EJ Best Badger vs Semogue OC Boar

[sc.toor]

This is -not- a 'which one should I buy' thread.

I already own both, and for those who don't know, the EJ Best Badger is around $50 and the Semogue OC is around $40.

I've been using nothing but the Semogue since I bought it about 18 months ago. It's amazing and well broken-in, no complaints.

I had the EJ for approx. that same time before I bought the Semogue, and I picked it back up a few days ago, and it feel very scratchy, and I dunno.. sharp? at the tips.
However it does lather a bit better with some of the creams I've picked up recently so I still like using it.

My understanding is that the boar brush breaks in slower than the badger, but they've both been through a lot and should be well-used.

Why the huge difference in feel?

 

[VerbaVolant]

...Why the huge difference in feel?

It is my understanding that EJ Best Badger has trimmed hair, and that is the reason their Best Badger brushes feel scratchy-scritchy. In my experience, limited experience that is, badger brushes do not break-in. I have and use a SuperBadger EJ and it is scrubby but not scritchy, at least to my skin. The EJ SuperBadger is to me a bit scrubbier than Simpson's BestBadger.

Boar hair splits at the end, sometimes even in four strands, and this is why they become very soft after they break in. I have a Semogue 830 well broken and it has very soft hair, silky soft.

 

[lt114]

I agree with VerbaVolant's comments.

If you want a softer badger brush, you'll need to spend a bit more and get a Rooney 3/1 in Super Silvertip or maybe a Simpson in 3-band Super. There are, of course, many others.

 

[celestino]

It is my understanding that EJ Best Badger has trimmed hair, and that is the reason their Best Badger brushes feel scratchy-scritchy. In my experience, limited experience that is, badger brushes do not break-in. I have and use a SuperBadger EJ and it is scrubby but not scritchy, at least to my skin. The EJ SuperBadger is to me a bit scrubbier than Simpson's BestBadger.
Boar hair splits at the end, sometimes even in four strands, and this is why they become very soft after they break in. I have a Semogue 830 well broken and it has very soft hair, silky soft.

+1 If you want a very good, very soft and inexpensive badger brush, you may want consider the TGN Finest 2-band knots. They are great for the money. You can also set them into your own handle or get one from them. Good luck.

 

[sc.toor]

Ahhh, that would explain it. The boar is much stiffer while still being silky smooth on the tips.

Trimmed hair would definitely explain it. I didn't know that, but I'm not surprised either. I just like how the badger holds water better, so I'll probably look into getting a better one that isn't as scritchy.

 

[sc.toor]

OOoohhhh, Those look nice. Like, really nice..