Thread: First Boar Use

I used a Boar for the very first time today along with Castle Forbes. I found it much harder than usual to work up a thick lather. Is thier a reason why?

It needs to break in. I refer you to the comments in your recent thread:

http://straightrazorpalace.com/brush...ml#post1795648

Yes. Breaking in a boar is important. It needs to be able to suck up water and the tips need to split. Then it will work very nice with some good backbone. That normally why folks go to a boar. The backbone and scritch when face lathering. It will come. Just read the link and work that sucker. And in a couple weeks you will have a nice brush.

Yup, they get better to use as they break in. Also they behave differently than badger brushes as far as lathering technique goes so it may take a while to adjust to that too.

Bob

Originally Posted by sqzbxr

It needs to break in.

Pretty much... Once you break it in the tips, the boar hair soften up and create a much more lush and soft feel while retaining the stiffness that people love about boar hair. Once this happens you'll be whipping up a lather in no time, same as you would a badger brush.
One other thing I like about boar brushes is that they tend to not harbor as much good lather deep in the bristles as badger brushes during the lathering and application process. Saves you some soap in the long run.
Keep with the boar for awhile and once you break it in you'll understand why folks love them. You may not migrate to boar altogether but you'll understand why they have a place in the shave den for a lot of people.

Even on my well broken-in boar brushes, it helps soak the tips in water for 5 minutes or so before each use.