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I've tried a few brushes...nothing terribly expensive (my most expensive on is the C&E Edwin Jagger best badger), but I've come to find I like the boar brushes the best. Particularly, the Proraso Omega sold by Old Dominion Soap Company (vasuds on Ebay). It's not as big as the Target version of the Omega, and works very well. I get better lather with them, with hard soaps, soft soaps, and creams, and they're much less expensive. To me, they're more comfortable, too. Anybody else?
I've got the target version and like it, I could happily use it every day, but I prefer the rooney badger.
Joe,
I have the larger Omega boar brush, and I still use it, but not often. When I do, I call it "cheap Sunday", since it is generally on a Sunday, and I break out the Williams or Surrey soaps and Pinaud. I generally figure that shave costs me about a dime.
RT
I have a Caswell-Massey "pure" badger and an Omega Silver Tip but I love my *junk* Burma Shave boar, which I picked just out of curiosity.
One complaint I have with it, though, is that it sheds. And I am not a brush boiler. Ah, also it does not bloom nicely like my badgers, it's more inconsistent - some bristles kinda stick together, others splay around - not nice. But it works great.
Do other boars bloom in this weird way too? I might pick one from the C&E store here just to try, I think they have them for 25 or so... or the Omega you guys mention
Cheers
Ivo
I've got a junk Van der Hagen boar that sheds like crazy, I've relegated it to shoe-scrubbing duties. The Proraso/Omega boar that Target sells is quite nice and only $15, they're built very well and not prone to shedding.
I have had my Omega Boar brush for more than 20 years, I alternate it w/ one other brandless boar brush and I think it is great. Soak it very short before I start (less than 1/2 minute) and it is as soft as I want it. Never used a badger brush and don't intend to. An old barber once told me the boar ones are better for making a good lather.
I picked up the Proraso Omega Target version and can't stand it. I was hoping it would be stiffer than my Vulfix Best Badger, but it has a really moppy feel to it. I'm thinking of giving it a haircut to see if that helps.
Getting rid of the smell - thats another thread. :(
Jordan
I use the Omega brush almost daily... it gets the job done (and is way more comfortable to my wallet than a Badger ;) ). I like it better than the Surrey boar brush I also have (which, btw, is now used mostly as my "travel" brush). I agree the Omega is more of a "mop" than the Surrey, but it's plenty stiff enough to use with soft soaps (eg, Proraso) or creams. But, when I use my home-brew soap (which is REALLY hard) I need the stiffer Surrey.Quote:
Originally Posted by jnich67
As to that :cen smell... it did take a week or so for it to leave. And, every once in a while I still get a slight whiff of it... usually when I run out of lather and am trying to coax a little more out of the brush by adding some water.
I won't say that I prefer them, but I use boar brushes alongside my badger brushes. It's another way of adding variety into the daily shave. No doubt they're cost effective, as RT pointed out.
As for the barber's statement, I think in a profession where time can be money, a boar hair brush may indeed be preferred for fast (better?) lathering.
I use one of the green handled Surrey brushes...like others say "it's easy on the wallet". The only problem I have with it is the shedding, which seems to be typical after reading this. I've been thinking of getting one of the Omegas at Target, but if it is "moppy" I don't know. On the other hand, if it doesn't shedd as much it might be worth it.
-Pary
Yesterday picked up a very nice real wood handle C&E boar (looks like a silver tip) for $25 (without the ugly gold trim and the name is on the bottom, not the side)
Loks really stylish to me. Must be the best looking boar I have seen. I LOVE the stiffness. As I liked the feel of my other boar but hated the looks (Burma Shave) - the C&E boar is probably going to be my favorite. Just gave it a shampoo and conditioner, will try lathering some other time.
This C&E boar seems even stiffer than the Burma Shave; it has something like a ball (the knot?) high into the bristles above the wooden handle.
Again, it seems that boar blossoms in a weird way, not uniformly like badger? Or is it just me? But I have had 3 boars with this characteristic, from 3 different makers...
Now I need to return a floppy Omega Silver tip; not sure what will replace it - seems SR 204 or the 212 as I heard the 208 is floppy too. Or I can go Simpson PJ2, Rooney super badger med / small sth
Cheers
Ivo
Sounds like the brush has a plug in it to hold in the hair knot.Quote:
Originally Posted by izlat
I'm not sure a SR 204 or SR 212 will be any better than the SR 208. They're the same style and SUPER hair. The difference is only size really. I have the 208 & 212 - there's no difference except knot size. I'm sure RT will chime in about the Simpson & Rooney slection sinc he's got both now. I don;t own either manufacturer (YET :hmmm: ), but I think the nod for firmer may go to the Simpson PJ.Quote:
Originally Posted by izlat
Quote:
Originally Posted by mparker762
See thats weird because mine sheds on my more than my cats! I like the brush, but damn if I dont have boar hair all over me by the end of the shave lol. This made me stick to badger, I let my wife use this one for her legs now lol. Maybe the shorter one that Joe is less prone to shedding. I have the big one...shocking aint it lol
I have the PJ2 Best and the Rooney Style 2, small genuine silvertip. The PJ is a firmer brush, not floppy at all. The Rooney is a bit floppy, but it is not bad. It opens up a bit more when applying the lather, but closes up quickly. The SR 208 splays open and stays that way. I like the 208 and the Rooney, and they are the only two brushes I have that I consider floppy, the 208 being the worst culprit. I've not had the SR212, but I did have the SR240 (I think that's the right number) which was a 30mm knot, and that is one huge brush.Quote:
Originally Posted by xChris
When it all comes down to it...I enjoy shaving with my Omega, my $35 C&E brush, and my Shavemacs that are in the $100 + range. Each brush has different attributes, and I select my brush strictly based on my mood.
RT
Some manufacturers of brushes recommend you soak it before use for 24 hours in water to reduce shedding.Quote:
Originally Posted by mparker762
My brush is a Kent 50/50 boar badger brush that works great. I really love it. It's stiff and feels soft on the face at the same time. I got it for $3 and I'tll never go untill it's completely falling apart.
I've been stubbornly sticking to the philosophy that if it isn't badger I'm not stocking it in my store. But after hanging out here for the last 6 to 8 months, and most recently reading these posts, I'm starting to think I should add some boar bristle brushes.
I'm pretty much aligned with Vulfix for now. I do carry a few other brushes (Conk & Dovo) and I may add another brush line next year, but for now Vulfix is it. My question is this. Can anyone share some experience on specific models of boar bristle brushes within the Vulfix line? I don't have the resources to stock them all and hope to carry just a few. Also, what about bristle and badger blends?
Any information would be appreciated. Thanks.
Jim
All I have is the Burma and for now it's all I need.
Justin
I like my Burma and it did work well. But oh man do I love my C&E Super Badger. I may check out one or two more Boars before I'm done, but to me right now, it is all about the badger. It's the feel of it, and how well it holds the water. I takes a bit more work to get the soap soft and going, but once its loaded it is really loaded. Still though, I should try more boars before I give them up totally. Here piggy piggy piggy, I just want to shave you.
Matt
I love boar brushes(I love badger brushes too, but this is not about them) My very first brush was a Surrey. It set me back a whopping $1.29 at Walgreens in 1989. I still use it at least once a week.:)
My first brush was an Omega boar. Never had any complaints. My wife bought me a Mason Pearson Badger brush for Christmas. I've got to say the badger feels prickly to me, in comparison. It's nice to say I have a badger brush, but when it comes down to it, I'm just working lather into my face, and it seems to me the boar does just as good a job.
James.
Yes --James, I think this is the consensus when asking real men. ;)Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimbo
Justin (totally unqualified to give opinions on brushes)
but badgers are damn nice for varnishes
yea when I want to feel like a bum I pull out the old nylon brush and the williams soap and the pakistani razor and go to town. Then I finish with the walgreens witchhazel and mennon skin bracer and slap some gin on my face.
There is nothing wrong with Williams, generic witch hazel, and Skin Bracer.Quote:
Originally Posted by thebigspendur
*bonks bigspendur over the head with truckload of Palmolive and ships him to Pakistan*:p
LOL! I've got to say that after a routine like that, I'd be slapping the gin *in* my face.Quote:
Originally Posted by thebigspendur
Seriously, for me a boar has some disadvantages: catching it's easy enough, but getting the bugger to keep still while you lather up can be difficult - sometimes I actually need to use two hands...:shrug:
James.
Well I'd rather wrestle a boar than a badger any day anyway. The problem with the badger is trying to figure out which of his hairs you want to use at the same time your fighting with him. Is it going to be the super badger or the best or the pure?
Quote:
Originally Posted by thebigspendur
yeah, and should you choose the silvertips (around the neck area I think), you'll have the little bugger scratching your face.:roflmao
I've got a couple Boars Hair brushes including the Proraso one from Target. They are OK in a pinch, but I really find the Badger brushes hold a ton more soap and have always been more comfortable.
Have fun.
Lynn
I use a burma shave boar brush every day, I have a badger brush but it seems to stiff to me.
Not having a badger hair brush to compare to I can't say I prefer Boars hair. Given that I have only purchased one brush in fifteen years, a Surry boar hair from the drugstore. My wife bought me a better Bass boars hair brush for Christmas and it is far softer and more comfortable than my old one. While I would like to try a nice badger hair brush at some point I feel no pressing need to do so, as I fear (erroneously or not)that it would be only slight improvement over what I have.
I definitely prefer my Vuflix pure badger brush to my (cheap) boar brush. It easier/faster for me to build up a nice lather and has a better feel on my face. My wife's silvertip is even more comfortable and seems to hold even more water but it doesn't strike me as big of an improvement price/performance wise as the boar-> pure badger was.
Ant