Being a newbie at this, I have a pure badger brush I had purchased about three months ago and I am finding it increasingly more cumbersome to use. At first it seemed that the hair was tightly grouped in a shapely fashion and the application of the shaving cream was rather uniform. Now I find that the hair has spread out a bit from use - nothing extreme, but they do not look as neatly clustered as they first did. Anyhow, when I go to apply my shaving cream I find the process a bit more messy. Has anyone else experienced this and is this a normal progression of the brush use?
Brush hairs are fanning out. What to do.
- Thread starter dt_in_av
- Start date
Embrace the "bloom".
It's normal.
It's normal.
Brushes bloom. It's kind of their thing.
Normally brushes bloom fairly evenly, but if it is clumping it may need a cleaning. Check the forum for brush cleaning tips.
The only way I know to avoid this is a VERY floppy badger brush (Some vintages display this) which I wouldn't recommend. Or Boar bristle.
Good badger brushes have the hairs very tightly packed, so when you wet and dry them the first couple times, they spread out. It's normal and unavoidable. It can be minimized by getting a brush with the knot set very deeply.
Good badger brushes have the hairs very tightly packed, so when you wet and dry them the first couple times, they spread out. It's normal and unavoidable. It can be minimized by getting a brush with the knot set very deeply.
As mentioned above, the "bloom" is normal.
I found that I prefer smaller knot sizes, both in diameter and loft. When I first started in on this I assumed "bigger is better" but after time sold off my larger brushes and settled in on a brush with a 22mm knot and a 47mm(+/-) loft. (That's Rooney size 1).
The bigger brushes were a bit cumbersome, for me at least.
I found that I prefer smaller knot sizes, both in diameter and loft. When I first started in on this I assumed "bigger is better" but after time sold off my larger brushes and settled in on a brush with a 22mm knot and a 47mm(+/-) loft. (That's Rooney size 1).
The bigger brushes were a bit cumbersome, for me at least.
Yeah... my 28mm was losing favor with me... until I tried it on my Kell's. I have no idea what it is. Maybe the water gets added just right cause the brush holds so much of it... but I've NEVER gotten Kell's to lather that well before. I'd dismissed Kell's as barely usable, but it took to that brush like a duck to my face. MWF, Tabac, Old spice... all my favorites, my really firm dense badger dominates at lathering. But these glycerins just love that giant, floppy bastard. I think it's gotta be that it holds so much water and makes it available exactly as readily as the Glycerin soaps want. But that's a tangent.
Yep, that's the bloom. And it's normal, in fact "desirable"
New/Bloomed ( 45mm loft/dense knot )
A brush with higher loft ( length of bristles ), larger knot and less dense bristle will most likely have a larger bloom than a tight lower knot.
New/Bloomed ( 55mm loft/not so dense knot )
You haven't mentioned what brush you have , would be interesting for all to know ( though of course, all we'll do is tell you to buy another one
)
The other option you have is to use some o-rings to bring the loft down and the spread down.
Hope this helps.
New/Bloomed ( 45mm loft/dense knot )
A brush with higher loft ( length of bristles ), larger knot and less dense bristle will most likely have a larger bloom than a tight lower knot.
New/Bloomed ( 55mm loft/not so dense knot )
You haven't mentioned what brush you have , would be interesting for all to know ( though of course, all we'll do is tell you to buy another one
)The other option you have is to use some o-rings to bring the loft down and the spread down.
Hope this helps.
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- Thread starter
- #9
Could you describe more on what is meant by "loft'?
How "tall" the hair/bristles are. (At the center)
See my sig re loft and density, loft is the length of the bristle above the handle.
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The O-ring idea is a great idea. Its much classier then wrapping a rubberband around the bloom. 
I'm a bit picky when it comes to how my brushes look. Bloom is definately what they do, but I like them to look neat and not all raggedy.
This is how I take care of mine
http://www.shaving101.com/index.php...sh-basics/70-drying-makes-the-difference.html
Sure... it's probably a bit overkill for most guys, but my brushes sure look nice and neat on the display shelf.
This is how I take care of mine
http://www.shaving101.com/index.php...sh-basics/70-drying-makes-the-difference.html
Sure... it's probably a bit overkill for most guys, but my brushes sure look nice and neat on the display shelf.
Bingo! 22mm x 45mm... sweet, sweet bliss.
I find if I leave my T&H Rooney for 2-3 days without shaving, it sort of un-blooms a bit with thorough drying. It if bothers you that much a rotation of 2 brushes is in order.
