Tell me how a Boar's hair brush doesn't scratch?

A

armoredsaint

New member
Maybe it's just me, but I have a hard time believing that it won't scratch or swirl paint finish during a wash - it just feels rough to my hands, even the expensive Montana brand :help:
 
Does it soften up under water? I was kinda curious too after I saw how expensive they were. I'll just stick to wool and MF mitts.
 
The surface of a CD is much softer than the clear coat of a car. Do the "CD test" with your BHB often. As long as you aren't scratching the CD with your BHB, the brush won't be the source of any marring. Make sure you do the test fairly frequently, as it is possible to damage the BHB bristles, which could then cause them to mar the paint.



BHB's are *much* gentler to your car's paint than wool and MF mitts; you don't trap any contaminants under it then take them for a ride on your paint under pressure. BHB's flick the contaminants off your paint.



I've got just a bit over two years on the same BHB now, and it is still just as soft and gentle as day one.
 
wfedwar said:
I have one, but stopped using it after I saw how miserably it failed the cd test.
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I'm assuming that you tested it wet with shampoo mix, after having let it soak for a little while (my old "test it the way you use it" thing).



If you check my BHB comparison thread, you'll see that not all "high quality" BHBs pass the CD test. And even those that did pass might've been flukes just as those that don't pass might've been rare freak occurences too; there are good/bad ones of every kind and I've probably sent back at least a third of the BHBs I've bought over the years (often using seemingly identical replacements with no problems at all).



And some that do pass the CD test can be almost *too gentle*, they don't even hurt the dirt :D



And while I do use and recommend the CD-test, it's very demanding and perhaps unrealistically so. My smaller BHBs won't always pass 100%, but I still use them for tight spots and those areas do *not* show evidence of marring from this.



Note that it's not like you oughta really *scrub* with the BHBs (or any other wash medium), and just gently whisking them across the surface, while flooding the point of contact with foamgun output, is a mighty gentle approach to cleaning. If you press hard enough to really deflect the bristles (to where the sides of the bristles contact the paint instead of just the tips), then you're gonna get marring no matter what IMO.
 
Smitty2001 said:
..Never had a problem with my BHB from Griots.
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I'm using a pair of Griot's ones as my more aggressive BHBs. I've returned those before too, but they're usually pretty good.
 
I can't think of anything that's softer than a BHB.



I love mine, been using it for the last 5 months 2BM, no marring.
 
the problem with my overpriced BHB is that when i am in a hurry, i tend to apply too much pressure and grind it into the paint surface - and you can guess that happens next. :bolt



but i do love my cheap proline grout sponge!!! :grinno:
 
Accumulator said:
I'm assuming that you tested it wet with shampoo mix, after having let it soak for a little while (my old "test it the way you use it" thing).
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Well, I didn't let it soak, since I don't normally soak it before using it. I could start doing that, though. I'll give it a shot next time I get a chance and report back.
 
wfedwar- If it's still not soft enough after it soaks for a little while, maybe you oughta just send it back. Those things really *are* supposed to be so soft that they're borderline too gentle.
 
Accumulator said:
wfedwar- If it's still not soft enough after it soaks for a little while, maybe you oughta just send it back. Those things really *are* supposed to be so soft that they're borderline too gentle.
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that made me laugh b/c the first time I used mine, it felt so gentle I had to really check the paint before I dried to make sure it got the dirt off! :lol



I'm just monitoring the brush now to see if the "tips" of the bristles break/rub off. 6 months so far and no signs of wear other than a few loose hair stands in the rinse bucket.
 
I tried the Griots BHB and it marked up our Jet Black X3. The brush felt so soft when wet I couldn't believe it was the source of the problem, but when no other cause could be identified I did a special test. Sure enough, if you wash with any portion of the bristles except the very tips it mars the paint. I sent it back and Griots refunded my money. The phone rep admitted they've had problems with those brushes, but that doesn't stop them from selling them. I strongly recommend against BHBs.
 
This might get me banned from Autopia :lol , but I use the Megs Versa Angle Body Brush for the past two years with no marring induced. The tips feel as soft as mohair.



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However, I keep it in its plastic packaging after use (while still wet) which forces the bristles to sit together and only expose the feathered tips to the paint. This avoids exposing the sides of the bristles and contacting the paint.



I also press gently when washing so as not to open the bristle mass for the same reason as above.
 
Alfisti- My only gripe about the softer synthetic-bristle brushes is that if/when (and I'd bet on "when") the flagging wears off the tips of the bristles you're gonna get some terrible marring. I had that happen on a set of BBS wheels..my oh-so-nice brush's bristles wore down and I failed to notice it until they scratched up the wheels to the point I had to have them refinished.



So...just be careful and keep an eye on your bristle-tips.



..the first time I used mine, it felt so gentle I had to really check the paint before I dried to make sure it got the dirt off!
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Actually, 99% of the time I have to follow the BHB with a slightly more aggressive wash medium. I use the BHB/foamgun combo to knock the "big stuff" off the paint (the stuff I consider most likely to mar the paint) and then I use some kind of mitt (also with the foamgun) to get the more tenacious road-film type dirt off.

06c350sport said:
I tried the Griots BHB.. if you wash with any portion of the bristles except the very tips it mars the paint... I strongly recommend against BHBs.
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Eh..used *improperly* it *will* do damage. Rather than recommend against the BHB itself, I'd rather recommend proper usage.



Hope that didn't sound too :argue :nono I really didn't mean it that way.
 
Accumulator said:
Alfisti- My only gripe about the softer synthetic-bristle brushes is that if/when (and I'd bet on "when") the flagging wears off the tips of the bristles you're gonna get some terrible marring. I had that happen on a set of BBS wheels..my oh-so-nice brush's bristles wore down and I failed to notice it until they scratched up the wheels to the point I had to have them refinished.



So...just be careful and keep an eye on your bristle-tips.
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You're right about that...I've been monitoring them scientifically. I brush the tips against my cheek and if it still feels smooth-as-a-baby's-bottom they're good to go. :chuckle:



Two years and so far so good. :xyxthumbs
 
Heh heh, I know I come across as the Griot's apologist around here :o But when something does/doesn't work for you, well...there you have it. Stick with the stuff that works.



Alfisti- Heh heh, you're *so* scientific :chuckle:
 
Accumulator said:
Actually, 99% of the time I have to follow the BHB with a slightly more aggressive wash medium. I use the BHB/foamgun combo to knock the "big stuff" off the paint (the stuff I consider most likely to mar the paint) and then I use some kind of mitt (also with the foamgun) to get the more tenacious road-film type dirt off.





Eh..used *improperly* it *will* do damage. Rather than recommend against the BHB itself, I'd rather recommend proper usage.



Hope that didn't sound too :argue :nono I really didn't mean it that way.
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Oh really? Why would anyone choose to use a car washing tool that mars your paint if you happen to slip or make a slight mistake with it? Had I known that I would have stuck to a grout sponge, which is what I went back to.
 
SuperBee364 said:
The surface of a CD is much softer than the clear coat of a car. Do the "CD test" with your BHB often. As long as you aren't scratching the CD with your BHB, the brush won't be the source of any marring. Make sure you do the test fairly frequently, as it is possible to damage the BHB bristles, which could then cause them to mar the paint.



BHB's are *much* gentler to your car's paint than wool and MF mitts; you don't trap any contaminants under it then take them for a ride on your paint under pressure. BHB's flick the contaminants off your paint.



I've got just a bit over two years on the same BHB now, and it is still just as soft and gentle as day one.
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I use a MF wash mitt when I do my ONR washes. I take it you would disagree with this method?
 
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