I have a lot of boar and badger brushes. My favorite boar brushes are Zenith and boar knots from The Golden Nib. Once soaked they are almost as soft as a good badger but with a little backbone. I also own quite a few synthetics. I suffer from SBAD...Shaving Brush Acquisition Disorder!!! One can never have too many shaving brushes.
Does it happen that one need to re-lather for next pass with boar shaving brush?? I have one boar brush, not from a reputed brand though, it eats all lather. For next pass i need to re-lather. Its been 6 months now, hairs are split alot, still its the same.
@@kartikmishra6894 i have the same problem with my Proraso omega boar brush and my pure badger. With my synthetic brush i don't have this problem but i really like my boar brush especially when i have +two days growth. Try to do bowl lathering
After seeing a video interview with an Italian Barber,4 th generation of his barber family,i started using Boar. First synthetic but i found out that very soft brushes just don’t do the job for me. I’m also a Barber student so it kinda of a obvious choice 😌😉. Here’s a little tip from the barber mentioned above : Soak your boar brush in water for 3 days.Start with warm water in the morning, and refresh before you go to sleep.Just let it cool down and the brush will soak in the cold water(doesn’t have to stay warm the whole time. repeat that process for at least 3 days.Lather your brush and rinse rinse your brush a couple of times and “you will have a brush for life”
Boar update. I got a nice Semogue Boar brush. It was terrible - wet, sloppy suds My cheap-o synthetic performed better. The Semogue was shelved, destined to be just another decorative shelf item. Eventually I read of other fellow crybaby whiners who had poor results with boar brushes. Finally, one particular Shaving Forum member posted the secret to making that Boar bristle brush a scrubby favorite: soak your Badger brushes in warm water for at least 5 minutes, BUT just dunk the Boar for about a minute. It makes a world of difference. The improvement was radical - enough that I expanded my Boar brush count by adding several Omega brushes.
Thought u were supposed to soak ur boar more than badger??? Will try! I like a stiff, scrubby boar brush. I have a Zenith boar brush, but always soak it in a mug while I am taking a shower. I really loved the Van Der Hagen Boar brush from years ago. It was really rough and scrubby which I like!
To me, they will both make lather, but what I go by is the feel on the skin when applying to the face. Thats why I prefer a badger. It’s much softer on my sensitive skin.
When I'm in a hurry I almost always go to my synthetics, but I really love my natural hair brushes. Quite frankly, I use both with no preference one over the other. Yes, the badgers are a little bit better for softer soaps, but the boars are great for exfoliation when you have a lot of growth. My two favorite brushes of all times are a restored Ever-Ready Lucite handle fitted with a Maggard Razors SHD (Super High Density) badger 22mm knot. Some say is like Manchurian, but it has a lot of backbone, so it is a lather monster. And the other is my trusty Excelsior 830 by Semogue. Softest boar brush I've owned.
EverReady Lucite handle badger! I have one that was my grandfather's, with a hexagonal cut Lucite handle. It's softer (age?) than a new badger brush. 👍
After only recently acquiring a boar’s head brush, I’m come to the conclusion that they’re inevitably BETTER for hard soaps, due to their inherent rigidity, which gives them an advantage in quickly creating a quality lather from a hard soap, vs. badger, which is, indeed, that much softer, and which I now reserve mostly for cream based shaves. Another plus of using boar - at that price point, you can beat the HELL out of it and not think twice about it, vs. using an expensive badger brush, which you’re liable to treat so much more gingerly. Now, will ya quit teasing me with the COOL T-shirt already? 🙄😆
I mostly use pure badger. I like the way it produces soap cream and applies it gently to my face. I make my own handles. As a woodworker, it seemed like a good thing to do. Now I have a box full of brushes with exotic and domestic hand made wood handles. I enjoy making them, but, I’m no good at selling. I enjoyed your video. Keep them coming.
Great shootout...Thanks! I have been using my synthetic brush for about the last 6 months because it is faster than soaking my badger brush in the morning. After your last video on cleaning the badger brush, I used mine over the weekend. WOW...I forgot how nice it feels and how it builds up such a big rich lather. Definitely a bigger lather than my synthetic. So on the weekends I am going back to my badger, after first soaking it in my vintage Old Spice Mug. Then shaving with my Fat Handle Tech with triangle slots. Hey...it’s the 1940’s again. And I Love it!👍
I’d probably go for the boar. I like that scrubby exfoliating feel. I like to mistreat my skin. I like it when it bleeds and tears pieces of flesh off 😊
Interesting video. Thanks. I started out with a badger brush and enjoyed every shave until I saw a documentary showing how they are caged and slaughtered for their hair. That's when I began to discover that boar, horse and ultimately, (higher-end) synthetic brushes are all capable of delivering great shaves and have since never gone back to badger.
I started with a synthetic brush and I wasn't a big fan of it. On a trip to Italy a friend there gave me a boar brush and a tub of Proraso soap and I love both of them. I have never tried a badger brush and I do sometime, but I have been very happy with the boar brush the last 2 years.
I started with badger but now I'm synthetic all the way. No animal was harmed, it's soft, it doesn't smell at all, it doesn't irritate your skin and it comes in different colors. Can't beat that!
I've been on a boar kick lately. You break in a boar (when you get split ends on the bristles) and it's super soft while maintaining nice backbone. Only downside to boar is that they can eat lather but I'm positive we all have to many soaps so it's not a big deal to reload.
Another great visual explanation 👏 I sprung for a white badger brush made in England for my first brush, I wish I saw this beforehand, I would've enjoyed the exfoliation and saving money of the boar brush 😆
I use an Omega boar brush at home for every day shaving. I use a handmade travel Clubman badger brush when I’m on vacation. After I broke in the badger brush, it’s been like butter. It’s a nice accoutrement when staying in a fine hotel. And I like the everyday exfoliation at home with the Omega.
I have synthetic and badger in different variations and I like them all. No experience with boar or horse. Synthetic brushes are so good these days, and very soft. But sometimes you want a bit of scrubbing action so I’ll use a pure badger brush that has a very good backbone. Great comparison! I also have the Mitchell’s soap and since I used it first I never had any issues lathering, and I load it pretty dry keeping the soap in the ceramic container and add water while bowl lathering. It’s a great soap that will easily combine with any after shave since the sent is very mild.
The more you use a boar brush the softer it becomes, a good soaking in med hot water before use helps hydrate those hairs and soften the shafts. But you knew all of that already....😊 Nicely done Matt👍 Choosing a brush is a strange thing, you never know what it's going to be like until actually used. Synthetics are the rage, but I'll take my natural hair brushes any day. Enjoy!
Absolutely right. I switch out to a boar brush about once every three or four shaves for the backbone and better exfoliation. And they do soften up once broke in. I enjoy mixing it up a bit, anyway.
Does it happen that one need to re-lather for next pass with boar shaving brush?? I have one boar brush, not from a reputed brand though, it eats all lather. For next pass i need to re-lather. Its been 6 months now, hairs are split alot, still its the same.
I have been really enjoying a boar brush made by Semogue. The water here is a little bit hard so stiffer bristles are an advantage when lathering. I also like the invigorating scrubby feeling. So it is really working for me. That said, I lathered with the same badger brush for four years before I got the boar brush. I enjoyed the badger brush too.
Mitchell's and Williams are both thirsty soaps as well as being hard pucks so boar works well on whipping the lather up nicely.. I prefer boar myself as I like the stiffness as it brings up the whiskers easier.
Another nice job Matt. We are traditional shaving in “the best of times”! The range & variety of tools available boggles my mind. Bang for the buck is a big plus for Boar but it is nice to have a variety of tools. All the best, Zac.
I've tried many brushes and settled on a nice synthetic. I was quite happy with it. Then, for no particular reason, when ordering some soap from Stirling I picked up their boar brush - the one that sell for less than $10. WOW. Just wow! It's been my daily driver ever since it's first use. It is that good. I was surprised that there was no break in period. It now looks like it is broken in but it works and feels the same as it did when new. Also, there was no smell. My experience has been that all brushes, other than synthetic, have an odor that is at best unpleasant at fist. This one didn't. Another real surprise was the handle. What a pleasure to hold. I can't believe that a handle could make that much of a difference. Why haven't other manufacturers used this shape? The tl;dr = Stirling
I have all three types. A well broken in boar has the most salutary effect on my skin. The downside is that you do have to soak it for a minute or two before use and it takes a day (or maybe two?) to dry out so they don't travel well.
I will always prefer synthetic brushes, because of less maintenance. However, a gel tipped badger brush white mountain high/ Manchurian is a total luxury.
Thanks for the video.Love the boars hair brush, I feel works the best for some of the harder soaps I use Williams soap alot and the boar hair whips it up fast and thick.After the brush is broke in just gets better and better .
I have course facial hair and since switching to a boar brush after years of using badger I’ve had way less irritation and razor bumps 🤷🏻♂️really scrubs the hair follicles up . Haven’t ventured into synthetics yet but may try
Good comparison. I have the SOC boar and badger brushes. Interestingly with these I found the boar to be softer (after break in) than the badger. But I tend to use the badger more because I do multiple passes and find the lather to be a little richer and longer lasting on the badger SOC brush. I didn't hear you mention soaking in water for a bit before using, which helps produce a nicer lather with the natural hair brushes.
Does it happen that one need to re-lather for next pass with boar shaving brush?? I have one boar brush, not from a reputed brand though, it eats all lather. For next pass i need to re-lather. Its been 6 months now, hairs are split alot, still its the same.
@@kartikmishra6894 yeah im having the same problem with my new boar brush have you figured it out ?? With synthetic a 45 second load can easily give me a 3 passes head shave and still have lots of lather left however with boar even a 60 second lpad can barely give me 2 passes and even then the second pass feels kinda awful due to lack of cushion/lather
@@Basilahi i bought omega 13522 lately, it works fine but yeah I use loads of shaving cream and it lasts for three pass. Then again shaving cream is quite cheap. And boar natural bristles are skin friendly. My advice will be to buy boar brush from omega or any reputable brand.
Does it happen that one need to re-lather for next pass with boar shaving brush?? I have one boar brush, not from a reputed brand though, it eats all lather. For next pass i need to re-lather. Its been 6 months now, hairs are split alot, still its the same.
I use just about any kind of brush, depends on my beard growth mostly. If I am daily shaving or up to 3 days out, then badger brushes are where I turn to, but past 3 days out, boar or horse hair brush. I only use synthetic brushes when I travel. When I headshave, I use my bigger knot badger brushes, as it seems to do the best job upstairs. The boar brushes seem to scratch the dome a little too more for my liking. Great video Matt! Plus, Mitchell's doesn't seem to get enough love like it should, its an absolutely awesome soap, one of my top 5 favorites.
I use badger. Currently a Simpson's No.3 Chubby Super Badger, great lather produced from Proraso "green" & "red" and Tabac soap. Although reading what everyone else is saying about boar brushes, I think I need to try one. Nice work Matt.
Boar. I've tried synthetic and Badger but just prefer the stiffness of the boars hair. Also, I personally, find the boars hair produces a better leather.
Another great video by the Man! My choice for brush is the badger. Because my shaving experience will be the last soft issue I deal with before going out into the hard boar world.
I started out with a badger and have a few different types including a Savile Row 3824, which is a excellent performer. I’ve tried boars, including a Semogue Owners Club, but haven’t gotten the hang of them for some reason. Honestly, the Razorock BC Synthetic silver tip seems to be the winner. I keep coming back to it because it’s the easiest and most consistent across soaps.
Hi Matt- Great brush showdown; thank you! I use different synthetic brushes, mostly Tuxedo knots, as well as badger knots. The Simpson Special brush you used is quite nice. I only have one boar, an Omega Professional, but I rarely use. I hope you have a great weekend ahead and all the best!
Hi Matt, thanks for your succinct and informative comparison. I'll take boar over badger brushes every time, since I live in a hard water area & enjoy the scrub & economy of boar bristles. I've been thinking about trying Mitchell's shaving soap for a while & the high lanolin content has got to be very soothing...
Does it happen that one need to re-lather for next pass with boar shaving brush?? I have one boar brush, not from a reputed brand though, it eats all lather. For next pass i need to re-lather. Its been 6 months now, hairs are split alot, still its the same.
@@kartikmishra6894 my boar bristle brushes hold lather quite well, but I usually give them another swirl around over the shaving puck to collect some more lather. I generally use hard soaps rather than shaving cream.
Great idea for a comparison video! I use both types of brushes and really don’t have a preference. I enjoy the experience of both. I noticed you didn’t soak the brushes before using them which is something I always do. Soaking the boar in warm water really reduces the backbone and scruffiness (is that a word?). Some of the boar brushes even become floppy. I’ll have to try the boar without the presoak next time to see how that feels on my face.
Nice vid Matt. I have both Badger and Boar brushes and I use them differently depending on the soaps. I use the boar brushes for harder soaps and the badgers for softer soaps and creams. Overall I'd say I prefer the Badgers, much softer and they seem to hold the water and heat much better.
I like my synthetic brushes and just recently purchased a Yaki Tuxedo knot 24mm+ brush and was very pleased. The knot has fine soft tips with reasonable back bone. I have a omega boar brush and take it out for service once in while and it works Okay but I did not like the break in funk smell for the first week or two and that is why synthetic brushes are my favorites. My boar brush is nicely broke in with the split hairs and has softened up some.
Does it happen that one need to re-lather for next pass with boar shaving brush?? I have one boar brush, not from a reputed brand though, it eats all lather. For next pass i need to re-lather. Its been 6 months now, hairs are split alot, still its the same.
Great video. I have around 12 brushes, only one boar which is my favorite. Even breaking it in was a pleasure! To boot I only paid £12.00 for it from the brilliant "Groom Room" Shaving shop in Dundee which by the way is a wet shavers paradise. Boar all the way!
I like both Badger and boar. I think I'm a lean towards the bore just a little bit more, my semogue 1305 is about 3 years old and it's as soft as any Badger I own
I have a mix of synthetics, badger horse and boar, boar has always been my favourite but horse comes in a close second, especially if the hair comes from the tail opposed to the mane as I believe the tail hair is a little more scruffy and has more backbone than from the mane if I remember correctly
the best brush on the market today my Simpson Trafalgar's T-3 better then boar cheaper in the long run no break in, no need to soak it all day, ready to use, no weekly cleaning, no brush stand needed, easy on your face biggest brush at that price point .my I mic it its 29mm.' it's like buying a $275 badger hair brush, no cleaning the brush, no need for a brush stand, fast drying time, well not fall apart like a badger hair or boar can, cheap to buy, I have owned it for 5 years with no hair loss with no problems wheelchair Larry Merry Christmas
I love a good boar brush. I started with a badger, mid range price then after watching a video on here about the boar brushes I ordered a Semogue Excelsior 620. Gave my badger to my dad after the Semogue broke in well. I ordered some boar bristle heads and carved my own handles for them too. I gave them away as gifts to get some friends and family into wet shaving, or at least away from the can goo.
Does it happen that one need to re-lather for next pass with boar shaving brush?? I have one boar brush, not from a reputed brand though, it eats all lather. For next pass i need to re-lather. Its been 6 months now, hairs are split alot, still its the same.
Interesting video and sort of surprised to see up at just the right time. I ordered the same boar brush last week (awaiting delivery) as you seemed to be getting good results in your other videos. Thought it would make for a nice contrast with my silver tip. Also on a side note, would love to be ordering from you directly as you have so many tempting products on your website but shipping to Sydney, Australia doesn't really seem worth it. In any case, keep up the awesome content as you keep teaching me things I never thought I needed to learn.
I'm a rank amateur in the field of brushes, where many people have dozens. I have around 12-15 brushes. My first brush was Grandpa's EverReady 100T Boar brush. It's an honest 100 years old and still works great! I wanted to get a back-up brush, so as to give Grandpa's relic a rest. I knew nothing about brushes, but had to start somewhere. I got a $5 Chinese Liar's brush from E-Bay: "Wooden handle, 'Best Badger' brush. Upon arrival I discovered it was no more badger than I was a brain surgeon, but it worked nicely with all of my soaps & became the basis of judgement for all subsequent brush purchases. If this cheap-o synthetic lathers so well & so easily, a REAL badger must be utterly amazing, right? It ended up not so. I have several badgers that work well with SOME soaps, but they're not utterly fantastic. I have 2 horsehair brushes & they perform more reliably than my badgers. Most recently I've gotten a couple of boars. They are impressive, however, need to be kept out of a bowl of lather in use, since they absorb moisture & dry out the suds. Knowing this, I still get superior results. Nevertheless, when I demand the best lather in a hurry, that little Chinese Liar's synthetic is what I reach for. Buy a $200 Badger that works as well as the cheaper boar brushes? Not on your life!
With a new bore brush one can break it in by placing it in a glass of cold water, keeping it in the refrigerator for 2 days. After 1st day take it out and brush it on a towel and back into fridge for another day. your bore brush is now ready to use. It will be as soft as any badger brush for a lot less cost.
I have tried all animal brushes, different brands and sizes. Now I ONLY use a synthetic....can't beat it in quality of lather, ease of use and price. No animal killings. And you use LESS soap for good lather and it will last me 3 passes (face and head). Animal lathers for me usually don't give me so much lather
Nice Video. I go between synthetic and boar and enjoy the variety. I find the more often I use a boer the better it’s gets. I have disposed of some boers that just stay too scratchy but its no problem because the price is so low.
Does it happen that one need to re-lather for next pass with boar shaving brush?? I have one boar brush, not from a reputed brand though, it eats all lather. For next pass i need to re-lather. Its been 6 months now, hairs are split alot, still its the same.
Let one of the employees sons who is a new shaver do a review. I think that would be excellent for business. Of course you will need to coach him along the way. His shaving journey from start to finish would make a great series.
Until they fall apart. Had one for just under two years, and now the thread has gone and it won't screw up. A Google revealed that apparently, it's a common problem.
Boar brush all day for me simply because boar is a much better value. As for softness, I find that a broken-in boar is just as soft as any badger and has more backbone (which can be nice when loading harder soaps). Of course, synthetics are probably the best of both worlds: the low cost of a boar with no break in period and very soft.
If you like synthetic brushes, then check out Turn N Shave on Etsy. Milton is the owner. Fantastic customer service and his knots are among the best out there. You won't find better.
Matt, is that really all the cleaning/drying you do with your brushes after shaving?? I spend about a minute on my Simpson Commodore badger... first rubbing it against my hand under running warm water to remove all the soap... then shaking/squeezing and knocking it "dry" until it stops spraying droplets of water and after a couple of wipes on a towel, it is ready to put in the rack to finish drying. That's more care than I use to clean up my razor. 🙂
Wow, has it been 4 years since they did this? Some time ago, (years ago at MY grandfathers house), I used a very short bristle boar brush. Very scrubby and exfoliating? I loved it. Now I'm trying to find one like it and there are none like it... Bristles were only about 1 and 1/4 inch long. Very short and stiff but it worked great. I use a badger soft one now. Question: Does anyone know of a very short bristle boar brush out there today? I've looked on Amazon and other sites but all of them look to be around 2 or more inches in length of the bristles.... Matt, do you know of any?
I have been using Mitchell's Wool Fat almost exclusively for the past several months. I cannot get a good lather with my WSP Silvertip badger brush. Always turns out watery and thin, no matter how long I am on the puck, and regardless of trying to face lather or bowl lather. I had to break out my old Tweezerman badger brush that I started out with back in 2011, and I get a wonderful lather with that. I think you need something with a little bit of backbone to pick up the soap.
I have and like both. One thing to note is that boar brush tips do soften up over time.
The hairs also split on the end.
I have a lot of boar and badger brushes. My favorite boar brushes are Zenith and boar knots from The Golden Nib. Once soaked they are almost as soft as a good badger but with a little backbone. I also own quite a few synthetics. I suffer from SBAD...Shaving Brush Acquisition Disorder!!! One can never have too many shaving brushes.
I really love boar brushes because the bristles are harder and scrubby and when you apply it exfoliates and lifts those whiskers. Great video!
Does it happen that one need to re-lather for next pass with boar shaving brush??
I have one boar brush, not from a reputed brand though, it eats all lather. For next pass i need to re-lather. Its been 6 months now, hairs are split alot, still its the same.
@@kartikmishra6894 i have the same problem with my Proraso omega boar brush and my pure badger. With my synthetic brush i don't have this problem but i really like my boar brush especially when i have +two days growth. Try to do bowl lathering
After seeing a video interview with an Italian Barber,4 th generation of his barber family,i started using Boar.
First synthetic but i found out that very soft brushes just don’t do the job for me. I’m also a Barber student so it kinda of a obvious choice 😌😉.
Here’s a little tip from the barber mentioned above :
Soak your boar brush in water for 3 days.Start with warm water in the morning, and refresh before you go to sleep.Just let it cool down and the brush will soak in the cold water(doesn’t have to stay warm the whole time.
repeat that process for at least 3 days.Lather your brush and rinse rinse your brush a couple of times and “you will have a brush for life”
Boar update. I got a nice Semogue Boar brush. It was terrible - wet, sloppy suds My cheap-o synthetic performed better. The Semogue was shelved, destined to be just another decorative shelf item.
Eventually I read of other fellow crybaby whiners who had poor results with boar brushes. Finally, one particular Shaving Forum member posted the secret to making that Boar bristle brush a scrubby favorite: soak your Badger brushes in warm water for at least 5 minutes, BUT just dunk the Boar for about a minute. It makes a world of difference. The improvement was radical - enough that I expanded my Boar brush count by adding several Omega brushes.
Thought u were supposed to soak ur boar more than badger??? Will try! I like a stiff, scrubby boar brush. I have a Zenith boar brush, but always soak it in a mug while I am taking a shower. I really loved the Van Der Hagen Boar brush from years ago. It was really rough and scrubby which I like!
To me, they will both make lather, but what I go by is the feel on the skin when applying to the face. Thats why I prefer a badger. It’s much softer on my sensitive skin.
When I'm in a hurry I almost always go to my synthetics, but I really love my natural hair brushes. Quite frankly, I use both with no preference one over the other. Yes, the badgers are a little bit better for softer soaps, but the boars are great for exfoliation when you have a lot of growth. My two favorite brushes of all times are a restored Ever-Ready Lucite handle fitted with a Maggard Razors SHD (Super High Density) badger 22mm knot. Some say is like Manchurian, but it has a lot of backbone, so it is a lather monster. And the other is my trusty Excelsior 830 by Semogue. Softest boar brush I've owned.
EverReady Lucite handle badger! I have one that was my grandfather's, with a hexagonal cut Lucite handle. It's softer (age?) than a new badger brush. 👍
After only recently acquiring a boar’s head brush, I’m come to the conclusion that they’re inevitably BETTER for hard soaps, due to their inherent rigidity, which gives them an advantage in quickly creating a quality lather from a hard soap, vs. badger, which is, indeed, that much softer, and which I now reserve mostly for cream based shaves.
Another plus of using boar - at that price point, you can beat the HELL out of it and not think twice about it, vs. using an expensive badger brush, which you’re liable to treat so much more gingerly.
Now, will ya quit teasing me with the COOL T-shirt already? 🙄😆
I mostly use pure badger. I like the way it produces soap cream and applies it gently to my face. I make my own handles. As a woodworker, it seemed like a good thing to do. Now I have a box full of brushes with exotic and domestic hand made wood handles. I enjoy making them, but, I’m no good at selling. I enjoyed your video. Keep them coming.
How do you attach heads?
Great shootout...Thanks! I have been using my synthetic brush for about the last 6 months because it is faster than soaking my badger brush in the morning. After your last video on cleaning the badger brush, I used mine over the weekend. WOW...I forgot how nice it feels and how it builds up such a big rich lather. Definitely a bigger lather than my synthetic. So on the weekends I am going back to my badger, after first soaking it in my vintage Old Spice Mug. Then shaving with my Fat Handle Tech with triangle slots. Hey...it’s the 1940’s again. And I Love it!👍
I’d probably go for the boar. I like that scrubby exfoliating feel. I like to mistreat my skin. I like it when it bleeds and tears pieces of flesh off 😊
Interesting video. Thanks.
I started out with a badger brush and enjoyed every shave until I saw a documentary showing how they are caged and slaughtered for their hair. That's when I began to discover that boar, horse and ultimately, (higher-end) synthetic brushes are all capable of delivering great shaves and have since never gone back to badger.
From what I understand they are killed for their meat - much like cows are here in usa, and leather is a biproduct. Their hair is a biproduct
Nonsense
@@rentedtux1883 What a wonderfully detailed response. Thank you for your enlightening, documented and well argued contribution!
I started with a synthetic brush and I wasn't a big fan of it. On a trip to Italy a friend there gave me a boar brush and a tub of Proraso soap and I love both of them. I have never tried a badger brush and I do sometime, but I have been very happy with the boar brush the last 2 years.
I love boar brushes
I started with badger but now I'm synthetic all the way. No animal was harmed, it's soft, it doesn't smell at all, it doesn't irritate your skin and it comes in different colors. Can't beat that!
I've been on a boar kick lately. You break in a boar (when you get split ends on the bristles) and it's super soft while maintaining nice backbone. Only downside to boar is that they can eat lather but I'm positive we all have to many soaps so it's not a big deal to reload.
Gotta use them up sometime in the next 5 years right? 😂 Or else you risk becoming buried in soaps and creams!
Another great visual explanation 👏 I sprung for a white badger brush made in England for my first brush, I wish I saw this beforehand, I would've enjoyed the exfoliation and saving money of the boar brush 😆
I use an Omega boar brush at home for every day shaving. I use a handmade travel Clubman badger brush when I’m on vacation. After I broke in the badger brush, it’s been like butter. It’s a nice accoutrement when staying in a fine hotel. And I like the everyday exfoliation at home with the Omega.
I have synthetic and badger in different variations and I like them all. No experience with boar or horse. Synthetic brushes are so good these days, and very soft. But sometimes you want a bit of scrubbing action so I’ll use a pure badger brush that has a very good backbone. Great comparison! I also have the Mitchell’s soap and since I used it first I never had any issues lathering, and I load it pretty dry keeping the soap in the ceramic container and add water while bowl lathering. It’s a great soap that will easily combine with any after shave since the sent is very mild.
The more you use a boar brush the softer it becomes, a good soaking in med hot water before use helps hydrate those hairs and soften the shafts. But you knew all of that already....😊 Nicely done Matt👍 Choosing a brush is a strange thing, you never know what it's going to be like until actually used. Synthetics are the rage, but I'll take my natural hair brushes any day. Enjoy!
Absolutely right. I switch out to a boar brush about once every three or four shaves for the backbone and better exfoliation. And they do soften up once broke in. I enjoy mixing it up a bit, anyway.
Thanks for sharing. A variety of brushes always adds the enjoyment of the shave.
Does it happen that one need to re-lather for next pass with boar shaving brush??
I have one boar brush, not from a reputed brand though, it eats all lather. For next pass i need to re-lather. Its been 6 months now, hairs are split alot, still its the same.
I have been really enjoying a boar brush made by Semogue. The water here is a little bit hard so stiffer bristles are an advantage when lathering. I also like the invigorating scrubby feeling. So it is really working for me.
That said, I lathered with the same badger brush for four years before I got the boar brush. I enjoyed the badger brush too.
Mitchell's and Williams are both thirsty soaps as well as being hard pucks so boar works well on whipping the lather up nicely.. I prefer boar myself as I like the stiffness as it brings up the whiskers easier.
Recently revisited my boar brushes after cleaning them for the first time thanks to your recent video. Love them even more now!
Another nice job Matt. We are traditional shaving in “the best of times”! The range & variety of tools available boggles my mind. Bang for the buck is a big plus for Boar but it is nice to have a variety of tools. All the best, Zac.
Love all natural hair brushes
Boar is such a great value , can't believe I don't have one yet. Great vid!
I chose the DE 89 once Matt recommended it on his channel. Best razor so far. Very mild and very comfortable. Also, affordable for a college student!
I've tried many brushes and settled on a nice synthetic. I was quite happy with it. Then, for no particular reason, when ordering some soap from Stirling I picked up their boar brush - the one that sell for less than $10. WOW. Just wow! It's been my daily driver ever since it's first use. It is that good.
I was surprised that there was no break in period. It now looks like it is broken in but it works and feels the same as it did when new. Also, there was no smell. My experience has been that all brushes, other than synthetic, have an odor that is at best unpleasant at fist. This one didn't.
Another real surprise was the handle. What a pleasure to hold. I can't believe that a handle could make that much of a difference. Why haven't other manufacturers used this shape?
The tl;dr = Stirling
Great Video ! I love a boar brush shaved for years great presentation!
I just picked up an omega coming off badger. Love the boar hair.
I have all three types. A well broken in boar has the most salutary effect on my skin. The downside is that you do have to soak it for a minute or two before use and it takes a day (or maybe two?) to dry out so they don't travel well.
I will always prefer synthetic brushes, because of less maintenance. However, a gel tipped badger brush white mountain high/ Manchurian is a total luxury.
Great review Matt , I have Omega professional Boar and I like it
You must soak the boar brush for at least 5 minutes. Omega 10049 is one of the softest brush.
Thanks for the video.Love the boars hair brush, I feel works the best for some of the harder soaps I use Williams soap alot and the boar hair whips it up fast and thick.After the brush is broke in just gets better and better .
I have course facial hair and since switching to a boar brush after years of using badger I’ve had way less irritation and razor bumps 🤷🏻♂️really scrubs the hair follicles up . Haven’t ventured into synthetics yet but may try
Good comparison. I have the SOC boar and badger brushes. Interestingly with these I found the boar to be softer (after break in) than the badger. But I tend to use the badger more because I do multiple passes and find the lather to be a little richer and longer lasting on the badger SOC brush. I didn't hear you mention soaking in water for a bit before using, which helps produce a nicer lather with the natural hair brushes.
I prefer a boar for hard soaps, and my badger for soft soaps and creams, you just have to remember to soak a boar brush at least 10 minutes.
I'm with Dale on this one - it also gives us an excuse to have one of each :-)
Does it happen that one need to re-lather for next pass with boar shaving brush??
I have one boar brush, not from a reputed brand though, it eats all lather. For next pass i need to re-lather. Its been 6 months now, hairs are split alot, still its the same.
@@kartikmishra6894 Sounds like you're not making enough lather to begin with.
@@kartikmishra6894 yeah im having the same problem with my new boar brush have you figured it out ?? With synthetic a 45 second load can easily give me a 3 passes head shave and still have lots of lather left however with boar even a 60 second lpad can barely give me 2 passes and even then the second pass feels kinda awful due to lack of cushion/lather
@@Basilahi i bought omega 13522 lately, it works fine but yeah I use loads of shaving cream and it lasts for three pass. Then again shaving cream is quite cheap. And boar natural bristles are skin friendly. My advice will be to buy boar brush from omega or any reputable brand.
I love all four types of brushes.
Does it happen that one need to re-lather for next pass with boar shaving brush??
I have one boar brush, not from a reputed brand though, it eats all lather. For next pass i need to re-lather. Its been 6 months now, hairs are split alot, still its the same.
I really like the Omega 10098 boar brush, long handle long bristles. Softer than short bristle boar.
Yes this is my go to brush, great for bowl lathering, great backbone and wonderful with hard soaps!
Very perfect video, everything explained in such detail.
Great video , I prefer my boar brush over my badger , after 2 years of use I think its actually softer than my badger
I use just about any kind of brush, depends on my beard growth mostly. If I am daily shaving or up to 3 days out, then badger brushes are where I turn to, but past 3 days out, boar or horse hair brush. I only use synthetic brushes when I travel. When I headshave, I use my bigger knot badger brushes, as it seems to do the best job upstairs. The boar brushes seem to scratch the dome a little too more for my liking. Great video Matt! Plus, Mitchell's doesn't seem to get enough love like it should, its an absolutely awesome soap, one of my top 5 favorites.
Enjoyed the video Matt. Very informative and always learning something new. Love both my boars and badgers.
I use badger.
Currently a Simpson's No.3 Chubby Super Badger, great lather produced from Proraso "green" & "red" and Tabac soap.
Although reading what everyone else is saying about boar brushes, I think I need to try one.
Nice work Matt.
Boar. I've tried synthetic and Badger but just prefer the stiffness of the boars hair. Also, I personally, find the boars hair produces a better leather.
Another great video by the Man! My choice for brush is the badger. Because my shaving experience will be the last soft issue I deal with before going out into the hard boar world.
I started out with a badger and have a few different types including a Savile Row 3824, which is a excellent performer. I’ve tried boars, including a Semogue Owners Club, but haven’t gotten the hang of them for some reason. Honestly, the Razorock BC Synthetic silver tip seems to be the winner. I keep coming back to it because it’s the easiest and most consistent across soaps.
Hi Matt- Great brush showdown; thank you! I use different synthetic brushes, mostly Tuxedo knots, as well as badger knots. The Simpson Special brush you used is quite nice. I only have one boar, an Omega Professional, but I rarely use. I hope you have a great weekend ahead and all the best!
I like both (and my synthetic of course). I do tend to use my synthetics more often.
First brush I got was a Cremo horse hair brush from Target. Still use it quite a bit. Very stiff compared to badger.
Hi Matt, thanks for your succinct and informative comparison. I'll take boar over badger brushes every time, since I live in a hard water area & enjoy the scrub & economy of boar bristles. I've been thinking about trying Mitchell's shaving soap for a while & the high lanolin content has got to be very soothing...
Does it happen that one need to re-lather for next pass with boar shaving brush??
I have one boar brush, not from a reputed brand though, it eats all lather. For next pass i need to re-lather. Its been 6 months now, hairs are split alot, still its the same.
@@kartikmishra6894 my boar bristle brushes hold lather quite well, but I usually give them another swirl around over the shaving puck to collect some more lather. I generally use hard soaps rather than shaving cream.
@@snakeindigo7085 which boar brush do you have?
Boar is the type I’ve used for more years then I remember. Nice video Matt!
There’s nothing better than a well broken in boar brush. Just as soft as badger, but with backbone and it lathers better all around.
Great idea for a comparison video! I use both types of brushes and really don’t have a preference. I enjoy the experience of both. I noticed you didn’t soak the brushes before using them which is something I always do. Soaking the boar in warm water really reduces the backbone and scruffiness (is that a word?). Some of the boar brushes even become floppy. I’ll have to try the boar without the presoak next time to see how that feels on my face.
Nice vid Matt. I have both Badger and Boar brushes and I use them differently depending on the soaps. I use the boar brushes for harder soaps and the badgers for softer soaps and creams. Overall I'd say I prefer the Badgers, much softer and they seem to hold the water and heat much better.
I like my synthetic brushes and just recently purchased a Yaki Tuxedo knot 24mm+ brush and was very pleased. The knot has fine soft tips with reasonable back bone. I have a omega boar brush and take it out for service once in while and it works Okay but I did not like the break in funk smell for the first week or two and that is why synthetic brushes are my favorites. My boar brush is nicely broke in with the split hairs and has softened up some.
Boar is my favorite. I just love how it feels on my face and head. I never use a badger anymore.
Does it happen that one need to re-lather for next pass with boar shaving brush??
I have one boar brush, not from a reputed brand though, it eats all lather. For next pass i need to re-lather. Its been 6 months now, hairs are split alot, still its the same.
Thanks
Great video. I have around 12 brushes, only one boar which is my favorite. Even breaking it in was a pleasure! To boot I only paid £12.00 for it from the brilliant "Groom Room" Shaving shop in Dundee which by the way is a wet shavers paradise. Boar all the way!
I like both Badger and boar. I think I'm a lean towards the bore just a little bit more, my semogue 1305 is about 3 years old and it's as soft as any Badger I own
I have a mix of synthetics, badger horse and boar, boar has always been my favourite but horse comes in a close second, especially if the hair comes from the tail opposed to the mane as I believe the tail hair is a little more scruffy and has more backbone than from the mane if I remember correctly
the best brush on the market today my Simpson Trafalgar's T-3 better then boar cheaper in the long run no break in, no need to soak it all day, ready to use, no weekly cleaning, no brush stand needed, easy on your face biggest brush at that price point .my I mic it its 29mm.' it's like buying a $275 badger hair brush, no cleaning the brush, no need for a brush stand, fast drying time, well not fall apart like a badger hair or boar can, cheap to buy, I have owned it for 5 years with no hair loss with no problems wheelchair Larry Merry Christmas
I imagine newcomers finding this video and it will make them believe “the dual handed double brush method” is a normal thing 😅
what do you mean....it's not normal? ;)
Double brushing makes you a multi tasking.
I love a good boar brush. I started with a badger, mid range price then after watching a video on here about the boar brushes I ordered a Semogue Excelsior 620. Gave my badger to my dad after the Semogue broke in well. I ordered some boar bristle heads and carved my own handles for them too. I gave them away as gifts to get some friends and family into wet shaving, or at least away from the can goo.
Does it happen that one need to re-lather for next pass with boar shaving brush??
I have one boar brush, not from a reputed brand though, it eats all lather. For next pass i need to re-lather. Its been 6 months now, hairs are split alot, still its the same.
Thanks Matt. I have both Boar and Badger brushes. I also have a mixed brush which is great. Overall I lean more towards Badger brushes. 👍🇺🇸
I have that exact boar brush. It works well but took a long time to break in.
I tend to find most badgers too floppy, and most bores a bit to scritchy... synthetics are where it’s at (bonus: they dry super quick too)
As long as its good quality synth.. the muhle is really great
I don't have a Boar, however would love a 'Barber Pole' handle, and the only brush I see with that is a Boar (Omega).
Interesting video and sort of surprised to see up at just the right time. I ordered the same boar brush last week (awaiting delivery) as you seemed to be getting good results in your other videos. Thought it would make for a nice contrast with my silver tip. Also on a side note, would love to be ordering from you directly as you have so many tempting products on your website but shipping to Sydney, Australia doesn't really seem worth it. In any case, keep up the awesome content as you keep teaching me things I never thought I needed to learn.
I'm a rank amateur in the field of brushes, where many people have dozens. I have around 12-15 brushes. My first brush was Grandpa's EverReady 100T Boar brush. It's an honest 100 years old and still works great! I wanted to get a back-up brush, so as to give Grandpa's relic a rest. I knew nothing about brushes, but had to start somewhere. I got a $5 Chinese Liar's brush from E-Bay: "Wooden handle, 'Best Badger' brush. Upon arrival I discovered it was no more badger than I was a brain surgeon, but it worked nicely with all of my soaps & became the basis of judgement for all subsequent brush purchases. If this cheap-o synthetic lathers so well & so easily, a REAL badger must be utterly amazing, right? It ended up not so. I have several badgers that work well with SOME soaps, but they're not utterly fantastic. I have 2 horsehair brushes & they perform more reliably than my badgers. Most recently I've gotten a couple of boars. They are impressive, however, need to be kept out of a bowl of lather in use, since they absorb moisture & dry out the suds. Knowing this, I still get superior results.
Nevertheless, when I demand the best lather in a hurry, that little Chinese Liar's synthetic is what I reach for. Buy a $200 Badger that works as well as the cheaper boar brushes? Not on your life!
He looks very much like Brian Goulet from the Goulet Pen co.
People must be comparing Mitchell's to something from a can.🤦♂️ It is the best puck I've ever used.
With a new bore brush one can break it in by placing it in a glass of cold water, keeping it in the refrigerator for 2 days.
After 1st day take it out and brush it on a towel and back into fridge for another day. your bore brush is now ready to use. It will be as soft as any badger brush for a lot less cost.
I have tried all animal brushes, different brands and sizes. Now I ONLY use a synthetic....can't beat it in quality of lather, ease of use and price. No animal killings. And you use LESS soap for good lather and it will last me 3 passes (face and head). Animal lathers for me usually don't give me so much lather
3 passes?
Nice Video. I go between synthetic and boar and enjoy the variety. I find the more often I use a boer the better it’s gets. I have disposed of some boers that just stay too scratchy but its no problem because the price is so low.
Great video. I alternate between badger and boar with a slight preference for my Semogue 830 boar.
I have the same razor de 89 diamond finish. I also have an omega boar hair brush which cost me €15 . Got the brush 3&1/2 years ago. Still works fine.
Does it happen that one need to re-lather for next pass with boar shaving brush??
I have one boar brush, not from a reputed brand though, it eats all lather. For next pass i need to re-lather. Its been 6 months now, hairs are split alot, still its the same.
Thanks, take care.
Great video as alwyas, I haven’t been in wet shaving for long enough to have an pinion yet, but I learned a bit more...
My Boar is softer than my Badger. It was broken in correctly over time though. Soft as a new kitten on the tips.
Let one of the employees sons who is a new shaver do a review. I think that would be excellent for business. Of course you will need to coach him along the way. His shaving journey from start to finish would make a great series.
great idea!
@@RazorEmporium it'll also give your face a brake.
I have all and yet prefer synthetic!
Great video interesting
All brushes are different don’t really have a favourite
Learn something today, that is good thing.🤭
Edwin Jagger 3D 89 is good Razor.
Until they fall apart. Had one for just under two years, and now the thread has gone and it won't screw up. A Google revealed that apparently, it's a common problem.
I recently got a silver tip badger, found its soft but does not exfoliate near as good as the boar brush
Badger ftw. Cannot beat its natural water retention and softness.
Boar brush all day for me simply because boar is a much better value. As for softness, I find that a broken-in boar is just as soft as any badger and has more backbone (which can be nice when loading harder soaps). Of course, synthetics are probably the best of both worlds: the low cost of a boar with no break in period and very soft.
I just got a badger/boar blend brush from semogue. I have such a hard time choosing between badger or boar that I hope this is a happy medium.
Thanks for the comparo!
i prefer the synthetics and my favorite is one from the no longer in business shave revolution.
If you like synthetic brushes, then check out Turn N Shave on Etsy. Milton is the owner. Fantastic customer service and his knots are among the best out there. You won't find better.
Matt, is that really all the cleaning/drying you do with your brushes after shaving?? I spend about a minute on my Simpson Commodore badger... first rubbing it against my hand under running warm water to remove all the soap... then shaking/squeezing and knocking it "dry" until it stops spraying droplets of water and after a couple of wipes on a towel, it is ready to put in the rack to finish drying. That's more care than I use to clean up my razor. 🙂
I don't own expensive brushes and generally abuse them - only cleaning periodically. They seem to last just fine without shedding.
Boar hair is definitely the best for lifting the whiskers. I prefer the Heritage Shaving Collection brand. Made in the USA too.
Badger and synthetic are my go to
I look forward to the brush comparison of boar verses synthetic
Wow, has it been 4 years since they did this? Some time ago, (years ago at MY grandfathers house), I used a very short bristle boar brush. Very scrubby and exfoliating? I loved it. Now I'm trying to find one like it and there are none like it... Bristles were only about 1 and 1/4 inch long. Very short and stiff but it worked great. I use a badger soft one now. Question: Does anyone know of a very short bristle boar brush out there today? I've looked on Amazon and other sites but all of them look to be around 2 or more inches in length of the bristles.... Matt, do you know of any?
Check out some of the semogue ones on our site.
Synthetic is my favorite so far.
good video Matt,,,,boar brush is my choice
I have been using Mitchell's Wool Fat almost exclusively for the past several months. I cannot get a good lather with my WSP Silvertip badger brush. Always turns out watery and thin, no matter how long I am on the puck, and regardless of trying to face lather or bowl lather. I had to break out my old Tweezerman badger brush that I started out with back in 2011, and I get a wonderful lather with that. I think you need something with a little bit of backbone to pick up the soap.