Is one-band badger upon us?

Is it bleached?  I’ve never heard of albino badgers.

Absolutely nuts. You can have albino badgers, and then even erythristic badgers which have a reddish-pink badger. I've seen that reddish-pink hue in some brushes, but can't remember if they were my own or other peoples. I look at brush photos too much to remember. It never even crossed my mind about albino badgers. Not going to be enough to do that though. In this case I believe it is bleached for the exact reason RudyVey stated. You almost miss that central brown band there, but it is there. Funnier is I somehow missed this post until now.

For me their offerings are getting way too confusing. I have bought a couple times from them, and shipping is just crazy long. One was a SHD knot, which has very little if any alteration of the tips, and I must say I really like it - but price-wise with shipping it is close to the cost I pay for other knots. Then I got a set of Lotus hand-tied. These are extremely processed, and the results is a very soft, nearly slimy feeling, knot, some call it powder puff, marshmallow or whatever. I have made one for myself and one for one of my best customer. He returned his and had the knot replaced after only a few uses with a Shavemac two-band silvertip. I use mine form time to time.
My problem with Chinese suppliers is that I really never know what I am getting. Some years ago, before the name Oumo came around, I bought some sample knots from China and they were great. My next order, from the same supplier and the same type of knot was also a very good quality. I even made a brush for a forum with these knots. Then when running low, I made another order, and it was horrible. These knots are extremely scratchy/prickly and I have sold only one brush with them. Now, I am sitting on a batch of, for me, not usable knots.
I also tried some of the processing that was described on the diverse fora, like using some hair products and also using a hairdryer on them. The scritch does not go away!

This was the end for me to buy from Chinese sources, although I must admit my two orders from Oumo was after this bad experience, as this company was new to me and got pretty good feedback.
I am now using only badger knots from Shavemac, mainly their two-band silvertip and the D01 version, and synthetics from Muehle only. Both companies are in Germany and their knots are made by hand. I can speak with them without any issue since we have the same native language. If there is an issue, it will be remedied asap. Probably I am selling less brushes, but I know I sell a highest quality knot in them. The two-band silvertips from Shavemac are over the time I use them very consistent, and I have used a lot of them since the day they were first offered. In my personal stash I have brushes with these knots made over a time span of 10+ years, and they are all the same quality. There is no up-down variance like I saw in the Chinese knots.

Revealing Rudy, thank you for the insight

Not a lengthy post but in regards to color, you’d be surprised the variety of color and banding in badger hair when you have a bundle in front of you. I had the 2 band finest bundle from years ago and when I started to begin sorting it, I was able to find the whole range of some that are hair with 2 bands, some that would look a bit more like a 3 band and to my surprise, some hairs that are totally free of any black banding. So maybe I am misunderstood but is the thought that the knot in the Meri brush is bleached because of the one color or because of the way the tips look? Obviously it wouldn’t surprise me if it is bleached considering as you said their history and transparency of their methods in making different feeling knots.

By the way, Joe, have you bleached your own knot yet?

I forgot you did that zac, buying a bundle of hair and putting together a brush. I swear even though I have done what you have done zac that I have had hairs come out of brushes that had no black bands, and even in the pelt of badgers and in pictures of badgers for some photos seeing solid colored hair. The reason I suspect this is bleached as does Rudy Vey is this here. To specify, it is because the center has a slight black band where it normally should be, but it has been significantly reduced. Almost to the point where it can't be seen, but it is there. The tips don't look bleached to me. Also, I have never tried bleaching a brush myself. It feels almost barbaric considering such a thing. When I think about it from the point of gaining knowledge though, I may do it sometime in the future, albeit very lightly.



There's still so much that we don't know. Rudy Vey covers the points quite well, better than I do. I know that Rudy has had more conversations with knot makers as he has said, and has had the chance to tour Shavemac's factory, and is quite knowledgeable. I agree that if there was ever a one band before hand I think it would've been tried again by now. No idea if previous to my starting this hobby if anything was ever done as I have heard nothing. Visually what I am seeing has me intrigued, and I can't just dismiss it outright. The tips don't look to be bleached, but that would be harder to tell as the tips should already have a cream to white color. To me it seems like it is a type of two band from my gut feeling. I feel like I've seen some stuff like this. I look more than I save, but Rooney Finest and Shavemac 2-band D01 are the ones that are standing out to me. There's something visually that I can't help but keep coming back to this. The wet pics of the knot are slightly offputting, but I'm really biased against gel. It could be the wetness reminds me of a Rooney 2XL Tortoise in 2-band Heritage I have. I need to get that out and use it and see how it looks.

Rudy Vey again hits it on the head, but no wonder. The offerings are confusing for me too. I just don't have the experience using them as he does. I see too much of what I don't like from what photos others have shared, and their own photos to have wanted to pursue Oumos or any other Chinese maker, and it is for the same reasons he states. They are too inconsistent. You don't know what you're going to get. I know some are able to make it work like Paladin. I might have minor quibbles on the knots in terms of the treatment only, everything else I love about it. I do have some that generally have more what I like and I love those ones a ton, but even the ones that are supposed to have a decent amount of gelling don't always end up that way. Back to consistency, that's why I like the long established brands. It's speculated on how it is done exactly, but all I know is their quality control system for what they do works. I don't worry for the most part. Far less than with the knots coming directly from China.

I haven't heard back on any of my most recent questions I have asked. Haven't asked any really pressing ones. I did ask for a photo of a bulb knot, and I was told they would have ones going up on 5/10. Monday for those in the US should be about suspected. I'm hoping the website will outlay more information in one place and maybe we can get some comparisons with their scale I have seen on a few of their product pages. I'll keep an eye on their Aliexpress store and the website that should be opening soon.

Figured I'd give an update. After thinking it over, I decided I would buy a 29mm SHD Fan knot. Looking and debating can only get you so far. If all the hair is bleached, it isn't done to look consistent, which just seems odd. If it was going to be bleached, why not make it look consistent? The tips don't look too out of place for what I like wet, and while I can't remember what it is that is making me think I've seen that before, maybe when I get it my memory will be refreshed. I just hope I will like it when it comes. I'll make sure to take lots of photos of it before I ever set it and such and post a new thread for it.

I don’t think he is bleaching the hair, in fact someone asked him as much and he said that’s not why they are the color they are and that the knot is minimally treated.  I have a feeling he has access to erythristic badger hair, or they are specifically cultivating white hair from the little strip of white on badgers.  I wonder if in the past erythristic badgers were mistaken as albino and excluded from brush making since albino hair would not be durable/healthy enough for use in a brush.  Either that or maybe in the past they were designated for research since the genetic abnormality is rare.

I have 2 of his brushes and love specifically my Tyrant T1 ex 30mm bulb (koosh you might like this one more as the tips don’t gel as much as their others) more than pretty much any other custom knot I own.  I can count on one hand how many hairs it’s shed in about 40 uses and it’s supple and soft with just enough backbone.

I too ordered a 27mm ex fan MERI knot in one of his new exceed 2 handles and I hope it’s just as nice as my tyrant, going to be tough waiting the 45 days he quotes on producing the MERI knot though.

I think Oumo is somehow affiliated with Arno, they both talk about working in what used to be a brush making factory for 30 years and have similar marketing design, which would be an interesting coincidence because I just ordered a really sick looking titanium engraved handle from ARNO that I plan to send off to get stuffed with a DG B15.

The Tyrant T1 doesn't look bad, but would wait for a fan knot to come around again if I went that route. I do have one other handle I could put a knot in, but I was considering sending it off for a B3 knot. I may or may not do that still having just picked up a Theo B3. Shavemac 2-band D01 is always an option too. I want to see what the Meri will be like. My thought is it's the second you mentioned of cultivating white hair from the little strip of white on badgers. It seems like I can see those hairs when I've seen pelts of badgers. The first could be an option though too, I just don't know how many erythristic badgers make their way into production. It feels like the second option could support the limited amount of knots they were selling at the beginning.

I had never heard of ARNO before, but have to say those are some impressive handles. The Oumo ones are too for that matter. I just happen to already have 2 handles I purchased from years back that have been waiting a long time to put a knot into, and would be a shame to not use them.

I don’t think he is bleaching the hair, in fact someone asked him as much and he said that’s not why they are the color they are and that the knot is minimally treated.  I have a feeling he has access to erythristic badger hair, or they are specifically cultivating white hair from the little strip of white on badgers.  I wonder if in the past erythristic badgers were mistaken as albino and excluded from brush making since albino hair would not be durable/healthy enough for use in a brush.  Either that or maybe in the past they were designated for research since the genetic abnormality is rare.

I too ordered a 27mm ex fan MERI knot in one of his new exceed 2 handles and I hope it’s just as nice as my tyrant, going to be tough waiting the 45 days he quotes on producing the MERI knot though.

I think Oumo is somehow affiliated with Arno, they both talk about working in what used to be a brush making factory for 30 years and have similar marketing design, which would be an interesting coincidence because I just ordered a really sick looking titanium engraved handle from ARNO that I plan to send off to get stuffed with a DG B15.

My understanding, which was also confirmed by Oumo, is that this hair exists in every single batch of badger hair. However it is generally just mixed in with the rest of the two-band hair to make an uniform knot. It's not some special hair from an albino badger, but hair that gets sorted out of a vast quanitity of badger hair and then gets made into a knot.

I've found hairs like this in many of my badger knots upon closer inspection, just never as a standalone hair.

This would also explain why it takes such a long time to manufacture, as you need to sort much larger quantities when compared to making a regular badger knot.

ARNO is affiliated with Oumo, afaik it's led by the daughter of the owner or owners of Oumo. It's not a factory on it's own though. See here: https://arnoshavingbrush.com/pages/about-arno

You'll be very happy with the engraved Ti handle, I have one and I love the looks of it. It's heavy though so a good wrist is key for lathering.

The Tyrant T1 doesn't look bad, but would wait for a fan knot to come around again if I went that route.

T-1 was sold in fan shapes but the quantity / batch was limited so there are only bulbs left. Right now T-2 is current but it has softer tips compared to T-1.
In my opinion one of the best offerings currently on the market, very similar to B14 too.


My Meri Ex 27mm Fan just shipped and I hope it arrives soon enough.

Maybe you've seen one of the T-shirts on which the front says "Change Is Good!" and the back says "You Go First!"  That's where I am on this.  Perhaps it will pan out, but it's not cheap; it's not the last Coca-Cola in the desert, and there is no reason to think the supply of this Wunder-hair (if it is Wunder-hair) will dry up before the paying customers do.