I received my brush earlier this week. I went through my typical badger hair brush break-in before I used it. This involves soaking it for a few minutes, generating a lather, rinsing, lathering again, and allowing it to dry for 24 hours. I used it for the first time this morning with two days of stubble growth. The brush worked up a great lather with a puck of soap in no time. When I worked the lather into my face, the brush felt smooth and comfortable. I felt the stubble after lathering and found the brush did a great job of elevating the whiskers. I also is a very unique brush in my collection. Thanks.