Thread: Boar Vs Badger opinions

Hello all,
I have a nice badger brush that is my main brush but picked up a cheapo boar brush for travel recently and haven't been that happy with it. I do like the firmness of the boar but it doesn't lather like the badger at all. I am wandering if it is because I bought a super cheap boar brush versus my nice badger or if it is just because I will always prefer badger. Anyone have a similar experience?

I've gotten a few of the Semogue boar brushes in the $30.00 price range. I like them. I haven't tried any other brand. I also like my badgers which were far more $. Like most things with wet shaving, one man's meat is another man's poison.

I have an Omega 49 that I wouldn't trade for anything, it's a real lather machine. YMMV

Originally Posted by dhat

Hello all,
I have a nice badger brush that is my main brush but picked up a cheapo boar brush for travel recently and haven't been that happy with it. I do like the firmness of the boar but it doesn't lather like the badger at all. I am wandering if it is because I bought a super cheap boar brush versus my nice badger or if it is just because I will always prefer badger. Anyone have a similar experience?

On some shaving forums this is a hot button issue that some people turn into class warfare (because boars are cheaper). They will say that an expensive boar outperforms a cheap badger with some justification. For them is the Semogue 830, which is priced in the $20-30 range that performs similar to a good badger brush.

But generally speaking, the badger has more absorbency and is the better brush. I will always prefer badger. My favorite is the finest badger because it lathers best.

Actually, it's not expensive at all if you're willing to do a little work. I am the least mechanically inclined person I know, but what I do to get a top notch brush is to get an old brush on ebay, drill out the old knot, and buy a knot for around $20 and glue it in. I have ruined a couple of handles because I'm a klutz, but have succeeded with many more.

I know this isn't a good picture, but I got this brush on ebay for 99 cents and put in a knot I got from The Golden Nib for $20. The handle says "Everready Badger and Nylon" but it has a brand new finest badger knot in it.

Just a rank amateur when it comes to brushes but I have had a cheap boar brush for going on 10 years now and it will face lather Arko and creams well. I was not too impressed with it at the start but it needed quite a bit of time to break in. I do have a super badger Vulfix med 660 and it is totally different. You can't really use the same technique with both types of brushes to create a lather.

I would give the boar a good month of constant face lathering to break it in. With my old boar brush I would soak it, flick out the water. load it with a bit of Arko and start a lather on my face which also had Arko applied to it. Dip the tips of the brush in water from time to time to build more lather as the boar holds way less water than my badger.

My poor old boar is starting to shed hairs and I liked it enough for travel that I am just breaking in a Semouge 1350 as it's replacement.

Bob

This is pretty much a personal choice. I use a cheap badger exclusivly and see no reason to use anything else.

I'm pretty much a badger user but the Semogue boars come out for soft Italian soaps. A badger brush will perform well from the outset, however, a new boar generally takes around 20+ uses to split the tips of the hair. Once broken in, a boar will perform excellently.

Originally Posted by Eekspa

I have an Omega 49 that I wouldn't trade for anything, it's a real lather machine. YMMV

You could only trade it for an Omega 48 my friend
Great brushes!

Gentlemen:
Badger is badger and boar is boar. I have suffered through worthless badger brushes, and I have suffered through worthless boar brushes. On the other hand, I have feasted on exquisite badger brushes, and I have feasted on exquisite boar brushes. That's why I do not compare badger brushes with boar brushes; rather, I take each for what it is. A good brush, whether badger or boar, will create wonders for the daily shave. Some, whether badger or boar, will work better with soaps, some with creams. The only way to experience a quality badger and a quality boar brush is to try it — then put each in its distinct category.

Yea Obie, my dog has feasted on some boars and badgers too. She says she prefers the boars because they are more succulent besides, the Badgers are too mean and ornery. Either way she prefers them with some steak sauce. How about you?