tankerjohn
A little poofier than I prefer
Well, well, well... I'm heartened to hear ole' Joel saw the light and even found a couple boar brushes he likes. Welcome to The Brotherhood, Joel!
Boar VS Badger shaving brush
- Thread starter joel
- Start date
Well, just to show how off the OP is... Sorry for the slightly out of focus photos, but it will serve the purpose.
- Omega 80266: paid 5 EUR (this Omega has nothing to do with the "pro" Omegas. It's super soft, to the point i say it's ridiculous. It's smaller than the Pros, but, doesn't mean it doesn't make lather. The brush is not fully broken-in yet. Bought in early June and used it ever other shave until end of July (in August i used exclusively synthetic).
- Nivea sensitive cream (intentionally kept to almond size,maybe less), since it's a cheap cream and not even one that people rave about.
- I am a 6 month newb, not even a veteran.
360 degree splay, using the razor's weight (mind you, i am not one of those who swirl and splay the brush on their face. I use painting strokes, so the brush isn't "trainned" to splay):
Because i find it rather useless to compare brushes dry, since boars have soaking needs, but when you will use them, boars will be soaked. This brush, killed my curiosity to try badgers. Because, the "Pros" have a very pronounced backbone and stiffness, while this one is so soft, as to give you both experiences. And while staying below 10 EUR too.
After 3 passes, there was more lather left for at least another 2 passes, plus more in the bowl.
P.S.: The above was with cold water soak and lather.
- Omega 80266: paid 5 EUR (this Omega has nothing to do with the "pro" Omegas. It's super soft, to the point i say it's ridiculous. It's smaller than the Pros, but, doesn't mean it doesn't make lather. The brush is not fully broken-in yet. Bought in early June and used it ever other shave until end of July (in August i used exclusively synthetic).
- Nivea sensitive cream (intentionally kept to almond size,maybe less), since it's a cheap cream and not even one that people rave about.
- I am a 6 month newb, not even a veteran.
360 degree splay, using the razor's weight (mind you, i am not one of those who swirl and splay the brush on their face. I use painting strokes, so the brush isn't "trainned" to splay):
Because i find it rather useless to compare brushes dry, since boars have soaking needs, but when you will use them, boars will be soaked. This brush, killed my curiosity to try badgers. Because, the "Pros" have a very pronounced backbone and stiffness, while this one is so soft, as to give you both experiences. And while staying below 10 EUR too.
After 3 passes, there was more lather left for at least another 2 passes, plus more in the bowl.
P.S.: The above was with cold water soak and lather.
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I suspect the reason no one wants to seriously take on this comparison is that it's a bit of a non sequitur. The idea that "boar" represents only one style of brush - or that every badger is a lovely, soft experience - is simply not true.
I usually recommend a boar to beginners and people on a budget because you can get a truly excellent brush for quite a small amount of money. Want a stiff, scrubby brush? No problem. Want a big, soft-tipped brush? No problem.
If you prefer the decadence of extremely soft badger tips you're going to pay some serious money for a silvertip, and quite a large sum for an excellent silvertip.
Want a stiff, scrubby badger? No problem (although I admit the wisdom of this choice is beyond me).
Smell: my Omega was definitely funky, but both my Semogue SOC's had no funky smell at all.
I have a couple of very expensive badgers: the Kent BK8 has the big, soft, lovely tips you'd expect from a silvertip of that ilk, the B&B Essential 2 band is very stiff and definitely doesn't have pillow soft tips. The word "badger" after a brush name is just the start of a description - it really doesn't tell you a lot.
My favorite brush(s) from my collection are the two SOC's, but I also use a scuttle. While some people happily face lather with an SOC, it's a pretty big brush.
If you're short on experience and looking for a brush you want to offer specific likes: how big, how much backbone, how much scrub (if any) and how much money. You'll get lots of great suggestions with the proper input.
If you're shopping for your first brush and have no idea what you want, for crying out loud - don't get a $4 brush. Skip Starbucks for a couple of days and enter the land of the wealthy - get a boar that cost double digits. You'll have a decent brush that you can use for many years, and eventually you'll have specific questions for B&B as you start your inevitable collection of more brushes than anybody needs.
I usually recommend a boar to beginners and people on a budget because you can get a truly excellent brush for quite a small amount of money. Want a stiff, scrubby brush? No problem. Want a big, soft-tipped brush? No problem.
If you prefer the decadence of extremely soft badger tips you're going to pay some serious money for a silvertip, and quite a large sum for an excellent silvertip.
Want a stiff, scrubby badger? No problem (although I admit the wisdom of this choice is beyond me).
Smell: my Omega was definitely funky, but both my Semogue SOC's had no funky smell at all.
I have a couple of very expensive badgers: the Kent BK8 has the big, soft, lovely tips you'd expect from a silvertip of that ilk, the B&B Essential 2 band is very stiff and definitely doesn't have pillow soft tips. The word "badger" after a brush name is just the start of a description - it really doesn't tell you a lot.
My favorite brush(s) from my collection are the two SOC's, but I also use a scuttle. While some people happily face lather with an SOC, it's a pretty big brush.
If you're short on experience and looking for a brush you want to offer specific likes: how big, how much backbone, how much scrub (if any) and how much money. You'll get lots of great suggestions with the proper input.
If you're shopping for your first brush and have no idea what you want, for crying out loud - don't get a $4 brush. Skip Starbucks for a couple of days and enter the land of the wealthy - get a boar that cost double digits. You'll have a decent brush that you can use for many years, and eventually you'll have specific questions for B&B as you start your inevitable collection of more brushes than anybody needs.
I completely agree with you on the first part, but strongly disagree that great or even the best badger is super expensive. I can spend $55 on a Manchurian knot and get a cheaper handle to set the knot in. All said and done, I have the best badger experience possible for around $80. In my mind that increase over your typical semogue is not that unreasonable. It's only when you go and pay Kent, Simpsons, etc. tons of money for best grade hair that Badger really doesn't become worth it. Imo of course.
Slash McCoy
I freehand dog rockets
The best quality badgers whip the tar out of the best quality boars, yeah. But not to the degree that your big box store quality boar wusses out. A good boar is still a quite viable and usable brush, for many folks. And is cheaper, for the same quality level. I dislike boars very much but some I dislike more than others. A smallish, cheap boar that isn't even broken in, I dislike most of all. And mostly because of the dismal performance such as you demonstrate with your sample boar.
You should not have to replace even a cheap boar 4 times a year. I would be surprised to see one falling apart at less than a couple years old. Honestly, it should last as long or almost as long as a badger, all things equal.
Your test would have had more credibility if you had used a top of the line boar, or else a budget badger, and kept the size similar. Remembering of course that the different grades of badger hair vary considerably in their characteristics. A well broken in boar compares fairly well to the same size brush in Black Badger, or Pure Badger. It won't touch a Finest or Silvertip.
Guys who like a scritchy brush, or who use mostly very hard soaps, may well find that the boar is better for them. And of course there is the price.
You should not have to replace even a cheap boar 4 times a year. I would be surprised to see one falling apart at less than a couple years old. Honestly, it should last as long or almost as long as a badger, all things equal.
Your test would have had more credibility if you had used a top of the line boar, or else a budget badger, and kept the size similar. Remembering of course that the different grades of badger hair vary considerably in their characteristics. A well broken in boar compares fairly well to the same size brush in Black Badger, or Pure Badger. It won't touch a Finest or Silvertip.
Guys who like a scritchy brush, or who use mostly very hard soaps, may well find that the boar is better for them. And of course there is the price.
when it comes to smell, horse hair beats both badger and boar for general stank.
I think every beginner, should read more about the underestimated boar brushes. It's an eye opener. Ironically, the author, advises not to buy the "Burma brush", which is what the OP bought.
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Well, the name of this forum is not 'boar and blade' for a reason!
"...It is also very important to use the right shaving brush. Very often, people use the wrong brush. The right shave brush is made with bristle from the back of the pig. The most white bristle. The shave brush made with pig bristle is the only right one. Shave brushes made with other kinds of bristle, including badger, are not so stiff and resistant..." ~Franco Bompieri, Author, Proprietor, and Master Barber, Antica Barbieria Colla, Milan.
"The best badger experience possible" - you will no doubt admit - is a subjective thing. Many of us with sizable collections of badger brushes find that the $80 range provides a very nice brush, and the $130-140 range produces the best badger experience possible. But I'm certainly glad you found a brush you love.
You should note that a great many members count their pennies and the typical Semogue is probably around $20 (I just saw the SOC at $33). Many would argue that the jump from $20 - or even $33 - is a bridge too far. But my original point was that $33 buys you an outstanding, top of the line boar. Spending three times that amount will get you a very nice badger, but not the top of the line.
I couldn't disagree more. You see I own quite a few badgers: some in the $70-$80 range and a couple very close to $200 - and they sit on the shelf most days as I use one of my SOC boars.
I guess that gives me license to say the best quality boars whip the tar out of the best quality badgers - but I've been here too long for that. I realize that we all have different faces and different preferences. Enjoy your badgers - I know I enjoy mine on the rare occasion they get used.
Badger all the way!!! This is too easy!!!
Super/ Finest & SilverTip are in another league. I’m not going to talk about Black/Pure Badger as I feel they are of a much lower quality.
I have only one boar brush in my ShaveDen and only pulled it out today to see if I should actually keep it or PIF it.
It’s well broken in, split hairs and hooked hairs. I just don’t enjoy it.
Only reason I kept it is because it match’s my RED Set up I sometimes do. (Semogue 830).
I will show you a picture below of what I am talking about. I used my
Dr. John‘s soap below and loaded the hell out of it for about a minute and I figured I would have enough for three passes because I know how it eats lather 
but I had to go back to the tub every single pass. And I don’t really like the face feel either. 
But it is a good painter 
. And when you’re done and you go to dry it off on a towel the hair sheds crazy like porcupine needles 
. So most of the time I will just squeeze it and 
punch it on my palm to get the hairs to expand and open up. If that’s the type of quality you enjoy? Whatever floats your boat bro 
….. I’ll stick to my Badgers. 
I only have one synthetic as well. It was my first brush. 
The GBS Synthetic Tuxedo. A lot of people online will say in terms of quality it goes…Badger, Boar, Synthetic, than Horse. But over the years synthetic has really climbed the ladder 
so most ppl would definitely say it goes Badger, Synthetic, Horse, than boar.
I also won’t be surprised
if people put synthetic over badger, They have Great softness and backbone and you don’t have to dry it out or require much maintenance 
Super/ Finest & SilverTip are in another league. I’m not going to talk about Black/Pure Badger as I feel they are of a much lower quality.
I have only one boar brush in my ShaveDen and only pulled it out today to see if I should actually keep it or PIF it.
It’s well broken in, split hairs and hooked hairs. I just don’t enjoy it.
Only reason I kept it is because it match’s my RED Set up I sometimes do. (Semogue 830).I will show you a picture below of what I am talking about. I used my
Dr. John‘s soap below and loaded the hell out of it for about a minute and I figured I would have enough for three passes because I know how it eats lather but I had to go back to the tub every single pass. And I don’t really like the face feel either. But it is a good painter . And when you’re done and you go to dry it off on a towel the hair sheds crazy like porcupine needles . So most of the time I will just squeeze it and punch it on my palm to get the hairs to expand and open up. If that’s the type of quality you enjoy? Whatever floats your boat bro ….. I’ll stick to my Badgers. I only have one synthetic as well. It was my first brush. The GBS Synthetic Tuxedo. A lot of people online will say in terms of quality it goes…Badger, Boar, Synthetic, than Horse. But over the years synthetic has really climbed the ladder so most ppl would definitely say it goes Badger, Synthetic, Horse, than boar.I also won’t be surprised
if people put synthetic over badger, They have Great softness and backbone and you don’t have to dry it out or require much maintenance
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Yeah I totally agree with you as well. You can get a Yaqi, DS Cosmetics, or some other brand for around $30-$50.
The Yaqi and Polor Shaving ones are both Manchurian. And white one is a super high density knot. I got it from the YouTuber “KenSurfs”
. It originally had a black badger in it, and I refuse to even try them so I took it out and put this SHD knot in I found on eBay for $40 or $45. Attachments
knot from ShaveMac and Love how you can unscrew the knot from the Muhle Stainless. But I’m not sure if you can get any aftermarket knots that would fit. I got it from the Muhle website. 
Here is my Heritage collection, not sure which grade this one is. But I wouldn’t be surprised if it was Manchurian as well.
And the one on the left is one of my favorite brushes right here. It was one of the first badgers I ever got. And I got it for free helping a lady sell her husbands WetShaving stuff online.
I think it’s a SilverTip. Feels like one.
And I just love the color and the size of it
Has that vintage feel to it. Even though the other one is a direct copy of the vintage
And the one on the left is one of my favorite brushes right here. It was one of the first badgers I ever got. And I got it for free helping a lady sell her husbands WetShaving stuff online.
I think it’s a SilverTip. Feels like one.
And I just love the color and the size of it
Has that vintage feel to it. Even though the other one is a direct copy of the vintage
I'm going to put a reminder in my calendar to resurrect this thread again in 6 years.
I think I do like boar a little better, but if I use a badger it's almost always pure/black badger. I like them better than two band or best.
