I got home yesterday and opened up my penworks box. My new 24mm pure badger showed up. I washed it with hot water, shook dry, fluffed it, and hung it to dry. This morning I got up for my first shave with a real badger brush. Previous shaves were accomplished with the VDH boar. I started my prep and got to mixing my Proraso up. It was very difficult it seemed. With the boar brush it whips up in no time. With the badger I did not get near the amount of lather i normally do. I did everything the same let the brush sit in hot water for a while. After i soaked the brush i squeezed it and shook it 2-3 times. Apply a small amount of Proraso on the top and start mixing. The amount of lather was decent in texture and application. But, for each pass I had to re stir and mix to get more lather. Is it that big a difference between boar and badger. Please help I want to enjoy this brush. It felt really nice. Also, the brush just folded over after whatever i did. Not drooping, but when wet and or lathered if i wiped it right it stayed just like that. No bounce back or stiffness, is that how it should be?
Boar to Badger, HELP
- Thread starter 6Jetwrangler
- Start date
I am more into boars than into badgers but there might be several things; I don't know what badger you bought but most of the cheaper ones have a lack of density and backbone most of all compared to boar.
The brush might still be too wet, so try it with a drier brush next time; adding water is always an option but getting it out...
Try on and get to know your brush; in the end any brush can make a lather.
The brush might still be too wet, so try it with a drier brush next time; adding water is always an option but getting it out...
Try on and get to know your brush; in the end any brush can make a lather.
Need a little more info. Face or bowl lathering? Proraso creme or tub?
Badger brushes absorb more water so your water balance will be off if you used the same ratio. Also, instead of using new equipment the first time when you shave, spend a little time getting to know your new things by making "practice" runs.
Lastly, I get the best lather from my pure and best badger brushes, not the high grade brushes - but the higher grades are much nicer for applying (bowl latherer).
Badger brushes absorb more water so your water balance will be off if you used the same ratio. Also, instead of using new equipment the first time when you shave, spend a little time getting to know your new things by making "practice" runs.
Lastly, I get the best lather from my pure and best badger brushes, not the high grade brushes - but the higher grades are much nicer for applying (bowl latherer).
- Thread starter
- #4
Bowl lather, Proraso tube.
I think that must be it, I had to much water in the brush. The boar I can get nice peaks of lather. The badger was nothing of the sort. The bowl I use is the VDH starter kit one. It's pretty small, so its hard to really throw the lather and brush around. That was my other thought, this brush is bigger and I have something small to mix in. Would that hinder me? Thanks for the help more is welcomed.
I think that must be it, I had to much water in the brush. The boar I can get nice peaks of lather. The badger was nothing of the sort. The bowl I use is the VDH starter kit one. It's pretty small, so its hard to really throw the lather and brush around. That was my other thought, this brush is bigger and I have something small to mix in. Would that hinder me? Thanks for the help more is welcomed.
You might try a bigger bowl but a cream with too much water is even worse (=harder to correct) than a soap that is too wet. Too big a bowl isn't helping either btw, you best start with the water issue IMHO.
While the brush being too wet, certainly could be the culprit, I want to offer a different suggestion:
A 24mm brush is significantly bigger than a VDH Boar brush. As such, if you use the same amount of cream, much of it might just be "swallowed up" by the brush. Bigger brushes can be lather hogs.
You might want to try using more product, if you find that cutting down on the amount of water doesn't help.
A 24mm brush is significantly bigger than a VDH Boar brush. As such, if you use the same amount of cream, much of it might just be "swallowed up" by the brush. Bigger brushes can be lather hogs.
You might want to try using more product, if you find that cutting down on the amount of water doesn't help.
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Agreed 100%; badgers tend to 'eat' substantially more from your lather. It might be the combination; too much water and not enough product.
- Thread starter
- #8
John,
That's what I ended up doing this morning. Just added another dabb of Proraso and started mixing again half way through the shave. It was just not cooperating at all. Adding some more helped but was still difficult to mix. Just not thick, rich, and lofty. I think the brush was just super wet. I treated it like a boar and it showed me it wasnt.
That's what I ended up doing this morning. Just added another dabb of Proraso and started mixing again half way through the shave. It was just not cooperating at all. Adding some more helped but was still difficult to mix. Just not thick, rich, and lofty. I think the brush was just super wet. I treated it like a boar and it showed me it wasnt.
I would try a face lather too. That is a very big brush for such a small bowl. it would seem that it would nearly fill that little bowl leaving no room to maneuver.
Grab a larger bowl and try it too if you must proceed with bowl lathering.
Compared to your VDH you likely have 2-3 times greater the size....so a major difference in water.
Grab a larger bowl and try it too if you must proceed with bowl lathering.
Compared to your VDH you likely have 2-3 times greater the size....so a major difference in water.
