Boar brushes and split ends -- the ultimate brush experience

[Rudy Vey]

I assumed it meant wild boar, of either sex, rather than the domesticated males also called boars, but I really don’t know.

I highly doubt that wild boar hair is used, there are so many domesticated pigs that get slaughtered on a daily basis, so hair is abundant (and so is bacon)..... When I was a kid, I was often helping in my spring or fall break at my cousin's hotel/restaurant when a few pigs were slaughtered; the hair was scraped off with a square bell-like looking tool after the pig's skin was scalded with hot water.

 

[Darth Scandalous]

In the paintbrush world it's referred to as hog bristle or China bristle, white or black, although occasionally with art brushes I've seen it called out as boar bristle. I also doubt that it's got anything to do with the sex of the animal; in older usage boar was a general term. There are a lot of names for pigs in English and other languages too for that matter.

 

[BigJ]

Without splitting hairs, or bristles in this case, how does someone know that the hair only comes from male pigs (i.e. boars), couldn't they also come from a female pig (i.e. sow)????

Good point!

 

[slimshavy]

I highly doubt that wild boar hair is used, there are so many domesticated pigs that get slaughtered on a daily basis, so hair is abundant (and so is bacon)..... When I was a kid, I was often helping in my spring or fall break at my cousin's hotel/restaurant when a few pigs were slaughtered; the hair was scraped off with a square bell-like looking tool after the pig's skin was scalded with hot water.

This makes sense. I always thought the hair in brushes looked kind of long for the pigs I've seen readied for slaughter, but I haven't run my hand through their hair to see! I wonder what part of the pig the hairs come from, or whether it's a particular breed, or whether they're just older and longer haired.

We need to set up a Badger & Blade field trip!

 

[Alum of Potash]

Without splitting hairs, or bristles in this case, how does someone know that the hair only comes from male pigs (i.e. boars), couldn't they also come from a female pig (i.e. sow)????

I suppose it's sort of like ordering coq au vin in the United States. Never as gamey as in France.

 

[huck1680]

Well, I have to admit my experiences with boar brushes has been a little all over the place. I have three Zenith boars and really like them, however my olive wood handle on one of the brushes developed a split only a few times into its usage. (I don't soak the brush up to the handle and I don't soak it for longer than a couple of minutes) Anyway I contacted the seller and he very graciously offered a replacement gift card that covered the brush and most of the shipping. I got another synthetic. My other boar is a DaniDom brush from Spain. At first I really liked it and attributed its shedding to the break-in period. Now I see that every time I use it there's up to a dozen bristles in the sink. None of the Zeniths lose their bristles like this. It got to the point where I epoxied the split in the olive wood Zenith and it seems to be doing ok. So I don't use the Spanish brush much if at all and the Zeniths are all working out very well.
Cheers