My favorite boar is my Connaught Jade, though my favorite natural bristle brush is my Semogue Mistura which combines the scrub of boar with some badger density. It's a fantastic brush for face lathering.
Boar brush recommendations please
- Thread starter DEgeezer
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100% agree. The Jade is not a beginner brush IMO though. They take forever to break in!
I’ve found some decent backbone amongst the various makers. Brushes seem to be growing in size and sometimes a shorter loft can contribute to that scrubby backbone feel. I really like the way boars can change and mellow over time. I’m with @Goblin, try a variety and then jump into Decemboar.
Brush can be simple as special for next to nothing off eBay, or sky is limit for special handle, with hair from special source costing big bucks.
Sort of like many things in life, run of the mill nothing special, or designer name in vogue demanding big bucks.
Smokey Bourbon, quit good, and pair with pricey Cigar good. It was special promo pricing, at local Cigar Bar so I said why not, it was great experience.
Sort of like many things in life, run of the mill nothing special, or designer name in vogue demanding big bucks.
Smokey Bourbon, quit good, and pair with pricey Cigar good. It was special promo pricing, at local Cigar Bar so I said why not, it was great experience.
the proraso pro is my favorite boar atm. excellent knot overall, softer than my 10066 that still has some scritch, but with more backbone. I like my zenith bleached too, great backbone, great face feel, but it does not hold enough lather for my 3 passes. it might be a lather hog unfortunately.
Would you consider a Semogue Torga C5 Mistura - 50/50 boar/2-band finest badger? Plenty of backbone. If you buy directly from the Portuguese Factory website, will not break the bank.
Somewhere I have a Semogue Owner's Club boar waiting for my Omega 10005 to wear out. It's been waiting about five years now. 
For the price you just can't beat the Omega 10005. Plus, available in almost any drugstore. Just lace up yer Keds and truck on down and grab one.
O.H.
For the price you just can't beat the Omega 10005. Plus, available in almost any drugstore. Just lace up yer Keds and truck on down and grab one.O.H.
I have limited experience with boar brushes. This is my second DecemBOAR. I thinned the herd and have settled on 4 Zenith boars. I have two "regular" knots: bleached, a unbleached and a Wenghe. None of them are totally broken-in, I don't think, but they still feel nice on my face. I did well over a dozen wet/dry cycles when I first received them but I think they'll make some progress this month.
You can see they don't have much splitting of the bristles yet. It will be fun to watch their progress this month.
You can see they don't have much splitting of the bristles yet. It will be fun to watch their progress this month.
For strong backbone you might also look at the TurnNShave boar knot (with no gel treatment), or the Maggard boar knot. I have both and I've found them to offer a lot of backbone and density compared to most other boars I've tried.
The Semogue 830 is a fantastic brush for face lathering. It costs around a very fair $25.
Cheers!
Cheers!
the Semogue are fantastic, I find 830 too soft... I'm happy with the Soc in first place being a 24 knot but also with 1250 which has a 22 knot and seems like a small soc or 820The Semogue 830 is a fantastic brush for face lathering. It costs around a very fair $25.
Cheers!
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Tried a lot of boars and my favourite is still the first one I ever got - the old Omega 48.
I think the size is great - work more surface area at a time, get more efficiency out of your lathering.
I think the size is great - work more surface area at a time, get more efficiency out of your lathering.
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I have tried many boar brushes made by Omega, Semogue and Zenith, including a Semogue in just about every boar knot and three SOC brushes - boar, 2-band finest badger and mistura.
I recently bought three Torga C5 brushes - boar, 2-band finest badger and mistura - and have concluded that maximus backbone can be found in a mistura. Even a stiff boar can get a bit of that wet rag feel. There is something special about the mistura - it has a softness yet retains lots of backbone when wet. I also prefer the shorter loft of the Torga C5 for face lathering.
Curious if anyone else shares my enthusiasm for the mistura and the Torga C5.
I recently bought three Torga C5 brushes - boar, 2-band finest badger and mistura - and have concluded that maximus backbone can be found in a mistura. Even a stiff boar can get a bit of that wet rag feel. There is something special about the mistura - it has a softness yet retains lots of backbone when wet. I also prefer the shorter loft of the Torga C5 for face lathering.
Curious if anyone else shares my enthusiasm for the mistura and the Torga C5.
I do, my dear friend. I have the three SOC you mentioned and love them. But, Mistura is my favorite brush among them all. I have one in Cherry and I'm waiting for another in Butterscoth. As you very well said, it combines the best of both worlds. After reading your post I think my next one will be a Mistura Torga C5.
Thank you very much!
I do, my dear friend. I have the three SOC you mentioned and love them. But, Mistura is my favorite brush among them all. I have one in Cherry and I'm waiting for another in Butterscoth. As you very well said, it combines the best of both worlds. After reading your post I think my next one will be a Mistura Torga C5.
Thank you very much!
I bought the first Torga C5 in premium boar because I was overwhelmed by the vast amount of premium boar in the SOC. I was intrigued by the photos of older, shorter Semogue brushes I had seen and bought the C5 on a whim. It was love at first use and the rest is history.
It is easy to theorize Mistura as the worst of both worlds but in practice the two different bristles work amazingly well together. I only wish that Semogue would make the Torga C5 line in cherry wood and butterscotch.
Exactly, my dear friend. It looks like they achieved a perfect balance in this brush. It is, indeed, a masterpiece.
What a wonderful idea the Torga C5 in Cherry and Butterscoth and even in Taj…they would look splendid!
Cheers!
I ended up with this combo that I'm pretty happy with:
- C5 Torga premium boar / Resin
- SOC Mistura / Cherry
- SOC Finest / Cherry
The C5 Torga boar is a 24mm x 50mm loft knot. It is very densely packed and took many shaves to fully break in (40+ shaves I'd guess). While it has gotten softer after break-in, it feels like a solid wall of boar. No floppy feeling with this one.
There is no need to soak in the fridge for three days and all that jazz. No boiling hot water. Just use it, would be the best plan. Soak 3/4 length of the bristles for 5-10 minutes before each use in a mug of warm water, let it dry out completely before the next use. People always seem to want to complicate things beyond what's necessary.
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- Thread starter
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Of all the much anticipated recommendations, I went with @NorthernSoul's recommendation of a Semogue Tonga C5. Received the little beauty today, and just finished using it for the first time. It's just what I was wanting, a small (24mm) boar, with lots of backbone.
Thanks again Clay.
Thanks again Clay.
how is the face feel? scrubby? any scritch?Of all the much anticipated recommendations, I went with @NorthernSoul's recommendation of a Semogue Tonga C5. Received the little beauty today, and just finished using it for the first time. It's just what I was wanting, a small (24mm) boar, with lots of backbone.
Thanks again Clay.
