Shaving brush

[Mid-fogey]

Think...

Yes, that really makes a difference. I have to confess that there is one nagging thought about the badger in the back of my mind. The badgers all come from China. Now I've read that they use the whole badger, not just the fur. But the Chinese are infamous for unspeakably cruel methods of killing fur animals. Just saying. If they're trapped wild it's probaby some sort of quick kill. But if they're farmed, well I don't wanna know.

...they make them listen to rap?

 

[Baron Kurtz]

One review I read likened badger bristle to a mop.

This has had me stumped since I read it a couple days ago. In what way/sense was badger bristle compared to a mop? What point was the "reviewer" trying to make? That it holds water (good for lathering) and the water is quite easy to get out (good for storage)? It seems like such a weird comparison.

bk

p.s. I don't know that I know enough to recommend it, but I use a badger bristle brush.

 

[Edward]

Yes, that really makes a difference. I have to confess that there is one nagging thought about the badger in the back of my mind. The badgers all come from China. Now I've read that they use the whole badger, not just the fur. But the Chinese are infamous for unspeakably cruel methods of killing fur animals. Just saying. If they're trapped wild it's probaby some sort of quick kill. But if they're farmed, well I don't wanna know.

The hair used in badger brushes does indeed come from the Asian badger, which is not endangered, and which is, as you are aware, used as a food source, making the hair a by product which would otherwise be wasted, as opposed to the animal being killed for the hair. I did do some asking around on this issue myself before I bought one. My brush is made in England, and all vendors I queried insisted that there are very strict rules on the import of animal products to England, requiring that the animal has not been treated cruelly. Not sure how they guarantee this, mind. I have a badger and a "pure bristle" (which I think is boar). The badger is by far superior; the bristle I use as a travelling brush and it's fine enough for that.

 

[Hercule]

I can only surmise that he felt it became over saturated with lather and simply slid around like a mop, consequently he preferred a boar bristle brush. From an amazon review: "I used the badger-hair shaving brushes but found they turned into a mop rather than a brush. Bristle works the cream around the base of the hair better as it's a bit stiffer. Nothing remarkable about this particular brush except it's a good brush at a good price."

 

[Leutnant]

I have always used badger for a superior shave...

 

[Ed13]

I used a boar brush many years ago and once I switched to badger I never switched back. I have 10 or eleven in search for my most preferred.

The lower grade badger brushes will often feel firmer (stiffer) than the best silver tip but may not hold as much water. It also won't feel as smooth and gentle to the skin.

The density of the bristles will also make a big difference. The more dense the bristles are packed the firmer the brush might feel. If the brush is too dense it could become more difficult to load with soap.

The shorter the bristle length the firmer the brush will feel. Longer bristles can feel floppy on your face. This may be the "mop" effect alluded to earlier.

The shape of the bristles is also a factor. A bulb shape will feel firmer while a fan shape may feel more floppy. This is mostly due to the shorter bristle length on the outside of the brush with the bulb shape but it is an easily seen distinction.

The ideal brush is different for everyone. There are many characteristics to consider with the bristles. Don't forget to also consider the handle shape. We all have different size and shapes to our hands and a comfortable brush will increase the pleasure of shaving.

 

[Colonel]

I forgot to note in my first post that I also have two boar bristle brushes. There were inherited from my father. Just the feel of them told me that I didn't want to even try them, so I didn't. I stuck with my badger brush.

 

[Lou]

Badger works best for me. It's softer than boar, holds water better, and whips up a great lather.

 

[Highlander]

Shaving Brushes

I am a fan of Badger Bristle Brushes. For years I purchased Boar Bristle brushes, also thinking I liked the "firmer" bristles, and they were considerably cheaper. Mostly I'd purchased cheaper brushes from the drug store etc. Then I found Col. Conk, and really like their products. A photo of my brushes, many from over the last 30 or so years of shaving. The Badger brushes are the darker bristles on the right (with the exception of the one that matches my shaving mug, it's Boar)...

About once a month I take my good brush (the one in front with the black handle fuller head of bristles) and clean it good with Borax.. I then fill it with Borax and let it set over night then rinse it out. It cleans out all of the soap scum that does build up. I find that the brushes last a considerable time if you really take care of them.

 

[Chainsaw]

I'm new to this, but I use badger. I prefer to use the least amount of water as possible to make a thicker foam, with my col. Conk cake.

 

[Feraud]

Nice set-up.

 

[Undertow]

This has had me stumped since I read it a couple days ago. In what way/sense was badger bristle compared to a mop? What point was the "reviewer" trying to make? That it holds water (good for lathering) and the water is quite easy to get out (good for storage)? It seems like such a weird comparison.

bk

p.s. I don't know that I know enough to recommend it, but I use a badger bristle brush.

They must mean because badger is softer, it's necessarily more pliable and less like a toothbrush against your skin. [huh]

I prefer badger over boar, and I do own both. Badger is softer, and if you're doing it right, the stiffness shouldn't necessarily be an issue so much as water retention. I can understand if you like the feel of a stiffer bristle - that's subjective. But otherwise, badger is better and most definitely holds more water.

 

[Bustercat]

How about getting the lather out of the brush and onto your face?
Is it easier or harder with a badger?

 

[Feraud]

The lather ends up in the bowl and can be applied well enough with a boar brush. It is in the making of the lather where the differences in boar and badger appear.

 

[fiddletown]

Actually, according to the makers of the brushes I've been using for the last 40 years, I'm using badger hair, not badger bristle. I favor silver tip badger and have just treated myself to a new Plisson brush made from what they call high mountain white badger. I bought a Plisson brush in Paris in 1979 and used it until about five years ago. The then went to a brush by Kent of London, which has been excellent. I just decided it was time for another Plisson.

 

[jb771213]

Hello,

I use badger. My wife bought one from
http://www.muehle-shaving.com/
and I use it since five years or so.

BTW my rasor is from
http://www.dovo.com/
located in SolingenGermany and I use straight rasors from time to time.
They are from
http://www.wacker-rasiermesser.de/
also located in Solingen. Solingen is only a few miles away so I bought directly from them

Best regards

Uwe

 

[jb771213]

What I forgot:
This weekend is an event in Solingen where companies from Solingen show their products like knives, silver, scissors and so on.
http://www.messer-gabel-scherenmarkt.de/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=12&Itemid=26
Sorry, only available in German.
Just in case, somebody from this area follows the forum.

 

[Swamp_Fox]

I started out with a boar bristle brush and soon switched to badger. It's an Art of Shaving brush--can't remember what model. I've been using it for over a year and have been very happy with it.

I have a pretty coarse, thick beard and I've still found the badger to be much better than boar bristle.

 

[JimWagner]

I have all three kinds of shaving brush and prefer and usually use the badger. The boar is ok, but as others have noted a little stiffer. I really don't care much for the synthetic brushes I've tried. Maybe one day they'll make a satisfactory synthetic one, but as long as my boar brush continues to hold up there's really no incentive for me to try another one.