Boar Brushes

I am been traditional wet shaving for nearly two years. My den is evolving and growing. My thoughts originally on brushes was a bigger knot was better, that badger was the way to go.

My Parker Brush has a large knot, unsure of the size. The stiffness is waning, it is very soft. My other badger is a LuJin with a smaller knot.

About a year ago I bought my first boar, an Omega "48", it is a great brush and a great lathering brush of either soaps or creams. I recently added two more boar brushes my first Semogue a 1460, with a 22mm knot, a Vulfix 28
with a 23mm knot. Both I believe are traditional size brushes.

I used the Semogue this morning it was an impressive first lathering. It had hardly any piggy smell. Boar brush smell does not bother me at all because after a few uses it usually gone. I am excited to see how this brush will progress. The second boar will have it's first lathering chore tomorrow.

Personally for myself further brush purchases will be boar. For myself they are not only a great value but they great lathering brushes. Of course though they is one exception I would like to add a Vie Long horse brush to my den. I am better educated about brushes realize that bigger is not always better. Also boar brushes are great brushes.

Really nice thoughts,my friend.
I also avoid larger brushes : I like brushes under a 22 knot mm and a 50mm loft since Im a face latherer (well,most of the time).
As you,I started thinking that badger was better.Later I found Zachs tutorial A Begginers Guide to Boar Brushes/The Science of the Boar Brush , gave boar a try and I was hooked up.I discovered that badger wasn't better than boar,that it was a question of personal preference/choice and boar worked really good for me,as some badger brushes does too.
Boar brushes are usually cheap (unless that its a Semogue LE ) and has a lot of good qualities, like firm backbone and soft tips (not silvertip soft ) and tackles hard soaps with easiness.

How right you are young man, how right you are. If you want to try another small/medium Semogue boar, get the 1470, the natural finished twin to the 1460. Then venture out and get a Semogue 1305. The knot is not to large and it has just a little longer loft. Once you think you have hit boar heaven, get a Semogue SOC in either Cherry or Ash wood. You will never look back.

1460

   

1470

   

1305

   

SOC

   

And all together they will give you that warm and fuzzy feeling.

   

(03-22-2012, 02:32 PM)Johnny Wrote: How right you are young man, how right you are. If you want to try another small/medium Semogue boar, get the 1470, the natural finished twin to the 1460. Then venture out and get a Semogue 1305. The knot is not to large and it has just a little longer loft. Once you think you have hit boar heaven, get a Semogue SOC in either Cherry or Ash wood. You will never look back.

1460, 1470, 1305, SOC
And all together they will give you that warm and fuzzy feeling.

Johnny, do you have an 820? It looks like you are partial to the wood handles. I only have an 820, but am seriously considering the SOC. How would they compare? I wish there were some information about grades of boar hair similar to what is available regarding badger.

DT: Semogue does have some of their own bristle grades. From highest grade to lowest it is...
Special > Premium > Best > Extra

The next thing they do is tell you the %tops which means the % of bristles that are the full length and should split thus giving you softer tips once broken in.

I'm sure some more knowledgable chaps will be by to correct me where I'm wrong.

If I didn't have my brushes lined up and always take the next one in the lineup I would probably always pick a boar.

Howler, if you think it's good after one shave, wait until the bristles split and it becomes soft. You'll love it then. It becomes very soft yet retains backbone, and will lather like a champ!

I'm not a boar guy, but I'm not big on big brushes. I started with small brushes and I picked up a 26mm in a horn handle and though I like the feel, it frustrates me how much more product I have to use and how less flow through there is.

(03-22-2012, 07:15 PM)Brent Wrote: I'm not a boar guy, but I'm not big on big brushes. I started with small brushes and I picked up a 26mm in a horn handle and though I like the feel, it frustrates me how much more product I have to use and how less flow through there is.

So the excess soap required frustrates you? What about trying to keep lather out of your eyes, ears, nose, & armpits with those big brushes?

(03-22-2012, 05:36 PM)Dirty Texan Wrote:

(03-22-2012, 02:32 PM)Johnny Wrote: How right you are young man, how right you are. If you want to try another small/medium Semogue boar, get the 1470, the natural finished twin to the 1460. Then venture out and get a Semogue 1305. The knot is not to large and it has just a little longer loft. Once you think you have hit boar heaven, get a Semogue SOC in either Cherry or Ash wood. You will never look back.

1460, 1470, 1305, SOC
And all together they will give you that warm and fuzzy feeling.

Johnny, do you have an 820? It looks like you are partial to the wood handles. I only have an 820, but am seriously considering the SOC. How would they compare? I wish there were some information about grades of boar hair similar to what is available regarding badger.

I had an 820 and gave it to a friend. You simply cannot compare the 820 to the SOC. The SOC has a higher grade boar and is more tightly packed. And I am partial to wood handles. I don't know, wood just feels natural. Also, check on the Vintage Scent website. I believe Bruno talks about the different grades of boar.

(03-22-2012, 06:00 PM)SharpSpine Wrote: DT: Semogue does have some of their own bristle grades. From highest grade to lowest it is...
Special > Premium > Best > Extra

The next thing they do is tell you the %tops which means the % of bristles that are the full length and should split thus giving you softer tips once broken in.

I'm sure some more knowledgable chaps will be by to correct me where I'm wrong.

Thanks, SharpSpine. I was able to find out that the 820 was in Best and 90%, but all I could come up with for the SOC was that it was Special grade, according to my invoice from VintageScent. What percent are they supposed to be? The SOC (24x57) is a little larger knot than the 820 (22x55), so I'll probably go through product a little faster...

Other than just using it all the time, as I did with my 820, is there a preferred break-in method? I've heard wet/dry cycles referred to, but not any specifics. I don't consider myself impatient, but the three months of work it took to bring out the best in my 820 stretches the limit.

Thanks!

Let the SOC soak it hot tap water for about 20 minutes before you start to use it. Only soak about 75% of the boar. Do your normal lathering routine, shave, then rinse the brush well in hot water. Shake out any excess water and hang boar facing down overnight. Repeat this step for a week and you should be ready to go. But, the longer you do this, the better it gets.

The SOC does have the special grade boar and I believe the percentages are 90-95%.

(03-25-2012, 07:06 AM)Johnny Wrote: Let the SOC soak it hot tap water for about 20 minutes before you start to use it. Only soak about 75% of the boar. Do your normal lathering routine, shave, then rinse the brush well in hot water. Shake out any excess water and hang boar facing down overnight. Repeat this step for a week and you should be ready to go. But, the longer you do this, the better it gets.

The SOC does have the special grade boar and I believe the percentages are 90-95%.

Thanks, Johnny. In otherwords, "Just use it and don't think about it so much." I thought I heard someone imply that longer drying periods (48hours) instead of daily cycles, might accelerate the expansion/contraction of the hairs to get them to split sooner, but that is literally splitting hairs. I'll just enjoy it. Thanks for the recommendation.

(03-25-2012, 07:15 AM)Dirty Texan Wrote:

(03-25-2012, 07:06 AM)Johnny Wrote: Let the SOC soak it hot tap water for about 20 minutes before you start to use it. Only soak about 75% of the boar. Do your normal lathering routine, shave, then rinse the brush well in hot water. Shake out any excess water and hang boar facing down overnight. Repeat this step for a week and you should be ready to go. But, the longer you do this, the better it gets.

The SOC does have the special grade boar and I believe the percentages are 90-95%.

Thanks, Johnny. In otherwords, "Just use it and don't think about it so much." I thought I heard someone imply that longer drying periods (48hours) instead of daily cycles, might accelerate the expansion/contraction of the hairs to get them to split sooner, but that is literally splitting hairs. I'll just enjoy it. Thanks for the recommendation.

The 20 minute soak in hot water does more to help the tips split than anything else. I usually get my hot water from the kitchen sink as the hot water heater is directly under it in the basement and it puts out really hot water.

I read where some boil water and then let the water cool for a few minutes but I do not subscribe to this practice.

Personally I enjoy how a boar brush matures into it's own. I am looking forward to seeing my two newest additions mature. I know that boars do not come into their own right off the wait is worth it.

Don't forget the Semogue 620! A great little brush, perfect for travel and face lathering.

I enjoy boar brushes more than badger, probably why I sold off Simpsons and got SOC

(03-25-2012, 09:55 AM)sp514 Wrote: I enjoy boar brushes more than badger, probably why I sold off Simpsons and got SOC

That is exactly what I did but I did not stop there. My two Simpsons have turned into 7 Semogues.

(03-25-2012, 07:06 AM)Johnny Wrote: Let the SOC soak it hot tap water for about 20 minutes before you start to use it. Only soak about 75% of the boar. Do your normal lathering routine, shave, then rinse the brush well in hot water. Shake out any excess water and hang boar facing down overnight. Repeat this step for a week and you should be ready to go. But, the longer you do this, the better it gets.

The SOC does have the special grade boar and I believe the percentages are 90-95%.

That statement Johnny just gave me a Eureka moment. I've been havig an issue with my 1250 not working well & actually eating the lather. I know now that this brush isn't broken in so if I don't soak it long enough then it will eat the lather as it absorbs the water. I just did the 20 minute soak as Johnny mentioned & I just whipped up the best lather ever from this brush. I was using De Vergulde Hand "Extra fris" which is an easy soap to lather. This morning though it didn't lather worth anything, but the 1250 only had about a 5 minute soak. This time after a 20 minute soak I have a bowl full of creamy DVH extra fresh & wonderfully smelling lather.

Thanks Johnny for this simple & effective tip.

I let mine soak through at least two cups of coffee.

(03-25-2012, 10:14 AM)Johnny Wrote: I let mine soak through at least two cups of coffee.

Haha, my SOC only drinks black