backbone?

[FireDragon76]

What exactly is the seeming obsession with the "backbone" of a brush about? Isn't that something that is mostly applicable to triple milled soaps?

I've used vintage badger brushes that are very floppy and they lather cream in a bowl just fine.

 

[musicman1951]

Backbone is generally much more important to people who face lather and prefer a stiff brush.

 

[Jim99]

Backbone in a brush is very important if you’re trying to whip up a lather form a soap.

 

[FireDragon76]

Backbone in a brush is very important if you’re trying to whip up a lather form a soap.

Boar and triple-milled soaps seem to go together well. I'm assuming most boars have "backbone"?

The few badgers I've tried don't seem to lather soap as well, they are floppier and glide around the top of the soap. All "pure badger", relatively inexpensive mass-market knots, just FWIW.

 

[naughtilus]

What exactly is the seeming obsession with the "backbone" of a brush about? Isn't that something that is mostly applicable to triple milled soaps?

I've used vintage badger brushes that are very floppy and they lather cream in a bowl just fine.

That is correct. Hard soaps and face lathering benefit from backbone. Considering most fellow members here face lather and like their triple milled soaps, backbone is in constant demand.

Boar and triple-milled soaps seem to go together well. I'm assuming most boars have "backbone"?

The few badgers I've tried don't seem to lather soap as well, they are floppier and glide around the top of the soap. All "pure badger", relatively inexpensive mass-market knots, just FWIW.

Boars have more backbone than badgers in general, but knot construction is also important. My Simpson Chubby 2 in Best Badger has more backbone than any of the Omega Pro boars I have.

 

[BigJ]

Backbone is generally much more important to people who face lather and prefer a stiff brush.

+1! Yes indeed!!

 

[ackvil]

For me, backbone makes loading any soap much easier.

 

[musicman1951]

I actually find too much backbone slows down the lather making process in a scuttle/bowl. Way too little backbone tends to produce a lather eater.

The SOC boar is a beast in the bowl, but I like the SOC badger for face lathering. Of course I can use the badger (or any brush) in the bowl, but it takes longer (and my tendonitis never appreciates that).

 

[FireDragon76]

For me, backbone makes loading any soap much easier.

Why not just use a boar brush, then?

 

[FireDragon76]

That is correct. Hard soaps and face lathering benefit from backbone. Considering most fellow members here face lather and like their triple milled soaps, backbone is in constant demand.



Boars have more backbone than badgers in general, but knot construction is also important. My Simpson Chubby 2 in Best Badger has more backbone than any of the Omega Pro boars I have.

The Omega Pro boar is ridiculously large. Any decent, inexpensive boar brush should be able to lather hard soap well, once it is broken in (the hairs split). And once broken in, the hairs are soft.

 

[naughtilus]

The Omega Pro boar is ridiculously large. Any decent, inexpensive boar brush should be able to lather well, once it is broken in (the hairs split).

Yup. If you're not a badger guy that's OK. Stick to what pleases you. A lot of guys here don't use badger brushes.

 

[ackvil]

Why not just use a boar brush, then?

I do have a number of boar brushes. However, I prefer the feel of badger and they give me just as much backbone to load soap.

 

[lasta]

Preferences. I face lather and I don't like Backbone.

Higher loft brushes splay easier and release lather more uniformly (less hogging).

Loading time is more affected by knot density than backbone itself.

 

[FireDragon76]

I actually find too much backbone slows down the lather making process in a scuttle/bowl. Way too little backbone tends to produce a lather eater.

The SOC boar is a beast in the bowl, but I like the SOC badger for face lathering. Of course I can use the badger (or any brush) in the bowl, but it takes longer (and my tendonitis never appreciates that).

Badger is naturally more pliable, and the hairs are finer, so unless you have a brush with lots of density, I don't see how a badger brush could have alot of backbone.

 

[fast shaver]

Backbone = hard to splay for me. I prefer brushes with less backbone.

 

[ackvil]

Badger is naturally more pliable, and the hairs are finer, so unless you have a brush with lots of density, I don't see how a badger brush could have alot of backbone.

Shavemac two band D01 brush has a lot of backbone, for example. For me there are degrees of backbone. For example, a Plisson Cade syn is dense but floppy and lacks any backbone. On the other hand a Duro knot, Muhle Silvertip Fibre, and Shavemac syn have some backbone.

 

[musicman1951]

Badger is naturally more pliable, and the hairs are finer, so unless you have a brush with lots of density, I don't see how a badger brush could have alot of backbone.

All badgers (or boars for that matter) don't have the same backbone. There are quite a few factors that alter backbone (density, length of hair, etc.).

As an example: my Kent BK8 is quite a huge brush with the softest tips imaginable. The SOC badger is about half the size with a great deal more backbone.

 

[FireDragon76]

So I'm guessing a brush like the Omega S-Brush would be considered to have alot of backbone? It doesn't splay easily at all. It reminds me of something you would use with shave soap or face lathering.

 

[fast shaver]

The Omega S-brush was the worst synthetic I ever bought. It was scratchy & hard to splay. I traded it for a Razorock brush. I don't know if the Omega Hi brush is any better but, I am not going to gamble on one.

 

[FireDragon76]

The Omega S-brush was the worst synthetic I ever bought. It was scratchy & hard to splay. I traded it for a Razorock brush. I don't know if the Omega Hi brush is any better but, I am not going to gamble on one.

The S-Brush does seem very dense compared to most boars I have used.

The Hi-Brush has a worse reputation. It's an older generation brush technology, and similar to the synthetics that were made a decade ago. Usable, but it's little better than just throwing a bone to vegans.

I have a really cheap Chinese synthetic that isn't so dense that seems to lather very well (price doesn't seem to equal performance?) Also, after heavy use, synthetic brushes will sometimes break in some, in my experience, and develop a breach (the fibers in the middle tend to develop a more corrugated shape). But you're going to put up with alot of lather flinging in the mean time.