Thread: Badger vs boar water retention

I did notice I keep coming back to my Semogue 610, I face lather only and still find this one of the finest brushes for its purpose.
I like the feel and massage better than my badgers, my badgers hold more water where I need to refresh a little more often with my boars, but overall I do like my 610 the best out of all brushes I've tried.

For me, all work just fine. But some work better than others. I have my favorites, but I use them all, thru the year.

Napoleon used a big Plisson Badger with a fancy solid silver handle. If badger was good enough for him then who am I to argue?

I enjoy tea and have for decades. Over the course of that time I have learned a little bit about. People ask me questions about what is the right way; what is the best kind; which should I / what should I, etc.

My answer always is the right one is the kind you like. The right way is the way that gives you the results you like...now I can give you recommendations but what I like and what you like may be different. Also those things change over time but that's a whole other rabbit trail.

Who are you doing it for? Please the one who is the obvious answer to that question. Especially in internet forums there is always some muckety muck trying to tell you what you should be doing or should not be doing or what you should like or what you should own. To be blunt screw all of that. Like what you like because you like it and don't let anybody (no matter how esteemed they may be or think they are) tell you what you should like. That same thing applies to most pursuits including this one. I personally like boar. I always have people telling me why I should like badger. If you like badger then YOU use badger in good health and long life.

Originally Posted by PaulFLUS;1976073 personally like boar. I always have people telling me why I should like badger. If you like badger then [B

YOU [/B] use badger in good health and long life.

I'm not a vegetarian, far from it and i wear leather shoes but, there is an an advantage to Boar that i cant help feeling better about.

Pigs probably don't like being shaved but they live through it.

Boar bristle comes from a wild boar not a pig and it's a byproduct of the meat industry. I'd love to see a video of someone shaving a wild boar. I know some outfits say humanly but I don't buy it.

You want humane buy a horsehair brush.

Yes, boar bristle means the killing of the animal, the same as with badger. That is why some reject these brushes as inhumane. I prefer to pollute the environment with synthetic brushes, myself, because I get a better combination of good characteristics with recent modern synthetics.

Vielong gets its horse hair by combing a Spanish breed of horse. However, Vielong is going out of business. Some horse hair is collected by combing, but some is collected by first killing the horse. Horses are eaten in some places and horse by products are used in making pharmaceuticals, horse hide shoes, belts, strops, and more. Violin and cello bows, artist brushes, and many things are made from horses, food such as Jello, upholstery, fishing line, and many other things that require the horse to have been killed in order to furnish the products. Even your white sugar is bleached by bone char from horses.

To me using animal products is not an issue. What is an issue is needless misuse of the animal or it's parts. I eat meat and am not ashamed of it but I also am aware that the animals gave their life for our benefit and as the custodian of these assets I feel we have a responsibility to manage them correctly. It is said that in swine husbandry everything but the oink is used. That is how animal products should be used if at all

I prefer to use the term lather retention rather than water retention. IMO, badger is top of the heap in lather retention.

I do use Omega boars and Vie Long Horsehair. It often depends on the soap I am using. I can load a badger and get 3 passes easily and prefer 22-24mm knots.
My big badgers are lather hogs and a lot goes down the drain after the shave.

My 2 big Omega boars are now twice as likely to last 3 passes after much use. The horse has always done pretty good after break-in and is great for hard soaps.
Some just take a different approach. I do have one synthetic Frank Shaving brush which does quite nicely, but the naturals will hold lather much better IMO.

I have razors which were initially much nicer to use than others. Same with brushes. I suppose it's the learning what each brush/razor likes and where they shine.
I dislike the super soft badgers. I dig backbone and a bit of scritch most of the time. I feel a brush that goes limp fast is tough to get used to.
2-bands are my preference for badgers.
All subjective, of course.
Part of the sport.