Thread: I had forgotten how much boar brushes suck...

...until they break in!

Indeed, I have a pretty old 1250, by Semogue which I loved until it started to leave ten hairs a shave on my face (I treated it very poorly, my bad). I still love it in fact, but I recently felt I needed to get a new one, so they overlap a bit, and I can get good lather throughout the whole break in process. I knew it was not as good a type of brush when new, but I had forgotten how bad it actually is.
My new brush is a 610, awesome for face lathering, and it's getting there. It reminds me day after day why I resisted the temptation of a Simpsons brush (people say it's the bomb, very tempting). I just don't see how it could get better. Excellent backbone, and tips softer than the badgers I have tried.
I had a pure badger brush by the New York Shaving Company, in the past, as well as a silvertip brush, custom made with a 22mm loft from the Golden Nib. I didn't like either. prickly, and too big. I like to see what I'm doing, and not feel like I'm lathering with a prickly sponge.
Anyways, boar brushes are awesome, I sold both my badger brushes, however better regarded they are in general.

My advice : give the piggy a chance, and some time too fully express himself. If you was put out by terrible lather the first few times, be patient, and the reward may be huge! It's also way easier to tell the wife you're out to spend $20 for a top quality brush, than the $100 you easily come to spend on a good badger brush.

My go to brush right now is my Omega drugstore special. I find my pure badger brush to be too prickly for my face. Perhaps one day I'll get a better badger, but I'm quite happy with boar for now!

I use White vinegar and a strong smell soap like the Proraso Green to "beat" the Boar smell
Except the smell you need patience for the break-in period
....which i have not.

Nice tip! The smell never bothered me, to be honest. Not fantastic, but totally bearable. My new 610 is breaking in, and it's awesome. All one needs really.

I also like my piggy brush I bought for 15 bucks. It took about 10 shaves to get rid of that smell, and it creates excellent lather. Good job Omega!

I love my 610 it's the go to brush for days when I need to shave a lot of hair off. Really lifts the hair.

I've got a 620, myself. I prefer the natural look of the hairs on the 610 as opposed to the dyed ones on the 620, but I love the backbone on the 20. It's an amazing brush with incredible backbone, and what you say about the break in is true. That's sort of why I like them, though. It took a while to break mine in, but once I did it's nearly as soft as badger with way more backbone. I honestly don't have a desire to purchase any other brush.

I'm also an "embassador" of boar hair brushes, even though I own mostly badgers (simpson, shavemac, morris and forndran, among others), I think that boars are top performers that don't usually get full credited as badgers. You have to give them a chance, and most of the times, you won't be dissapointed.

Originally Posted by lakechuck

I've got a 620, myself. I prefer the natural look of the hairs on the 610 as opposed to the dyed ones on the 620, but I love the backbone on the 20. It's an amazing brush with incredible backbone, and what you say about the break in is true. That's sort of why I like them, though. It took a while to break mine in, but once I did it's nearly as soft as badger with way more backbone. I honestly don't have a desire to purchase any other brush.

I'm w/ Lakechuck. 'Love my 620. Sold my pure badger.