different funky brush smell - i need help

so i just received the first brush that i've ordered directly from simpsons. it's a manchurian m7. i used it this morning. the handle is perfect and i loved the knot. one problem - all through the shave i was smelling something funny. i figured out right away that it was coming from the brush. it didn't smell like a funky badger smell. the best way i can describe it is it smelled a bit like moth balls. definite chemical, very unpleasant smell. any idea why that might be there? i love the brush, but...

It very well could be naphthalene or a derivative. There are my steps out there to get rid of the funk. I generally find my strongest scented soap, lather the brush up and let it set as I use one of my other brushes during a shave. I do this for a week or two until the skunk has left the building.

so i just received the first brush that i've ordered directly from simpsons. it's a manchurian m7. i used it this morning. the handle is perfect and i loved the knot. one problem - all through the shave i was smelling something funny. i figured out right away that it was coming from the brush. it didn't smell like a funky badger smell. the best way i can describe it is it smelled a bit like moth balls. definite chemical, very unpleasant smell. any idea why that might be there? i love the brush, but...

I have noticed the same thing with recent Simpson brushes. It takes FOREVER for the smell to get washed out. Moth balls is a perfect description of what it smells like too.

so i just received the first brush that i've ordered directly from simpsons.  it's a manchurian m7.  i used it this morning.  the handle is perfect and i loved the knot.  one problem - all through the shave i was smelling something funny.  i figured out right away that it was coming from the brush.  it didn't smell like a funky badger smell.  the best way i can describe it is it smelled a bit like moth balls.  definite chemical, very unpleasant smell.  any idea why that might be there?  i love the brush, but...

I have noticed the same thing with recent Simpson brushes.  It takes FOREVER for the smell to get washed out.  Moth balls is a perfect description of what it smells like too.

Mothballs on occasion here- even made my wife smell one lately and she concurs

I use a pet shampoo on the stinky brushes. This one in particular from EarthBath as that is what we keep around for the dogs.

Couple of test lathers with shave soap after and generally good to go.

My M7 stunk for a long time. Not the regular new brush stink I was expecting either.

Merkur Man This is exactly how I describe the smell. My three band BSB smells just like that.

My Envy White DFS brush still has a bit of badger funk, definitely doesn't smell like moth balls though...

If they are getting rid of the road kill smell with strong chemicals, that's not a good trade off -- even considering how much a dead badger stinks. I wonder if they are "dry cleaning" the hair.

I would imagine the mothball smell has a lot more to do with pest control and protecting the hair from pests before it gets to the Simpson's factory than it does to do with eliminating the the traditional badger funk. Just an opinion, I have no knowledge of the reason.

Getting rid of the funky smell can take some time. My DFS Envy White still has a slight odor after several uses. I have only owned 5 badgers and all had an odor except for my Thater. I assume Thater is cleaning the hair before they tie the knots or after, but whatever they are doing I like it.