Shavemac Life Expectancy

Ok so I have only had it a couple of years but my 177 has now settled down - VERY occasionally loosing the odd hair but how long can we really expect these brushes to last. My Father in Law still has an old 'Boots Special' that has been on the shelf for around 45 years. It looks like it has to go and looks VERY sad next to my baby but he will not part with it despite the fact that it looks more like the sad end of a well used and very small paintbrush!!! I only mention this as perhaps I can treble my shavemac's life on that which will undoubtedly see me to my grave and back a few times.

I can't speak to Shavemacs, but I had a Kent silvertip brush that I used daily for more than 30 years. Now, I'm not saying that you should do that--it had a loft of about an inch by the time I had Rudy Vey re-knot it! If the knot's not a shedder, though, I would expect it to last decades, maybe longer than you'll be around, if you only use it occasionally.

It depends upon how well you take care of it.

great care will increase the longevity of a brush but so will more brushes. I have 10 brushes in my "rotation" and will likely have around 10 brushes in the rotation for as long as I shave. I shave about 200 days a year (4-5 days a week). I'm 27 and hope to live at least another 40-50 years. Each brush will get used about 20 times a year; so about 800-1000 times before I die. I'm sure a brush can definitely go about 800-1000 shaves before it's time to reknot.

Problem with a lot of us guys now is that we own more than one brush. Reason you see these vintage handles in bad shape is because they were likely the only workhorse for a lot of shavers. 1 brush for a guy that shaves 200 times a year, you'll hit the 1000 shave mark in 5 years. That'll be 8000 shaves in 40 years. It'd be heck of a lot more if you shaved daily.

i just use them and don't think too much.
wear and tear is normal, even the brush fail earlier than my expectation i just go get another new brush.

My Shavemac (purchased new) lasted three years before the knot broke in half at the glue. It shed prodigiously throughout that time. No more Shavemac for me.

Hectorsgaf said:

Ok so I have only had it a couple of years but my 177 has now settled down - VERY occasionally loosing the odd hair but how long can we really expect these brushes to last. My Father in Law still has an old 'Boots Special' that has been on the shelf for around 45 years. It looks like it has to go and looks VERY sad next to my baby but he will not part with it despite the fact that it looks more like the sad end of a well used and very small paintbrush!!! I only mention this as perhaps I can treble my shavemac's life on that which will undoubtedly see me to my grave and back a few times.

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Sorry my comment isn't related to the Shavemac part of this discussion...But why not steal your father's brush and have Rudy Vey reknot it as a surprise present for his bday? That might perk it up next to your baby .

The life expectancy of any brush depends upon how well it was initially made and how the wetshaver uses the brush. The type of badger hair utilized in the brush may also partially determine the brushes useful lifetime.

I have always wondered if badger brushes will exist in the future. I just can't fathom the badger populations maintaining supply for the current and increasing demand for the wetshaving market. Also, it wouldn't surprise me if trade restrictions would occur in the future, either by China for exporting or other countries for importing. It is a good thing that I like boar brushes. I would also like to see synthetic brushes get better in the future as well.

I wouldn't worry, without totally abusing your brush, it will probably lat 30-40 years, even with regular use.