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🦡 🦡 🦡 BADGERary 2025!!! Only Badger Brushes for all of January!!! 🦡 🦡 🦡

Stando Mokosz Copper / Shear Revival Bay & Lime / Boti Captain 2Band fan / Gillette Nacet / Bootlegger's Perfecto Virginia

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Mühle Purist, Silvertip Badger, Ebonite

This silvertip badger from Mühle is the second brush I ever bought; it's also the most expensive in my humble collection. After using the cheapest Mühle synthetic brush for about three years, I really wanted to try a badger and I figured if I'm going the badger route why not go all in and get the highest quality I know (at the time). I haven't yet discovered B&B and had no idea about brushes, but I was very happy with my small synthetic from Mühle. Clearly their badger brushes would be top notch as well - and they are.

Even though the knot size is on the smaller side with 21mm, the Purist brush is a delight to use. It has a little less backbone than my subsequent badger brushes and a little bit more scratch on account that this is an untreated knot. I still enjoy using this brush and I just love that ebonite handle.

Some of Mühle's knots are interchangeable, meaning that the knot can be screwed out of the handle and replaced. This was initially only an option with Purist and maybe Rocca brushes but new Sophist brushes have the same option. Normally, there isn't any need to remove the knot, but in the case of the Ebonite handle it is actually helpful.

Ebonite being vulcanized rubber, tends to slightly oxidize and dull over time. At least that is what happens with this brush. It requires a little bit of TLC once in a while, to remove the whitish oxidation layer and bring the handle to a lovely shine. I've found a good product to do just that - Pipe Stem Polish. Many, not all, pipe stems are made of ebonite and they as well dull and oxidize over time. Pipe manufacturers such as Savinelli have a polish just for that purpose. Whenever my ebonite handle needs a refresher I can simply screw out the knot and use this pipe stem polish to bring the ebonite to this lustrous shine. Having the option to remove the knot for that purpose is quite helpful, as I don't want any of the pipe stem polish to end up in the knot.

This silvertip badger knot is now almost 2 years old and I have a feeling that untreated badger knots have a long dial-in time. My guess is that the knot needed about a year to soften up and become a master latherer. I could be completely wrong, of course - maybe I've become a better latherer in that time. Nevertheless, my gut feeling is that this brush has become better with age just like a fine wine.
 
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Mühle Purist, Silvertip Badger, Ebonite

This silvertip badger from Mühle is the second brush I ever bought; it's also the most expensive in my humble collection. After using the cheapest Mühle synthetic brush for about three years, I really wanted to try a badger and I figured if I'm going the badger route why not go all in and get the highest quality I know (at the time). I haven't yet discovered B&B and had no idea about brushes, but I was very happy with my small synthetic from Mühle. Clearly their badger brushes would be top notch as well - and they are.

Even though the knot size is on the smaller side with 21mm, the Purist brush is a delight to use. It has a little less backbone than my subsequent badger brushes and a little bit more scratch on account that this is an untreated knot. I still enjoy using this brush and I just love that ebonite handle.

Some of Mühle's knots are interchangeable, meaning that the knot can be screwed out of the handle and replaced. This was initially only an option with Purist and maybe Rocca brushes but new Sophist brushes have the same option. Normally, there isn't any need to remove the knot, but in the case of the Ebonite handle it is actually helpful.

Ebonite being vulcanized rubber, tends to slightly oxidize and dull over time. At least that is what happens with this brush. It requires a little bit of TLC once in a while, to remove the whitish oxidation layer and bring the handle to a lovely shine. I've found a good product to do just that - Pipe Stem Polish. Many, not all, pipe stems are made of ebonite and they as well dull and oxidize over time. Pipe manufacturers such as Savinelli have a polish just for that purpose. Whenever my ebonite handle needs a refresher I can simply screw out the knot and use this pipe stem polish to bring the ebonite to this lustrous shine. Having the option to remove the knot for that purpose is quite helpful, as I don't want any of the pipe stem polish to end up in the knot.

This silvertip badger knot is now almost 2 years old and I have a feeling that untreated badger knots have a long dial-in time. My guess is that the knot needed about a year to soften up and become a master latherer. I could be completely wrong, of course - maybe I've become a better latherer in that time. Nevertheless, my gut feeling is that this brush has become better with age just like a fine wine.
Thanks for the tip. I have a Viking Ebonite brush and noticed it's looking rather dull. Had no idea they oxidize over time. I'll have to get some of that polish. Aren't bowling balls made out of Ebonite? What kind of polish do those use?

Now that I think about it some of my favorite mouthpieces for sax are ebonite. Never thought to look up what kind of polish for them as they are super dull
 
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Thanks for the tip. I have a Viking Ebonite brush and noticed it's looking rather dull. Had no idea they oxidize over time. I'll have to get some of that polish. Aren't bowling balls made out of Ebonite? What kind of polish do those use?
Do you see a kind of whitish residue on your handle? Looks a bit like shaving soap residue. Mine has both the dullness and the whitish layer, but I can assure you that it's not soap residue as I can't clean it off with water and elbow grease, and I keep my gear clean after each shave. That white "residue" is the oxidation.

I'm not sure on the bowling ball polishes, but I would guess that any polish which is meant for ebonite should work. For me the Savinelli pipe stem polish was easier to find, but I had to buy the whole set with pipe cleaner liquid as well since Savinelli doesn't sell the polish separately.

One more thing: while water and soap won't damage the ebonite, prolonged exposure to sunlight does. So better keep your ebonite brush in the shade.

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I'm not 100 % certain this Culmak Junior is a badger brush. I'm hoping you fine gentlemen can provide me with a definitive answer as to whether or not it belongs in this thread.

By the looks of it (from what I can see on in the photo), it looks more like a boar brush (with the black hairs in between the blond ones)? Also the thickness of the hairs lead me to this assumption, they seem to thick for badger hairs.
 
Monday 1/06 Shave
BADGERary Day 6
All BADGER Brushes - All Month

Full Three Pass with the Feather Kamisori
Very Nice Autopilot shave
No Finishing Razor Needed
Quick & Easy BBS Shave

Razor: Feather SS Kamisori
Blade: KAI ProTouch MG (2X)
Lather: TFS Granducato Toscano Mix
Brush: Olive Wood Handle PURE BADGER
Post Shave: Osage/Mennen Splash Mix

Post Shave: Proraso Cypress & Vetyver Balma

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It occurred to me that the 59 Butterscotch Manchurian will only be able to stay here if I observe that the shedding is under control before the warranty period expires, so this guy will probably be back a few times during the event. Anyway, shedding was probably a dozen hairs today, which is a substantial improvement over the concerning first use of this brush.

I still find it quite big and floppy, but adapted my technique to it a bit and got improved results. It is slow, but manageable. I can see why some people prefer a knot like this, but thats not to say it is growing on me. It is soft and gentle and feels luxurious, but I think I prefer fast, scrubby, and clean.

I plan to keep it, at least for a while, for when my skin is not in good condition, and just as a library reference for this grade of Simpson badger.

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