Mixed badger and Boar Brushes:

[SliceOfLife]

I'm a big fan of mixed badger and boar brushes. Figured I'd start a thread to discuss them, compare opinions and experience.

My favorites:
Semogue BC Mistura
Maggard Mixed hair knot (Fan, set @ 51loft)
APLuxury Mixed hair knot (Bulb, set @ 51loft)
I suspect the Semogue SoC mixed would be up here too, but I haven't tried it.

Definitely keepers, but not daily drivers:
Vintage Kent British Army Mixed hair Brush: Fabulous, great backbone, but black badger and low loft boar = scrubbiest brush ever. Not a daily brush for sure.
Vintage Kent KS6: One of the only "Cased" brushes I've liked. (Cased means it's a boar knot surrounded by a ring of badger hair... rather than actually mixed throughout). Nice little brush... but basically acts like a good boar. The badger doesn't do all that much.
Woods of Windsor: I assume made by Vulfix (MIEngland). Nice brush with a really nice handle. Not nearly as dense as the brushes in my favorites, but still decent backbone. A bit of shedding. Not sure of Era, it's pretty yellow, but definitely not butterscotch (may have started yellow for all I know)... looks fairly recent otherwise.
Col Conk 1482: Also probably Vulfix? Handle shape is alright... somewhere between a PJ and an Eagle... inferior to both... molded plastic. Like the WoW, not as dense as the top 3, but still a nice brush.

Wish I could use... pretty at least:
Vintage Simpson? Mini-Milkchurn mixed hair (I also have a nearly identical brush in Bristle). Great brush for collecting... sadly it's bone... and the hair swelling when soaked cracks the handle.

Where are the other fans of mixed knots?

 

[Tanuki]

Nice post, I learned more about mixed knots and vintage mixed brushes than I ever knew before.

My Omega 11047 “mixed midget” is a fine brush, but I use it strictly for travel. It inspired me to buy a 20mm mixed knot from Shave Forge, which I plan to get into my rotation as soon as I can get some time in on my lathe. I was thinking to loft it mid 50s. Sounds you like your lofts a little lower.

 

[oscar11]

I have a Maggard mixed knot that I like a lot. Actually, I liked it enough to buy a spare knot. I usually don't do wood handles but made one up in cross grain Bloodwood for this knot. It's an excellent performing brush, IMO.

 

[MilkCrate]

I have a Maggard mixed knot that I like a lot. Actually, I liked it enough to buy a spare knot. I usually don't do wood handles but made one up in cross grain Bloodwood for this knot. It's an excellent performing brush, IMO.

That is a great looking brush!

 

[oscar11]

Thanks.

 

[MrSmith83]

Looks like a badger brush though.

 

[MrSmith83]

I've had a few and my favourite is a specific vulfix grosevener - I've had three but this one has AT LEAST double the amount of hair as the other two, and is more of a classic Simpson's fan/bulb hybrid - the other two were much sparser and shaped more like an omega boar with a fairly flat fan knot.

 

[oscar11]

IIRC, the knot is a blend of 70% badger and 30% boar.

 

[KW Driver]

I’ve got an Omega mixed midget that replaced a Wee Scott. It packs just slightly taller, but that extra 4mm diameter packs a whole lot more performance and ease. it’s also my traveler of choice.

I was concerned early in the break in, because the pure bristles were the sharpest, pokiest hairs I’ve ever felt. They felt like little needles, to the point I considered finding and clipping them out/short. It’s mellowed into a very nice, 3 pass brush in a very small, easily handled package.

I’m not sure I need/want another mixed brush. I like my SOC and love my badgers.

 

[ackvil]

I had a Caswell-Massey mixed brush. It had good backbone and loaded fine but was as stiff as porcupine quills.

 

[clickity-click]

I'm a big fan of mixed badger and boar brushes. Figured I'd start a thread to discuss them, compare opinions and experience.

My favorites:
Semogue BC Mistura
Maggard Mixed hair knot (Fan, set @ 51loft)
APLuxury Mixed hair knot (Bulb, set @ 51loft)
I suspect the Semogue SoC mixed would be up here too, but I haven't tried it.

Definitely keepers, but not daily drivers:
Vintage Kent British Army Mixed hair Brush: Fabulous, great backbone, but black badger and low loft boar = scrubbiest brush ever. Not a daily brush for sure.
Vintage Kent KS6: One of the only "Cased" brushes I've liked. (Cased means it's a boar knot surrounded by a ring of badger hair... rather than actually mixed throughout). Nice little brush... but basically acts like a good boar. The badger doesn't do all that much.
Woods of Windsor: I assume made by Vulfix (MIEngland). Nice brush with a really nice handle. Not nearly as dense as the brushes in my favorites, but still decent backbone. A bit of shedding. Not sure of Era, it's pretty yellow, but definitely not butterscotch (may have started yellow for all I know)... looks fairly recent otherwise.
Col Conk 1482: Also probably Vulfix? Handle shape is alright... somewhere between a PJ and an Eagle... inferior to both... molded plastic. Like the WoW, not as dense as the top 3, but still a nice brush.

Wish I could use... pretty at least:
Vintage Simpson? Mini-Milkchurn mixed hair (I also have a nearly identical brush in Bristle). Great brush for collecting... sadly it's bone... and the hair swelling when soaked cracks the handle.

Where are the other fans of mixed knots?

...great collection of mixed knots and informative - I am a big fan of mixies. The SoC Taj Mixie is a firm favourite; I also have AP Shave's Bulb set at 51 which I suspect is the same knot as Maggards. Both great knots. I find the Omega Midget Mixie not so good, too floppy for me...Maggards knot is next on the list...

 

[albsat]

I have a Maggard mixed knot that I like a lot. Actually, I liked it enough to buy a spare knot. I usually don't do wood handles but made one up in cross grain Bloodwood for this knot. It's an excellent performing brush, IMO.

Fantastic brush. What knot is that and what settings would you recommend for a 24mm knot mixed from Maggards?

 

[Chevyguy]

My JR-338 with a Maggards 70/30 Badger/Boar Knot. The handle is made out of Carolina Pine.

Clayton

Sent from my LM-V350 using Tapatalk

 

[SliceOfLife]

Fantastic brush. What knot is that and what settings would you recommend for a 24mm knot mixed from Maggards?

I'll pitch in that 51mm is dead on perfect for the 24mm bulb. You could go as low as the high 40's or as high as 55mm maybe... but 50-52 is the sweet spot.

 

[Iloverootbeer]

I have a Maggard mixed knot that I like a lot. Actually, I liked it enough to buy a spare knot. I usually don't do wood handles but made one up in cross grain Bloodwood for this knot. It's an excellent performing brush, IMO.

You made that handle? I’m impressed. Beautiful brush!

 

[oscar11]

Sorry for the delay responding. MY brush is lofted to 52mm. I think SliceOfLifes loft recommendations would be right on the money. Thanks, it's a homemade handle. I usually don't do wood handles. I'm a boar fan at heart but mess around with badger and synthetic too. I'm not a fan of horse hair. Badger pictured below.

 

[Macfrommichigan]

Sorry for the delay responding. MY brush is lofted to 52mm. I think SliceOfLifes loft recommendations would be right on the money. Thanks, it's a homemade handle. I usually don't do wood handles. I'm a boar fan at heart but mess around with badger and synthetic too. I'm not a fan of horse hair. Badger pictured below.

Wowza!

 

[Tanuki]

The Omega midget 11047 vs the Shave Forge mixed knot. Thinking of a tall (85ish), thin handle and lofted to 52-53.

 

[Chan Eil Whiskers]

Cool tread.

The only one I have is the Omega Mixed Midget.

The others in the photo are the Mighty Midget (with three added #13 O Rings) and the Proraso Pro. That Mixed Midget is very tiny; mine is not floppy but it is prickly. Maybe it will break in eventually.

There's a Maggard's 26 mm 70/30 in transit.

Happy shaves,

Jim

 

[SliceOfLife]

Well, it's floppy compared to one of these other mixed knots I'd say. You'll be pleasantly surprised how much backbone they have.

I like the mixed midget. It's a cute lil brush... but like the grosvenor mixed, it's definitely a second-tier quality mixed brush imho.

The Semogue ones and these maggard/aps knots are a big step up in quality.