brush is shedding; but why?

[jondru]

Hello,

I'm fairly knew to this remarkably complex world, so bear with me if this is a stupid question.

I recently got what is, for me, a pretty nice step-up brush: an Edwin Jagger Best Badger. I just can't bring myself to shell out over $100 for a brush. Yet :001_smile

The thing is, it's shedding pretty badly. I can think of several possibilities why--perhaps you can help me understand which is most likely:

1) All brushes shed some.
2) Shedding is a typical problem for this brand or model.
3) The example I have is just a lemon.
4) I'm doing something to it to make it shed.

About all I do with the brush is soak it and the bowl in rather hot water for a while before lathering up. After use, it gets promptly rinsed with plenty of warm water, shaken out, and hung bristles-down for storage.

Your thoughts?

thanks,
vv
J.O.

[SepticTank]

About all I do with the brush is soak it and the bowl in rather hot water for a while before lathering up. After use, it gets promptly rinsed with plenty of warm water, shaken out, and hung bristles-down for storage.

How hot is "rather hot"? If it's too hot for your hand to stay in, then it's probably hot enough to melt the epoxy that holds it in the handle....

[infotech]

It's pretty normal for a new brush to lose a few hairs. If it continues to be a problem (multiple hairs every shave) contact the vendor first or if they don't help you, contact the manufacturer. Someone recently advised me to save the hair that sheds from the brush in case the vendor/manf. might wants to see them.

[jondru]

Hrm...that might be the problem then. It's pretty hot. I followed the implied advice I saw here in a photo and have been using an electric kettle to heat water for the bowl and brush (which is quite nice otherwise, I must say)--the water from the tap just doesn't seem hot enough.

vv
J.O.

[Sheafshaver]

Hello there, thought we would chip in as you are corresponding about an Edwin Jagger brush. I have noted the remarks from other members and concur with the fact that a. you may be using water that is rather too hot and b. all new brushes will lose afew hairs in the initial few days or weeks. This should not be excessive though and if it continues to be a real issue please do contact us directly and we will sort out the problem directly. [email protected]

[Kingram]

I had the same problem with my EJ small best badger brush. I tried hot water for two times and then I switched back to my hot tap water. It still shed 1-2 hair every time. I read a lot on the forum and most of the people were complaining about the Edward Jadger and CRABTREE & EVELYN BBB shedding hair. I was thinking to buy a knot and replace it but I will wait for sometime. It seems promising that EJ is initiating to talk to costumers.

[jondru]

Wow! What a treat to hear from the makers! It has been definitely more than a few hairs over a matter of weeks--more like 3-5 each day.

It seems likely that it is a matter of excessively hot water, so this week I'm changing my routine and will use the hot kettle water just in the bowl, while prepping the brush with hot tap water. I'll keep track of the shed rate and see how it goes.

thanks!
vv
J.O.

[dingo]

FWIW: EJ is a good manufacturer. They do the C&E BBB brush, which is a very common brush (lots of people use it), and I haven't heard of any problems with the brush.

[roxwell]

hi, EJ are really helpful so really don't be afraid to email them. I ahve had one of their brushes for a long time and it only rarely loses a hair.

i must say though that the thought of using hot water from a kettle is a bit frightening, although if you have the kind of hot water system that never gives you really hot water, how about running it as hot as it gets and just topping up from the kettle?

One of the other broblems that can cause hair loss is 'jabbing' with the brush, it can break hairs - use a nice gentle circular motion when whipping up a lather and on your face.

rox

[john parker]

Have used the C&E BBB (EJ-made) for about two months, and use it exclusively (the only brush I have). It has lost maybe one hair. I use hot tap water.

[DirtyDave]

I also have a C&E BBB, EJ-made brush and I lost only a few hairs so far.

I also had some shedding problems with a Superior brush and they replaced the knot with no questions asked. Now it's performing like a champ, no shedding issues at all.

One change in my routine is that I don't soak the brush in hot water while taking a shower. I just dunk it in the sink or under the tap as I am filling it up for the shave. Once charged up I shake the excess back into the sink. Since doing this, no problems.

I can't say this change fixed the problem or if I just had a poorly made knot and no matter what I did, it would shed. This procedure works for me and I am not going to fix it.

[dc badger]

1) All brushes shed some.............................................. ..............Probably (my conspiracy theory)
2) Shedding is a typical problem for this brand or model................... No, since they're still in business.
3) The example I have is just a lemon.......................................... Hopefully, so that next one won't have a smilar problem.
4) I'm doing something to it to make it shed.................................. Probably (my guilty feeling)

My guess is that, they (manufacturers) are not using good glue to secure the hair anymore.

After trying 2 Rooneys and one Shavemac, I think I can safely say that you are lucky if it does not shed. I had a cheap 'pure badger' brush ($30) that I used for years and probably lost one or two hair, so I naturally did not expect this kind of shedding. Maybe the quality went down? Maybe my bathroom emitts badger unfriendly gasses? Whatever the reason, it is so frustrating to find couple of badger hair stuck on my face or coming out of the brush each time I shave. So far I paid $30+ just for insured shipping. When I get the new Shavemac, I am going to wait for a few weeks and I'll start using when we move to our new place. That way, if this one starts to shed too, I know problem was not my bathroom.

Next step? I will either sent it to the manufacturer in Germany or I will throw it out and go back to use my good old, no name, el cheapo pure badger brush for at least another 10 years.

[Dan Forest]

Hrm...that might be the problem then. It's pretty hot. I followed the implied advice I saw here in a photo and have been using an electric kettle to heat water for the bowl and brush (which is quite nice otherwise, I must say)--the water from the tap just doesn't seem hot enough.

vv
J.O.


I use boiling hot water from an electric pot every time that I shave. I pour boiling hot water into a coffee mug to let the mug take up the heat. Because the water is clean, I pour the water from the mug back into the electric pot to reheat it to boiling. This takes less than 30 seconds, and because the mug stays hot, it does not pull the heat from the water when the mug is refilled. Because I am concerned about the glue knot of the brush and the brush handle material, I do not let my brush sit and soak in boiling hot water. What I do is dip the bristles into the boiling hot water four or five times, but only up to the handle (not letting the handle enter the boiling water in the mug). The brush takes up more than enough water for me to use. I even have to flick out the excess water. I have two badger brushes (Savile Row and B&B Limited Edition 2008) that have seen this type of use and I have seen no damage to my brushes and no loss of bristles.

[Whiskeytown]

I've had my EJ BBB for about 3 weeks. It lost between 3-5 hairs each shave for the first 2-3 shaves. Since then i've had maybe 1 hair lost each shave. This is shaving every other day using hot tap water.

I was worried too at first, but it's a nice brush and for 35 dollars I don't feel too upset over a few hairs now and then. However, if it starts shedding at a 3-5 rate again soon i'll drop TESC a line to see what my options are.