Hi guys, whats the best way to use a boar brush? I've heard that using paint brush motions on the face and creating lather in a bowl would really help in giving a long life to the brush, it will help in avoiding the bristles to break. I've found that using a new brush to create lather directly on face doesn't provide good results but when i used a mug i got a very good lather. Any special advice on boars?
Not really a fan of face lathering but it will produce the desired results when properly broke in. It can take a month or so to break in so my recommendation would be to soak the brush in hot water while you shower and bowl lather until it has reached your preferred softness, after that face lather away will feel better on your face than a limp floppy badger.
Same way I use my badger brushes. I lather in a bowl with all my brushes. A brush is a brush is a brush. They're tools and I use them. I don't abuse them, but I don't baby them, either. Boar will take a little time to break in, badgers do not. Boars and badgers each hold/absorb/retain water differently, so you'll have to do some experimenting to get the water/soap ratio correct for what you consider the perfect lather. That being said, I do soak my boar brushes in hot tap water while I'm in the shower. Not so with the badgers. They just get dipped into the hot water, given a bit of a shake, then taken right to the soap.
Boar brushes absorb the water right into the bristles, and badgers generally just accumulate the water between the bristles (or badger hairs). This is a significant difference in how the two types work. In my experience, if you bend the dry bristles of a boar brush too much you will tend to get much more shedding as the bristles are more brittle when dry. Once they are wet, however, boar bristles become much softer and more flexible and will not be as prone to breakage or shedding. I prefer boars, but use a badger on occasion and especially if I am rushed or travelling.
One thing I would suggest is to soak the boar brush in warm/hot water for a few minutes (while you are in the shower) before each use. I have had very good luck doing so. eric.
Some good advice above. I use boars most of the time. I face lather also. As suggested above, I soak the brush in warm water before I shave. If I'm using a cream I spread a little on each side of my face, shake the excess water out of the brush, then work it in the cream with the brush. I add water to the tip of the brush as needed. If I'm using a soap I load the brush with soap, then work it onto my face. I will load the brush with soap as needed to get a more creamy effect. As with the cream, I also add water to the tip of the brush as needed. Some of my boars broke in quickly, while others take a while. The Omega was great after one shave. The vulfix took over 2 months to break in (but when it did, it was great). That's what works for me. Alan in Arizona
it's from a different forum but you may find some useful info in it http://badgerandblade.com/vb/showthread.php?t=160824&highlight=boar+lather+challenge
A brush rinsed and dried and used daily can last a decade or more. Not only that, boar bristles are meant to spilt at the tips as they break in. This is part of what makes them soft. Any new brush will take a little while to get used to being wetted, boars far more so than badger. Babying brushes with paint strokes etc is for namby-pamby uber-rare badger hair users who keep their brushes in leather cases and only bring them out for use on Holidays. I got a nice badger brush too, but I use like one - it's still just a brush.
I've just bought myself a cheap and nasty boar brush to start with. On the bright side, my expectations are so low I'll probably be pleasantly surprised. As others have suggested, I let the brush soak in hot water for several minutes before making the lather in a bowl (Faulding Shave Cream - also cheap, but actually pretty good.) I've only tried it for one shave so far, so I'm still working on my technique. There's an art to judging the right amount of water on the brush; my first batch made lots of lather, but it fizzled on my face. The second batch probably needed a little more water, but applied pretty well. Practice makes perfect!
I soak my boars before use.. Then use them. I face lather with soaps and use mostly circular motions to do it. never had a lot of problems with excess shedding and I use a lot of cheaper stuff.
I'm pretty sure Steve answered your question below: I however fill either my scuttle or lathering bowl up with hot water, and soak by brush while showering regardless of boar or badger type, cause thats just the way I do.
Try this: Soak your boar brush in lukewarm water for 5 minutes, and dampen your face with lukewarm water. Once the brush is done soaking use your finger/a butterknife/a plastic-ware knife to spread a bit of cream on your face Take the brush and shake out a good deal of water (don't "flick" the brush.. I like to do what I call "punching" the brush, hold it by the knot and swing it, bristles leading, then stop it abruptly. It removes excess water without getting rid of all of it) and then lather straight on your face. Add water as needed. I'm a face latherer, so that works for me very well. Give it a try
I soak my brushes in "hot" water out of the tap while I shower. Not boiling. Just hot out of the tap. I mostly face lather and use a circular motion to make the lather on my face. Using an Omega boar I just recently purchased from WCS, I've also bowl lathered using creams. The Omega works great with both soaps and creams.
