Help me pick a boar brush

[Dugz]

Hello. I'm a neophyte traditional shaver, and so far it is working out. My razor is a 72 Gillette Super Adjustable. Money is tight so I have bargain basement gear. Right now I have a pretty mediocre Diane 9875 horse brush. I have a used Colonel Conk pure badger on order as well as a Turkish No. 6. I like the horse hair of the Diane 9875, just not the brush.

I would like to add a boar brush to my collection for comparison, and because they seem very well liked by a lot of people. I seem to favor classic handle styles of wood or solid black or white. I currently use soap, but intend to try some shaving sticks soon.

I like the look of the Omega 10066 and the Semogue 1470. The B&B Omega Blonde is not really my style but tempting nonetheless. I think I want something which is somewhat scrubby.

I would guess that most of you would tell me to get the 1470, but I'm open for suggestions. I don't want to go much over $20 for this brush.

Thanks in advance for any help!

 

[Attila]

Why, I would recommend the Badger and Blade essential brush of course! It would be for a good cause and you would be getting a nice boar brush to boot! Check it out.

http://badgerandblade.com/vb/content.php/56-B-B-Essential-Brush-It-s-Back!

 

[hillbilly pick]

Most definite!

http://www.westcoastshaving.com/Badger-Blade-Omega-Blonde-Boar-Shaving-Brush_p_1707.html

 

[RobAtSGH]

I like the look of the Omega 10066 and the Semogue 1470. The B&B Omega Blonde is not really my style but tempting nonetheless. I think I want something which is somewhat scrubby.

My fully broken-in Omega 31064, even with an almost 60mm loft, dries almost back to its original shape and it takes some noticeable pressure to splay the bristles when lathering. My mostly broken-in Semogue OC maintains more of a fan shape. Semogue brushes also don't stink as much out of the box (their boar hair doesn't seem to be stored with dichlorobenzene fumigants, Omega brushes reek of mothballs until you destink them).

 

[celestino]

Semogue 830 = best economical boar brush for what it can do, in my opinion!

 

[treewhale]

I dabbled in badger, but I have never found a brush I like as much as my well broken in Omega Boar. I have a 100018 that I use daily, I would suggest that most people go a size up, but I rarely do more than two passes, so the smaller brush holds enough lather for me.

 

[siata94]

I have the 620 and the 1460 (which has the same knot as the 1470) and prefer the 620. You can get the 1520 for the same knot as the 620 at about same cost as the 1470.
FWIW, I only face lather if that matters and my fav brush is a tiny 16mm knot.

 

[ddillas]

Semogue 830 = best economical boar brush for what it can do, in my opinion!

+1

 

[P Funk]

You won't go wrong with any of the Semogues suggested.
I would add the 1305 and the 1520 to the list as well.

 

[Batman]

I said something else - a Semogue 620 is a great all around quality boar.

 

[KneeChee]

Omega 49. A brush everyone should own, and cheap enough that everyone could. It's simply a great brush an a classic for a reason. Just pick your favorite color, they have both black and white, and bam!

Since you are familiar with the horse hair brushes, the shape/size of this brush would probably in your comfort zone or at least not very hard to acquaint yourself with.

 

[Riff Raff]

Semogue 830 = best economical boar brush for what it can do, in my opinion!

I said something else - a Semogue 620 is a great all around quality boar.

I couldn't agree more with my esteemed colleagues. These two brushes will be the only two you NEED, but not necessarily want!

 

[johnh]

Semogue 830 or SOC

 

[RABIDMONKEY]

1470 or soc

 

[cubfanbob]

Omega 49. Mine's red!

 

[Deano]

I have an Omega 10066 and like it very much.

 

[cryhavoc]

I like my Omega 10065 or Omega 10290 for face lathering

 

[Niles]

SOC

soc

This.

 

[paladin252]

i would recommend getting a Van Der Hagen boar brush at walmart. actually, i would probably get the starter pack. you get the brush, a puck of deluxe and a small bowl for like $8.50. i switch back and forth between my van der hagen boar and my no:6 turkish horse hair brush. both are "good" brushes. they get the job done, and on the cheap. i use almost only soaps, but the vdh boar works better on the creams than the no:6 horse. if you just want something that works and keeps a few extra bills in your pockets, you can't beat the vdh boar brush combo pack at walmart. the soap is pretty good too!

 

[Loric]

If your looking for a cheap scrubby boar I would get a Shaving Factory XS. In fact, barring some of the very expensive limited edition boars, its my hands down favorite. It has the lowest knot size loft ratio of any production boar (that I can find), and its supper cheap. The handle is plain wood, and the finish wears off quickly, but IMO its the best boar out there period for face lathering (again excluding the Semogue LE's).

Of the options you listed, I would go with the Semogue as I like their hair better than Omega. All of my Omega brushes have broke in much too floppy for my personal tastes (taller lofts IMO and softer hair). Someone suggested the Semogue 830, and thats the Semogue I would suggest most as well.

Its not a boar, but you said you wanted to try some quality economical brushes, and the EcoTools Bamboo Kabuki is IMO an amazing shaving brush. It is an unorthodox choice to be sure, but its a bargain about $8, and lathers better than any traditional shaving brush I'v ever owned. Its a more dense lather, that makes for unparallelled glide and protection. Plus, it has a truly soft dense luxurious face feel. Unfortunately, its at best a three pass brush, so I tend to have to lather twice for a four pass shave. It does however lather exceptionally efficiently being a synthetic. The best part is that if you got them both on Amazon (or Ebay), your still under that $20 mark shipped for both the Ecotools and the Shave Factory XS.