I am a synthetic brush guy. I love them because they are easy to use, dry fast, and perform very well when it comes to wet shaving. I tried a good quality boar brush for hell of it because a lot of wet shavers do like boar brushes. For me, boar brushes suck mainly for 2 very important reasons. They are lather hogs and don't release the lather as easily as synthetic brushes (at least for me). The other reason why I don't like them is because of the hairs that are coming off the brush when loading/lathering and I especially hate it when you apply the lather on your face and you see a ton of boar hairs in the lather on your face. it really drives me nuts having to pick multiple boar hairs off my face. I was wondering if anyone else has had bad experiences with boar brushes and are now 100% strictly synthetic brush users?
boar brushes overrated?
- Thread starter jonwilson
- Start date
Did you break the brush in?
If you are seeing brush hairs in your lather or on your face, your brush is defective.
A well used Semogue boar is a pleasure to use.
A well used Semogue boar is a pleasure to use.
Sounds like my first boar brush, a VDH kit one. Took a while to break in, and about the time it was getting to be nice to use, the glue fell apart and it shed chunks.
I bought an inexpensive badger knot from Penn State Industries and the matching drill bit, and made a handle in the woodshop, only to find that it shed all the time too. It has finally quit shedding noticably, but it's not as full as it was.
I'm breaking in a better boar, but using it may have to wait until retirement, I don't seem to be able to remember to start it soaking before my shower and don't have time after.
A properly broken in boar brush is very nice, just takes some time to get there.
I bought an inexpensive badger knot from Penn State Industries and the matching drill bit, and made a handle in the woodshop, only to find that it shed all the time too. It has finally quit shedding noticably, but it's not as full as it was.
I'm breaking in a better boar, but using it may have to wait until retirement, I don't seem to be able to remember to start it soaking before my shower and don't have time after.
A properly broken in boar brush is very nice, just takes some time to get there.
Nope, not here.
I've never had a loose boar bristle on my face. I use Omega and Semogue mainly.
Sounds like you're judging all boars by your defective brush. Or do you have multiple lather-hogging shedders?
I'm sorry that you are experiencing this misery and anguish. Don't give up yet!
Sometimes I ask myself why I'm using a sub-$20 boar brush when I have all these lovely and expensive badgers.
It's because they work, putting nice lather on my face.
edit: Throw that wretched brush in the trash.
I have to agree with many other responses here since my boar brushes very rarely lose any hair.
A good broken in boar brush makes for a fabulous brush.
A good broken in boar brush makes for a fabulous brush.
I too had the Van der Hagen boar brush that @psfred mentioned and it shed hairs with every shave until I abandoned it. That being said I've owned 3 Omegas and a wee B&B anniversary boar brush since and I love them all.
I've owned off brand synthetic brushes that shed more than a brush should as well and have since parted ways with them. I'm certain there are lousy badger and horse hair brushes out in the world as well. I just haven't personally met any. I doubt what the bristles are made of or come from is the issue with a poorly made brush that sheds overly much.
I've owned off brand synthetic brushes that shed more than a brush should as well and have since parted ways with them. I'm certain there are lousy badger and horse hair brushes out in the world as well. I just haven't personally met any. I doubt what the bristles are made of or come from is the issue with a poorly made brush that sheds overly much.
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Not the ones I’m using.
The Blasphemy during DecemBOAR!
It’s mostly up to opinion, but I fail to entertain the idea that boar brushes are sub optimal as a whole.
I’m more partial to boar than anything else, don’t like the texture of badger it feels weird to me so I use synthetic and boar; they all have their benefits.
Overall though, it is difficult to not admit that synthetics are very good these days.
I’m more partial to boar than anything else, don’t like the texture of badger it feels weird to me so I use synthetic and boar; they all have their benefits.
Overall though, it is difficult to not admit that synthetics are very good these days.
By the description in the original post, no.
My current boar (the only brush I use) has probably between 2500 and 3000 shaves on it. Used almost every day for years, but I can't remember when I bought it.
Boars often act as lather hogs for a few weeks and then settle down. A great way to use up soaps you don't particularly like. They will also often shed hairs until the loose hairs in the knot are expelled. Once this has finished, the odd hair might get broken but it happens infrequently. The last time I noticed an errant hair during a shave was probably April, and I can't remember the time before.
I really like my current boar. So much so that I bought another one of the same type for when this one eventually fails.
As always, YMMV. Just because you tried something and didn’t like it doesn’t mean it’s overrated.
As others have pointed out, a boar has to be broken in. Also, a new boar shouldn’t be losing hair like that—it sounds like a defective knot and shouldn’t be considered representative of all boar brushes.
As others have pointed out, a boar has to be broken in. Also, a new boar shouldn’t be losing hair like that—it sounds like a defective knot and shouldn’t be considered representative of all boar brushes.
Which boar? Which synthetic?
If the boar was of good quality you got a defective brush (or you didn't soak it before each use) and you deserve a replacement from the vendor.
I have a boar brush I hate (OK, too strong - maybe dislike quite a bit). It stank for weeks and is too small and way to stiff for my liking. I also have a couple of SOC boars that are spectacular bowl brushes and an SOC TSN LE that is one of my favorite brushes in the world. I don't have "a" boar brush description. There is a whole world of boar brush variety.
I have a collection of $15ish synthetics (they all seem pretty similar), an EVO, STF and a Wald. I don't have "a" synthetic brush description.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with preferring synthetic over boar. People like what they like. I've got a pretty good collection of quality synthetics and prefer badger - and that SOC TSN LE boar. Some shavers use nothing but boar. It's all good. It's really not a contest. Each different brush category brings something a little different to the table and each shaver brings their personal preferences. I can't tolerate a scritchy brush, but that doesn't make it a bad brush - just bad for me.
Use what you like and enjoy, but do get a replacement for that defective boar - I would hate hairs in my soap and lather as well.
Agree on both counts.I’d just add “or your technique is not up to snuff” to the first sentence.
It is very unusual for me to find a broken boar bristle, but then again, I take care not to smash my shaving brushes.
Boar brushes are the minority in my den, but they have their uses, are cheap, and when properly broken in (bristles are split) they can be a pleasure to use. BTW, I have long given up soaking broken-in boar brushes for anything more than 30 seconds, once they are broken in and the bristles are split there is IMO little benefit from soaking.
I also noticed that Badger brushes seem to rule in northern countries, but around the Mediterranean boar brushes seem to be king.
B.
+1! Yes indeed!!
And if I had never ‘discovered’ badgers, I could be perfectly happy with the boar options!!
Boars do tend to require time to break-in and reach their full potential as great brushes. I have 3 Zenith boars which are all very good brushes and keep getting better with usage. I also have a DaniDom brush from Spain which would shed 12+ hairs per shave. I finally drilled the old knot out and replaced it with a new knot which is really taking a long time to break-in.
This shouldn't be happening. You may lose some hairs on the first 5 uses or so, but with proper soaking, I have managed to reduce the rate of hair loss on my boars to practically zero. Either you have a lemon or you are doing something wrong - either way it sounds like your brush is kaput. Time to get a new one and break it in thoroughly before deciding!
Apparently you joined B&B back in 2010. In those days, synthetic brushes were universally terrible, and only really became a viable option relatively recently. What did you use before then - badgers? If so, then you should have some idea about caring for natural hair brushes, which makes me further suspect you got a brush with some kind of manufacturing defect.
Usually, cheap, low-quality boar bristle brushes lose hair, but the same goes for cheap synthetic brushes.
Now I use a boar brush, Omega Proraso, broken in well and no longer sheds hair. At the beginning when I developed it, I saw that a few hairs fell out, but then this process stopped completely. Now it no longer loses hairs, the tips are separated and it has become very pleasant to use.
I also have a Muhle STF XL 25mm synthetic that has never seen a hair fall out of it.
I also just got Omega EVO 2.0. Considering that, this brush is also high end, I'm hoping it won't shed hairs either.
Now I use a boar brush, Omega Proraso, broken in well and no longer sheds hair. At the beginning when I developed it, I saw that a few hairs fell out, but then this process stopped completely. Now it no longer loses hairs, the tips are separated and it has become very pleasant to use.
I also have a Muhle STF XL 25mm synthetic that has never seen a hair fall out of it.
I also just got Omega EVO 2.0. Considering that, this brush is also high end, I'm hoping it won't shed hairs either.
Yes, boar brushes take two weeks or more to soften and break-in. Yes, they require a long soaking before each use. Yes, the use a ton of soap every day. Yes, they're likely shed hairs. And admittedly, I nearly always use synthetic brushes.
But a boar brush is sweet as a kiss.
But a boar brush is sweet as a kiss.
