Thread: Badger Vs. Boar Is there a huge difference?

I am completely new to straightshaving and am planning on purchasing my first brush. Should I go with boar or Badger bristles?

Seeing how you are new to the game, I would say Boar..THe cost is low and they are great brushes..Let it soak in hot water while you are in the shower and it will be softer than a badger when using it. What ever you do, don't get sucked into the hype right away. do some expermenting on your own. Watch who you pay heed to on these sites. Folks are well intentioned, but also very opinionated in the belief that their way is the "only" way to get a good shave..... Walmart sells a cheap boar brush..I personally have an Omega...But the Wally world one is the one I used prior to that one....I have Silver Tips, Best Badger and Boar. I like the boar the best...I could have saved money by just staying with that one...... One thing I have noticed is that some soaps seem to work better with certain brushes...I prefer the Boar when I use MWF, and I use the Silver Tip Badger when using Proraso..

+1^^

I agree entirely with what has been said. Badger brushes are definitely a great tool, and there are some excellent ones out there. But they are pricey, and it is not an absolute necessity. I get great shaves, and I am currently using a cheap boar hair brush from CVS, and I even use a synthetic brush for travel because it dries so quickly.
I think that the lather in the first few shaves is often sub-par, because it takes experimentation to create a good lather. I believe that some people just starting out get tied up in the notion that the poor lather is in regard to the brush, when it just takes time to find those perfect measurements and what works for you.
All in all, IMHO nice brushes feel great and work well, but they are not an absolute necessity, especially for a beginner.

Initially reacting to the question with detestable pomposity (its asked frequently and a search will cover the standard issues), I reconsidered & thought - this and other frequent questions are in many ways very good. 'New guys discovering the art and facing the right questions. I face-lather w/ hard soaps, and that screams for backbone - stiffness in the brisltes. Jimmyhad says he's used Badgers that had more backbone than boars, but I have to trust him there, 'cause I just can't make peace with the prices on the Badgers - especially knowing that most use low-cost Asian knots. 'Seems like romancing the canine to me. So I with the hard soap and face-lathering, I seek the most backbone. Of the new production, I've loved the Semogues, and we now have a real US outlet for them in NY (lee's safety razors), which is where I got the Semogue 620. Its the most satisfying new brush so far. I have found some vintage brushes that mock the new stuff. They make the stiffest of the new stuff seem rather flacid & floppy. Badgers hold water better. Period. There's a stage in face-lathering w/ a boar where you're prone to decorate the bathroom w/ flying lather. Its in the stage just after coating the face w/ soap and before the lather has built any loft. You'll know its coming when you see excess soap accummulating around the perimeter of the brush. This means you're about to decorate. Simply wipe that excess off on the face and keep working it until the lather builds loft, and you've got it licked. Again, congrats for choosing quality. You'll likely do well and get cranky when you don't have time for a proper shave w/ a str8. Its a great part of the day.

I'm a newbie too but I really like my boar brush from Rite Aid. They seem to lose a few more hairs than the badger but for me they do just as good a job with lather.

I agree with Wintchase, you can always upgrade if you wish.

Originally Posted by FiremanFlounder

I am completely new to straightshaving and am planning on purchasing my first brush. Should I go with boar or Badger bristles?

I don't think it's possible to recommend you one or the other based only on the fact that you are new. It depends on what your priorities and tastes are. I wouldn't presume that low cost is your top priority which seems to be the line of thought in the previous posts.

In my opinion you should buy the highest quality brush you can afford, and depending on your budget it may be boar, badger, or synthetic.

Originally Posted by gugi

I don't think it's possible to recommend you one or the other based only on the fact that you are new. It depends on what your priorities and tastes are. I wouldn't presume that low cost is your top priority which seems to be the line of thought in the previous posts.

In my opinion you should buy the highest quality brush you can afford, and depending on your budget it may be boar, badger, or synthetic.

Yes I assumed it was a top priority. Guilty! But how often do you see recommendations given to new members for top-of-the-line equipment? Do we tell new members to buy 3 Kanayamas to start out with? (in case they nick the first two)? Grab an Escher on Ebay? Custom Damascus razor with MOP scales? Should a guy's first piece of any equipment in this hobby be high on the cost spectrum? I'll answer that hyperbolic list of rhetoricals with a probably not. Additionally, he may not like wetshaving at all; he could find himself with a used (gross!) shaving brush.
I'll concede that brushes are not exactly like those other things...he's less likely to nick a brush, or damage it from dropping for that matter. But in this economy it's not a stretch to assume that price is a key factor. Plus, at least we didn't punt on the question.

I have several boars and 3 badgers and badgers are what I use the most. 1 in best, 1 black, and 1 silvertip. I paid $142.00 for the silvertip, $44.00 for the best, and the $10.00 black badger that was gotten at Target a year and a half ago I received as a gift. The black badger is by far my favorite brush. I face lather exclusively and that brush just whips up the quickest lather out of any that I have and holds a great amount for subsequent passes.

Yes, indeed, brushes are not like these other things as they are very resistant to abuse from just normal use, and are one of the lower cost equipment.

And boar brush isn't the lowest cost either. The lowest short term cost is no brush and using a brushless cream, or even just oil.
I also don't recommend using hand soap just because it's the lowest cost, and who knows if one would like this type of shaving.

As far as punting, it should be pretty obvious that my response is the furthest thing from that. It asked for additional information, so that we can provide a recommendation that is actually appropriate and helpful to the person asking the question, instead of the recommendation being all about the responder.

Finally I do not understand how setting up a straw man argument is helpful. Nobody ever suggested that the most expensive equipment is necessary or recommended.