Breaking in Badgers

[marcl]

Can anyone tell me do badger brushes need time to soften up? I recently bought a silvertip knot for and old handle I had. It looks great and feels Good to the touch but when swiping it across my face it is quite 'spiky'. I am just wondering, will it soften up?

Thanks all, Marc.

[Zoro]

They do need a bit of time. Keep using it and it will soften up.

[marcl]

Nice one Zoro, i hope so because it looks wonderful and could well be my new favorite brush, just not yet.

Thanks, Marc.

[dpmtherrien]

Most brushes do need a bit of break in time, and a few shaves are necessary for them to reach their full potential.

[Face&Head]

That's more common with two bands that have shorter lofts, but yes a little break in makes them really luxurious.

[Dutch101st]

My EJ best badger is starting to come into its own...I am really diggin that brush and even tho I am looking to expand my brush collection (3 + a travel brush), this one is solid and I love it!

[franz]

Not really, no.

I had a silvertip that had a disappointing amount of scritch to it. Disappointing because I couldn't face lather with it without discomfort and irritation, and hell, it was a silvertip from a reputable manufacturer. I gave that silvertip a good 30-40 shaves (face lathering, head lathering, palm lathering, bowl lathering) and the tips did not soften one iota. Or at least, not enough to make a real difference.

Now if you used your brush for a year's worth of shaves... or multiple years' worth of shaves... would you be able to tell the difference? That I can't answer.

IMO, there's no "break-in" effect on tip softness with badger like there is with boar.

[Rylos]

Are you talking about the feel of it on your face while dry or wet? A brush can feel completely different when it's loaded with water.

[Face&Head]

Not really, no.

IMO, there's no "break-in" effect on tip softness with badger like there is with boar.

True, but with badger you're not starting off with something that feels like a porcupine to begin with...some exceptionally dense badgers have backbone and scritch that won't stop. I have a custom with a D0-1 Shavemac 2-band knot that will never ever feel like a Kent. You need to understand what you're buying to begin with.

[franz]

True, but with badger you're not starting off with something that feels like a porcupine to begin with...some exceptionally dense badgers have backbone and scritch that won't stop. I have a custom with a D0-1 Shavemac 2-band knot that will never ever feel like a Kent. You need to understand what you're buying to begin with.

No doubt. Just saying that if the OP is holding out hope that his prickly badger will become less of a prick, he should save himself the grief. Me, I am unrepentant.

[Rushman2112]

B&B has to be the only place where you can post a thread title like that and not get arrested...

[mftoms59]

Are you talking about the feel of it on your face while dry or wet? A brush can feel completely different when it's loaded with water.

I'll testify to this, my Shavemac Finest is a bit Prickly/Scritchy Dry, when it's wet loaded or not the tips are very soft on my face, no Scritch or Prickliness during Face Lathering at all.

[Rylos]

I'll testify to this, my Shavemac Finest is a bit Prickly/Scritchy Dry, when it's wet loaded or not the tips are very soft on my face, no Scritch or Prickliness during Face Lathering at all.

Yeah, now to just find out what the OP was doing... wet or dry?!

[marcl]

Are you talking about the feel of it on your face while dry or wet? A brush can feel completely different when it's loaded with water.

Hi Rylos, I mean when the brush is lathered up. It feels a bit sharp, a bit prickly.

Marc.

[marcl]

Hi all,

Sorry for the late replies, different time zone.

The brush feels prickly when wet, lathered up. As you swipe it across your face and the bristles change directions, from say, north to south, it spikes me. Now i do have a Vulfix 374 20mm knot 50mm loft super badger. I can't remember how that was when I bought it but I'm pretty sure it was soft as and still is. So that's all I can compare against.

It's the only thing stopping me falling in love with the brush. You see it was my granddads brush, he died many years ago but when I started wet shaving, about 20 years ago, its the brush I used (until I found you loonatics and you made me spend all my money all other razors and brushes). But It needed restoring so I put a silvertip in it. The knot was 22mm but measured 24mm in reality and I set the loft at 55mm as it has quite a bit of back bone.

Enjoy the pics.

Thanks, Marc.

[Rylos]

Where did you get the knot from?

[marcl]

Where did you get the knot from?

Ace shaving, fleabay. Like it?

Marc.

[joost]

Not really, no.

I had a silvertip that had a disappointing amount of scritch to it. Disappointing because I couldn't face lather with it without discomfort and irritation, and hell, it was a silvertip from a reputable manufacturer. I gave that silvertip a good 30-40 shaves (face lathering, head lathering, palm lathering, bowl lathering) and the tips did not soften one iota. Or at least, not enough to make a real difference.

Now if you used your brush for a year's worth of shaves... or multiple years' worth of shaves... would you be able to tell the difference? That I can't answer.

IMO, there's no "break-in" effect on tip softness with badger like there is with boar.

With my Semogue 2010 LE I have experienced the opposite of what you have described about your experience with your silvertip. I found it scritchy for a very long time. But recently I experience it as soft. This happened after using it approximately 40 times.

I do have some doubts about weather this is due to a change in the characteristics in my brush or if it is only me that for some reason experiences it different( because I have read here before that badger does not change much ). I do "think" that I have noticed the brush splaying easier then before. Also this I am not 100% certain off. I find it very difficult to determine if the brush has changed or if it is only my perception that has changed.

[Rylos]

Ace shaving, fleabay. Like it?

Marc.

I don't know anything about ace shaving but perhaps their quality of silver tip is not up to the standard of TGN, shavemac, etc... Remember that all manufacturers/retailers label them however they want to as there is no industry standard. It would take someone here who has an ace shaving knot along with other knots from other companies to give you a more definitive answer about your brush.

Good luck.

[franz]

With my Semogue 2010 LE I have experienced the opposite of what you have described about your experience with your silvertip. I found it scritchy for a very long time. But recently I experience it as soft. This happened after using it approximately 40 times.

I do have some doubts about weather this is due to a change in the characteristics in my brush or if it is only me that for some reason experiences it different( because I have read here before that badger does not change much ). I do "think" that I have noticed the brush splaying easier then before. Also this I am not 100% certain off. I find it very difficult to determine if the brush has changed or if it is only my perception that has changed.

I did notice on my brush that the knot relaxed/opened up a little after 10-15 uses. This made the knot splay more and feel less firm on the face, as you noticed with your 2010 LE - which could give it less of a prickly overall feel without the tips having changed. Just guessing...

I also have read a few comments from more experienced shavers who say that a badger used over a period of years will soften. It's only within the last year that I have owned nice brushes, so I am ignorant on that!