I'll mix up up a batch of lather, rinse it out, then whip up some more and shave. Works for me.
Favorite Defunking Process?
- Thread starter Snargle
- Start date
Wash thoroughly with Dr. Bronners Peppermint Soap. Create a lather with a new dose of Dr. Bronners. Rinse and set to dry. Ensures a clean knot, gets rid of funk, and leaves a nice peppermint scent for the next real lather.
Usually I just hand lather a new brush over and over, once ever other day making sure it dries between lathers until the funk goes away. Usually not a problem, the only brushes that really really stink that I have owned are Omega boars, and TGN Silvertip Grade A knots. Anything else is gone in a few lathers... those two can take up to 10 lathers.
I made the test with one of my Omega Boar 10065 and worked !
I will try it with an Vie-Long Horse Hair to see if i have the sample resulte.
I will try it with an Vie-Long Horse Hair to see if i have the sample resulte.
I'd jump at the chance to begin a discussion and aggregation of the different systems you have used to free your brushes of their badger tunnel or stable area smell.
Is it just me or are we overthinking this just a bit? 
I just acquired two new Semogue brushes. All I did was wash them each with warm water and dish soap. Rinse them, and soak them in a mixture of dish soap and warm water overnight. Rinse them off in the morning and walla... ready to shave!
With my badger brushes, I did not do any of that... I simply used them right away and within one shave, the smell was gone.
I guess this is a YMMV thing.
I just acquired two new Semogue brushes. All I did was wash them each with warm water and dish soap. Rinse them, and soak them in a mixture of dish soap and warm water overnight. Rinse them off in the morning and walla... ready to shave!
With my badger brushes, I did not do any of that... I simply used them right away and within one shave, the smell was gone.
I guess this is a YMMV thing.
I follow Larry's process for the most part, although I have used Bigelow cream. It's one of the few times a brush of mine touches a bowl these days!
Works well for me, and I'm not one to turn down an extra chance to whip up some lather.
Works well for me, and I'm not one to turn down an extra chance to whip up some lather.
My vdh deluxe defined with a couple lathers. I more recently got a whipped dog brush. Dish soap and oxy clean didn't help much but a couple times lathering with Williams and the funk was gone. My next brush will get oxy clean soak for 10 minutes then Williams.
Just went through this process yesterday with a black badger brush from FS. I don't mind the smell of the brush but when combined with soap yuck !
I soaked and loaded and rinsed and dried x 4 and used for real last night. It still turned the Arko a bit off but should be mostly gone by next shave I hope. For me this particular brand seems to take about a week to smell true. I couldn't do it to TOBS until its ready though
I soaked and loaded and rinsed and dried x 4 and used for real last night. It still turned the Arko a bit off but should be mostly gone by next shave I hope. For me this particular brand seems to take about a week to smell true. I couldn't do it to TOBS until its ready though
My Kent and Semogue SOC had no offensive smell, so that's my favorite: buy a brush that doesn't need any extra attention.
My B&B Essential, on the other hand, was stanky. Wash in Dawn, rinse, soak in small glass of Dawn/water for quite a few hours. Make lather with a strongly scented cream and leave in brush overnight. Make many test lathers with strongly scented cream. Keep brush away from nose.
My B&B Essential, on the other hand, was stanky. Wash in Dawn, rinse, soak in small glass of Dawn/water for quite a few hours. Make lather with a strongly scented cream and leave in brush overnight. Make many test lathers with strongly scented cream. Keep brush away from nose.
A good soak in Listerine for a few hours will do the trick .
- Thread starter
- #34
Since Listerine mouthwash has a high alcohol content, I'd be reluctant to soak a nice badger or boar brush for that length of time.
I've done it several times with boar , badger , and horse with no problem or shedding . It will smell like Listerine for about 3 shaves .
A few hand lathers with hand antibacterial soap (dawn).
The numerous lathers with Col.Conk bay rum soap. While i don't like it much for shaving, for defunking purposes i found it to be very effective.
The numerous lathers with Col.Conk bay rum soap. While i don't like it much for shaving, for defunking purposes i found it to be very effective.
Just use it and let nature take its course.
Tabac itself smells rather funky...
touche'
The only brush (out of 10 +/-) I've had which was funky is of course a horse hair. I gotta say though that after just a few uses (and comments from my wife!) the smell abated fairly quickly. I really like the texture of the bristles and will likely get another in the future. I do remember doing a few extra latherings and rinses that first week.
Just - Use - It
