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🐗 🐖 🐷 🐽 DecemBOAR 2021 - Only boar brushes… for all of December! 🐗 🐖 🐷 🐽

Dec 3 shave was my second in Dec. first one was technically not with boar but boar synthetic Omega S-Brush. Excellent Shave with Muhle Rocca and Lab Blues (5).

Today’s shave was with Omega Midget Boar I just received. Now that’s what I’m talking about!!!! Love the dense shorter loft and the scrub of this. Hope to find more brushes like this!!! Fatip Lo Storto open comb, Italian Barber blue puck soap. Lab blues (6).
 

Messygoon

Abandoned By Gypsies.
Razor: Muhle R95 Rocca, Timeless Aluminum scalloped head
Blade: Astra Superior Stainless (1)
Brush: Zenith aluminum boar, 27mm
Soap: Pre de Provence No. 63
Aftershave: Pre de Provence
Growth: 24 hours
Passes: WTG, ATG, cleanup
Rating: 9/10

“Nary” is a beautiful, under appreciated word.

There is nary a more beautiful razor on the planet than this Frankenrazor. As I acquired via eBay, the provenance is lost. So I can only assume the previous owner summoned the spirits of John Muir, Ansel Adams and Charles Lindbergh, and this was the result. The Art Deco design and birch bark handle make it aesthetically stunning, aluminum makes it light as a feather, and the Timeless head makes it forgiving.

I have had better results, but nary more pleasure than today’s shave.

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I might have to eat my words about this brush. I think it's finally going to give it up and break in. No idea how long I messed around with this knot. It's had many 3 day stints in the fridge, hand lathered daily for days on end. I've had this thing for quite a while (years) and this is the first decent shave with it.
 
I'm in, apparently. I did not intend to be, but as December approached, my shave world narrowed without any plan on my part.

I am drawn to shave only with my favorite soap for a long time, to get to know it really well.

During a bout of flu, I was very awkward, and dinged two of my beloved Iwasakis on the faucet. You can see the dings at the toe in the picture. I noticed that they still shave fine, with the occasional hair-grab when using the toe, and I decided that instead of doing my usual thing of honing out the dings, I would shave with them every day for a long time, and hone them on different finishers after each shave, rather than waste all that metal by turning it into swarf on a low-grit stone.

And I found myself using my two boar brushes every day, qualifying me for this thread. So it looks like I'm in, just because this thread is in exactly the place I want to be right now. Cheers!
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Decem-Boar 3

Closing in on a three year odyssey. Elevated shave comfort has been the goal. The boar brush my best comfort. My DE shave expanded with pre and post shave routines. Pre shave Shea Butter application requires a ten minute soak in. A foot massage is the last step in my pre shave routine.

https://y.yarn.co/c6285997-4a2a-455e-b0cb-95cf1b5f097e.mp4


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Grande & Feather
Zenith B-35 Boar
Saponificio Varesino Felce Aromatica

Shea butter adds skin care with increased razor glide. Pre and post shave routines have improved my skin health and shave comfort. The new boar hair knot continues to develop with increasing softness. The Felce Aromatica is quick to build a stable lather with few adjustments required. My weekly ATG Single Pass face and head shave. Efficiency with great comfort. Achieving a higher level of comfort, my latest goal. Shave repeatability at a higher comfort level my most difficult challenge.

A swing and a miss just my average BBS not like the last shave. Alum was used and slight tingle here and there. The products and equipment are above average and that would leave skin condition and technique. My technique will continue to improve while using this fabulous kit. The brush continues to improve and I am in a very happy place with my shaves. Four shaves left this year. Refinement of comfort, the chase continues.
 
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I might have to eat my words about this brush. I think it's finally going to give it up and break in. No idea how long I messed around with this knot. It's had many 3 day stints in the fridge, hand lathered daily for days on end. I've had this thing for quite a while (years) and this is the first decent shave with it.
I see your displaying that famous Marine tenacity!
It looks nice, sure would be nice if it continues to “act” nice.
Love seeing pictures of your Boars with all of the cool handles.
Good luck with her, I hope it works out.
 
Just arrived this afternoon: Semogue Torga Premium Boar.
Soaked for an hour or so, gave it a shampoo and loaded it up after a shower. Not bad for first use with no break-in. I may just like this when it's broken in.

Semogue Galahad C3 due next week. These are additions to my SOC Cherry Boar and a badly chipped and bandaged 😉 1305.

I'm generally a floppy brush type and this is my first foray into short & scrubby boars. After all, I am @Touchy. 😀

Flyin' all month with my boars!
 
I started Decboar early so this is shave five, Decemboar 2nd evening. 3rd shave with my new Semogue 610, too soon to have a valid opinion. Sorry for the hotel photo.

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Was a really relaxing 4 pass shave, I love the smell of 70th! Perfect for a warm, dry December.
 
Decemboar 3rd evening shave(MB #3)

Got home and exhausted, better play it safe and use the Feather DX 🤪

Face lathered Seaforth! Sea Spice Lime with my vintage Mount Blanc brush pictured elsewhere. A bit of a disorganized two pass shave, but so relaxing and not stressful at all. Almost nothing from the grain alcohol and finished off with the matching splash. A little more leftover Silver Oak 1981 and off to bed. 🥱
 
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>> DecemBOAR 2021, day 4<<

Semogue Owners Club Boar. Kind of a love/hate thing at first.

I took me more than 50 outings to fully break in this knot. You'd be right to ask, why I just did not skip using this brush earlier. Rationale plain and simply is: I LOVED the handle from the very first use.

Fast forward until today. In the meantime the knot is fully broken in, according to my experience the knot has to be overloaded (!) with soap/cream to get a very nice shave with it. If you do, the results are very joyful. The huge knot feels like a silky pillow on the face. Maybe not as soft as a silvertip badger, but still very soft. I'm glad I was patient enough with this piggy.

Have some great shaves and a relaxed weekend, y'all!
 
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During a bout of flu, I was very awkward, and dinged two of my beloved Iwasakis on the faucet. You can see the dings at the toe in the picture. I noticed that they still shave fine, with the occasional hair-grab when using the toe, and I decided that instead of doing my usual thing of honing out the dings, I would shave with them every day for a long time, and hone them on different finishers after each shave, rather than waste all that metal by turning it into swarf on a low-grit stone.

Sorry to hear about your Iwasaki and your bout of flu, @Herrenberg. Rest assured that you are not alone in having these types of accidents!
 
Boar number four. Semogue 1800 (boar) meets Wade & Butcher 7/8 near wedge with Nakayama Asagi finish, Semogue 2015 HD (2-band finest badger), MdC Rose, and Myrsol Agua Balsamica.

Excellent shave, but I cannot lie - the 1800 did struggle a bit with the MdC when compared to the 2015 HD. I am posting a separate discussion about this under "Battle of the Brushes".

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I added you Olivia, is this OK?

1. SharpieB
2. Sinnbad11
3. GNR
4. Leverspro
5. FarmerTan
6. messygoon
7. bjm
8. Gewoon ikk
9. Acmemfg
10. MaineYooper
11. BaPh96
12. PintoPlain
13. slimShavy
14. Ewk
15. APBinNCA
16. dnallehekaj
17. JoWolf
18. Bugin
19. Beardlyboy
20. Slanterino
21. beerandguitars
22. samasourus
23. Hahnenkam
24. Old Hippie
25. dmshaver
26. RookieGuy
27. talibeard
28. kjbarth
29. godlike
30. Shave Soufflé
31. Paulford
32. Ravenonrock
33. Jahe
34. 2bit_collie
35. Frank Shaves
36. La Malice
37. cryhavoc
38. md1234
39. Contact_vs_Feedback
40. NorthernSoul
41. Wil_D
42. Crisp Rat
43. Potentia
44. linty1
45. Lord NSIC
46. jmd
47. FoolishMortal
48. EMG06
49. Chan Eil Whiskers
50. Tanuki
51. Abz88
52. beepee1972
53. Balin
54. Oliviamaynard
 

Steve56

Ask me about shaving naked!
Thäter boar, which is actually my first boar bought a couple of years ago on a BST. This brush seems to have a bad rep, but this one has been perfect so far. No shedding, no glue bump to speak of (very small), and the knot is very similar to the SOC in density and backbone with a slightly larger knot and shorter chubbier handle which has a nice heft. I wouldn’t pay $80-85 for it, you could have a custom handle made at that price, but at $35 and little or no break in, why not?

It was lathering vintage Strop Shoppe tallow Russian Tea (it is DecemBOAR!) and Agua Balsamica AS finished the shave along with a spritz of Floris 1962. Razor is a Filarmonica 14 Sub Cero in Christmas scales.

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I added you Olivia, is this OK?

1. SharpieB
2. Sinnbad11
3. GNR
4. Leverspro
5. FarmerTan
6. messygoon
7. bjm
8. Gewoon ikk
9. Acmemfg
10. MaineYooper
11. BaPh96
12. PintoPlain
13. slimShavy
14. Ewk
15. APBinNCA
16. dnallehekaj
17. JoWolf
18. Bugin
19. Beardlyboy
20. Slanterino
21. beerandguitars
22. samasourus
23. Hahnenkam
24. Old Hippie
25. dmshaver
26. RookieGuy
27. talibeard
28. kjbarth
29. godlike
30. Shave Soufflé
31. Paulford
32. Ravenonrock
33. Jahe
34. 2bit_collie
35. Frank Shaves
36. La Malice
37. cryhavoc
38. md1234
39. Contact_vs_Feedback
40. NorthernSoul
41. Wil_D
42. Crisp Rat
43. Potentia
44. linty1
45. Lord NSIC
46. jmd
47. FoolishMortal
48. EMG06
49. Chan Eil Whiskers
50. Tanuki
51. Abz88
52. beepee1972
53. Balin
54. Oliviamaynard
Yes great
 
DecemBoar 4th

Semogue Galahad's first outing after a 7-10 daily hand lathers. Very nice, just a little stiff yet, but should break in nicely!

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I really like the Schick Type G. My avatar shows Cary Grant as Mr. Blandings building his lather in a wonderful shave scene from the movie. Many believe the razor he uses and talks about is the Type G. After I discovered how much I liked the Type I Hydro-magic, and being a huge Cary Grant fan, I decided to get a Type G. And I am very glad I did!
 
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Decemboar Shave #3 -- Saturday Luxury Shave

Razor: Yates Precision 921 M for face, H for head
Blade: Rapira Lux
Brush: Omega 10077
Soap: Captain's Choice 45th Parallel
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First, @Captain Pre-Capsize makes a mighty fine cream. The cherry scent of 45th Parallel is perfect; not sweet or overwhelming; just really really nice. Captain's Choice lather is of an excellent structure that stays well lathered in the bowl for quite a long time.

I purchased two 10077s in September. My hope was/is that upon break-in the 22 mm knot would become more dense and soft as the hairs split. With my original 49, I did the "soak for 3 straight days/brush vigorously on a towel for 10 minutes daily" routine and the bristles began to split nicely and the brush was noticeably softer after the 72 hour treatment. I got lazy with these two, and just used them regularly during October/November. The bristles are softer, but they have not begun to split. After this morning's shave both 10077s are in a mug beginning the 72 hour soak/scrub regimen.

The Yates remains my favored razor, so it was chosen for my first use of a Rapira blade. Results were excellent, and it's a good thing because I blindly purchased 100 based on price alone. Relieved that they are compatible with my skin. (Yes, I bought the Rapiras blind, but the price could not be beat. I am even more excited to include them in my blade PIF) GIVEAWAY! - PIF Sharing Some Blades - https://www.badgerandblade.com/forum/threads/pif-sharing-some-blades.617604/#post-11560893.
 
Starting this thread has proved to be costly this December. I ordered a couple more boars today from Spain. I love my Zenith Manchurian and have heard good things about their boars. Both bleached and at under $23US each from Your Shaving, they seem like great values.

Any thoughts on Semogue vs Zenith bleached boar knots or thoughts in general about these Zenith bleached boars?

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Oh, I used my new Omega boar travel brush today. Rushing out of a hotel this AM and didn’t take a pic.

VERY nice little brush for under $10!


Face lathered Cremo cooling soap stick which is another very inexpensive product that performs surprisingly well.
 
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