I have six badger brushes in my rotation (I tend to favor my Rooney 3/1 and my Shavemac 31 in silvertip and big old floppy jumbo EJ for creams) but I have decided to make July Boar brush month and have been using only a newly acquired Omega Professional Boar Brush ($9 from West Coast Shaving) and I am really enjoying it. I have been using it with creams - Proraso green, TOBS lavander, Musgo, as well as soaps - MWF and Provance Sante and I am getting better with each shave at making a nice rich foam. Initially the set up is a bit different - the brush does not hold water as well as a badger brush but once the whippin' begins, it works great. I especially enjoy the big handle. It seems that the bristles are softening a bit as well.
A Month of Boar
- Thread starter Silky Glide
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I have the same Omega from WCS and it is wonderful. I've taken to using it on Fridays (Friday Grandpa Shave), Saturdays and on trips. Now that I've had it for a while, I find that it face-lathers very well. My other brush is a Rooney 1/2 Super. I may never buy another (especially if my wife has anything to do with it!)
During this whole shaving experience I have been trying to find the perfect brush. I think my perfect brush may in fact be a qualiy boar brush. I have several badger brushes that I like, but only one boar. It seems just so perfect. I have been toying with the idea of getting some more boars to play with. Enjoy yours.
It should be a good month. I have shaved with a boar brush for over 35years....I had to find this place to realize badger existed
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Since I began wetshaving I thought boar brushes were inferior to badger - a poor man's substitute, but how misinformed I was!
My Omega has softened up nice and I bought a couple of small boar brushes from Books on this site - a small faux ivory Vulfix and a small wooden handled Kent. Both soften up nice and make a nice lather - the only thing is the size - they are pretty tiny and with soaps only make enough lather for two passes (I normally need three). But I am trying different things - using creams - with a dab of Proraso in a dirty bird lathering bowl (with the raised groves inside) I got more than three passes. I am going to try face lathering with a shave stick this weekend to see how that works out (I can always reapply more soap).
The thing I like most about the Omega boar brush (besides the fact that is it a bargain) is that the bristles (and I am not even sure if they are actully from a boar - I think they may come off a big old hog) are really long yet they have a nice stiffness to them for when using soaps. Any badger brushes with hairs as long as the Omega Professional models would be so floppy it would be hard to get them loaded for face lathering. I also like the big handle - you can get a nice grip while you are swirling it around while face lathering.
If you think like I did - that boar was for folks that could not afford the real thing, you should check out a boar brush. Cheap? sure but once you get the hang of it, just as nice, if not better as a badger costing 10 times as much.
My Omega has softened up nice and I bought a couple of small boar brushes from Books on this site - a small faux ivory Vulfix and a small wooden handled Kent. Both soften up nice and make a nice lather - the only thing is the size - they are pretty tiny and with soaps only make enough lather for two passes (I normally need three). But I am trying different things - using creams - with a dab of Proraso in a dirty bird lathering bowl (with the raised groves inside) I got more than three passes. I am going to try face lathering with a shave stick this weekend to see how that works out (I can always reapply more soap).
The thing I like most about the Omega boar brush (besides the fact that is it a bargain) is that the bristles (and I am not even sure if they are actully from a boar - I think they may come off a big old hog) are really long yet they have a nice stiffness to them for when using soaps. Any badger brushes with hairs as long as the Omega Professional models would be so floppy it would be hard to get them loaded for face lathering. I also like the big handle - you can get a nice grip while you are swirling it around while face lathering.
If you think like I did - that boar was for folks that could not afford the real thing, you should check out a boar brush. Cheap? sure but once you get the hang of it, just as nice, if not better as a badger costing 10 times as much.
Count me in. I started using my Tweezerman again this month, after 4-5 months with my Rooney 3,1.
So far, it has performed better with everything: soaps (tallow, glycerine, and "other") and creams.
I'll probably look into getting an Omega or a Vulfix. Not because of any issues with the Tweezerman (I really do like it just as it is), but eventually the knot will become unglued.
So far, it has performed better with everything: soaps (tallow, glycerine, and "other") and creams.
I'll probably look into getting an Omega or a Vulfix. Not because of any issues with the Tweezerman (I really do like it just as it is), but eventually the knot will become unglued.
I also have an Omega Professional and it works great with both soaps and creams.
Count me in also.
Count me in also.
Ssshh , will you keep silent please!!
Nobody will be gratefull when you are revealing the biggest brush secret on the planet.
And besides badger lovers won't believe you anyway...
But I have to admit you are 100% right; boars are different to badgers but in itself certainly not less.
I actually like the prickly feel of boar hairs. It's my first and only one. I just got into the wet-shaving. I might want to try badger hair brushes in the future. I agree that they don't retain water as well and I'm having trouble whipping up a nice lather - hopefully, I'll get the hang of it.
After a couple of weeks of use the tips of the hairs will split and it will be much better and much softer.
Just be a little patient....
I regularly use the cheapest boar brush, a $4 Burma Shave with a plastic handle, and I enjoy it very much. I use my Savile Row 3226 (finest silvertip, 26 mm) about half the time and the Burma the rest of the time. My other badger brushes mostly stay in the cabinet.
Tim
Tim
I also just got into wetshaving. I bought an Omega from WCS as well and enjoy it. I love the big handle too and the stiffness of the hairs; it feels good on my face. I'm excited to break in the brush but wish I didn't have to be patient.
My stable is 100% boar an Omega, an Every Ready and a Magna. I must confess though I have been eyeballing the Tweezerman brush quite frequently but all of my boar bristle brushes are great performers.
Just a note, though I'm sure you guys may have known this, the Tweezerman is badger hair.
This will be one week that is super easy for me to participate in since I only have a boar brush (a VDH at the moment, but will upgrade to an Omega sometime). I've only used boar brushes since I started using mug and soap in the early 1990's. They work and I like them so I've never bothered trying anything else.
Great post. More often than not, I like to use boar only for soap, and badger for creams. I find that I use cream more often but nothing whips up a nice spread of lather on a puck quite like boar.
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Every month is boar month for me. Bought an Omega and haven't looked back. 
OldSaw
The wife's investment
I am also getting good results with the Omega.
+1 that is how I did it too but these days I hardly ever use creams anymore so my badgers get little use now.
same here. 3226 and omega. both are really, really nice brushes which is a HUGE compliment to the omega given the price difference of $130 or so.
i'd like to find another boar with similar bristles but with a nicer, heftier handle.
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