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When do you consider a brush "dead"?

For the last several years, I had reverted to very simplistic wet shaving (one soap, razor, brush) but am returning to the hobby. In that time, my Crabtree & Evelyn pure badger brush has seen better days. The handle has earned a ding and chip patina from much clinking on the sides of a shave bowl. A once fair badger knot has shed enough hair it looks like an old possum. Yes it is functional, but it has lost much in its decade of age. I'll probably not toss it out, but it will be relagated to the back of the line at a minimum. What has caused you to toss out a brush? What made you keep it after it was beyond its prime?
 
The search for a new brush is what brought me to BnB a while back.
I would consider a brush dead when it no longer served the task at hand.
More likely though if a brush did not delight me with use -it would be replaced.
Its time to upgrade your brush...
 

FarmerTan

"Self appointed king of Arkoland"
Just do what I'm doing in my thread "Just like Grampa used to Shave" I think it's called.

See how long it can last with complete abuse!
 
I've had 2 Semogue's that got to a point where the knot just wasn't very functional anymore. Wouldn't pick up hardly any lather no matter how much I tried to load, turned into floppy messes... I still have them though ;-)
 
When the bristles performance is severely compromised, or don’t have the ability to produce quality lather, or continuous shedding.
 
Dead, or just time for a new knot?

Dead: When the handle no longer functions.
New Knot: Shedding excessively, or no longer able to produce an acceptable lather.
 
I have never had one die, but my first brush, a Volfix, was just too floppy to work well and ended up in the back of the closet. My decade old Shavemac and Simpsons are going as strong as when I bought them and should last beyond my last shave on earth
 

Fred D

Member of The Illiterati
For the last several years, I had reverted to very simplistic wet shaving (one soap, razor, brush) but am returning to the hobby. In that time, my Crabtree & Evelyn pure badger brush has seen better days. The handle has earned a ding and chip patina from much clinking on the sides of a shave bowl. A once fair badger knot has shed enough hair it looks like an old possum. Yes it is functional, but it has lost much in its decade of age. I'll probably not toss it out, but it will be relagated to the back of the line at a minimum. What has caused you to toss out a brush? What made you keep it after it was beyond its prime?
I recently threw an old boar brush in the trash that stopped performing years ago. I then took it out of the trash and set it on a shelf, didn't have the heart to throw it away, now it's just offically retired and resting on the shelf. 😁
 
I recently threw an old boar brush in the trash that stopped performing years ago. I then took it out of the trash and set it on a shelf, didn't have the heart to throw it away, now it's just offically retired and resting on the shelf. 😁
Ultimately I believe this will be my brushes fate as well. I just don't have the heart to let the old war horse go.
 
I'd been wondering this as well. I still use a Col. Conk pure badger brush I bought almost 20 years ago. I usually only shave every other day (although there have been longer intervals, especially recently), so it has never been a daily use brush. It does have several chips on the edge of the handle, but otherwise functions very well and has lost only a few hairs over the years.

With all that said, I'm still in the early stages of looking for a new brush and retiring this one. 20 years of faithful service is pretty dang good and worthy of a restful retirement, especially since I KNOW I've gotten my money's worth out of that brush. :)
 

Ravenonrock

I shaved the pig
I'd been wondering this as well. I still use a Col. Conk pure badger brush I bought almost 20 years ago. I usually only shave every other day (although there have been longer intervals, especially recently), so it has never been a daily use brush. It does have several chips on the edge of the handle, but otherwise functions very well and has lost only a few hairs over the years.

With all that said, I'm still in the early stages of looking for a new brush and retiring this one. 20 years of faithful service is pretty dang good and worthy of a restful retirement, especially since I KNOW I've gotten my money's worth out of that brush. :)
I have a Col Conk brush I got as a gift 30yrs ago. I used it way back when occasionally, then left it neglected all these years until resurrection a few months ago. I guess storing it covered in soap conditioned the hairs nicely (not recommended). It’s a small and feisty badger. Good backbone, soft and user friendly. Apart from sentimental value, it’s a workhorse and functions so it’s not going into retirement any time soon.
 

nemo

Lunatic Fringe
Staff member
I'll consider this one almost dead.


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From the 2011 "Ugliest Razor Contest" where that Slim won in the Adjustables class. :001_rolle
 
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