I bought the cheapest Boar Brushes on Amazon

[eelhc]

10 for $13.... $1.30 each.

What for you might ask? I was actually looking for a large dauber for saddle soap and I noticed the better ones are made from boars hair. I got to thinking... Why not just use a shaving brush? I've been using smaller daubers for saddle soap. They don't really build a great lather. These are probably crap but how bad can they be for shoes?

 

[KW Driver]

Let us know how it works. I have a spare beater brush just laying around

 

[Alum of Potash]

Can you provide a link with an image? That would help to know what we are talking about here.

 

[mcee_sharp]

Love the profile pic, used to follow "her" when I was still on Twitter. Haven't figured out who it actually is....Ricky Gervais?

Also curious about the brushes of course.

 

[cranewarrior]

These are probably what OP bought. Amazon.com - https://www.amazon.com/YAIKOAI-Shaving-Suitable-Professional-Personal/dp/B07TZR31Z6

Very low price. Reviews seem to say they are little which is perfect for daubing saddle soap like OP wants to do.

 

[mcee_sharp]

These are probably what OP bought. Amazon.com - https://www.amazon.com/YAIKOAI-Shaving-Suitable-Professional-Personal/dp/B07TZR31Z6

Very low price. Reviews seem to say they are little which is perfect for daubing saddle soap like OP wants to do.

Review image for sense of scale

 

[eelhc]

Love the profile pic, used to follow "her" when I was still on Twitter. Haven't figured out who it actually is....Ricky Gervais?

Also curious about the brushes of course.

Andrew Doyle is Titania McGrath.

These are the brushes…

YAIKOAI 10 Pcs Men's Shaving Brush, Boar Bristle Wood Handle Shaving Brush Suitable for Professional Barber Salon Tools Personal Shaving

Amazon.com

Reviews aren’t all that great but I figured for shoes How bad could they be? I’ll use a them for saddle soap and welt brushes (get leather conditioner into those crevices). For comparison, a Saphir welt brush is $9.

Saphir 3-1/2" Pommadier Brush

Amazon.com

 

[eelhc]

I received the brushes today. I don't have a whole lot of shoes that need cleaning at the moment so I tried them on my Blundstones. Some notes...
They are really small and of very poor quality (soft wood, glue extending onto the bristle, low density knot...). I can't imagine anyone actually trying to shave with these.
That said, they do look like actual boar hair with a strong backbone and good scritch. With a small cup of warm water, I was able to wet the brush, load it with saddle soap and build a wet lather easily. Basically "face lathering" on the shoe. It would have gone much quicker if the brush was bigger but I was able to get into the tight crevices between the stitching, upper/outsole, etc. I think I probably could have built a meringue like lather with the saddle soap but didn't try too hard. I also saw the brush pull the dirt away from the leather and get a bit darker. Does it open up + clean the pores? Can't say but it id a really good job of cleaning.

Was it worth the ~$14 (with tax) I spent? I think so.. I'll use some dry as a welt brush (good backbone/scritch), some for saddle soap, and some for the different leather conditioners (Bic 4, Neatsfoot Oil, Sapphire...). I do think the saddle soap would be better with a bigger brush.

These now have a place in my shoe care routine.

IMG_0107.jpeg

• eelhc
• Feb 5, 2024

 

[Rudy Vey]

I received the brushes today. I don't have a whole lot of shoes that need cleaning at the moment so I tried them on my Blundstones. Some notes...
They are really small and of very poor quality (soft wood, glue extending onto the bristle, low density knot...). I can't imagine anyone actually trying to shave with these.
That said, they do look like actual boar hair with a strong backbone and good scritch. With a small cup of warm water, I was able to wet the brush, load it with saddle soap and build a wet lather easily. Basically "face lathering" on the shoe. It would have gone much quicker if the brush was bigger but I was able to get into the tight crevices between the stitching, upper/outsole, etc. I think I probably could have built a meringue like lather with the saddle soap but didn't try too hard. I also saw the brush pull the dirt away from the leather and get a bit darker. Does it open up + clean the pores? Can't say but it id a really good job of cleaning.

Was it worth the ~$14 (with tax) I spent? I think so.. I'll use some dry as a welt brush (good backbone/scritch), some for saddle soap, and some for the different leather conditioners (Bic 4, Neatsfoot Oil, Sapphire...). I do think the saddle soap would be better with a bigger brush.

These now have a place in my shoe care routine.

IMG_0107.jpeg

• eelhc
• Feb 5, 2024

Use an old stiff toothbrush for the welts, that's what I do with my riding boots. Saddle soap, and the Lexol cleaner and conditioner products are best applied with a well squeezed out wet sponge. I have changed to Bick5, as this is just sprayed on and then wiped down on the boots and wiped off with an old small guest towel (same i use after shave, when they have reached their end, they go to the shoe cleaning box).

 

[Toothpick]

The title reads just like something of YouTube

 

[Doc4]

I clicked on this thread thinking I was going to have to move the thread to the "Brushes" sub-forum.

These now have a place in my shoe care routine.

Aahh.

 

[Steve V.]

I use a cheap Amazon shaving brush to dust my vintage cameras.

 

[nemo]

The best dauber brushes I've used are horsehair.

 

[eelhc]

The best dauber brushes I've used are horsehair.

View attachment 1800081

I no longer use a dauber in my shoe care routine.

• They're terrible for applying polishes (cream or wax) and conditioners - I now use my fingers, sometimes with a glove on, just like the shoe shine champions.
• They're too heavy handed for applying dyes or edge dressing. I just use a set of hobby paint brushes.
• I used to use one for saddle soap but I like the cheap shaving brushes better