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What would you recommend as a good boar brush? I've got a silver-tip brush whcih I really like, but sometimes I need something that is much quicker to generate a lather (can sometimes take me about 5 minutes to generate one with my silver-tip). Something with quite stiff bristles would be nice.
Also, if possible, a good UK source.
Cheers,
Steven
Look for Bass brand brushes out of Germany, or the Omega brand brush. I think Vulflux( sp?) also makes one
+1 for the Omegas. Nice boar brushes, especially if you replace the handle. I had some help turning a nice handle for mine by fellow member Spazola. http://straightrazorpalace.com/showthread.php?t=15847 The Surrey brand brushes carried at drug stores and WalMart are nice for the $$$. Here in Texas they're $5 and have a nice heft.
I haven't used a boar in a very long time but from what I remember making lather took a lot longer than with a badger.
From what I remember it depends on what you're trying to lather up with. Hard soaps lather faster with stiffer bristles, like the boar, while creams lather slower. I bought the little cheapo brush from Wally World and it works fine with the hard soaps. Then again, I have no experience with any other brush. lolQuote:
Originally Posted by thebigspendur
I use hard soaps, mainly D.R. Harris, and the boar brush reigns supreme in this realm. I have two Shavemacs that cost four times what my boar brush did, and I use the boar brush the most.
Mine is an Omega. It shed a bit when I got it, but it seems to be settling in now. The bristles soften over time, I've read.
One good tip with the boar brushes is to soak them for a few minutes before you use them. After a good soak, the bristles are as comfortable as badger bristles are, in my opinion. :)
Josh
Yeah Josh, they do soften over time. I have an old pewter boar brush from England that has definitely softened up a ton over the years. The pre-shave soak in really hot water works well, too. Good point.
As far as BigSpendur's comment, I think that boars do a a few extra seconds to whip up the lather - but for me, literally only a few extra seconds not even 30 seconds. I will concede that it takes a firmer grip and stir than with a badger.
I use a Vulfix VS 5 which you can get at classicshaving.com for $11.00.
It's amazing. It lathers my soaps quickly, does not shed at all, is comfortable in the hand. I use quality soaps (Tabac and stuff from Mama Bear) and this brush totally does them justice.
Hope this helps.
Ron
A boar brush might take longer when lathering creams, but I actually think it's faster with soaps, at least the triple-milled soaps. For me, the key with hard soaps is to get enough soap on the brush to make a decent lather. When I first started using Harris, I was getting thin lather that dried out quickly. It didn't seem much better than Williams.
Switching to a scrubby pure badger brush allowed me to get enough soap on the brush, but the bristles were harsh. My boar brush works faster, and the bristles are softer than a pure badger brush.
I'd prefer to use my two nice Shavemacs, but most days I go for the $20 Omega. :)
Josh
+1 on the Surrey brushes, they make lather very quickly, however, I have found that if you let them soak in hot water too long, they shed like a sick dog.Quote:
Originally Posted by DEwey