I think I'm done with badger for a while.

[striker6]

I started out with a best badger brush from RoyalShave.com and recently became intrigued with all the positive dialogue regarding boar brushes. I purchased the Proraso (Omega) Boar Bristle Brush and have been using it constantly. Face lathering has become my preference since the acquisition. To be fair, I gave the badger a try yesterday and it just didn't cut it. I felt like I was lathering with a pancake. I'm going all boar for a while...

Who else has experienced this and what is your favorite boar brush? Any recommendations for another brush investment?

 

[Porp]

I'm going the opposite way, I have 4 boar brushes, just ordered my first big boy brush. A Rooney 1/2 in super. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my Omegas and Semogues, but have grown to yearn for a dense knot with backbone and soft tips. My boars have all been broken in and still feel scratchy. We will see once the Rooney is delivered this week.

 

[Krona Kruiser]

Don't disregard the powers of the badger and revisit from time to time. Remember that not all badger brushes are created equal.

 

[Ralph Nord]

I have yet to go full boar, but my Semogue LE 2012 Boar/Badger mix is great.

Badgers Rule

 

[Mick]

When I had boar brushes I liked the 1305 Semogue and the BIG Omega 31064

I no longer have any boar brushes

If you are looking for a brush with the maximum back bone take a look at the Simpsons brushes in pure badger. I had a Beaufort B4 that rocked as a face lathering brush

 

[striker6]

I just realized I should've put this thread under shaving brushes... Please... if anyone thinks there's a badger to change my mind... Let me know! It's gotta have some backbone, though...

 

[Ralph Nord]

I just realized I should've put this thread under shaving brushes... Please... if anyone thinks there's a badger to change my mind... Let me know! It's gotta have some backbone, though...

Simpson Manchurian
Simpson 2-Band
Shavemac D01 2-Band
Shavemac D01 3-Band
Morris & Forndran 2-band Blonde Badger
Semogue 2-Band Badger Mele Mele
Vie Long 2-Band Mele Mele

All these have great backbone and wonderful performance !!

 

[BigNickel]

1305 is my go to brush. The more you use a boar brush the better it gets!

 

[smalltank]

Well...having sensitive skin and VERY coarse facial hair...the "scritchier" the better

 

[Danricgro]

My Shavemac Black and White with a D01 two band has way, and I mean not even close, more backbone than any boar brush I have owned. I have owned Semogue SOC, 1305, 830, and 620 as well as a couple of Omega's. My Simpson Chubby 2 in best also has more and my Rooney Heritage Stubby 3XL has just as much. I have always thought the backbone on boar brushes is overrated.

 

[dieselfuel79]

I started off with a Simpson's Colonel, and I use it very seldom. Oddly, I have really taken a liking to my Semogue 1250. Only issue with that one is that it sheds almost every shave, but I love the way it feels on my face. The Colonel has yet to shed a hair I believe.

 

[shave/brush]

I have an Omega 10049 and it works great. Doesn't cost much either.

 

[Mad Man]

Crazy to say but my 620 was out-punching my Chubby 1 (bought both together) but then the Chubby "broke" and has been my go-to ever since. The 620 is reserved for use with Cella but as it's a "winter" soap neither have had much attention from me of late.

The 620 is my fave boar after some failed attempts with Omega 48 & 49.

 

[hedonist222]

I just realized I should've put this thread under shaving brushes... Please... if anyone thinks there's a badger to change my mind... Let me know! It's gotta have some backbone, though...

Try a Manchruian or a 2 band.

 

[david1201]

Face Lather? For me, smaller brushes (21x50 or so), with two-band badger are great, bigger silvertips are way too floppy!

 

[spaceboy2001]

I face lather all the time now, and I find that my Boar's work very well with soaps and my Badgers do best with creams.
For me, there is a place in my den for both.

 

[SIG9]

Do yourself a favor. If you really like boar brushes get yourself a Semogue SOC Boar. You'll thank me later.

And by all means, don't give up on badgers. But I'm in the same boat as you.

 

[Absolute Mustard]

I have been on a horse kick since my Vie-Long came in last week

You may want to give one of these a try. It is the perfect mix of both worlds.

 

[TBoner]

I gave up on badger for a while. Then I gave up on boar for a while. Now I use both.

I do think people overstate the backbone of boar brushes. There are some very stiff ones, but they all break in a bit and get softer, and some of them get almost floppy. The thing is, even when they are a bit floppy, the individual hairs are resilient enough that you get a less "mushy" tactile experience than with a floppy badger.

For me, using a boar brush is about the density and creaminess of the lather, coupled with a firm-yet-plush facefeel. The flow-through of boar as a result of the thicker hair shafts yields this type of lather and feel. Some badgers provide one or the other; few provide both as readily. That said, badger gives me a bit more heat retention throughout the shave, and the tips of my favorite badgers scrub (not scritch nor scratch) in a way no boar ever has for me.

If you want a badger with backbone, I'd say Simpson Best, Rooney Super or Heritage, M&F Blonde Badger, Semogue 2-band, and Shavemac D01 2-band are good bets. If you want backbone with soft tips, cross off the two-band stuff. If you want backbone with soft tips and good flow-through, cross off style 1 Rooneys and the densest Simpsons. In other words, buy a Duke 3 in Best.

 

[InfernoOrangeSS]

I like badger for my creams and boar for my soaps. It's what works best for me.