My new brush SCARES me

Yeah, I'm in Breckenridge for the summer, but Dallas the rest of the year.

It's terrible up here. Highs in the low 70s, if that. Then there's nothing to do except ride my mountain bike all the time. Climb up a couple thousand feet, and sit there looking at nothing but mountains, trees and snow. Sucks!

objectuser said:

Yeah, I'm in Breckenridge for the summer, but Dallas the rest of the year.

It's terrible up here. Highs in the low 70s, if that. Then there's nothing to do except ride my mountain bike all the time. Climb up a couple thousand feet, and sit there looking at nothing but mountains, trees and snow. Sucks!

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Sucks like air right?

I'm game to give it a shot.

I would have guessed that handle would have been hand turned on a lathe, but 3D printed might be right.

I tend to think with the loft that low on a boar that big it will always be way to stiff and scratchy for my personal liking, but that's just my opinion. I tend to prefer my boar brushes with higher lofts than my symthetics, badgers and horsehair brushes. Again, personal preference.

Billski said:

The hair is stiff and scrubby as hell.

I would send it back.

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None of the tips are split yet looks brand new. However the handle is kind of rough looking with tooling marks from the lathe on it still.

Hmm only 3d printed stuff I've seen was completely finished does it usually leave non-uniform texture like that? I've seen CNC lathe's with dull tools do that but usually on harder material. You can see some vertical lines around the top bulb which do look odd like mold lines.

I'm not a fan of boar but if I bought that brush I would return it based on the handle itself. It doesn't even look finished to me. Compared to a Rudy Vey or one of the other small brush makers it leaves a bit to be desired imo. I'm not trying to bash the maker just giving my honest opinion.

Space_Cadet said:

This is a serious contender to the title of the weirdest brush I've ever bought.

It's a real Boar-Monster (made by some little known artisan).
I think the decision to purchase was somewhat irrational this time, to put it mildly.

I'll show you the brush and give you it's specs and you tell me what you make of it. I still have not decided whether to send it back or keep it. I'm leaning towards sending it back. What do you think?

32mm knot (!), 54mm loft
51mm handle diameter (!), 59mm handle height

The hair is stiff and scrubby as hell.
The handle seems to be made of some kind of resin.


View attachment 668414

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I like the overall look and proportions of the brush and once broken in it should soften up enough to give a nice face feel. My only concern would be that, once broken in, the knot would cover my entire face! LOL
I think it's pretty cool...

i'm not in for the pass around, btw.

Catalinbread said:

Hmm only 3d printed stuff I've seen was completely finished does it usually leave non-uniform texture like that? I've seen CNC lathe's with dull tools do that but usually on harder material. You can see some vertical lines around the top bulb which do look odd like mold lines.

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Some of us think its a from a 3D printer, But I didn't think about a CNC lathe nice catch.

CigarSmoka said:

I'm not a fan of boar but if I bought that brush I would return it based on the handle itself. It doesn't even look finished to me. Compared to a Rudy Vey or one of the other small brush makers it leaves a bit to be desired imo. I'm not trying to bash the maker just giving my honest opinion.

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If everything was based on just the handle. I would of asked what the handle was made of. Am not big on that Sea Green color. Am also thinking about asking someone to make me a handle with a 3D printer. When I do I'll post it.

Who made the brush and what was the cost?

Kaidoh said:

I would like to put my name in the ring too. So, just PM you my address?

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I think I'm the 3rd. I would love to try this would I just PM you my address?

I got this brush in yesterday. I took a picture before I started the break in process:

SOC, Scary Boar, Omega Pro 48:



Lathering it up for the first time, the thing shed a ton. In the end it did produce a nice thick lather with Italian Barber Amici.

I'll shave with it today.

I was thinking about this thread yesterday. Nice to hear that you got it

Did you post this before or maybe somewhere else sans the pass around? I seem to recall this brush...

I would like to put my name and my hat in the ring too. So, just PM you my address?

Id like to try it!

The handle looks 3D printed, lol.

I made the mistake of having a custom brush made with an Omega Pro 49 knot down to 55mm loft. It was far too stiff and scrubby. I can't imagine dropping the loft further down.

That looks like some brush. My experience with my only boar brush is that the more I use it the more I like it. When it is properly softened in hot water for a few minutes it not only works up a great lather but it feels great on my face. Would you care to share how someone might try and buy one like it from this "artisan"?

That one would scare me too!! (My preference is 22-24 mm knot with 44-50 mm loft.) Hope that it breaks in well!

I used this brush yesterday with RR XXX.

It doesn't lather great (yet) and continues to shed. Still, I was able to build a lather that lasted for three passes plus cleanup. It didn't look like there was going to be enough soap after loading, no proto-lather was building, but there was plenty.

To say this brush is scrubby doesn't do it justice. On the first pass, with two days growth, it felt really good, scrubbing my face and getting the lather worked in. It didn't seem like the lather was particularly slick, at least in comparison to previous uses of RR XXX. I had hard time working the water in and the brush doesn't like paintbrush strokes, which I think are key.

Still, it was enough for a good first pass.

On the second pass, the scrubbiness was less welcome. And by the third pass I wasn't enjoying it at all. Still, I expect it to break in quite a bit if there are any bristles left.

I'm not really sure how long each of us should keep it. Suggestions welcome.

Im not very familiar with boar brushes but that knot and loft size sound like it would very very rough on the face. I hope it softens up for you eventually.