Cleaning A Shaving Brush

[MrKnifeFanatic]

Okay, second vid I've seen... subscribe, good channel!

[bankmind80]

Is it better to let the brush dry hanging upside down? I just got a very expensive custom Badger brush...and haven't used it yet because I'm afraid of shortening the life of the brush if I let dry base down / hair up. Should I wait until I can get a brush stand / holder? I'm very new to safety razors so this is very new to me...and I'm just learning as I go along. Thanks again! Great videos

[mantic59]

@bankmind80 I have a couple videos about how to maintain a brush, check my videos page!

[333Masi333]

Very nicely edited video

[vancityguy]

@bsmyn0708 Cool. Thanks for your advice, I appreciate it.

[HumaninSeoul]

It's cool that you care so much about shaving but I think it would be advisable to get some eye serum for your dark circles; those things make you look tired and zombified. Just a little bit goes a long way. Thought you wouldn't mind me saying it since you care so much about toiletries etc ^_^

[Microglia1]

is it just me or both of my silvertip badger hair brushes get hardened (less soft) after several months. They also "broom" out like an Afro hairstyle rather than stay upright and straight.

[mantic59]

@bsmyn0708 its a very diluted mix. I suppose its possible but i've never heard of anything getting damaged.

[daboss212]

mantic you have the coolest shave den

[gzephier]

@mantic59 after i shave i take my brush and put in front of the fan in my bedroom, is it ok to do that? it usually dries in less than 3 hours.

[mantic59]

@gzephier sure that should be fine.

[AngeloR674]

@gzephier DONT DO THAT!.... let it dry naturally

[nightninja87]

haha i seen you on badger and blade also very nice setup wish i owned my own hhouse i have a room made just for shaving

[zefer14]

I have had my Badger hair brush for nearly 20 years. It has been with me in my first marriage, active combat and my second marriage. It has been used everyday. You cannot go past quality.

[cristinelbuff]

Hi Mantic ! I have a Shavemac Finest Badger brush for almost two months, and I want to ask you that it is normal for a brush to lose a couple of hairs from time to time? Thank you very much for all your great videos !

[mantic59]

@cristinelbuff yes its common for a brush to lose a couple hairs frome time to time

[Skilya]

Excellent video! Exactly the information I was looking for. You are a little obsessed though, you know...

[smi99003]

I never even considered vinegar for cleaning before, thanks Mantic!

[kladivous]

One thing they forgot to mention about position for drying the brush is to look at the brand label on the handle. Dry the brush in which ever position orients the label upright.

[imanacer]

Mantic, thanks for giving directions like this to us younger trad dude types who appreciate the finer classical things of life, but can't learn them from our dads cause THEY never did them.

[daboss212]

what if u dont have borax

[mantic59]

daboss212- then use the mild vinegar solution shown in the video. Some people use pet shampoo.

[daboss212]

you should get paid for this

[coolguysimon]

Well made video. I love these vidz and just bought my first wet shaving brush and double edge razor. Im using a Merkur 34C HD razor with a Silvertip Shavemac 21mm Brush! eat your heart out! Cheers, i cant wait to try!

[SonsOfBelhor]

Hi :) h-o-w often a brand new brush should be cleaned?

[mantic59]

Depends on the mineral content of the water. Generally 2-4 times per year.

[frankmelb]

I envy you on the collection and the storage you have for it. I love shaving so much that I think my beard doesn't grow fast enough.

The only difference is I use a straight edge razor.

I am a big fan,

Thank you for all that you have shared with us.

[thehotsixer]

Im with you on that, I wish I could shave twice a day!

[Cowboycurtis888]

That is a hell of a shaving arsenal. Regardless, I'm glad I'm not the only one who finds shaving to be more than a routine task. I am guilty of using the standard disposable plastic razors and canned cream, but I use a traditional cream rinse whenever I can. I find it soothing and as girly as it sounds, I do enjoy a good pampering once in awhile, and men's personal care is so low key nowadays...this stuff is hard to find and the selection is usually quite minimal.

[sts2iver]

very enjoyable series of videos. good stuff

[Glivity]

u got style

thanx for informative vids

[94SnakeEyes]

How long do shaving brushes usually last?

[mantic59]

94SnakeEyes- any decent quality brush will last 5 years minimum.

[94SnakeEyes]

Decent quality means,... Silvertip?

[mantic59]

Not at all. I just mean a brush that's been manufactured well. Probably anything over $50 will last a long time. A $13 Tweezerman with a wooden handle? Probably not.  :)

[94SnakeEyes]

Does that mean no wooden handles?

[vancityguy]

mantic59, what are the signs that the shave brush has past its prime?

[RedskinsMike87]

Never, if it's well made. My dad just gave me the razor my grandfather shaved with back in the 60's all the way until he passed away and then my father shaved with it it and it's still in great condition

[vancityguy]

Cool, thanks.

[dumpling9999]

i heard that animal hair brush produces less lather than synthetic brushes because animal hair "absorbs" the lather.

is this true? if so, where all the lather go?

[mantic59]

dumpling9999- Not true.

[hill2t]

Hey cool vids!

I just bought a merkur25c and "vintage"aristocrat badger brush. I think the brush is used I bought it off eBay . I should soak it in vinegar?

Also is this a good set-up I have never tried shaving like this before.

I'm 23 and have a full thick beard and I have tried every cartridge razor and i get Razor burn from them all. Hope this works good. I'm also bidding on a Gillette Travel razor From the 50's in original leahter pouch!!

[mantic59]

hill2t- Yes, you should definitely clean your vintage brush with either the vinegar or borax solutions before using it.

[Y0UTubeStaff]

i wayyy prefer straight razors. even smoother than these. im the same with razorburn

[fenghuang78]

What about shampoo? I've done that occasionally. After all, it's just hair. :-)

Also, the hair came off the handle on a cheap brush that I have. (I've been shaking the hell out of my brushes after rinsing them, but I'd assumed that it was due to the soaking in hot water, not the shaking.) It looks like it was just glued in place. Do you know what would be best to glue it back in place, or should I give up on it?

[mantic59]

fenghuang78- "People" shampoo should work too, as long as it doesn't have fancy addititves. Maybe something like a baby shampoo? For the brush, you could try epoxy glue but I'm not sure if it would really be worth the effort.

[FUBAR956]

What about Main & Tail shampoo? It's made for horses, works great on people, why not badger hair? I don't know, I've decided to use the Borax solution instead.

[MTP19]

thanks, been waiting for this video!

[edakey]

Sorry if this is a bit off topic. How would you rate the Merkur HD Slant bar? I've been using a regular Merkur HD for a while, and have read that the slant gives a closer shave if you've had some practice with a traditional safety razor.

Thanks

[mantic59]

edakey- A Slant does by design what a "Gillette Slide" (see my "advanced shaving techniques" video) does by technique. If its loaded with a very high performance blade (Japanese Feather, Swedish Gillette, etc.) and used with *very* careful technique, a slant can give an incredible shave. Otherwise its not all that much different than a "standard" Merkur HD.

[michaelggallagher]

mantic, I haven't really ever dried mine properly (a men-u one), just left it to drip-dry in the the wee stand it came with. Can it be revived or will I just have to buy a new one? About to try DE shaving for the first time tomorrow - hopefully less irritation than my Mach 3!

[mantic59]

michaelggallagher- You should be able to clean it up.  Good luck with the DE shave!

[Jarmoppp]

Mark, about not shaking the brush after the shave? I always have shaked it afterwards, but keeping the hold gently on the outer whiskers, so the shake is not like i wave it only holding from the handle. Badger hair brush IMO looses the moisten very easy that way, but the force does not go at all I think to to the glue knot. Am I completely wrong with this opinion?

[mantic59]

Jarmoppp- I think your way will work fine too.

[DoubleDTB]

you've got one packed closet there. i'm adding to mine slowly but surely, aftershave here, mug there, and another brush once and a while. .haha, another good video!

[kherux]

Brilliant vid, but you never explain WHY it's a good idea to 'clean' a shaving brush.

[MarkGauvreau]

I couldn't stand shaving for years, but the difference between doing it the wrong way, with cheap plastic crap that rips your face up, and the old way with a safety razor and good cream is dramatic. I now almost enjoy it.

[aaqib92]

i think this guy is very very interested and fond of shaving....gr8 guy....but sumhow,i dont find shaving bery interesting...i just hav to do it out of desperation!!

[frankie385]

I used to think the same way..."I had to shave" But ever since I saw all of Manitc's videos, now i love shaving, to the point that i have several brushes, blades etc. I even switch to straigh razor shaving which i love

[JDMEJ1]

Cool, just what I wanted to know.

[izayus11]

Obsessed me naaah! :D

[ImDino]

exactly how i do it =)

[NewColdness]

Hooray! I do most of that stuff already! Now I'll make with the vinegar, 'cause I don't think I have any Borax around the house.

[moohalaa]

Great video as usual. Thanks very much & we always look forward to more.

[WillEyedOney]

We can get hold of Borax in the UK. Do a quick search. :)

[SJRNWT]

Wow... that closet... Wow.

[SolarGranulation]

Grand, I think this was one of your best videos to date.

I have a question, though, can you specify a UK/European counterpart to... Borax, was it? Never heard of it before.