I agree, I don’t like ‘em either. My rule of thumb is:
Cream: Badger and face-lather
Soap: Boar and bowl-lather
Cream: Badger and face-lather
Soap: Boar and bowl-lather
I hate synthetic brushes
- Thread starter Salty_Shaver
- Start date
I have about 40 brushes that have been gathering dust since I acquired this Omega Evo 2.0 synthetic.
Like I said, imho, synthetics beat every type of natural hair brush. These days however, I'm about 50/50 on synthetic brushes and canned foam.
@Salty_Shaver , This thread may now be moot for you if you are going to use Barbasol canned shaving cream going forward per your recent post. Reality is our choice of shaving brushes will always be according to our personal preferences and YMMV so I'm glad you found boar and badger brushes that deliver you preferred more luxurious shaving experience. There is a tendency here to want to try everything versus quickly landing on what works for each of us and sticking with it. Glad to see you quickly landed on the right three brushes and your Rockwell T2. While your two synthetics may not have been of the best quality there is no need to try another if you are happy with your current brushes. For many B&Bers the latest quality synthetic brushes are often preferred to their Badgers.
My DE hardware path, while with different outcomes, has been similar where I also quickly landed on three brushes and the same number of razors. In my case two 26mm Razorock plissoft brushes (Monster and Big Bruce) and Razorock Blondie 26mm boar (rebranded Zenith 80N). The plissofts quickly make great lather from almost all my soaps and creams and I prefer the softer face feel while lathering. I use my boar for my hardest soaps.
Same for razors where I quickly settled on a Weishi 9306 Long Handle and King C. Gillette to provide both a moderate and mild aggressiveness shaving option. Just recently added a Razorock Adjust (Rebranded Baili Adjustable) that has the same style adjustment mechanism used by Gillette in their adjustables from the 1950's-1980's. The only other current production razor with this type of adjustment mechanism is your Rockwell T2.
As noted by many others in this thread for those trying to decide on their ideal shaving brush today's quality synthetics are outstanding with great options available for under $15 U.S. For anyone starting out with wet shaving my recommendation would be to get both a quality synthetic and boar to determine what works best for your preferred shave. With two brushes you can ensure they fully dry between each use. From there one can decide whether or not to invest in another brush or a higher end badger. My sense from most fellow B&Ber reviews is that, while many prefer the newer quality synthetics to their badger brushes, those that do prefer badger are using brushes with the higher end knots such as Super or Silvertip. As always YMMV.
My DE hardware path, while with different outcomes, has been similar where I also quickly landed on three brushes and the same number of razors. In my case two 26mm Razorock plissoft brushes (Monster and Big Bruce) and Razorock Blondie 26mm boar (rebranded Zenith 80N). The plissofts quickly make great lather from almost all my soaps and creams and I prefer the softer face feel while lathering. I use my boar for my hardest soaps.
Same for razors where I quickly settled on a Weishi 9306 Long Handle and King C. Gillette to provide both a moderate and mild aggressiveness shaving option. Just recently added a Razorock Adjust (Rebranded Baili Adjustable) that has the same style adjustment mechanism used by Gillette in their adjustables from the 1950's-1980's. The only other current production razor with this type of adjustment mechanism is your Rockwell T2.
As noted by many others in this thread for those trying to decide on their ideal shaving brush today's quality synthetics are outstanding with great options available for under $15 U.S. For anyone starting out with wet shaving my recommendation would be to get both a quality synthetic and boar to determine what works best for your preferred shave. With two brushes you can ensure they fully dry between each use. From there one can decide whether or not to invest in another brush or a higher end badger. My sense from most fellow B&Ber reviews is that, while many prefer the newer quality synthetics to their badger brushes, those that do prefer badger are using brushes with the higher end knots such as Super or Silvertip. As always YMMV.
@Salty_Shaver I am confused with the comment to go to canned and then have an issue with a synthetic brush. I find canned crean so very drying and uncomfortable that I would use about anything before going back to canned. It is not even convenient enough to suffer the dryness over skipping a day's shave. My synthetic path has come down to the cost and destruction of the nice natural fiber that takes wear and tear.
My early shaving experience with a badger was not great, though the early synthetics were not good to be fair. When I got more serious in 2018/2019, I was mostly using synthetics but tried a badger again. The gel tips and fan knots weren’t for me, plus I found badger hair to make my skin itch, so at that point I was all in on synthetics. Then I tried a boar
I just couldn’t get my Omega to break in so I moved on to a Semogue. I got rid of almost all of my synthetics after that.
I still like a synthetic for creams, but for me nothing beats a boar when it comes to lathering soap. Yeah, badgers are great, but a very nice boar brush still costs a lot less than a decent badger brush.
To give it another try, I did purchase a G5C knot but was not impressed. It looks like a badger but doesn’t work like one. Recently I grabbed an Edwin Jagger STF v2 when I found one on sale and despite only having used it once, I was more impressed with it than any other synthetic brush I’ve used to date. I don’t think it will ever replace my Semogues and Zeniths though.
I just couldn’t get my Omega to break in so I moved on to a Semogue. I got rid of almost all of my synthetics after that.
I still like a synthetic for creams, but for me nothing beats a boar when it comes to lathering soap. Yeah, badgers are great, but a very nice boar brush still costs a lot less than a decent badger brush.
To give it another try, I did purchase a G5C knot but was not impressed. It looks like a badger but doesn’t work like one. Recently I grabbed an Edwin Jagger STF v2 when I found one on sale and despite only having used it once, I was more impressed with it than any other synthetic brush I’ve used to date. I don’t think it will ever replace my Semogues and Zeniths though.
- Thread starter
- #127
Sorry that you were born with severe sensitive skin that dries out. It must really suck to have bad skin hopefully you can find something that works and isn’t expensive.
I barely have room for the brushes that I have. If I am going to continue to scour yard/garage/estate sales, antique stores/malls, flea markets… I only have room for more badgers.
I have only ever used badger, and I see no reason to try anything else.
Synthetic, boar and horse may be lovely, but I see no reason to find out.
I have only ever used badger, and I see no reason to try anything else.
Synthetic, boar and horse may be lovely, but I see no reason to find out.
I have synthetic brushes but haven’t used any of them for at least a year. I much prefer badger & boar.
You'll never know until you try one. Being stubborn or set in your ways, is not a good reason to dismiss them.
They aren't an expensive gamble and you may discover you enjoy them more than natural hair.
'Hate' is a strong emotive word, over-used nowadays IMO.
My only thoughts on this is that the use of the brush, any brush, has revolutionised wet shaving in the past 20 years or so.
It was the forgotten piece in the arsenal of the shaver for maybe 50+ years. Mass marketed, 'time saving, convienient' hand applied foams, brushless products (I am not knocking them in themselves) drove the brush from the shaving scene.
They were there all the time, sitting unbought on chemist/drugstore shelves for decades.
I would say that the re-discovery and use of the brush has arguably been one of the major game changers in the revival of DE/SE wet shaving and the appreciation of the quality of the shave, including the huge practical improvement in results it brings.
I have a few badgers, including Simpson's, a lovely Zenith silvertip, a quite rare English artisan New Forest and a nice 1948 English boar that I am bringing back to life. Also a couple of Yaqi synthetics.
My favourite brush is a simple Wilko (a sadly defunct UK chainstore) synthetic, priced at £2.50. A superb brush that does all I want, and well.
You see it in almost all my photos I post, because I just love it. I have 5 stashed.
I am just glad the brush is back, whatever the hell its made of, or how much it costs.
My only thoughts on this is that the use of the brush, any brush, has revolutionised wet shaving in the past 20 years or so.
It was the forgotten piece in the arsenal of the shaver for maybe 50+ years. Mass marketed, 'time saving, convienient' hand applied foams, brushless products (I am not knocking them in themselves) drove the brush from the shaving scene.
They were there all the time, sitting unbought on chemist/drugstore shelves for decades.
I would say that the re-discovery and use of the brush has arguably been one of the major game changers in the revival of DE/SE wet shaving and the appreciation of the quality of the shave, including the huge practical improvement in results it brings.
I have a few badgers, including Simpson's, a lovely Zenith silvertip, a quite rare English artisan New Forest and a nice 1948 English boar that I am bringing back to life. Also a couple of Yaqi synthetics.
My favourite brush is a simple Wilko (a sadly defunct UK chainstore) synthetic, priced at £2.50. A superb brush that does all I want, and well.
You see it in almost all my photos I post, because I just love it. I have 5 stashed.
I am just glad the brush is back, whatever the hell its made of, or how much it costs.
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Interesting thread... the phrase that comes up an awful lot is "I prefer" and for me, that pretty much sums up the matter.... it's a matter of personal preference.
I started out using cheap hog bristle brushes that didnt leave me feeling amazed, to say the least, and upon my recent return to the world of DE shaving, I welcome the soft and efficient synthetic offerings. Face lathering has never felt better. I prefer synthetics.
I started out using cheap hog bristle brushes that didnt leave me feeling amazed, to say the least, and upon my recent return to the world of DE shaving, I welcome the soft and efficient synthetic offerings. Face lathering has never felt better. I prefer synthetics.
In my short time wet shaving, I’ve acquired:
3 different badgers, 3 different boars and 2 different synthetics.
In all 3 knot categories, I have some I love and some I don’t care for at all.
For me, I’ve learned that it doesn’t really matter what the material is, as long as it-
• Performs well.
• Feels the way I like.
• I like the handle.
After trying good examples of all 3 knot materials, I can’t imagine deciding to only use one.
My Zenith Manchurian badger has amazing feel, but only decent performance (it’s a lather hog).
My G5C synthetic has incredible performance but only “good“ feel
My favorite boar is an even combination of both- very good feel, very good performance.
That said, if I had to choose only one… I guess it would probably be a badger. But it would have to be the right knot, set a specific way, in a custom handle.
3 different badgers, 3 different boars and 2 different synthetics.
In all 3 knot categories, I have some I love and some I don’t care for at all.
For me, I’ve learned that it doesn’t really matter what the material is, as long as it-
• Performs well.
• Feels the way I like.
• I like the handle.
After trying good examples of all 3 knot materials, I can’t imagine deciding to only use one.
My Zenith Manchurian badger has amazing feel, but only decent performance (it’s a lather hog).
My G5C synthetic has incredible performance but only “good“ feel
My favorite boar is an even combination of both- very good feel, very good performance.
That said, if I had to choose only one… I guess it would probably be a badger. But it would have to be the right knot, set a specific way, in a custom handle.
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Interesting thread.
I started with a cheap Omega boar. Once I realized that I was really committed, I bought a >$100 badger ...... and found out that I preferred the Omega.
Over the years I've picked up a synthetic now and then, and have found some better than others, but always still preferred the boar.
In the last 6 months or so my preference has shifted to the synthetics and those are all I use now. Go figure.
Adding insult to injury, an enabler has posted a pic of a gorgeous blue Omega Evo 2.0 ......
I started with a cheap Omega boar. Once I realized that I was really committed, I bought a >$100 badger ...... and found out that I preferred the Omega.
Over the years I've picked up a synthetic now and then, and have found some better than others, but always still preferred the boar.
In the last 6 months or so my preference has shifted to the synthetics and those are all I use now. Go figure.
Adding insult to injury, an enabler has posted a pic of a gorgeous blue Omega Evo 2.0 ......
I like this post.
There are crappy brushes in every category, and there are brushes that are great for somebody - but not you.
You have a badger and you don't like it? Pure? Silvertip? $19 or $250? (And yes, there are shavers who love their $19 badger). I have what certainly must be one of the early synthetic brushes (Him?): crazy tall knot with a huge clear plastic handle. I let my grandsons use it when they were 3 and "shaving" with me. I've got a Wald. How could you possibly make a definitive statement about every synthetic on the planet if you've tried a couple of the $14 brushes (and yes, there are shavers who love one of those).
You can get a high class boar for $30, so if you've tried a few maybe you don't like boar.
I use all three. Badger is my favorite. So what. It's just a choice. Use what you like. I don't like black licorice. If you like it are you going to stop eating it now? Enjoy all your choices. I would never recommend permanently shutting yourself off from sampling anything in the future, but whatever makes you happy works for me.
The Simpson Colonel X2L best badger was my favourite brush until i tried the same in synthetic version.
It was in special promotion on a italian shop, last winter : i got it for 33 € instead of 53. Absolutely happy with this one, the best badger hasn't moved from the cupboard since then...
On the other hand, i tried the Semogue 1470 boar brush several years ago and it passed through the window. Very disappointed, but maybe it wasn't a good one, i don't know.
It was in special promotion on a italian shop, last winter : i got it for 33 € instead of 53. Absolutely happy with this one, the best badger hasn't moved from the cupboard since then...
On the other hand, i tried the Semogue 1470 boar brush several years ago and it passed through the window. Very disappointed, but maybe it wasn't a good one, i don't know.
