fine brush. Very few bristles lost, no odor, can probably lather better than I can. Admittedly I have nothing to compare it to, but I just ordered an Omega 49 from WCS. After five weeks of using it, I'll see how they compare. Unless the VDH suddenly falls apart I can see continuing to use it, and making it my travel brush as well.

 

[The Dean]

Initial shedding and smell seems to be a brush-by-brush issue with any brand, though I would expect the better/more expensive brands have fewer issues. I have yet to have a really smelly brush and I have a couple cheapies. My VDH boar barely smelled.

Whether or not the brush is good is up to you to decide. I don't have any other boar experience or I'd chime in here. I bought mine because I was too impatient to wait and buy one on the Internet and I didn't want to spend much money on my first brush. Who knows, maybe I would hate the experience. The VDH did precisely what I hoped it would do. It sold me on using a brush. I have moved on from it, but I can't bad mouth it.

 

[mikelz777]

I bought the VDH kit that had a badger brush in it. Initially, it reeked once it got wet and took several shampoos just to make it tolerable for use. Once the smell was gone, it was a pleasing brush but it did lose hairs and it continues to lose hairs. For a long time, I was using creams and would lose 0-3 hairs per shave. I've switched to soaps recently and it is losing a lot of hairs with each shave, anywhere from 3-10. When I was using the brush with creams, I thought it would last me years but now that I'm currently using soaps, it is going to shorten its life significantly.

 

[Chaloney]

My vdh has been getting little use since I acquired a couple nice badger brushes. I do like the size and feel of the handle. Thinking I may try to re-knot it some day

 

[Ronnie Aloha]

I have the badger brush and used it a week straight to see how many hairs it would lose. I've only lost four. However, I have read that they can continue to fall out for some time.

 

[NSmalls]

If you try to reknot the VDH badger it will not be very easy to do. The handle is actually hollow and filled up with a packing peanut.

My vdh has been getting little use since I acquired a couple nice badger brushes. I do like the size and feel of the handle. Thinking I may try to re-knot it some day

 

[Snargle]

If you try to reknot the VDH badger it will not be very easy to do. The handle is actually hollow and filled up with a packing peanut.

Some guys have had luck steaming out the knot from the VDH handles. Once the knot is out, any voids can be filled with putty, epoxy, coins, etc., etc. which will give the handle extra weight and also allow you to adjust the loft (height) of the replacement knot. Stop by the Brush Making and Restorations Forum for more details and recommendations.

 

[NSmalls]

Larry I tried putting some coins in it but it eventually got too heavy and I just ended up throwing it away.

 

[thedave87]

I can't say anything bad about it. The only other brush I've used is an old Made Rite with the original bristle knot in it. My VDH didn't smell, but the first couple lathers with it produced some shedding. Now that I've been using it for a couple weeks, I might get a single hair in a bowl of lather. I've had more than a few need to be trimmed off of it because they were straying away from the rest of the knot. Quality control issues, I think, are the biggest downfall to the brush. If you get a good one like I did, it seems to hold a good amount of water, lathers well, and really isn't too scratchy. My only gripe is the size. The handle seems chunky even in my big hands, and the knot itself is large enough that it can be hard for me to lather around my goatee with.

 

[ichiban-]

I'm in the same boat as you nesta. I read all of that stuff about the brush but figured I could always upgrade later. I don't have anything else to really compare it to. I'm looking to pick up the B&B brush soon, but I don't have any complaints about the VDH brush. It loses hair from time to time but for its price i can't say im disappointed.

 

[Khelben]

Mine shed a lot at first, but I only get the occasional loose hair these days after about six months of solid use. I'll have to ask the LOTH how hers is doing next time I talk to her.

 

[Duo3478]

i have both the deluxe and the luxury kit from VDH. I really like both brushes and use them often. i have not had much of a problem with shedding with either one of the, the boar brush did not have a small at all but the badger was horrible tell i soaked it in dish soap for 3 hours then built a heavy lather with the VDH soap at let it sit over night. now it is my fav brush.