Synth vs badger, who is the best?

[CuzteR]

Breaking in a pair of dry jeans is a journey lasting six months. The outcome depends on how you travel. Sitting around in the office won’t grace the denim as much as if used while repairing motorcycles.

Regardless of your lifestyle, your jeans become a log of the months gone by – you might even end up with a few amusing anecdotes referring to different stains, abrasions, or scrapings. When you’ve come this far, you and your new stiff drys will have gone from being separate entities to a unity – a second skin.

A boar brush is like a pair of dry jeans. The breaking in process is the most important part of the relationship. Get to know your brush, let it grow on you. Evolve. Love it with all your heart.

A synthetic brush has no soul. No personality. It's just an artificial relationship with no umpf. I say NO THANK YOU.

 

[Cromo90]

Boar, the answer is Boar.

But in all seriousness, the only way to find out is to try different types of brush and find out what you personally like. I have a synthetic but I don't like that it doesn't retain water as well as my boars as I find it easier to get a great lather with a very wet brush, I find it too springy and lather flies all over my bathroom and it doesn't retain the heat as well as a boar. I keep it as it gets used when I have to have a quick shave and I don't have time to soak a boar. But that's just me!

I tend to find that boars only make one good lather, then the brush seems to drink the rest i have a standard omega boar and a semogue 640 excelsior

 

[South Dakota Guy]

I have two badger brushes and five synthetic brushes. I like all of my brushes but it took a lot of experimenting with different brushes for me to define what I like and what I don't like so much. Much depends on how you like to make lather and how you like to apply lather. If you like to make your lather starting off with lots of water then lather flinging might be a problem with synthetics. If you like to start with a damp brush and add water a little at a time then lather flinging shouldn't be an issue. Do you prefer lots of scrub or lots of splay or do you aim for the sweet spot in the middle? Are softer tips more important to you? Is brand name important to you? Is heat retention in your brush important? Natural fibers hold heat longer. Personally I like the variety of experiences but my favorites (for the time being) are synthetic brushes. You just have to find out what is best for you and that starts with trying different brushes.

 

[gigadeath]

That is certainly not true of my badger brushes, and is true of several synthetic brushes I have tried. The amount of splay will depend on the characteristics of the particular fibre or hair grade, and also the backbone, density, and loft to knot ratio. At least that is my experience

I have a different experience - 2 synths keeping their shape (no boiling water of course) and a badger doing the umbrella thing like crazy.

Of course I know the umbrella thing it's a desiderable quirk of badger, it's just a tad too much for me - and anyway, imho boar over both, its massaging action keeps it above all.

 

[South Dakota Guy]

I have one simple question. Is there a synthetic brush that truly rivals, or even beats the best of badger in terms of performance?.

To specifically answer your question, for me, in my limited experience, there is one synthetic brush that rivals the best of badger. I recently bought and used the PAA Peregrino brush and it hits the mark for me. The things I enjoy about it, ultra soft tips and decent backbone to load from hard soaps. The hybrid bulb/fan splays relatively easily. As a synthetic it doesn't require presoaking before use. It doesn't suck up lather so my soaps will last longer (like that is a thing lol). It makes lather more quickly and easily. It isn't too floppy. I use this to lather from my shave scuttle and for face lathering with equal ease. Synthetics typically don't shed fibers like natural brushes. Another positive that comes with synthetics there is less variation from brush to brush that sometimes occurs with natural fibers. And all of this is for only $20. This is just my opinion based on the things I like and brushes are very much a YMMV thing. Here is a review if you are interested. PAA Peregrino Shave Brush

 

[Cromo90]

To specifically answer your question, for me, in my limited experience, there is one synthetic brush that rivals the best of badger. I recently bought and used the PAA Peregrino brush and it hits the mark for me. The things I enjoy about it, ultra soft tips and decent backbone to load from hard soaps. The hybrid bulb/fan splays relatively easily. As a synthetic it doesn't require presoaking before use. It doesn't suck up lather so my soaps will last longer (like that is a thing lol). It makes lather more quickly and easily. It isn't too floppy. I use this to lather from my shave scuttle and for face lathering with equal ease. Synthetics typically don't shed fibers like natural brushes. Another positive that comes with synthetics there is less variation from brush to brush that sometimes occurs with natural fibers. And all of this is for only $20. This is just my opinion based on the things I like and brushes are very much a YMMV thing. Here is a review if you are interested. PAA Peregrino Shave Brush

Interesting, thanks for that

 

[emwolf]

particularly during this cold winter, I've been really enjoying the badgers. a nice warm lather is ideal. I almost always travel with a synthetic because they travel better than any other type of brush.

 

[Abz88]

I tend to find that boars only make one good lather, then the brush seems to drink the rest i have a standard omega boar and a semogue 640 excelsior

My Omega's (Pro 49 and 50014 travel brush) and my Mondial did the same thing until they broke in. Stick with them, they will get better the more they are used!

 

[Cromo90]

My Omega's (Pro 49 and 50014 travel brush) and my Mondial did the same thing until they broke in. Stick with them, they will get better the more they are used!

Thanks for the advice

 

[BanjoCowboyMartaTobes]

I have perhaps 75 shaves on my Omega 49 and it looks and feels just like the day she came home. How long does a break in usually last?

I had a great old cheap badger that was great until it died. Now 4 synths and a Wee Scot that is surprisingly fantastic. The beautiful Evo I just purchased from a brother here is very nice and by far my best synth. It does still lack in the splay and I most likely will pick up a badger next. I have my heart on a particular Shavemac handle, which size and quality badger now is the research project.

 

[LMcC]

I have perhaps 75 shaves on my Omega 49 and it looks and feels just like the day she came home. How long does a break in usually last?

I had a great old cheap badger that was great until it died. Now 4 synths and a Wee Scot that is surprisingly fantastic. The beautiful Evo I just purchased from a brother here is very nice and by far my best synth. It does still lack in the splay and I most likely will pick up a badger next. I have my heart on a particular Shavemac handle, which size and quality badger now is the research project.

I’ve had a couple of Pro 49’s and each took about 2 months of 2 shaves a week. Are you letting it dry a couple few days between shaves? I guess they still eat a little lather after broken in, but not all that much. I face lather and only load a few seconds longer than with a synth, and can usually get 3 solid passes. I guess it skimps out every once in a while.

 

[BanjoCowboyMartaTobes]

I’ve had a couple of Pro 49’s and each took about 2 months of 2 shaves a week. Are you letting it dry a couple few days between shaves? I guess they still eat a little lather after broken in, but not all that much. I face lather and only load a few seconds longer than with a synth, and can usually get 3 solid passes. I guess it skimps out every once in a while.

I like it fairly well although it has a ton of backbone. The hairs really do look the same as day one lol.

 

[LMcC]

I like it fairly well although it has a ton of backbone. The hairs really do look the same as day one lol. View attachment 1417453

Huh. That does not look very broken in at all. How long are you soaking it before you shave? I start soaking mine before I shower, so 10-15 mins. I find that soaking less it will still be a bit thirsty on the lather.

Some say that soaking for a couple days and then drying for a few helps accelerate the hairs splitting. I’ve tried that with a couple boar brushes and didn’t notice a difference vs. just using it, but the repeated cycle of being thoroughly soaked and completely dried seems integral to the process.

 

[BanjoCowboyMartaTobes]

Huh. That does not look very broken in at all. How long are you soaking it before you shave? I start soaking mine before I shower, so 10-15 mins. I find that soaking less it will still be a bit thirsty on the lather.

Some say that soaking for a couple days and then drying for a few helps accelerate the hairs splitting. I’ve tried that with a couple boar brushes and didn’t notice a difference vs. just using it, but the repeated cycle of being thoroughly soaked and completely dried seems integral to the process.

I usually put rather hot water in my ceramic or marble bowl and let it soak for a 10 minute shower first. Slowest soak would be just a couple minutes less and often several more. I just checked and I purchased this one last April. Likely more like 90 shaves. Strange

 

[Dapper Gent]

Brushes, blades, soaps, D/E, straight, "technique"...it's all the same. What works best for me might not work for you, and vice versa. It's a matter of personal preference, period.

 

[musicman1951]

I would add that if you've only got $14 to spend synthetic is the way to go.

 

[BradWorld]

A lot of synths beat even the best badgers in the category of lathering performance. Absolutely. As mentioned, they lather quicker, and more efficiently. They hold and release water more readily. And they don’t require any pre-soaking, drying or maintenance. However, for luxury and face feel, the high end badgers have no rival. So as many have said, it depends on the mood and budget of the user. In my opinion though, I believe that badgers and synths both work better than boar or horse brushes.

 

[lancre]

I have one simple question. Is there a synthetic brush that truly rivals, or even beats the best of badger in terms of performance?.

It depends on what you're looking for. For me, as a daily driver, synthetics fall short in comparison to 2-band badgers and up, as well as to well broken-in boars.

Still, I recommend them as a travel brush, or to new shavers who might soon go back to cartridges and the canned spit. Also, if you're foolishly going to have only one brush, then synths are the low-maintainence route.

 

[Ice-Man]

For me it's 2 band badgers then boar then horse then last is synthetic as I'm not stuck on synthetic yeah they are ok for travel but that's about all

 

[AZBronco]

My experience is lather is lather regardless of brush. Both brushes have pros and cons:

• Synths seem to hold more water, so I have to make sure and shake excess water off before building lather
• Synths don't have to soak while I shower--so they're the obvious choice when I forget to drop my badger brush in a bowl of warm water
• I have 2 synths and they are both more "springy" than a badger
• I prefer the feel of badger over synth--this is personal preference
• Synths are cheap
• Synths are generally made of a nylon or polyester fiber--meaning they are polymers made from oil based derivatives (in most cases)
• Badger brushes require killing the animal to get the best hair for bristles

I have badger, synth, and boar brushes. I think my 6 or 7 brushes will last the rest of my life, but if I ever have to buy another one, I'll get another boar. Once broken in they can feel as good on the face as badger. The animal isn't killed. Although the bristles are stiffer than badger, they don't have the springiness of synthetics. And cost is about the same as synth.