Can the Tweezerman be improved?

Gentlemen,
I figured this would be the place to ask and discuss the following: The (in)famous Tweezerman pure badger was my first ever shaving brush. I've been fortunate to have several great PIFs and upgrades since, and find myself reaching for it less and less. It's just too scratchy for my skin.
However... we all know that inexpensive boar brushes require an extensive breaking-in period, and afterword they can become quite luxurious and soft. Does the Tweezerman hold similar promise? Is there a process that can help soften those brush tips? Will I just have to lather with it every day for 30 years, or are there any "shortcuts" to making the Tweezerman softer? Or, will it always remain a scritchy, cheap badger?

From what I read badgers typically don't have a break in period. There could be something chemically you could do to soften the hairs but I imagine that would ruin it.

You could always reknot it, but not sure the handle is of good enough quality to make it worth it.

If you're lucky to have a Target that carries VDH items, the VDH badger brush is a much better alternative (not as prickly) as the Tweezerman: http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showth...y-Shave-Set!-Cool-stuff-at-Target!?highlight=

Thanks to both of you. It's not that I need a better brush, I'm just tired of my counter space getting taken up by something I'm
not using (that doesn't seem like it will be enjoyed by anyone else, either).

Brent said:

badgers typically don't have a break in period.

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Are you suggesting that the quality of the hair isn't likely to change over time/use? Does anyone else have experience to share in this regard?

You can "try" soaking it for a short while in conditioner (hair conditioner not shampoo/conditioner). I recall reading a few positive remarks about this softening up scratchy brushes. Just don't soak it for longer than half hour to an hour as it is a wooden handle brush. Tweezerman is not a high end brush so you may not get enough of a change for the Tweezerman to make it back into your brush rotation if you have some good brushes now.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/124138-Shaving-Brush-Maintenance

If you find that you have outgrown it, PIF it or bundle it with one of the razors you don't use any longer, a chunk of unwanted/unused soap/cream, and those blades you have not used in ages as an expensive starter kit on BST. There is always someone out there in B&B land who would love to try it or who is just starting out and does not know what to get who would love the opportunity to get a decent item to get them started.

turtle said:

If you find that you have outgrown it, PIF it

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Definitely have considered this, but I'd hate to give something away that isn't high quality (especially if I can improve the quality in some manner). I like the hair conditioner idea, I'll give it a shot.

desertcat said:

Are you suggesting that the quality of the hair isn't likely to change over time/use? Does anyone else have experience to share in this regard?

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Correct - badgers might soften 'ever so slightly' after a shave or two, but basically they are what they are straight out of the box. Boars change significantly over the first couple months of use.

desertcat said:

Definitely have considered this, but I'd hate to give something away that isn't high quality (especially if I can improve the quality in some manner). I like the hair conditioner idea, I'll give it a shot.

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I sold the tweezerman I had along with an R41, a selection if NICE blades, and a big chunk of Vitos soft soap. It was a killer starter kit and I am sure the B&B member who got it was very pleased with everything. I know that I would have been.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/266015

I should have kept the R41 but I just stopped using it and thought that someone else would enjoy it more than I was. I've almost bought a couple of them since then as I do miss it now that it is gone

What may not seem to be high quality to you can be very satisfactory to someone else. A lot of people like the tweezerman brushes because they are looking for a badger brush with a lot of backbone and that one fits the bill nicely at a price that is very reasonable.

The problem is that cheap pure badger brushes have hair with clipped ends...they're never going to get all that soft...maybe over a decade or more of use or something, but not within a reasonable time period. Some boar brushes are somewhat soft, certainly softer than a pure grade badger right out of the box, even though they're not totally broken in when new. I would put my Omega Pro 49 and my Semogue 1250 in that category.

Sure you can improve on it, replace it with a TGN Finest knot and presto! Magic happens before your eyes lol.

I'm only teasing of course, I have zero experience on the Tweezerman. From what I've seen in peoples pictures, it seems too empty for me, I think if they stuffed it a bit more the brush would improve greatly. Then again, that is just from my point of view in terms of seeing pictures.

turtle said:

What may not seem to be high quality to you can be very satisfactory to someone else.

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The 'ol YMMV. My wussie face can't handle it, but you're absolutely right, it could easily be awesome for someone else. Giving me ideas for my FIRST PIF... gotta get a razor for it, and it would be set.

...I think the "prickly" sensation of the Tweezerman comes from the cut of the hair. Its cut to shape, as opposed to higher quality brushes, that arrange the shape of the bulb with naturally sized hair (if that makes sense). I found that my tweezerman was prickly for the first month or so, and then it dulled enough that its just really soft...almost too soft sometimes...