Thread: Making lather: Mama Bears Soap

Originally Posted by AxelH

BIG +1 on the badger's superiority over a stinkin' boar. Here's where I am on that issue: boar's inferiority requires bowl lathering, with multiple loadings of the brush into the bowl for enough lather to last multiple passes. So for this face latherer of an OP I say go for badger! I haven't had any large boars but the mediumish one I have seems to have a solid enough knot, it's nothing compared to my cheapo tweezerman badger brush! Major loading of the brush and obviously generates a hell of a lot more quality glycerin-soap lather with just one loading (I'm a bowl latherer but if I were face lathering I would also prefer using a badger!!!).

Ditch the boar and go for a badger.

I've had no such problems with boar. They do take a while to break in, but are considered by many devout face-latherers to be superior to badger. I can easily get three passes from a medium size Semogue or Omega boar brush. I wouldn't completely throw boar out like that after one try. Everybody has different methods and what works for some may not work for others.

In general, I have not had good luck with glycerin based soaps. For me they don't hold up and cushion as well, but I've only had a couple to compare.

Originally Posted by wrxguyusa

I've had no such problems with boar. They do take a while to break in, but are considered by many devout face-latherers to be superior to badger. I can easily get three passes from a medium size Semogue or Omega boar brush. I wouldn't completely throw boar out like that after one try.

I didn't have one try. an entry-level boar, about the same size as the tweezerman it is compared to. Same price range, too, so it was cheap. I used it for several years, and it functioned fine for my first few soaps, in a smaller lather bowl. I used it successfully with J.B. Williams and a Weishi DE. No problems. But when it comes to making a real lather, especially the kind of thickness needed for someone taking their time with a str8, or especially a beginner with a str8, going with the equivalently priced badger was a no-brain, hands-down winner. Total domination.

Originally Posted by wrxguyusa

Everybody has different methods and what works for some may not work for others.

And I've had only two brushes for my comparison, but they're both entry-level price and quality yet one is infinitely superior for both creams and soaps (soft and hard). It makes a hell of a lot more lather and of course more passes are hidden in the brush. I used to casually whip up another pass or two in lather with the older setup (boar) because of the combination of boar and smaller lathering bowl. It was fine, for what I was doing.

Excellent advice on the peaks, I was experimenting with getting more glide and I lost sight of cushion. Now I'm using stiffer lathers and getting good cushion with MB. I was also getting additional dilution of product from a rinsed face between passes, I'm probably more of a re-lather without washing kind of guy.

Originally Posted by AxelH

I didn't have one try. an entry-level boar, about the same size as the tweezerman it is compared to. Same price range, too, so it was cheap. I used it for several years, and it functioned fine for my first few soaps, in a smaller lather bowl. I used it successfully with J.B. Williams and a Weishi DE. No problems. But when it comes to making a real lather, especially the kind of thickness needed for someone taking their time with a str8, or especially a beginner with a str8, going with the equivalently priced badger was a no-brain, hands-down winner. Total domination.



And I've had only two brushes for my comparison, but they're both entry-level price and quality yet one is infinitely superior for both creams and soaps (soft and hard). It makes a hell of a lot more lather and of course more passes are hidden in the brush. I used to casually whip up another pass or two in lather with the older setup (boar) because of the combination of boar and smaller lathering bowl. It was fine, for what I was doing.

Excellent advice on the peaks, I was experimenting with getting more glide and I lost sight of cushion. Now I'm using stiffer lathers and getting good cushion with MB. I was also getting additional dilution of product from a rinsed face between passes, I'm probably more of a re-lather without washing kind of guy.

I don't see why it is so offensive that I suggest some boar brushes are good. I don't doubt your experience. I am just trying to offer an alternative viewpoint from someone who does like boar. You used one poor quality boar brush (VDH, I would guess) to assess that all boar is not any good. Regardless of how long you used it, that is not conclusive. Brushes of all types vary widely by the grade of hair used, knot, loft, etc. I'm glad you found what you are happy with in your badger brush. I am happy with boar and if you took the time to search, you'll find lots of positive reviews for boar brushes.

Originally Posted by wrxguyusa

I don't see why it is so offensive that I suggest some boar brushes are good. I don't doubt your experience. I am just trying to offer an alternative viewpoint from someone who does like boar. You used one poor quality boar brush (VDH, I would guess) to assess that all boar is not any good. Regardless of how long you used it, that is not conclusive. Brushes of all types vary widely by the grade of hair used, knot, loft, etc. I'm glad you found what you are happy with in your badger brush. I am happy with boar and if you took the time to search, you'll find lots of positive reviews for boar brushes.

Sometimes it is hard to read peoples reactions and tone when only typing on a screen to one another. I agree with your comment totally, but also agree with axel. Words have to be chosen very wisely when speaking over the inernet or through any messaging for that matter

Originally Posted by wrxguyusa

I don't see why it is so offensive that I suggest some boar brushes are good. I don't doubt your experience. I am just trying to offer an alternative viewpoint from someone who does like boar. You used one poor quality boar brush (VDH, I would guess) to assess that all boar is not any good. Regardless of how long you used it, that is not conclusive. Brushes of all types vary widely by the grade of hair used, knot, loft, etc. I'm glad you found what you are happy with in your badger brush. I am happy with boar and if you took the time to search, you'll find lots of positive reviews for boar brushes.

I'm not offended at the suggestion that some boar brushes are good. I am offended that someone suggests I only gave my boar one try. I also find the suggestion that I used a poor quality brush (such as your specified VDH) as the unfair comparison to be unfair. Your opinions of my opinions of boar brushes are inconclusive. I actually have a second boar brush of equivalent size to the one I used for several years purchased at an antique show that also pales in comparison to the lathering qualities of my Tweezerman. I hope this post isn't edited out of the discussion because I feel your off-topic tangent to be unfair towards me.

Another eye-opener: this boar vs. badger OT debate doesn't even address the OP's quandry. Ryan82 is on the scene so I'm not too worried. You're making more inaccuracies, wrxguyusa, and they are unproductive for this discussion thread. In real life I'd just try to load up the OP's boar with sufficient MB soap, explain the difference from another mammal hair brush, then proceed to show my preferred method of reloading more soap into the brush to make enough lather for a longer shave. This kind of discussion is very difficult because it really needs to be seen, not written text read. And talking about boar vs. badger and theorizing other people's brushes and how many times they used them does nothing for this discussion.

I hope there's no problem with using a bowl over face lathering. Because making a bunch of extra lather in a bowl seems like a really good idea when it comes to the length of time during new forays into open razor shaving. And that exploration doesn't benefit from the bowl vs. face lathering debate.