Synthetic x Badger Hair and why?

[DanteB]

I just recieved my first synthetic brush and I already have a badger one. I'm just looking at both of them now and I'm wondering "what is the more common choice of guys at the B&B?".

I like that the synthetic has very regular and straight bristles, therefore the badger one looks a bit messy. But I like the feel of the badger more and I guess it can lather up better (I haven't tried the synthetic one tho) because the bristles has rougher structure of the hair than the smooth and perfectly straight synthetic and it can better hold water.

Is having the badger brush only something to flex on or are there really some benefits to it?

But I guess that people mostly go for the synthetic because they cost a fraction of what a badger one costs and you don't have to maintain it that much, am I right?

 

[Kyle89]

It’s all subjective. In my opinion, if I were going the economical route I’d go boar over synthetic personally. I enjoy each type of hair for what they are and can’t really comment on which one is better. They all have their strengths and weaknesses. That’s why I love this hobby so much. I just want to try everything!

 

[SterFry]

What we all did is the same thing you're going to do...which is buy several of each and formulate your own perspective.

I personally find the efficiency, latherability, softness and durability of modern synthetics to be the most practical choice... especially if you only want to own one or two brushes...which you won't

 

[Marco]

At the beginning I was very, very skeptical about synthetic brushes. My opinion changed entirely when Simpson introduced the EXCEPTIONAL Trafalgar Series. It was love after first use, I JUST ADORE THEM!!

 

[South Dakota Guy]

Use different ones and see what you like and dislike about the different brushes. I have never used a boar but I have two badgers and I just ordered my eighth synthetic brush. I just find myself grabbing a synthetic brush way more often than I do a natural hair brush. For me, I have found that I can lather more easily with a synthetic brush. My synthetic brushes also generally feel softer on my face. I am not as concerned about drying my synthetic brushes out between shaves as I am with my badger brushes. I also like that I don't need to presoak my synthetic brushes before use. My badgers do a fine a job though but also use up more soap to lather. Some folks like a stiffer or scrubbier brush than what they get from a synthetic. It's really all down to personal preference. It took me many months of using different brushes to find what I like the best. Just like with razor blades, trial and error will help you decide which you prefer.

 

[Rudy Vey]

I admit I am a badger guy!! Own a few synthetics, but they do not give me the same "pleasure" I get from a natural badger hair brush. The only synthetic I used regularly is my travel brush, but since the pandemic, I have not traveled since last year March. I know a lot of guys like synthetics, and for me the only benefit is the fast drying when traveling. The feel I get from badger is much more enjoyable than syns. Just my personal opinion!

 

[Contact_vs_Feedback]

Some people lean heavily towards a specific type of brush, I am evenly interested in badger, boar and synthetic brushes.

Each has it's own unique qualities and enjoying them is an experience itself.

For my expensive soaps/ croap I use synthetic brush, for hard soaps I use boar brushes and badger brush is used when I'm in the mood for indulgence.

You asked for benefits of badger brush, to my limited experience and from what I've read here:

# badger brush holds more water, so making lather is a bit different than synthetic brush

# badger bristles holds warmth of the water, so they are especially enjoyable when using warm water for shaving

# eating of larger is a phenomenon in the natural bristles, it'll depend upon the break-in (boar bristles) and number of usage of the brushes before performing at excellence.

Basically, try a bunch of all the types of brushes, give each one of them an honest chance and some time before deciding what you prefer.

Bigger synthetic brushes are more favored by me because of excellent face feel and ample lather.
Smaller knots in natural bristles are better especially when you don't like to use too much soap.

 

[Wogus]

I just recieved my first synthetic brush and I already have a badger one. I'm just looking at both of them now and I'm wondering "what is the more common choice of guys at the B&B?".

I like that the synthetic has very regular and straight bristles, therefore the badger one looks a bit messy. But I like the feel of the badger more and I guess it can lather up better (I haven't tried the synthetic one tho) because the bristles has rougher structure of the hair than the smooth and perfectly straight synthetic and it can better hold water.

Is having the badger brush only something to flex on or are there really some benefits to it?

But I guess that people mostly go for the synthetic because they cost a fraction of what a badger one costs and you don't have to maintain it that much, am I right?

I guess I'm on the flip side of this coin as I've been using synthetic brushes (Simpson Trafalgars) for the past couple of years, and only recently got my first badger brush. Bearing in mind I don't have many shaves logged on the badger brush at this point I'm not all that impressed with it. The two brushes definitely provide me with very different experiences. Based on my admittedly limited experience there are a few things I'm not really liking about the badger.

1. Shedding. I know this will end but my synthetics didn't shed and while it's a nit-pick in my estimation, I can't ignore it either.
2. The brush isn't releasing lather as well as my synthetic. I'm told this will pass with further use. Another nit-pick, but again, my synthetics brushes just worked, and beautifully, from shave number one.
3. Lathering the badger hair brush seems to take longer. I'm very practical about my shaving. I want to get in, get a good shave and get on with my life. I don't expect or need my shave to be anything more than a simple, effective process and the fewer things I have standing in the way of that process, the happier I am. I understand not everyone feels this way, but it's definitely where I'm coming as an individual.
4. Face feel. There's a definite and unique feel to each brush and I'll give the edge to the badger hair brush on this one. IMO it does feel better. Leaps and bounds better than my Trafalgar brush? Not even. It's a pretty close race actually but in all fairness the badger hair brush wins in this category, if only by a very slim margin.
5. Regarding cost... For most things, and I'm not limiting this to shave gear, if I feel I'm going to GET more, I'm willing to PAY more; up to a point. I need to feel I'm getting a solid return on my investment, if you will, before I'm willing to shell out the extra money. Then too, I have a "ceiling" in my mind of what I'm willing to pay for just about anything. At some point good enough has to be just that: good enough. This is based on principle as much as anything else, budgetary limitations included. More to the point if someone were to tell me I need to spend $350 to really appreciate a badger hair brush, well, that's just not going to happen. I can't miss what I've never had and my Trafalgar brushes will just have to be good enough.

All that being said, the jury is still out on my badger hair brush. I'm going to keep using it to see if the primary issue I have with it, that it doesn't release lather well, will self-correct or not. Even if it does, I'm not sure I'll be won over, but I'm still willing to be convinced.

 

[South Dakota Guy]

I guess I'm on the flip side of this coin as I've been using synthetic brushes (Simpson Trafalgars) for the past couple of years, and only recently got my first badger brush. Bearing in mind I don't have many shaves logged on the badger brush at this point I'm not all that impressed with it. The two brushes definitely provide me with very different experiences. Based on my admittedly limited experience there are a few things I'm not really liking about the badger.

1. Shedding. I know this will end but my synthetics didn't shed and while it's a nit-pick in my estimation, I can't ignore it either.
2. The brush isn't releasing lather as well as my synthetic. I'm told this will pass with further use. Another nit-pick, but again, my synthetics brushes just worked, and beautifully, from shave number one.
3. Lathering the badger hair brush seems to take longer. I'm very practical about my shaving. I want to get in, get a good shave and get on with my life. I don't expect or need my shave to be anything more than a simple, effective process and the fewer things I have standing in the way of that process, the happier I am. I understand not everyone feels this way, but it's definitely where I'm coming as an individual.
4. Face feel. There's a definite and unique feel to each brush and I'll give the edge to the badger hair brush on this one. IMO it does feel better. Leaps and bounds better than my Trafalgar brush? Not even. It's a pretty close race actually but in all fairness the badger hair brush wins in this category, if only by a very slim margin.
5. Regarding cost... For most things, and I'm not limiting this to shave gear, if I feel I'm going to GET more, I'm willing to PAY more; up to a point. I need to feel I'm getting a solid return on my investment, if you will, before I'm willing to shell out the extra money. Then too, I have a "ceiling" in my mind of what I'm willing to pay for just about anything. At some point good enough has to be just that: good enough. This is based on principle as much as anything else, budgetary limitations included. More to the point if someone were to tell me I need to spend $350 to really appreciate a badger hair brush, well, that's just not going to happen. I can't miss what I've never had and my Trafalgar brushes will just have to be good enough.

All that being said, the jury is still out on my badger hair brush. I'm going to keep using it to see if the primary issue I have with it, that it doesn't release lather well, will self-correct or not. Even if it does, I'm not sure I'll be won over, but I'm still willing to be convinced.

Regarding the Trafalgar synthetic brush, I Piffed mine away after months of use. It has lots of backbone to produce a scrubby feel. The brush tips aren't the softest synthetic fibers by a wide margin. The low loft, short handle and comparative roughness of the fibers were what doomed this brush for me. I bowl or scuttle lather and the writing on the handle was all worn off from scraping against the side of my scuttle due to the shortness of the brush and it's dinky little handle.

 

[Wogus]

Regarding the Trafalgar synthetic brush, I Piffed mine away after months of use. It has lots of backbone to produce a scrubby feel. The brush tips aren't the softest synthetic fibers by a wide margin. The low loft, short handle and comparative roughness of the fibers were what doomed this brush for me. I bowl or scuttle lather and the writing on the handle was all worn off from scraping against the side of my scuttle due to the shortness of the brush and it's dinky little handle.

I have no issue, personally, with the face feel of my Trafalgar, but your last two issues would put me off as well. I guess I've managed to avoid them by using a T3, which I feel has a pretty fat handle (even in my big, Midwestern mitt) and a 7" bowl with relatively low sides, to lather in.

 

[DaveHStone]

At the beginning I was very, very skeptical about synthetic brushes. My opinion changed entirely when Simpson introduced the EXCEPTIONAL Trafalgar Series. It was love after first use, I JUST ADORE THEM!!

^^^ This, same for me! Love my T3.

 

[South Dakota Guy]

^^^ This, same for me! Love my T3.

So @DanteB, you can see that it isn't even as simple as a Synthetic VS Natural hairs thing. Even among brush types there are are differences that some will like and others won't. Keep an open mind and try different types. If you primarily face lather you might prefer one type, if you bowl lather another type and even the type and size of the bowl can make a difference. There are just too many variables and only you can figure out which qualities you prefer. Have fun experimenting!

 

[albsat]

I admit I am a badger guy!! Own a few synthetics, but they do not give me the same "pleasure" I get from a natural badger hair brush. The only synthetic I used regularly is my travel brush, but since the pandemic, I have not traveled since last year March. I know a lot of guys like synthetics, and for me the only benefit is the fast drying when traveling. The feel I get from badger is much more enjoyable than syns. Just my personal opinion!

@Rudy Vey

Based on your vast experience with knots, what type of badger brush would you recommend that has a good backbone and good scrub feeling? No unbearable scritch, of course.

Thank you in advance

 

[Messygoon]

To each his own. My preference is Shavemac badgers because they are luxurious, and my Zenith boar because of its hefty backbone, scrubbing and lathering qualities. Oh, yeah, and that aluminum-handled Zenith is a ridiculous bargain at $22.

In contrast, I've found synthetics lacking. My first was "meh," and the second, an Omega Evo, is floppy and doesn't lather well. Yet the Evo is in my travel bag because it dries quickly.

Many B&B brothers far more intelligent than I find synthetics superior for exactly the same reasons I like badgers and boars. There is no right or wrong, just different preferences. Same with phones. Some prefer Apple, others Android.

Wait... no... that can't be right. Bad anology. Android sucks.

 

[Rudy Vey]

@Rudy Vey

Based on your vast experience with knots, what type of badger brush would you recommend that has a good backbone and good scrub feeling? No unbearable scritch, of course.

Thank you in advance

pm'ed you

 

[DaveHStone]

To each his own. My preference is Shavemac badgers because they are luxurious, and my Zenith boar because of its hefty backbone, scrubbing and lathering qualities. Oh, yeah, and that aluminum-handled Zenith is a ridiculous bargain at $22.

In contrast, I've found synthetics lacking. My first was "meh," and the second, an Omega Evo, is floppy and doesn't lather well. Yet the Evo is in my travel bag because it dries quickly.

Many B&B brothers far more intelligent than find synthetics superior for exactly the same reasons I like badgers and boars. There is no right or wrong, just different preferences. Same with phones. Some prefer Apple, others Android.

Wait... no... that can't be right. Bad anology. Android sucks.

Dude... If you can't make good lather with Omega Evo, then smth.s "off the charts" level of wrong with your lathering process. Evo? Floppy? You for real?

 

[Multum in parvo]

I tried 7 or 8 Synths most were lacking scrub and those with backbone were quite springy.

I kept a Yaqi Rainbow Pony that is soft and splays easy and a Yaqi Bali (5th Generation fibre?) that feels a bit scrubby and reacts to pressure close to natural bristles.

A new addition for traveling is a Mühle Silvertip Fibre that I’m still getting to know. For such a small knot (19mm) the first shaves were quite promising.

If you like scrub, breaking in a boar is a treat. If you like soft: a boar will cost you only time, a Synth a little bit of money and a high quality badger a pretty penny.

 

[Messygoon]

Dude... If you can't make good lather with Omega Evo, then smth.s "off the charts" level of wrong with your lathering process. Evo? Floppy? You for real?

You are right to call me out on the Evo. I used it just once, with an Arko stick and hard hotel tap water. While packing to return home, I dropped it and the handle shattered. I was disappointed, but operator error and clumsiness doesn’t justify quick judgment.

The Evo gets a new custom handle this weekend. Looking forward to giving this highly touted brush a fair assessment with many shaves under more controlled conditions. I plan to share those impressions here.

 

[BigJ]

To each his own!

My preferences:
Best bang for the buck would be boar.
Most luxurious badger, without question!

Synthetics are just not for me (but then I have not kept up with the most recent iterations.)

Best to try some of each to determine what makes you happy!

 

[Fred D]

I first used boar, but then switched to synthetic brushes only.
Now I use and enjoy, boar, badger, and synthetic brushes equally. I really like the different characteristics of all of them.

Perhaps one day I'll try a horse hair brush, but I'm quite happy with what I have now.