Badger Silvertip Knot Expansion

What kind of shaving brush do you use? Tell us all about it!
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Lgpcintron
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Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2016 8:53 pm

Badger Silvertip Knot Expansion

Post by Lgpcintron »

Hi Guys,

I'm new to the forum and to the wet shaving in general. I have been wet shaving for about six month now, I stat with a boar brush, and after reading about the benefits of badger, I bought a 100% low cost Badger brush. I notice the benefit immediately and really love the brush, so my next step was to buy a Silvertip badger Brush since I have read so much about the benefits and the comfort that a Silvertip provides.

I ended up buying a Parker Faux Horn Silvertip brush early this week, and even that I enjoy the performance of the brush, after I dry my brush overnight hanging from the brush stand with the knot looking down, I notice that the brush has expand, grow, bloom, or whatever the right term is, to almost 2 /12 times its original size to the point that it looks like a mushroom. it is so big now that it does not fit on my Edwin Jagger black porcelain mug without being wet first.

Is this normal?

Luis
ShadowsDad
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Joined: Thu Sep 29, 2011 1:13 am
Location: Central Maine

Re: Badger Silvertip Knot Expansion

Post by ShadowsDad »

Blooming of natural fiber brushes is quite normal.
Brian

Maker of Kramperts Finest Bay Rum and Frostbite
Or find it here: Italian Barber, West Coast Shaving, Barclay Crocker, The Old Town Shaving Company at Stats, Maggard Razors; Leavitt & Peirce, Harvard Square
Rufus
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Location: Greater Toronto Area

Re: Badger Silvertip Knot Expansion

Post by Rufus »

Quite normal. Furthermore, a fan-shaped knot will bloom more than a bulb-shaped knot, for a knot of the same size and grade of badger.
Bryan
brothers
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Re: Badger Silvertip Knot Expansion

Post by brothers »

Sounds like you're in business now. Congrats on your first nice badger brush. Enjoy!
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
CMur12
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Location: Moses Lake, Washington, USA

Re: Badger Silvertip Knot Expansion

Post by CMur12 »

Welcome to SMF, Lgpcintron!

Drying: I think the only advantage to hanging a brush upside down in a stand is if you leave the brush dripping set, so that it will drain. Otherwise, if you squeeze the water out of the brush and shake it out, I think evaporation will occur more easily if you stand the brush on its base, with the loft facing upward. I don't know if this will reduce bloom, but if it shortens the evaporation time, it might reduce it slightly.

You cannot stop the brush from blooming altogether, but I have found that, once the brush has dried, brushing the sides of the loft with a finger reduces the bloom somewhat.

- Murray
Lgpcintron
Posts: 2
Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2016 8:53 pm

Re: Badger Silvertip Knot Expansion

Post by Lgpcintron »

Thank you so much for the replies. I was kind nervous that something wrong was going on with my brush
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Squire
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Re: Badger Silvertip Knot Expansion

Post by Squire »

Hey Lgp, welcome aboard. Yeah, the brush is fine, and you plan on getting it wet anyway.
Regards,
Squire
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Ouchmychin
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Re: Badger Silvertip Knot Expansion

Post by Ouchmychin »

With my brushes, I rinse and squeeze till no soap is left for sure. Then I shake it by holding the handle and smacking the bristles against my other hand at the base of my thumb. I turn the brush about 1/8 of a turn and repeat till it has gone all the way around. I read this procedure here in these forums several years ago.
Ouchmychin (Pete)
Data
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Joined: Mon Jan 04, 2016 11:15 pm
Location: Southern California

Re: Badger Silvertip Knot Expansion

Post by Data »

Now get yourself a Stirling synthetic for $20 and save your badger(and badgers) for a once a week luxury. I pull out my naturals less and less. They are a fun diversion, but the soaking and drying just add to the effort. The synth is dip and go and for me lathers as good as my best natural. Just differently. Only downside is the synth doesn't exfoliate, but honed steel seems to exfoliate just fine.
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M6Classic
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Location: Not as near Colonial Drug as when they were at Harvard Square, but near enough.

Re: Badger Silvertip Knot Expansion

Post by M6Classic »

Data wrote:Now get yourself a Stirling synthetic for $20 and save your badger(and badgers) for a once a week luxury. I pull out my naturals less and less. They are a fun diversion, but the soaking and drying just add to the effort. The synth is dip and go and for me lathers as good as my best natural. Just differently. Only downside is the synth doesn't exfoliate, but honed steel seems to exfoliate just fine.
I must demure. Acquire a wonderful brush...use it every day...treat it with respect. I used one brush and one brush only for about thirty-five years. It didn't lose its backbone and it didn't shed. I retired it only when the manufacturer took those brushes...okay, a #24 Plisson HMW set in plexiglass...off the market and I got the same brush again as NOS. Your shave should be a daily joy in the face of a workaday world of despond, make it as marvelous as you can every day.

Buzz
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Squire
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Re: Badger Silvertip Knot Expansion

Post by Squire »

Have to agree with Buzz. Folks who save the good stuff for a special occasion are why we find good stuff at estate auctions.
Regards,
Squire
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