Am I Really Missing Anything by Not Having a Badger?

[goby]

I've used a brush for 15 years. I could buy whatever I want regardless of price (I don't have ADs).

With that said, I use a Semogue 620, and for me, a soap using face latherer, it is perfect.

Others love badger. You really just need to try them. I suggest buying them on BST, and if you don't like them, you might be out $10-$15 when you sell them.

 

[JDTTO]

For everything you are not trying, you are missing out on an experience.

However, is it really important? Not necessarily.

If you are curious and can afford one, go for it. If you are happy with your boar and can not justify buying a badger at the moment, enjoy your shaves with the boar.

I have both and in general prefer my boar. I prefer using my badger when I use a shave stick as I find the boar less pleasant on the face when the tips are not loaded wit soap or cream.

 

[Galhatz]

as people said, you are missing on the feel. I rotate between my whipped dog silvertip, omega boar and the lovely frank shaving synthetic. if I had to choose just one, it would be the badger. i'd be content with the other two. For the record, IMO the tweezerman, compared to the whippeddog, is overpriced rubbish, don't count it as a real badger by any means.

 

[FL shaver]

I remember why I stopped using my VDH boar now. Though it whips up a great lather, it sheds hairs in clumps!

 

[agreenspan99]

I hear a Simpsons Wee Scot calling your name...

 

[German]

Yes...

Is there really enough cost vs. performance difference in owning a badger brush?
Thanks

 

[swcarter]

When I first started DE shaving I picked up the cheap and locally available VDH boar. What can I say, it was a brush. It is pretty rough and lost quite a few bristles.

I upgraded to an omega after about a month.
http://www.shoeboxshaveshop.com/om2beprmosmv.html

I got what I was looking for. I have a brush I can use on any soap, fits my hand well, and is easy to face lather with. I have found that face lathering really works for me, no need for an extra bowl around the sink (one more thing to get broken IMHO). As a bonus I am scrubbing my face, my complexion has never been better.

A "good" Badger brush will cost quite a bit more than the $15 I dropped on the boar brush. Is there really enough cost vs. performance difference in owning a badger brush?

Thanks

In word, No, in my opinion. When I first started with DE a couple of years ago I went with badger. The talk on this board at that time was mainly disposed to this direction. Don't take me wrong - I get good shaves with my badgers. The direction has changed (in my opinion) in the last year or so towards boar and I tried a Semoque 620. Never looked back after that. Now I have a 1350, 830 and an SOC and the badgers tend to be only occasionally used. They seem better at soaps and lose nothing with creams. Besides being cheaper, once broken in, they have just the right amount of backbone and softness in the tips. I'm sure there are those that would say the opposite so this is highly YMMV. The deciding factor, at least to me, was that I lost nothing going with boar and the cost was much more appealing. I feel I'm pretty well set for now with my present rotation. Good luck.

 

[Egmont]

Remember that making good lather is the point of the brush and evidently you can make good lather with your brushes, so no you're not really missing anything essential to shaving. The badger is a different animal (so to speak) and you are obviously missing that experience (nice, but nothing special really. I'd rather have a weekend at the beach for what some cost...); but as long as you have good lather on your face it makes no difference to the shave what type of animal contributed, so you can certainly skip the badger brush experience altogether.

 

[Soldierdan]

You can also surf around and find the components to build a good brush for fairly cheap. There a threads and members here that can set you up on the basics of building your own.

 

[Mick]

Enjoy what you have and if you feel the urge to try something different, indulge yourself

 

[agreenspan99]

You know, the new synthetics are softer than the most expensive badger, and can have amazing backbone at the same time. In some ways, they're even more "indulgent" and luxurious than badger, for not much money. For instance, the H. I. S. brush is around $36, and will smoke any badger in any department, except heat retention. Also more sanitary.
If you can afford it, it's worth it for variety. But, there is a lot to be said with being content with what you have; "The lover of silver himself will not be satisfied with mere silver..."

 

[KW Driver]

as has been said, you can pick up a Whipped Dog Silvertip for $26, that rivals or surpasses $100+ badgers. it's an easy way to try, and I will admit I prefer badgers to boar (I have both). and again, you can unload it in the BST if you don't want to keep it.

 

[wrinkles2]

In response to your Thread Title, No you are not missing out.