Thread: Boaring Virgin

It is going pretty well. I started the lather with soap today and finished with cream. I'm beginning to 'feel' the difference in making the lather. The bristles seem a bit long to my taste, but maybe that's what it takes to get the spring in them just right.

I tend to use my boar brushes with both soaps and creams that lather well. I am a face latherer as well.

I find it takes a bit more work to get a good lather with a boar as opposed to a badger. That does not mean I think it is a lesser brush it is just different. I enjoy the extra lathering/scrubbing on the face.

Charlie

I have been using my semi-expensive Badger brushes for about six months now and I thought they were the best thing I could ever want to use. After seeing a lot of posts in the past few days on boar brushes, I became very curious. I took out my first shaving brush, which is a 4$ drug store brush I found in CVS before I even owned my first DE (Then moved to straights). I did a test facial lathering last night with Tabac and the results were very impressive. The bristles were still very stiff, since I only used the brush a few times, but I plan on using it a lot now. I ordered an Omega this morning for 10$ since I have been seeing good things about it on B&B and SRP. I actually got better results face lathering of a puck of soap with the boar than I have ever gotten off my 100$ badger brushes.

I wish I knew earlier!

Hey Jim,

Thanks for pushing me to buy this brush. I don't use it all the time, but am very pleased with it indeed. I'll likely buy another boar brush in a smaller size in the future. Badger ain't all that much better than boar IMO. The only drag is soaking the brush, but only because I'm not used to it. I still find boar bristles soft once they are soaked and they have the backbone I was looking for. After the break in period (which would be another drawback I guess, but as I understand it I can expect the brush to continue to improve in this area) the lathering is fantastic. I may end up preferring boar over badger some day.

I'm glad to hear it! I never minded anything about the Boar...including the soaking. But I can see how it might be a pain if you're not used to it.

I'm not sure what you mean by the break in period continuing to improve...but the brush will definitely improve. The ends will split, the brush will get softer and in general it will get better! I'm not even tempted by badger anymore.

Enjoy!

Best,
Jim

Originally Posted by xman

Hey Jim,

Thanks for pushing me to buy this brush. I don't use it all the time, but am very pleased with it indeed. I'll likely buy another boar brush in a smaller size in the future. Badger ain't all that much better than boar IMO. The only drag is soaking the brush, but only because I'm not used to it. I still find boar bristles soft once they are soaked and they have the backbone I was looking for. After the break in period (which would be another drawback I guess, but as I understand it I can expect the brush to continue to improve in this area) the lathering is fantastic. I may end up preferring boar over badger some day.

Originally Posted by JimR

The ends will split, the brush will get softer and in general it will get better!

When I dry a brush I finish by running it up and down the length of a towel hanging on the rail - almost like a stropping motion. I bet this would be a great way to encourage the tips of a boar brush to split and soften.

Originally Posted by Rajagra

When I dry a brush I finish by running it up and down the length of a towel hanging on the rail - almost like a stropping motion. I bet this would be a great way to encourage the tips of a boar brush to split and soften.

I do this as well--and I add a bit of swirling. You are probably right, as my brushes seem to break in pretty quickly.