Synthetic vs. Boar vs. Badger?

[RayClem]

You are correct, sir!
It is preference.
I prefer badger.
My boar outperforms badgers and the synthetic in my den.
Find what you like best and stick to it.

I have badger, boar, horsehair, and synthetic brushes. Within each group I have some preferences, but I enjoy using all of them. There is no need to stick to one type of brush unless that is your choice.

I have a lot of soaps that vary all the way from soft creams to hard pucks. I find that some types of soaps or cream lather better with certain brushes, so when using a soap, I select a brush that will work well with it. When using hard pucks, I typically select a boar brush. When using a cream from a tube, I often select a floppy silvertip boar. However, some soaps work with any brush and some brushes work with any soap: dense badgers, horsehair, and synthetic.

When evaluating a new soap for the first time, I often use a synthetic brush as it is easier to control the amount of water in the brush.

 

[beer nuts]

I have always used boar. I am scared that buying a badger will lead to another shaving rabbit hole.

Where does one start when looking at badger to compare and contrast with boar?

 

[RayClem]

I have always used boar. I am scared that buying a badger will lead to another shaving rabbit hole.

Where does one start when looking at badger to compare and contrast with boar?

There is no question that SBAD can be just as addictive as RAD.

Badger brushes are available in a wide variety of hair types: mountain white, Manchurian, three band silvertip, two band finest, best badger, pure badger, and black badger. They are available in a variety of knot diameters, lofts, and packing densities. the characteristics of the brush will depend upon each of these factors. Brushes can be found with nearly flat tops, fan shaped brushes, and bulb shaped brushes. It can be quite confusing.

To determine which badger brush might be right for you, first determine what you like and dislike about your current boar brushes.

Do you face lather or bowl lather? Those who face lather often prefer brushes with fan shaped or flat-top knots while those who bowl lather may prefer bulb-shaped knots.

What type of face feel are you looking for? People with sensitive skin often want a brush with a very soft face feel. Others want some scritch or scrub. Higher grade (more expensive) badger brushes are often softer.

Do you want your brush to be stiff, floppy or in between? Some people use mostly hard puck soaps and want a brush with a lot of backbone so you can "load it like you hate it" as The Stallion would say. If you are using mostly creams and soft soaps, a floppy badger brush works fine. A high density brush will have more backbone as will a brush with larger diameter and lesser loft.

Do you want a large brush that covers your entire cheek or a smaller one that is easier to control when working around a beard or mustache? The splay of the brush is determined by knot diameter, loft and packing density. A lot of folks like brushes that are 24-25mm in diameter. For me, that works well for a fan knot, but I prefer 26mm bulb-shaped knots.

How much are you willing to pay? Badger brushes can be found for less than $25 up to several hundred dollars. If your budget is less than $25, stick with boar and synthetic brushes as the badger brushes in that range are often poor quality. However, you can find some excellent badger brushes for less than $100.

What type of handle to you like? This is not just an aesthetic issue. The shape of the handle affects the functionality of the brush as well. How do you like holding the brush when lathering.

Once you can answer each of these questions, you can then seek recommendations from others on brushes that are likely to meet your specific requirements.

 

[beer nuts]

Thank you for taking the time for such a detailed response....

 

[naughtilus]

Long handle and tall loft is good for bowl lathering with creams and soft croaps. The opposite is good for face lathering.

Choosing the right badger brush knot is generally based on the principle here's 3 desirable qualities, but pick only 2:

1. backbone
2. flow through
3. softness

• If it has backbone and softness for face lathering, that means densely packed knot with thin high grade hair. It will eat your lather.
• If you went with softness and good flow, this is good for bowl lathering with creams, painting lather on your face. It will be too floppy for face lathering because it's packed with less hair.
• Backbone and and flow means a scrubby, even prickly brush with thicker lower grade of hair (example Pure badger). This will do best for bowl lathering and will excel with hard soaps. Some like it for face lathering, even preferring the rough scrub.

This is why you need several badger brushes to cover all your bases.

You can get a boar like an Omega 49 that does all 3, but you have to wait for it to break in, and there's luck of the draw with how well the tips split with use. To some people these tall lofted knots feel unwieldy for face lathering.

There are now synth knots that mostly cover all 3 bases, but their issues are water retention, unnatural feeling backbone etc.

 

[RayClem]

Long handle and tall loft is good for bowl lathering with creams and soft croaps. The opposite is good for face lathering.

Choosing the right badger brush knot is generally based on the principle here's 3 options, but pick only 2:

1. backbone
2. flow through
3. softness

• If it has backbone and softness for face lathering, that means densely packed knot with thin high grade hair. It will eat your lather.
• If you went with softness and good flow, this is good for bowl lathering with creams, painting lather on your face. It will be too floppy for face lathering.
• Backbone and and flow means a scrubby, even prickly brush with thicker lower grade of hair (example Pure badger). This will do best for bowl lathering and will excel with hard soaps. Some like it for face lathering, even preferring the rough scrub.

This is why you need several badger brushes to cover all your bases.

You can get a boar like an Omega 49 that does all 3, but you have to wait for it to break in, and there's luck of the draw with how well the tips split with use. To some people these tall lofted knots feel unwieldy for face lathering.

There are now synth knots that mostly cover all 3 bases, but their issues are water retention, unnatural feeling backbone etc.

Thanks!
Very interesting. I had never really though about it that way before, but I think you are onto something. I have an Omega 10098 Pro which I believe has the same knot as the Omega 49, but with a different handle. Once broken in, this boar brush will compete with badger brushes costing at ten times as much. I do not plan to quit using badgers, but I do enjoy the Omega as well.

 

[naughtilus]

Thanks!
Very interesting. I had never really though about it that way before, but I think you are onto something. I have an Omega 10098 Pro which I believe has the same knot as the Omega 49, but with a different handle. Once broken in, this boar brush will compete with badger brushes costing at ten times as much. I do not plan to quit using badgers, but I do enjoy the Omega as well.

I have both the 10049 and 10098. It's the identical knot, which is a tad smaller than what goes in 10048 and 20106.

 

[Schnitzel52]

Thanks!
Very interesting. I had never really though about it that way before, but I think you are onto something. I have an Omega 10098 Pro which I believe has the same knot as the Omega 49, but with a different handle. Once broken in, this boar brush will compete with badger brushes costing at ten times as much. I do not plan to quit using badgers, but I do enjoy the Omega as well.

I have the 49 and it lathers beautifully.
I’m looking at a smaller Omega boar to replace it. I like boar brushes.