To those that prefer Boar brushes....

[pipskicks]

Do you also prefer Pure Badger over other Badger grades? I think Pure Badger is a little scratchy, but being a bowl latherer, it has a really good backbone and picks up soft soap way easier than the softer grades of Badger.I've noticed Boar seems to have semi-similar traits in that it's easy to bowl lather, and easier than Badger it seems to pick up soap. I was wondering if when you Boar lovers use a Badger brush if you prefer the Pure or if you do use the higher grades. Maybe I just need to learn how to properly use the higher grades of Badger with soaps, but I still think the tougher bristles of the Pure Badger just makes it easier...

[utahusker]

I like my boar much better than my pure badger. It's much softer and has a better backbone to boot.
Btw my boar is a SOC, and my pure badger is a VDH. I haven't owned a best or super badger yet, so my opinion holds little weight compared to other more experienced users.

[demaro]

I am a Boar user about 50% of the time. I prefer best in badger , I also have a Vulfix 374 in Super which is considered to be very soft and very floppy , but does an incredible job on my triple milled soaps. In my opinion , you do not have to have a brush with more backbone to pick up soap. They all work fine for me..I do prefer best or super in badger over pure in how they feel face lathering..

[Henrik]

Do you also prefer Pure Badger over other Badger grades?

Good thread. Thanks for posting. This will be interesting.

[TCP]

Strictly boar for me. Tried a few badgers, but prefer the boars. Half the fun is breaking them in. Surprising to me is how Omega boars can combine backbone along with softness. Tried the Semogues and they were definitely soft, but never found one that had enough backbone for me.

[oversaturn]

I am a boar brush fan, and when I reach for a badger brush, I want something with different characteristics than the boars that I have. So, higher badger grades for me. :)

[jsj_297]

I love my vulfix 404 boar brush....I love my Kent bk4 silvertip, they both work on all soaps and creams, its up to US to learn how. thats the fun of it imo. to answer the question, ive never used just a pure graded badger brush before, so I cannot comment on that specifically.

[talibeard]

Certainly not. I prefer the badger grades in the middle (like the Simpsons best) over both pure and silvertip. Pure badger has an enormous difference in quality between various brands btw; from awful to serviceable imo but not something I want in my den. Too prickly for my taste. Silvertip is not my thing either; in order to get the backbone I like they have to be too dense for my liking as I prefer not overly dense brushes.

[Oscroft]

I have several boar brushes (3 Semogue and one Omega) and one pure badger brush (a Rooney 3/1).

But there's really no similarity in feel on my face at all. The pure badger is quite scritchy (though it's a lot more comfortable on the face than others I've tried and got rid of), and I use it when I feel like I want some exfoliation. But the boar brushes are not scritchy at all - though they have varying amounts of backbone, they have very soft tips when wet.

[ggamyang]

it's like comparing apples to oranges. :)

[scottish steve]

it's like comparing apples to oranges. :)

I use boar exclusively. I have a couple of best badgers- the EJ Best is actually pretty decent value and more than adequate, but boars provide the best combination of stiffness and end-softness of the brushes I've tried. The vulfix hybrid ones are decent too. I bought a Kent BH12 monster once. It was ludicrously luxurious and lathered like nothing I've tried (though it KEPT a lot of that lather to itself until you squeezed the knot to get it to the end) but after it bloomed it was like lathering with a powder puff! It was so big and so soft I felt rather effeminate using it.

[brother cavefish]

i prefer anything that looks and works good, i have only 6 brushes and 1 died 3 months ago-i have been quite pleased so far

[nav]

I am a Boar user about 50% of the time. I prefer best in badger , I also have a Vulfix 374 in Super which is considered to be very soft and very floppy , but does an incredible job on my triple milled soaps. In my opinion , you do not have to have a brush with more backbone to pick up soap. They all work fine for me..I do prefer best or super in badger over pure in how they feel face lathering..

+1000
You definitely don't need scritch or backbone to pick up soap. I use very soft Vulfix badgers and they pick up MWF and others just fine.

In terms of backbone, I LOVE my Semogue 1800 as it has great backbone without any scritch, which you would get from a pure badger...plus some nasty badger burn!

[Krona Kruiser]

I don't always use boar............but when I do, I prefer Omega.

[Pkrankow]

Boar becomes soft in the tip. Pure badger doesn't. I'll take boar over cheap badger any day.

I like my softer badger, Finest and Superbadger so far. I guess I am less of a boar lover than I used to be, but the softness in the tip of broken boar is similar to soft badger grades.

Phil

[excel]

I use boar and I like simpsons best grade. It has similar softness at the tip.

[Valerius]

Well, I've used different badger qualities and three of the brushes have been pure badger, all from the same company. Of these was one terrible while the other two were like best badgers. Maybe you have to check different brushes, also from the same factory as the boar quality may differ upon time.

[pipskicks]

Certainly not. I prefer the badger grades in the middle (like the Simpsons best) over both pure and silvertip. Pure badger has an enormous difference in quality between various brands btw; from awful to serviceable imo but not something I want in my den. Too prickly for my taste. Silvertip is not my thing either; in order to get the backbone I like they have to be too dense for my liking as I prefer not overly dense brushes.

This is interesting, I've thought Silvertip would just be looked at as a "better" Best Badger, I never knew people actually had a preference of Best over Silvertip with any factor other than price!

[Oscroft]

This is interesting, I've thought Silvertip would just be looked at as a "better" Best Badger, I never knew people actually had a preference of Best over Silvertip with any factor other than price!

Definitely, yes - different types of hair have different characteristics which suit different people's preferences.

My overall favourite badger hair, for example, is usually known as 2-band (sometimes called Finest). And with the exception of some rare hairs, it's usually cheaper than silvertip.

Also, I have Rooney 3/1 brushes in both Silvertip and Best (and in Pure too), with the Silvertip being more expensive. But I honestly don't know which I like better - the Silvertip is a little bit softer, but I like the extra bit of firmness in the Best. It's down to my mood on the day, really.

[SteveWY]

I have been reading reviews and comparisons, researching and day-dreaming about Semogue and Omega boar brushes for a couple weeks. Both brands have great reviews and praise. Seems like most agree both are great with Semogue maybe a little higher-end. I think I am zeroing-in on model choices now. Looking for some vendor advice for vendors with best variety and value. Any suggestions on B&B member/vendors? Any last minute thoughts on Semogue vs. Omega? Oh yea, how do you pronounce "Semogue"?

So, Boar Brothers.... I am all over the place with suggestions and trying to nail down a final purchase decision. Omega 10275 or 10049? Semogue 620, 830, 1305, or 1470? I am mainly a soap and face-lather man. I prefer small to medium loft, decent backbone and soft tips. Aethetics of the handle is not important. Help?