Thread: I want an inexpensive brush with stiff bristles.

I don't care for soft bristles. I like being able to work the lather into my whiskers after a few days of not shaving. I've been using an Omega 10066 boar brush and like it more than any of the other brushes I've tried. I'd like to try something stiffer. I looked briefly at the descriptions but couldn't tell which ones were stiffer or softer than others.

Can anyone recommend a stiffer brush than the 10066? Don't need one with steel bristles for removing rust. Just a bit stiffer bristles. I have considered cutting the bristles to be shorter to make them feel stiffer. Would you think that would work? I've read about people trimming brushes to give them a rounder shape or something. Bit I don't remember anything about them getting stiffer after cutting.

I appreciate any help.

Jack

I understand the black badger is really prickly. Tc

Try putting an elastic band around the knot at the base where it leaves the handle to shorten the loft. You can stack them up to make the loft as short as you want till you get the feel you are looking for.

Once you find the loft you like have someone remove the knot and reset it in another handle. You might be able to steam the knot out and reset it deeper in the original handle too. I would not guarantee that to work though.

Bob

Originally Posted by BobH

Try putting an elastic band around the knot at the base where it leaves the handle to shorten the loft. You can stack them up to make the loft as short as you want till you get the feel you are looking for.

Once you find the loft you like have someone remove the knot and reset it in another handle. You might be able to steam the knot out and reset it deeper in the original handle too. I would not guarantee that to work though.

Bob

Now this is a good idea. Hadn't thought of that. Instead of buying a new handle I could get some nice looking wood and make one. It would probably need to be square tough as I don't have a lathe. OTOH, I could take the money I save from not buying a new handle and put it toward getting a lathe.

Seriously, this is a good idea so I can experiment then decide how to do something permanent. I might make a nice looking square handle though. Don't think I can convince wife that saving $10 on a new handle would justify buying a lathe.

Jack

The Van Der Hagen boar brush is pretty stiff, and very inexpensive.

Mine resides in a rifle case, great for dusting the action, but a tad too stiff for me.

Originally Posted by tcrideshd

I understand the black badger is really prickly. Tc

All the black badger I have sourced for some reason has been rather pleasant and soft. At times, softer than silvertip badger I have sourced! And I source it where most of the major brush companies buy also, and artisan makers. Go figure! I think it is a hidden treasure for a mere price.

That being said............other than boar the only thing that comes to mind and I joke is this:

Omega synthetic Boar S-Brush

I have a couple Semogue brushes that are fairly stiff. Not sure if they're stiffer than than Omega, never used one.

I find Semogue boar brushes to be stiffer than Omegas. I wont generalize too much because it really about the loft and density of the knot. So just find a dense short lofted boar brush and I'm sure you will get a good scrub from it. Like BobH's recommendation Sharpton also is a fan of placing o-rings around the base of his brushes to adjust knot tightness and increasing backbone of the knot. So experiment and see how it goes.