Why does a shaving brush starts losing hair after a while of use???

[Rudy Vey]

This is a post I made in another thread here dealing with hair loss after a while of use, say several months to over a year. It seems quite logical to me and I think it is good to know what is going on inside out brushes:

"I just had sometime ago a brush coming back that was fine for a good time. It had lost a few hairs in the initial uses but was fine for about 6 month without loosing a hair. Then suddenly it started loosing hairs, lots of hairs. I was very curious to find out what has happened, so I asked to have it send to me for replacement of the knot. I cut the hair out carefully and found the inside of the brush was full of soap residues. The owner told me that he rinses his brush well. However, the brush was a larger one, 24 mm silvertip knot with extra hair. I totally understand the effect of soap destroying hair when left inside the brush. This combined with the mechanical stress during use is the reason that some brushes will start shedding after awhile of use, even if the never lost a hair or only a few in the initial use.
Here is a little brochure of Da Vinci Pinsel about their Shaving brushes, please go to page 4 to read up on this:
http://www.davinci-defet.com/files/r...ushes_2012.pdf "


I think this is a good info to have and please, rinse out your brushes well under running warm water!!

[Face&Head]

Thanks Rudy, great information & excellent advice.

[global_dev]

for a long time now, i have noticed that even when i think i have rinsed a "large" brush out well, if i give a light squeeze on the knot, some lather residue always appears and i rinse it again for good luck...

[redrako]

A timeless story that deserves telling and retelling.

I rotate through a number of brushes and am sensitive to keep the handle mostly out of water, but occasionally will give them a good shampoo/condition in a water/soak for a few minutes in a borax/water solution right up to the bottom of the handle followed by a soak in a vinegar/water solution for a few minutes then rinsed with water.

[dannymayo]

It's amazing how much soap can remain in a brush once we think it's been rinsed. What's is curd soap exactly, I've never heard of it?

[Rudy Vey]

It's amazing how much soap can remain in a brush once we think it's been rinsed. What's is curd soap exactly, I've never heard of it?

The term "kernseife" refers to the way the soap is separated from the soap solution after the saponification reaction has taken place. Salt dissolved in water is added to the soapy solution and the soap is "salted" out, separated from the liquid.
It collects on top of the batch and hardens - because the hardness it is called "kern" (kern is also used for the pit of peaches, the kernel in cherries etc). I think "curd" is is a good translation. This raw soap is later then transformed into finer soaps.
But for me the question is why they want "Kernseife" which is known to remove fats form skin etc., so it was not used for bathing, but for washing clothes.

[mcmulvaney]

Is this likely to happen with a brush with synthetic hair?

[Rivguy]

Excellent post Rudy. This is the same information that I received with my recent purchase of a da vinci shaving brush. Several years ago I was told by a woman who specializes in professional make up application and used very expensive brushes how important it was to clean and rinse brushes to keep them from failing and in top performance condition. I wonder if she used da vinci brushes and got the same information.

Regards,

Doug

[Rivguy]

As I think of this further, this information is so critical that perhaps it should be in the SB WIKI.

Regards,

Doug

[.Damon.]

Interesting that this PDF also mentions the use of a brush stand, which most B&B users think is a useless implement.

Finally hang the brush upside down and leave to dry. Additionally, clean the brush at least once a week with a reconditioning soap

[MeanGene]

Great information, thanks for sharing Rudy.

[_JP_]

So, the denser the knot is, the shorter it's life span?

[malocchio]

The term "kernseife" refers to the way the soap is separated from the soap solution after the saponification reaction has taken place. Salt dissolved in water is added to the soapy solution and the soap is "salted" out, separated from the liquid.
It collects on top of the batch and hardens - because the hardness it is called "kern" (kern is also used for the pit of peaches, the kernel in cherries etc). I think "curd" is is a good translation. This raw soap is later then transformed into finer soaps.
But for me the question is why they want "Kernseife" which is known to remove fats form skin etc., so it was not used for bathing, but for washing clothes.

These type of soaps are still popular in the Mexican community and every Hispanic market carries them.Colgate still makes a bar. These soaps are formulated using a higher lye ratio (to fats) than bath bars.They are astringent and mildly detergent,which would make sense for cutting the crud from deep down in the knot...

[Oblique Human]

I think this is a good info to have and please, rinse out your brushes well under running warm water!!

I don't think that's enough anymore for my Omega boars. I started out proper DE shaving during the advent of fall last year. My water is very hard but till last month, I had been using warm water which (I guess) helped keep the brushes build-up free. But in the last month I've noticed there is too much residue around the knot stiffening it and a bristle is lost every other shave on fairly broken in boars. I now use distilled water whenever I can.

Since you're so experienced with brushes, perhaps you could devise and recommend a better and simple daily cleaning routine, maybe olive oil soap as stated in an other thread you posted the above advice in.

[Rudy Vey]

I don't think that's enough anymore for my Omega boars. I started out proper DE shaving during the advent of fall last year. My water is very hard but till last month, I had been using warm water which (I guess) helped keep the brushes build-up free. But in the last month I've noticed there is too much residue around the knot stiffening it and a bristle is lost every other shave on fairly broken in boars. I now use distilled water whenever I can.

Since you're so experienced with brushes, perhaps you could devise and recommend a better and simple daily cleaning routine, maybe olive oil soap as stated in an other thread you posted the above advice in.

Personally, I do not have any cleaning routine other then a thorough rinsing with warm water, and making sure all the soap residue is removed. I have not seen any built up my brushes. We have a water softener, so this may help also.

[hybwolf]

Some who use shampoo bars do a vinegar rinse once in a while to remove shampoo residue. I wonder if this will work with shaving brushs?

[Greybeard]

I use a small Moss scuttle just as a brush scuttle since I face lather. After I finish lathering for my last pass, I rinse out my brush lightly and put it in my scuttle. I fill my scuttle with warm water and let it soak while I finish shaving. When I'm done I swirl it around in the scuttle and then finish rinsing it out under the tap. No soap build up or hair loss in any of my brushes.

[alohakid]

Klar's Curd Soap
http://www.klarseifen.de/shop/en/PRO...Curd-Soap.html

It's available at Pasteur Pharmacy in NYC .

[jrward2]

http://www.naturalpigments.com/detai...CT_ID=671-100S

Here is a link for some curd soap that is used for artist paint brushes. Perhaps if its good for artist it would work on shaving brushes as well. What are yall's thoughts.

[cessnabird]

Very good information Rudy, thank you for sharing with everyone. +1 for me in regards to rinsing the brush well with warm h2o post shave.