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New Burma shave

Traveling in Arkansas today and saw a Chinese made Burma shave boar brush for$5 and change. Anyone know if the are decent compared to the VDH?
 
I think for $5.00 it's worth a try, use it every other day for the first couple of weeks, allowing it to completely Dry for proper Break-in.
 
I think for $5.00 it's worth a try, use it every other day for the first couple of weeks, allowing it to completely Dry for proper Break-in.

Yep, that was my mistake when I got my first boar, not letting it have enough break-in and then getting rid of it before it got awesome. One of the keys is the letting it dry between uses. Every other day is a great suggestion :) . And as mftoms said, for five dollars, it is hard to not at least give it a try. What store did you find it in?
 
Along with everything else, sadly. I guess I'll just hafta grin and bear it, then. At least I'm not eating the damn thing! vis: contaminated pet food, pills, vitamins.
 
I picked up a slightly used Burma Shave brush and mug at a church rumage sale for $2 during the summer. The tips were not broken in yet. I have been using it every other day for about three months to wash my face before I shave. After the tips started splitting I would use it to shave about once a week. I make sure the brush has time to dry between uses. I have not lost any bristles. The tips have split and are very soft now. I use the brush in rotation with my other brushes. The brush is still stiff and scrubby, but it makes a great lather. I have been leaving my most moisturizing soaps in the brush to dry, hoping the bristles become a little more flexible, like my Semogue 1305 or my Omega 31064. I would have been happy with this brush, even if I had paid $5 for it. The handles on this brush are very similar to the vintage Ever-Ready C40's that I have restored. I have the feeling that this brush will become even more flexible with use and become almost as good as the Omegas or Semogue's.

During the past several years I have picked up a NIB Burma Shave and a NIB Ever-Ready C40 that are made in China. I have never use them. They appear to be made by the same manufacture in China.
 
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I thought they have stopped production on those, the one I picked up was a lot better than the 2 VDH brushes that I put into the trash. The VDH brushes shed like a Collie in the spring, the Burma shave has lost a few hairs, but not bad. It had no wet dog smell that the rest of my brushes seemed to have had when first used, that may be a fluke as boar brushes can be funky for a few days out of the box. I currently use it as my travel brush, I wish I had picked up a few more when Wal-Mart carried them. I have looked in all of the Drug and Grocery stores in my area just to see what they carry, all have gone to the VDH brush sadly.
 
I started out with one, and I have seen them at a couple of stores in my area. It is a decent starter brush, but it shed a hair or 2 per shave, and eventually part of the knot came out.

I would spend $5 more and get an Omega boar brush, as it is a better brush.
 
Yep, that was my mistake when I got my first boar, not letting it have enough break-in and then getting rid of it before it got awesome. One of the keys is the letting it dry between uses. Every other day is a great suggestion :) . And as mftoms said, for five dollars, it is hard to not at least give it a try. What store did you find it in?

Harps
 
My first brush was a Burma shave and I still have it. In fact, I used it today. After a while that brush is super soft and I wouldn't replace the knot for anything. It is in rotation next to my M&F and TGN and I love it in its own unique way.

Go for it, keep it in rotation and let it soften up. Worst case, you bought yourself a handle for a TGN badger knot for $5. You can't do that on eBay.

I also have a VDH and I only dream that one day it will be as soft and a soap/cream beast like my Burma shave brush.
 
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Never had one but the reports about it call it a shedder. They made it into the review section!

+1

I have owned a handful. All have been heavy shedders, and all are pretty rough feeling to the face. It's basically bottom of the bucket as far as boar brushes are concerned. Spend $5 more, and buy yourself a quality Omega.

I thought they have stopped production on those...

Yes it is a discontinued item, but being a likely slow seller there are probably still tons of them out there in the market. My local Meijer (midwest competitor to Walmart) seems to have an endless supply of them on the shelf, and has for the last two years.
 
Picked one up for a travel brush. Cheap but for how little I travel even if it sheds it should last 5 years.
 
It almost lasted 6 months. I used it as my daily brush rather than a travel brush. I actually liked it better than the VDH because I prefer the natural color. Nice and scrubby until the bristles started coming out in large clumps from the middle and then it went quick.
 
It might be worth a try. I have a VDH brush that I've been using regularly for the last three years and it works fantastic. Like everybody said, the secret is in the break in. I shampooed mine a couple of times in the shower, then used it every day, making certain to allow it to dry completely overnight. After two weeks, I drilled out the knot and replaced it with a Super Badger one from the Golden Nib. I think that last tweak was what made the difference. Since then, it's never been out of my rotation.
 
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