The odor of new badger and in particular boar brushes seems a commonplace topic. People will say a new brush (particularly boars) smells "funky", or worse, and that this is a problem that needs to be dealt with, by washing the brush in a variety of chemicals before use, or by avoiding "natural" bristle in favor of bleached or colored bristle. Or, by avoiding boar brushes all together in favor of synthetic ones.
These are views for which I have neither much appreciation nor sympathy. Hence I invite for a discussion of this important topic, hoping that it may help shavedom move beyond such faulty perceptions
First of all, I do recognize that new boars and badgers have an odor, all the more when wet. However, I do not think this is a strong odor; neither is it a particularly offensive odor; and most importantly it really is a minor thing which is overcome with regular use. after 3 or 4 normal shaves odor is gone, and the brush mostly just smells like shaving soap. Whatever animal odor is left, is an added bonus, as I shall expand on shortly.
In fact, as an aside, I think the whole "breaking in" ordeal with boars is very similar: hairs will start to split as soon as you start normal use of the brush, and you will have a very nice boar brush already after having used it a handful of shaves, although it keeps improving with use. Point here, there is no need for a major "breaking in" operation on a new boar brush, just as there is no need for major "de-funking" operations to circumvent the odor of a new brush.
__ A final, more fundamental point on the odor of new boars and badgers:
A bottom line for me, as far as traditional wet-shaving goes, is my fascination with shaving brushes as works of traditional craftsmanship based on "natural" materials . A brush to me, a real traditional shaving brush that is, indeed should be made with some kind of animal hair.
I do not own a single shaving brush made with synthetic hair. Synthetics have no appeal to me whatsoever, and I doubt that will ever change.
The world does not need more plastic.
A new shaving brush indeed should have an odor, it should smell "funky" or whatever people call it, like a wet dog, it should smell like what it is, an animal product. To my mind that's an important beauty of it -- it's just like a new real leather coat should smell like real leather, and the real leather seats in an expensive new high-end brand car should indeed smell like leather. I like the funky odor of new boars and badgers, it's proof I got my money's worth, it's suggestive of a certain measure of class and style, in short it reminds me that I am performing real traditional wet shaving.
So please, stop trash-talking the odor of new boars and badgers, stop misleading newcomers into thinking that natural shaving brushes smell offensive. Instead, promote tradition, promote style, and save the world from more plastic (synthetic hair shaving brushes).
That's all.
Thanks.
These are views for which I have neither much appreciation nor sympathy. Hence I invite for a discussion of this important topic, hoping that it may help shavedom move beyond such faulty perceptions
First of all, I do recognize that new boars and badgers have an odor, all the more when wet. However, I do not think this is a strong odor; neither is it a particularly offensive odor; and most importantly it really is a minor thing which is overcome with regular use. after 3 or 4 normal shaves odor is gone, and the brush mostly just smells like shaving soap. Whatever animal odor is left, is an added bonus, as I shall expand on shortly.
In fact, as an aside, I think the whole "breaking in" ordeal with boars is very similar: hairs will start to split as soon as you start normal use of the brush, and you will have a very nice boar brush already after having used it a handful of shaves, although it keeps improving with use. Point here, there is no need for a major "breaking in" operation on a new boar brush, just as there is no need for major "de-funking" operations to circumvent the odor of a new brush.
__ A final, more fundamental point on the odor of new boars and badgers:
A bottom line for me, as far as traditional wet-shaving goes, is my fascination with shaving brushes as works of traditional craftsmanship based on "natural" materials . A brush to me, a real traditional shaving brush that is, indeed should be made with some kind of animal hair.
I do not own a single shaving brush made with synthetic hair. Synthetics have no appeal to me whatsoever, and I doubt that will ever change.
The world does not need more plastic.
A new shaving brush indeed should have an odor, it should smell "funky" or whatever people call it, like a wet dog, it should smell like what it is, an animal product. To my mind that's an important beauty of it -- it's just like a new real leather coat should smell like real leather, and the real leather seats in an expensive new high-end brand car should indeed smell like leather. I like the funky odor of new boars and badgers, it's proof I got my money's worth, it's suggestive of a certain measure of class and style, in short it reminds me that I am performing real traditional wet shaving.
So please, stop trash-talking the odor of new boars and badgers, stop misleading newcomers into thinking that natural shaving brushes smell offensive. Instead, promote tradition, promote style, and save the world from more plastic (synthetic hair shaving brushes).
That's all.
Thanks.
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🫧 skills or 2. a deficient sense of smell 
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