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How To Break In A Brush & Get The Funk Out

I thought I would share some of my personal tips on how to break in a brush and get rid of that badger funk. Im one who hates the funk and a stiff brush thats not at its potential. After owning many brushes and trying different things I have found a perfect solution to this problem. It has been working for me to break in a new brush every time.

1. Wash it with dawn soap
2. Soak it in dawn soapy water for a few hrs
3. Build a lather and leave it to sit and dry over night - this is were most of the magic happens


The next day rinse it and soak it in water just before use and you should have no funk and it should be nice and broken in feeling.

I used irisch moos soap for this one and my custom rooney 3/1 from penworks.

Try it out and post your results :thumbup1:
 

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Nice post, Jose. I get the detergent wash. But do you think the overnight lather soak allows the bristles to soften by absorbing the shave soap?
 
Nice post, Jose. I get the detergent wash. But do you think the overnight lather soak allows the bristles to soften by absorbing the shave soap?

Oh yes indeed its the magic in the series of steps. It will remove most to all the funk and soften it up big time.
 
Excellent post! I did something similar while breaking in my D01, but only left it in the lather for a couple of hours. Maybe that's why the smell is not completely gone yet. But yes, you should give the brush a couple good washes when new, mine made the first 3 batches of lather look yellowish.
 
I've found that Musgo Real is an excellent cream to use when breaking in a brand new brush, or one that is freshly bathed. Even when MR is not in my rotation (during winter,) I keep a tube handy just for this purpose.

I'm guessing its the lanolin that does the trick. Just remember that MR is a very thirsty cream, so use more water than you normally would.

I usually build two or three consecutive lathers over as many days, and rinse and dry the brush in between. I'll have to try the suggested method of building the lather and letting it sit overnight.
 
Would like to know about what is involved in the badger "breaking-in" process. I know a boar breaks in beautifully when the bristles hair ends split and make the brush extra soft.
 
I thought I would share some of my personal tips on how to break in a brush and get rid of that badger funk. Im one who hates the funk and a stiff brush thats not at its potential. After owning many brushes and trying different things I have found a perfect solution to this problem. It has been working for me to break in a new brush every time.

1. Wash it with dawn soap
2. Soak it in dawn soapy water for a few hrs
3. Build a lather and leave it to sit and dry over night - this is were most of the magic happens


The next day rinse it and soak it in water just before use and you should have no funk and it should be nice and broken in feeling.

I used irisch moos soap for this one and my custom rooney 3/1 from penworks.

Try it out and post your results :thumbup1:

I usually take a new brush and lather up my hand a couple time and there is usually still some stink for the first few shaves.
I received my Simpson Case BBB yesterday and tried this process and this morning's shave was with a nice soft, but firm brush and the only smell was of the T&H Limes.
Not sure if it was the Dawn dish soap or the overnight saturation of shave cream, or both, but I have a new brush that is soft and firm and no 'wet dog (badger)' stink.
:thumbup:
 
I usually take a new brush and lather up my hand a couple time and there is usually still some stink for the first few shaves.
I received my Simpson Case BBB yesterday and tried this process and this morning's shave was with a nice soft, but firm brush and the only smell was of the T&H Limes.
Not sure if it was the Dawn dish soap or the overnight saturation of shave cream, or both, but I have a new brush that is soft and firm and no 'wet dog (badger)' stink.
:thumbup:

Finally some ones tried it and posts the results :thumbup:
Im glad it worked for you and thank you for posting your experience.
I find its a combination of the pre-cleaning with dawn and then something magical about leaving the lather on the brush over nite that just does it every time for me.
 
I prefer to use an organic citrus smelling dish washing liquid or Palmolive. For whatever reason I noticed that Dawn stinks up the kitchen sponges. It's only dish washing liquid made by P&G, those made by Colgate-Palmolive (Palmolive or Ajax brands) don't have that stinkin' effect. Not sure what P&G puts in their detergents... I wouldn't want my badger brush to smell worse than before :smile:
 
Going to give this a shot with my chubby when it gets here. Thanks ambrose...incidentally, that's not your 21mm/42mm shavemac is it? I'm desperately waiting for a review with plenty of shots :)
 
Hah...I think pretty soon I'll have to admit I need help! I went ahead and ordered a chubby AND the emperor within days of each other...so will take a breather now and wait for ambrose to post a review.

I had a friend of mine in the forum hand over his 20mm/44mm restore using the UK TGN knot, not very dense but very very very interested to try that loft considering everything else I have is in the 47-48 range and I'm finding things a tad floppish...

Hence my interest in the 42mm...that will complete my brush rotation AND allow me to introduce a shavemac knot to the other guys on my shelf! The best thing about BAD is that it does not matter if you use straights, DE's or the hated disposables...the brushes are here to stay :)

Ambrose, my apologies for hijacking your thread!!
 
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I tried Ambrose's method last night with my new SR3118. I didn't let the lather soak overnight though. The smell is almost undetectable. I have to really stick the brush in my nose and smell in order to smell the badger funk. That and the fact that my cream is nonscented. That being said, I'm a believer! I'll be using this for all my new brushes though this new brush should keep my SBAD at bay for a while. Thanks Ambrose!!!
 
Great post, Jose. This is why I think B&B is such a great group.

I hope I can remember to use this routine when I get my next brush. I usually only have one at time and just got my current one this past October. It could be years until I need this information, unless I catch a case of BAD.
 
Im glad you fellas are trying this out with great results :thumbup1:

Dreka, great choice on that SR :biggrin1:

BlackBard, looks like its time for a new brush. :tongue_sm I think you will remember after you get a whiff of da new badger funk when the time comes.

Ssultan, no worries bud I dont mind ....:mad3:.....:laugh:

Bernd said he hopes he can send out my brush to me this week. :blink:
 
Tried this method the other night with a Conk and a badger/boar Vulfix the other night, and it works a good trick! Instead of Dawn, I used the more gentle (seemingly, at least) Ecover dishwashing liquid we use in our kitchen. I lathered the brushes up with Conk soap and left them over night.

Both brushes seemed the better for it after the treatment. Softer, friendlier, and easier to lather and apply on the face. I'm going to try it with my new Shavemac tonight. I haven't had a problem with animal stink on any of these three brushes, but I like the idea of expediting the break-in process. Thanks for the tip!
 
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