Thread: First shave with a badger brush. Wow!

It was my second full shave overall and my first using a badger brush. I feel like I have been missing the world.

I always read that the badger brushes were far superior but I also read some people who say that they still use a boar bristle brush after years of shaving so I figured I was in no rush to get a badger brush. Well this weekend I noticed a shave stand with a cartridge handle and a brush for sale at a yardsale. Sure enough the brush was badger and when I was told the sale price was $2 for the set I was sold.

I couldn't wait until Sunday for my weekend shave. I have never in my shaving career made such a smooth, creamy lather. With the boar brush I would have to use a lot of soap to pull up the lather but it was hard to get the right amount of water so the lather would dry on my face. Then the lather in the brush would collapse so it was like brushing my face with just water. This time the lather formed easily and stayed on my face for the whole pass. There was plently to re-lather for pass 2 and still a ton left in the brush when I washed it.

Im hooked, never again will I let pig hair touch my face. To all the newbies out there that are on the fence about which brush to get or are having trouble making lather with a boar bristle I recommend getting a badger brush. It's a world of difference.

Absolutley! The difference between boar and badger brush is huge! I too made the step and never looked back since.

I agree completely. I'm sure there are good boar brushes out there, but in my experience, a decent badger brush is in a different league. The step up in performance is not marginal by any measure.

Jordan

Congrats on the great find!

There are good boar brushes out there - the real difference is softness of the badger brush, and how long it takes to whip up a good lather...given the luxuriousness of the badger brush, I'd say it's worth the extra brass.

Congrats again.

Mark

I would love to give the badger hair a shot, but not until I come across a good deal like yours! Who knows, I might spend the $35 on the Crabtree & Evelyn badger, but never anything more than that. I already spend enough on the razors (I now have 6) and soaps/AS...

Originally Posted by cwrighta70

I would love to give the badger hair a shot, but not until I come across a good deal like yours! Who knows, I might spend the $35 on the Crabtree & Evelyn badger, but never anything more than that. I already spend enough on the razors (I now have 6) and soaps/AS...

There is one on amazon.com for something like $10. Tweezerman I think is the brand. I was tempted to get that one until I found the one at the yard sale. If you do a search on the forums I recall some people talking about it. My understanding is that it's a good deal for a starter badger brush.

I have never let a pig touch my face, badgers on the other hand are my favorite animal. If you every get the opportunity try a high end silvertip badger brush (Simpson, Rooney, Shavemac etc..) I am guessing you will be pleasantly surprised.

For years I plugged along with my boar brush and then a couple of months ago I bought one of those cheap Tweezermans for about 15$w/shipping, thinking I could get a couple of shaves out of it before it fell apart. I have to admit that I am damn happy with it so far. Even if it falls apart in the near future, I cant see my self going back to the pig whisker brush, I'll have to go with the badger.

Originally Posted by cwrighta70

.... I already spend enough on the razors ...

C'mon, you need at least one more don't you?

Originally Posted by Amyn

I have never let a pig touch my face, badgers on the other hand are my favorite animal. If you every get the opportunity try a high end silvertip badger brush (Simpson, Rooney, Shavemac etc..) I am guessing you will be pleasantly surprised.

One day I will for sure. Currently I like spending my money on razors to fix up and the supplies to fix them. My new coticule and belgian blue just ate my razor budget. I suppose I will hit a point where I decide I have enough razors and now need a brush to match each one.

Though I must say, I always wondered how some members could choose to buy brushes instead of blades. Now that I've experienced a badger brush I kind of understand.