Brush "Break-In" Period?

[mantic]

Gents--

What's the typical "break-in" period for a new (badger) brush?

--Mark

[Guest]

Hey, Mark!

Speaking as an owner of 8 different badger shaving brushes, I have found a brush is usually broken-in after the first shave. The first time a brush is used the head blooms, and it remains in the bloom from that point on. Nothing really changes from repetitive use ... that is, I don't find the hair gets softer or it holds any more water. Some may argue that the sterilization process may slightly effect the hairs and only after several uses of the brush is this effect removed (particularly the smell). Certainly they are correct about the smell, but I have never experienced any significant improvement in performance from repetitive use of a brush. Of course, this is just one person's veiw.

Charles
Q E D

[VinceFX]

I look at this as more of a question about "owner break in period". It took me a good week to figure out how to get the most out of my Simpsons Super Polo 12.

Vince

[razor_boy]

I find that it helps both the softness of the brush & the smell to soak the brush in Borax before the first use.

Paul.

[mantic]

Paul-- Interestingly enough, I can't detect the infamous "wet dog" smell on my new super badger brush (but I admit my sense of smell is not very acute). And its pretty soft already, compared to the inexpensive pure badger I already had. In fact, I've been kind of taken aback the past couple of days because the bristles of the new brush kind of "lean to one side" (don't know how else to explain it without posting a pic ) as I lather vs. stay pretty much "stable" with the pure badger. Obviously the super badger hair is more flexible than the pure badger. Curiously, I haven't found it giving me a significantly better lather yet. But hey, I've only had it two days! I think Vince hit the mark...its not a brush break-in issue, its the owner break-in!

--Mark

[mantic]

Paul-- Interestingly enough, I can't detect the infamous "wet dog" smell on my new super badger brush (but I admit my sense of smell is not very acute). And its pretty soft already, compared to the inexpensive pure badger I already had. In fact, I've been kind of taken aback the past couple of days because the bristles of the new brush kind of "lean to one side" (don't know how else to explain it without posting a pic ) as I lather vs. stay pretty much "stable" with the pure badger. Obviously the super badger hair is more flexible than the pure badger. Curiously, I haven't found it giving me a significantly better lather yet. But hey, I've only had it two days! I think Vince hit the mark...its not a brush break-in issue, its the owner break-in!

--Mark

As a follow-up...I just thought of a better description for the behavior of the new brush: it isn't as "springy." My old brush would "spring" back to its original position while I lathered; the new brush doesn't "spring" as much. (Am I making any sense?)