Thread: badger vs boar, a twist on an age old conundrum

I'm looking into getting into straight shaving and was investigating into brushes, namely trying to decide between boar and badger and American made if possible. I noticed something that caught my attention. One poster on a thread said he's noticed different brushes performing differently with different soaps. I'm curious as to what is meant by this.

I have both a silvertip badger brush and a Semogue 2000 boar brushes, which I love.

One notable difference between badger and boar is that badger can soak up and retain water better. If you are using a soap that yields a watery (rather than, thick or creamy lather), a boar brush can drip and the liquidy lather can go flying while you are moving the brush. If you are using a soap that produces a slightly thick or thick lather, the boar will be able to grab the lather and will not drip nearly as much as in the case of watery lather.

In my limited experience, I have had no difficulties getting good badger and boar lathers out of Prorasso, Taylor of Old Bond Street, and Cyril Salter soaps. All of these are easy to mix up to a not-too-runny consistency in the mug with either type of brush.

However, my boar has struggled when I used it with Mama Bear soap. This soap contains glycerin, which makes it more difficult to lather. The lathering can be a little runnier than with the other 3 soaps above. A badger soaks up this lather a little better and drips less. So to answer you question, maybe badger performs better with glycerin soaps?

I have never been a believer in the notion you need a specialized brush anymore than you need a specialized razor. I have several brushes and they all perform well no matter the soap or cream. Of course they are all badger. From what I have read boar will perform similarly. I think the differences are in whether the brush requires a pre soak, how prickly it might be and how long it takes to build a lather. Usually the pure badgers and boars can be quite stiff while the silvertip badgers can be very floppy.That still leaves the Horse and newer synthetics which many report to be quite good.

Historically speaking, badger has always been considered the premium brush.

Dunno, I rotate through 3 different types of silver tip brushes, 2 different boar brushes and a synthetic silver tip fiber brush and all will face lather creams, soft and hard soaps. They all have slightly different characteristics but once you get on to the differences they all will work. Currently the synthetic is my favourite.

Bob

BobH,

Out of curiosity, do you find that your boar brushes and synthetic all perform the same with a glycerin-type soap?. Also, what synthetic are you using and what "generation"?

You know I really could not tell you which of the soaps I have are glycerine or tallow. I guess I should have a look. As far as I know the synthetic is a Muhle XL V2 silver tip fiber brush.

Bob

OK, had squint at my soaps and about 3/4 are glycerine. None of my brushes perform the same but all will face lather the glycerine soaps I have giving a good lather once you get to know the brushes quirks. The only soap I have given away, besides Williams which I threw in the trash, was EJ Sea Buckhorn. Didn't matter what type of brush I used I could not get a decent lather from it. Likely not the soaps fault but when you have 30 others that give no trouble why bother with a that for me was fussy.

I used a black badger for a year. I found it dead center between the boars and the silver tips. The other thing to look into is loft. If this does not confuse you more than nothing will :<0) You can take a stiffer hair knot and add some loft and turn it into a mop. Put some sticky notes on a dart board with each type written on them. Throw a dart. They all do the same thing and until you have tried a couple you won't know what suits you the best.

Badgers more absorbent, but it will really only be as soft as it is on day one. Boar is a bit less absorbent, but as it breaks in and gets some split hairs it will get softer. Get one of each and just rotate them and enjoy.

Im a face latherer and the boar is "stiffer" and scrubs the face more. It doesn't hold as much water but with face lathering thats not a bad thing if you don't want lather all up the walls. I have to shake more water out of the badger but thats no problem. I love the scrub of boar and sometimes I like the soft slap of a silvertip badger.

Horses for courses, boar and badge both work well, there just different. Pick one you like the look of and you'll soon learn how to use the brush to make great lather. Boar is cheap and it works, don't be put off that its cheaper. Get a brush you can afford to start with, the chances are you will want to try everything else before too long like the rest of us…lol