Considering First Boar Brush. Advice Needed.

[Nick Danger]

Current brush (I have only one):

T&H Silvertip - Style 1 Medium
Overall brush height: 97mm
Handle height: 48mm
Brush Loft: 49mm
Knot diameter: 24mm

Reason for thinking about a boar brush:
I've used only creams until now, and I've been reading suggestions that a boar brush may work better for soap lathering.

My lathering style:
Bowl lathering only. I do not face lather and do not foresee ever doing so. My skin is far too sensitive for that much contact with the brush and I try to minimize that amount of time the lather spends on my face.

Softness (this is important):
I prefer really soft bristles. As little scritch as possible. With badger brushes, a cheap pure badger brush really irritated my face, which is why I moved to a silvertip. I don't want a lot of scrub either. I'm looking for minimum exfoliation from my brush. I just want good lather and a soft brush that feels comfortable to my sensitive skin. Is this going to be an impossible requirement for a boar brush?

Density:
Unsure. My 24mm knot in my silvertip is excellent, but I'm not sure that a 22mm or similar in boar wouldn't work just as well for me.

Loft:
My bowl is 2" deep, so I guess I want enough loft to minimize the handle clanking against the sides.

Style:
Not that picky about the color of the handle. I'm unsure about how wood handles last over time, and if they are likely to swell or crack from the wetting and drying, but I'm open to any handle material that gets strong recommendations.

Backbone:
I need a brush with enough backbone for lathering tallow soaps like Mike's and Mystic Waters. The backbone of my silvertip is actually pretty good, but I've been told that a boar brush with more backbone will be better-suited for lathering those kind of soaps.

Current candidates:
I just start thinking about a boar brush today, so I haven't done much research. Obviously, I'm considering the official B&B brush, since it gets the endorsement of the experts here. I've also been looking at Semogue brushes at BullGoose. I have no problem with a used brush if it means someone else has taken the trouble of breaking in the brush for me.

Question:
Are there different qualities of boar hair, as with badger? For example, is the Semogue 830 pure bristle brush lower quality or scritchier than the Semogue Owners Club, which the site say has "Semogue premium quality bristles"?

Sorry for the long post, but I wanted to provide enough information to help you guys determine the right recommendations for me.

Nick

 

[musicman1951]

I usually use a badger. The B&B Essential was my first boar. If you are only going to bowl lather I believe you can do soaps nicely with your badger, but others who regularly use soap can chime in on that.

I spent the first couple of weeks breaking in the boar on my palm with left over lather at the end of my shave. It works much better after you break it in, but it is not as soft as my badger. I've read that the SOC is a soft boar - and it's a very pretty brush.

If the only reason you're shopping is to bowl lather soap I suggest you get some soap and try it for a while with your badger.

 

[mdevine]

There are definitely differences in boar hair quality. For bowl lathering, the SOC is probably your best bet. It has enough backbone to handle any soap, but has very soft tips. The handle and loft are long enough to excel at bowl lathering. The only downside is the several weeks required for the brush to fully break in.

Mike

 

[Mick]

If you want to bowl lather with a boar get one with a lot of loft.

Maybe before getting another brush why not have a go with some shave sticks and your current brush.

You might be very surprised just how well most brushes work with a shave stick.

If you like Tabac, it comes in a shave stick and lathers like the gods are smiling down on your shave den.

 

[stryker4526]

SOC boar, 1305.
Once they're broken in they're plenty soft, and I use my SOC for bowl-lathering all the time.

 

[Nick Danger]

Maybe before getting another brush why not have a go with some shave sticks and your current brush.

I can only use unscented soaps and creams (the one exception being Nancy Boy Replenishing cream) because of my extra-sensitive skin.

Are there any unscented shave sticks? My understanding was that they all had some kind of scent.

I'm still not 100% convinced that a boar brush will be that much better for bowl lathering a soap than my silvertip, but it's not a huge investment and I'm willing to give it a try.

Nick

 

[xillion]

B&B Essential Boar or a broken in Semogue Owners Club.

 

[xillion]

Are there any unscented shave sticks?

Kell's offer their unscented soap in stick form.

http://kellsoriginal.com/Kells-Original-Shave-Stick-4-XXX.htm

 

[Nick Danger]

B&B Essential Boar or a broken in Semogue Owners Club.

Looks like I'll have to post a WTB on B/S/T, since the B&B boar is out of stock and I do like the idea of buying a broken in SOC.

Thanks for the link to Kell's for unscented shaving sticks. Might give one of those a try, sooner or later. Right now, I'm trying to master Mike's and Mystic Waters. I really like the ingredients in both of those soaps, and that's why I've been considering a different brush to see if I could get better results.

Nick

 

[Graybeard57]

Mine is an Omega '49. Soaps I use are Mama Bear's, Mike's, and Queen Charlotte's. I get great lather from them all.

 

[Niles]

As others have said, I think an SOC would be a good one for you.

 

[Texas]

I love my SOC.
Once you have it ( or any other boar ) hand lather a lot to break it in. Once broken in, the tips are very soft.
Allow 48 hours between uses so that it completely dries. My badgers are dry in 24 hours. But my boars are still damp...in the knot,,, after 24 hours, so i let them dry for 48 hours.

 

[Tannhauser]

I'll add a vote for the SOC. I just got mine yesterday, and it already feels soft on my face. I can make a great bowl lather using the loading method Marco describes in his how to lather soft soap post.

 

[Doc4]

Looks like I'll have to post a WTB on B/S/T, since the B&B boar is out of stock

... it won't be for long.

 

[Oscroft]

Softness (this is important):
I prefer really soft bristles. As little scritch as possible. With badger brushes, a cheap pure badger brush really irritated my face, which is why I moved to a silvertip. I don't want a lot of scrub either. I'm looking for minimum exfoliation from my brush. I just want good lather and a soft brush that feels comfortable to my sensitive skin. Is this going to be an impossible requirement for a boar brush?

Much as I'm a big fan of Semogue boars brushes, I'm going to suggest you might be disappointed in them. While the tips do become soft when they're broken in, boar brushes still tend to have a lot more backbone and firmness than a silvertip badger - you don't get that same "soft cloud of luxury" feeling on your face that a good silvertip gives you. And assuming your T&H silvertip is made by Rooney, you have one of the best silvertips out there, IMO.

I love my 1305 and my SOC boar, but when I want that luxurious softness, I reach for a silvertip.

Having said all that, you won't have much to lose by trying a boar, because they're relatively cheap - especially if you go for a 1305, which breaks in faster than a SOC.

 

[Galhatz]

After reading this review:
http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php/295523-Omega-11137-vs-Semogue-Owners-Club
I bought the 11137. Now I got the itch to buy boar brushes. I already got the B&B essential. Both are great.
I think my next one would be either the SOC or 620 or both...
Anyway, for $15 shipped from the UK, the 11137 is an excellent introduction to boar brushes.

 

[Ducati Scotty]

I've got a B&B brush you can buy. Awesome brush but the handle just doesn't work for me, I've got some repetitive strain injuries in my hands. I lathered it up maybe 12 times, used it 3. Gently used, mostly defunked. $15 if you're in th US and I can mail it you easily. Otherwise it goes to the BST.

Scott

 

[Monsieur Blaireau]

I sold my SOC boar, and I hope its new owner loves it. Many do. I did not. It was soft, but so is overcooked pasta. Different faces get different mileage, of course. But for me, the keeper boars have been the Omega 10005 and the Pro 49. The 10005 has some scritch to it, and I don't think it would work for what you've outlined as your requirements. But I think the Pro 49 is more brush than the SOC boar, and might be just what you're after. And it's a lot less expensive than the SOC. And you can get it with a red handle. A big red handle. I like the red handle.

I've tried the Kell's too, and it's very good soap. The ultra aloe blend is probably the most moisturizing and sensitive skin friendly of their formulations, and definitely worth trying. I'm surprised it doesn't get more forum love, in fact.

 

[lt114]

Soc

 

[stryker4526]

I sold my SOC boar, and I hope its new owner loves it. Many do. I did not. It was soft, but so is overcooked pasta. Different faces get different mileage, of course. But for me, the keeper boars have been the Omega 10005 and the Pro 49. The 10005 has some scritch to it, and I don't think it would work for what you've outlined as your requirements. But I think the Pro 49 is more brush than the SOC boar, and might be just what you're after. And it's a lot less expensive than the SOC. And you can get it with a red handle. A big red handle. I like the red handle.

I've tried the Kell's too, and it's very good soap. The ultra aloe blend is probably the most moisturizing and sensitive skin friendly of their formulations, and definitely worth trying. I'm surprised it doesn't get more forum love, in fact.

The pro 49 over the SOC? You MUST be crazy.