Do I have a shedder?

I purchased a Simpson's Emperor 2 about a month ago from Vintageblades. It is a beautiful brush. Jim picked a really nice one for me. Anyways, when I first got it, it was shedding 2-3 hairs and sometimes 6-8 hairs a shave for about the first week. But while it was more than expected, I didn't worry about it because I remember reading that loosing a few hairs during the first week is normal. Since that time, it has definitely tapered off, but it is still loosing a couple hairs (2-3) each week. I only ask if I might have a shedder because I have a Simpson's Case in Best badger and although it has been a daily user for about a year, I only recall it loosing one hair, even during the break-in period. So, I'm just a bit concerned that the Emperor might end up looking like the back of my head if it continues. Should I be concerned or is loosing 2-3 hairs after a month of use normal?

Good question and would like to know myself.

my Vulfix brush started out okay but sheds 1-2 hairs/shave without fail. have had it for about 5 months now. i like to face lather and really mash up the brush on my face, maybe that is part of the problem

I read somewhere - and I can't find it now - about how many hairs there is in a knot. There is a lot. And the upshot was if you lose x hairs a week, it would take 20 years before 50% loss. Something like that.

I wish I could find that thread again.

-jim

BrianDiPalma said:

-> clip <- So, I'm just a bit concerned that the Emperor might end up looking like the back of my head if it continues. Should I be concerned or is loosing 2-3 hairs after a month of use normal?

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Looking like the back of your head! Hey! I resemble that remark!

Thats brutal Brian...I have an emperor 2 from Phil and it hasn't shed anything worth mentioning...it's a few weeks ago and used quite regularly since I'm trying to break it in...very resilient and firm knot though I did notice it's not as 'black' as the one on my Chubby ...almost a brown/chocolate shade ending in white tips...

I would drop Jim a note and explain what's happening. He'll walk you through the testing and clean up process to try and solve it. If it doesn't work, he is excellent about sorting it out. He did right by me with a Rooney 2/1 that was a bona fide shedder.

BrianDiPalma said:

Should I be concerned or is loosing 2-3 hairs after a month of use normal?

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I'd you suggest you to shapoo it, let dry completely and then give it a good combing session. I have a Merkur brush with a similar problem and ths shedding disappeared since then, I looses one hair form time to time (maybe one a month or so).

If after this combing your brush stills shed at a similar rythm, maybe yours is a real shedder.

Thanks for the input, folks. I went ahead and contacted Jim about the process that he recommends to determine if it is an actual shedder.

Do us a favor and report what they tell you.
I have a Tulip 2 that I think is also shedding way too much hair in comparison to all my other brushes. Although I gave it a good shampoo initially and combed it out, this one lost in the initial break-in period over the first 8-10 uses always 5 or more hairs. Now it is losing always two or three in each use. This is in my opinion way too many hairs that get lost. I have several brushes that are much more densely packed with hair and they lose no hairs or a hair once in a while. Like my T+H Rooney 1/1 which lost maybe a total of 8-10 hairs in all the time I have it, and it looses a hair in maybe 5 uses - that's normal for me. My Saville Row lost a total of two hairs, and I have several TGN Finest knots in brushes that lost not a single hair. Compared to all the other brushes I have, I would say we both have a shedding brush!

I recently removed a knot from a handle that i had made in order to move it to a new handle (I've done this in the past). The knot had been a shedder and i discovered why. The cylinder of glue that all the hairs are glued into is cracking, thus making it weak and thus shedding. Glueing of the knot is sometimes faulty. Simpson's (Vulfix) should stand by their product and replace it.

It's a little on the high side but the 1st month will see the most shedding. Anything more than 4 a day is a sign of a defective brush. The good news it's tapering off which means the worse is over and if you are down to 2 to 3 per week, than isn't so bad at all.

I have an EJ brush that didn't shed much after the first month and now it is losing 5+ per shave and it's over 4 months old now. Sounds like I should be concerned looking at peoples comments.

maybe anecdotal evidence...but my brushrs seems to not shed if I give it a good long soak (10-15 minutes) before use. I usually see shedding with brushes that are used right after getting them wet.

AJMiami said:

maybe anecdotal evidence...but my brushrs seems to not shed if I give it a good long soak (10-15 minutes) before use. I usually see shedding with brushes that are used right after getting them wet.

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I soak mine also for a good 15 mins, during the time I brush teeth and take a shower, did not see any improvement in my T2 - used it this am, and it lost three hairs again.

I heard back from Erin at Vintageblades and the method she said to follow is exactly torero suggested. I gave it a good shampoo and then combed it out with a wide tooth comb. No hairs were lost in the process. So, it's probably not a shedder. She said to give it another week or so to see if anything continues. If nothing more is happening, then it should be fine. So, we'll see ...

If a brush loses two or three hairs a week we will be all long gone before the brush performs any differently.