New SR12T "Tortoise Hog" smells like burnt hair.

ARenaissanceMan · Post by **ARenaissanceMan** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 12:44 am

I just got this thing in from Charles, and its gorgeous by the way, but its got this awful burnt hair smell to it. Its making me gag. I tried cleaning it, and then putting it through a test run with the QED soap, but its still there. Should I try boiling it maybe? Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Alex · Post by **Alex** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 5:27 am

All new brushes have that lovely wet badger smell. It should go away after a couple of uses.

guenron · Post by **guenron** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 6:12 am

Look, up in the sky! It's a... Sorry about that, just had to do it.
CK, if you carefully sniff the handle around the opening for the knot, does it have the strongest malodor? Or is it the hair with the smell?

My Kent had a similar issue, I divined that after exposing myself to recurring unpleasant aroma, the source was the area I identified above in the handle. I really believe that it had something to do with the curing of the knot glue and the "Ivory" resin. Please note, the previous sentence was in the past tense. After about four weeks of continuing use, it disappeared. I also used the most fragrant of shave creams and soaps to mask this really unpleasant odor. It was not the typical eau de blaireau. I found that immersing the brush and handle in almost boiling water every day seemed to accelerate the cure. That could have been wishful thinking, but I felt better about having some impact on this less-than-pleasant experience.
Regards,
Ron

ARenaissanceMan · Post by **ARenaissanceMan** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 12:06 pm

I wish I could tell you Joel. I couldn't even use it the smell was so horrid. Even with the Lime QED soap on there I was practically foaming at the mouth. The odd thing was that it smelled just fine when it was dry and right out of the box. As soon as I added some hot water to it the smell came out.

The one thing I can tell you is that its enormous! Ill try and post up some pics.

Blue As A Jewel · Post by **Blue As A Jewel** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 12:10 pm

I have had vulfix brushes come to me new - smelling neutral - and I have had other come smelling like dung.

Maybe it's badger diet dependant?

hedonist · Post by **hedonist** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 1:29 pm

I'll chime in on performance. I bought the SR8T which is the medium knot (25mm), and it works brilliantly. This sucker is HUGE, i'm so glad I didnt get the SR12T b/c it would have definetely been too big for my face.

A year ago a purchased my 1st badger brush, a Savile Row pure badger with 20mm knot. That sucker has been great to me all year and has helped me perfect the art of lathering. I always knew this would be an introductory brush and somewhere down the line i'd be getting a super badger brush to cherish for years. Well let me tell you the SR8T is this brush. I love the soft feel of the super badger hairs, and this sucker holds so much water I have to give if a few shakes so as not to water down the lather.

On a side note, this sucker stunk to high hell as well but I washed it numerous times with soap and water and eventually it has started faiding. A small price to pay for what I consider to be the best value brush on the market today. A 25mm knot super badger tortoise shell brush for $58!!

(and let's not kid ourselves here we all know it's Kent made)

If you don't own a super badger brush this is the one to jump on people!

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 2:15 pm

Afternoon, It certainly does not sound like the usual 'wet dog' smell that new brushes sometimes have, that's not as intense, or as vile as this is being described. Ron's observation seems likely to me, that it has something to do with the cement used. I wonder if it's related to the fact that these brushes are probably VERY recently manufactured? Most brushes we get have probably been sitting around for awhile. It's impossible not to agree with hedonist, these numbers are an incredible deal for what one gets, and considering the more usual prices of good brushes in this country. Personally, I've always found this style to be very attractive as well, which is why I posted awhile back, on another forum, asking for feedback on the T12. Regards, Gordon

HLSheppard · Post by **HLSheppard** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 5:49 pm

Hi all -

As a fellow SR8T owner, I experienced the "burnt hair" smell this morning for the first time.

It is NOT the bristles. It is most definitely the cement used. The smell only showed itself when I poured "almost boiling" water in a coffee cup and let the brush soak in said water.

After my shave - I was cleaning the brush and got a GOOD whiff of the sent he described. My first thought was "oh God! I am ruining my new brush with this damned hot pot!" Then I thought - "Oh well - I'll have an excuse for another new brush!"

Seriously - I worked in the plastics industry for a few years and let me reiterate that it is DEFINITELY the smell of whatever is cementing the bristles to the handle.

I agree with Gordon - I think this recent crop is hot off the workbench and just needs time to cure. We'll all be fine with a little patience and repeated uses...

ARenaissanceMan · Post by **ARenaissanceMan** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 7:52 pm

Hopefully it will quiet down some. Im almost afraid to use it because if I lather my upper lip I might throw up. Ill keep washing it out and see where it goes from there.

ARenaissanceMan · Post by **ARenaissanceMan** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 9:35 pm

Well I've got an interesting new wrinkle. Im getting irritation from using the brush. At first I thought it was the QED soap. The next day I shaved with my Taylor Avocado which never gives me any problems. Same thing. Today I used the Taylor Avocado again and its still making me flare up. At this point the only thing I can see is the brush because the other products are staples in my normal routine. Ever heard of this?

BTW - the smell isn't subsiding. In fact, I think its getting worse the more I try and clean it up.

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 9:59 pm

Clark, Well, this is kind of gloomy. I think that you must be right, if nothing else in your routine has changed, and it's happened twice in a row. I've occasionally had some irritation from brushes, but that was only due to the texture of the bristle, but this sounds like something else. Is it possible that the cement was not properly 'cured' and that some of it got into the bristle somehow and is causing a skin reaction? I don't know. Maybe it's time to take Joel's suggestion and call Charles and see what he thinks. Hope you find a solution, as otherwise, it sounds like a good brush. Regards, Gordon

ARenaissanceMan · Post by **ARenaissanceMan** » Fri Jun 03, 2005 11:14 pm

Im going to give it 1 more day and if it happens again then Ill call Chuck. Its a shame too because I know it would take weeks to get another one in and I've been really jonesing for it. Im not giving up yet though.

HLSheppard · Post by **HLSheppard** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 4:47 am

I keep thinking of ways to make epoxy cure faster...

Most of my thoughts are revolving around heat (microwave or blow dryer, etc.) I don't know if I'd have the guts....

However, it would force the solvents out of the epoxy...

JUST NO OPEN FLAME!!!!

I think I would be comfortable setting the brush on a cookie sheet in my oven at 200 deg. F. That would certianly be OK for the plastic (who's melt point is somewhere around 550-650 deg F. I don't know about the bristles - but if they can go into boiling water and survive, they should be OK too.

Gawd - sounds like some Gillette "junk science."

Post by **VinceFX** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 9:57 am

Gents,

I also just received my SR12T tortoise handle brush on Thursday! I also did notice a slight odor and yes it was increased more when wet. However, as of today I can't smell anything. I have used it twice and the odor has completely gone away! woot! I think lathering it up with QED Sandalwood soap may have helped alot.

I will post a more detailed review about this brush when I get a chance but for right now I just have to say that I love this brush! It generates an amazing lather and feels great on my face. The handle has a nice heavy feel to it and the bristles are very soft. I had to retire my simpsons polo to my cupboard. All I have on my sink now is this SR12T and my Vulfix 377.

Vince

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Sat Jun 04, 2005 5:25 pm

Vince, I found your post interesting. I gather from what you wrote, that your coming round to the position of one of those gents who prefers the more flexible style bristle, as oppossed to the stiffer silvertip type? Regards, Gordon

Alex · Post by **Alex** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 11:17 am

Just out of curiosity, did the smell ever go away?

I have been using an SR8T in super badger for about 10 days now, and couldn't be happier. The "wet badger" smell was definitely present during the first shave, less noticeable during the second, and pretty much gone completely after that (and I have a sensitive nose). No unusual burnt odors that I could detect.

I would agree with hedonist that the size of this brush (25mm) seems just about right for me. Even 24mm would probably be fine. I certainly can't imagine going much larger without the brush getting unwieldy.

ARenaissanceMan · Post by **ARenaissanceMan** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 11:44 am

Well I decided to return the brush. The smell was still there, although begining to fade. But the brush was causing me irritation all over my face. In the end it just wasn't worth it so I sent it back for a new one. I guess I just got the lemon.

Post by **VinceFX** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 3:12 pm

bernards66 wrote:Vince, I found your post interesting. I gather from what you wrote, that your coming round to the position of one of those gents who prefers the more flexible style bristle, as oppossed to the stiffer silvertip type? Regards, Gordon

Gordon,

Yes!!! I definately prefer the softer, more flexible bristles. I'll pry sell my Simpsons at some point. I paid over $300 for it but it just doesn't do it for me like the SR12T or my Vulfix 377. Go figure.

Vince

bernards66 · Post by **bernards66** » Thu Jun 09, 2005 7:15 pm

Vince, Well, there you are. There really is no 'best' brush for all shavers. There are basically these two camps, the gents like Max who definately like the feel of that stiffer more vigorous style bristle, and others, like yourself, who favor the more flexible bristle, it's gentleness and 'luxurious' feel. I remember Jack, on Wetshavers, clearly a well heeled connoiseur. He repeatedly turned down the large Simpson Supers and Plisson Whites, as just being too stiff for his skin, but he loved his Kent BKs and Vulfixs. Personally, I'm still somewhat on the fence. I have a fine stout Simpson made Best Badger, with a flexible bristle and a dense packed knot, and a Plisson White that's considerably stiffer. I like them both, each in it's own way. I'm planning to get another brush, one of the super top grade Manchurian type bristle numbers from Rooney, and see if that settles it for me, one way or the other. Regards, Gordon

SMF

New SR12T "Tortoise Hog" smells like burnt hair.

New SR12T "Tortoise Hog" smells like burnt hair.

Burnt Hog?