Why did Badger hair brushes became dominant?

Discussion in 'The Brush' started by GDCarrington, Jul 9, 2011.

  1. GDCarrington

    GDCarrington Burma Shave

  2. mwleach58

    mwleach58 Active Member

    I think that badger may indeed be dominant in the current "upscale" markets and shaving communities, but I think that if you surveyed the shaving population on a world-wide level, you'd find that boar bristle if far and away the most widely produced and used brush. Cost and economics, pure and simple. Most shavers on the planet don't have the bucks, euros, pounds, rand, yen, rupees etc etc to indulge in badger.
     
  3. GDCarrington

    GDCarrington Burma Shave

    The United States market from the 1920s through the early 1960s a larger majority of the sets were sterilized badger (Everready, Rubberset, Rite Made, etc.) Back during that time, badger was not an endangered species in the United States so the cost were lower (adjusting for inflation) simply due to higher supply.

    Today, China is the only major player in supplying Badger hair.

    The article discusses the impact in the United States following this incident, not the world markets.
     
  4. mwleach58

    mwleach58 Active Member

    'Twas only an observation, made in the most general of terms.
     
  5. Sodapopjones

    Sodapopjones Well-Known Member

    Its not just the current "upscale" market, you forget some of these old world firms have been making badger hair brushes for nearly 100 years, Simpsons being one example.

    "Alexander Simpson started making shaving brushes in the East End of London in 1919. He soon built up the business and in 1924, moved to Clapham where he established an award-winning reputation for his shaving brushes. In 1941, following the loss of his factory in the blitz, Mr Simpson moved his business to the West Country.

    In 2008 Progress Vulfix purchased the company and continues the tradition of making the world's finest brushes entirely by hand, using the same techniques which have not changed since the firm was founded. "


    I understand what you're saying though, in the current 3rd world economy boar is the major seller, although with the influx of Islam I wonder how much horsehair is being sold now.
     
  6. mwleach58

    mwleach58 Active Member

    I recently read on one of these forums that the average brush in China sells for the equivalent of $1. Surely not a badger, and I'm sure that the Chinese domestic market must be huge - even though China is the leader in producing badger hair. For export, no doubt. I suspect that the domestic market in India might be similar. However, I have no idea of the size of the canned goo and disposable cartridge market in either China or India.
     
  7. Williams Warrior

    Williams Warrior Well-Known Member

    The only brushes that I've heard carying Anthrax were horse, were boar suspect as well?
     
  8. brucea

    brucea New Member

    Thanks

    Thanks for the interesting bit of history
     
  9. GDCarrington

    GDCarrington Burma Shave

    According to ThePigSite.com we see the following.

    This is an uncommon disease of pigs in most parts of the world

    http://www.thepigsite.com/diseaseinfo/7/anthrax

    Iowa State website.

    http://vetmed.iastate.edu/vdpam/new-vdpam-employees/food-supply-veterinary-medicine/swine/swine-diseases/anthrax-0

    Since the U.S. was a major producer of swine at the time, I do not believe this was an issue.
     
  10. GDCarrington

    GDCarrington Burma Shave

    Additional information on badgers based on this question I received elsewhere.

    "I wonder if certain species of badgers produce better brushes? I feel like this has been under analyzed here, someone feel free to prove me wrong."

    Today, China is the only major player in supplying badger hair. U.S. badgers are not used since they are on the endangered list. In Britain badgers are protected by the Protection of Badgers Act. In Britain and Europe badgers have been affected by Tuberculosis so they are not in used.

    So you are really dealing with only Chinese badgers (Meles meles leucurus). Occurs mainly in China and Tibet.

    http://www.badgers.org.uk/badgerpage...badger-10.html
     
  11. shaveslave

    shaveslave Member

     
  12. GDCarrington

    GDCarrington Burma Shave

     
  13. shaveslave

    shaveslave Member

  14. Gibbs

    Gibbs Member

    Just a thought but wouldn't using a boar brush be forbidden to people of Jewish and Muslim faith? I seem to recall that the Jewish don't touch anything that is "unclean" and they might touch a horse hair brush, but I would imagine they would stay away from one made form pig hairs.
     
  15. mwleach58

    mwleach58 Active Member

    Not much shaving going on in traditional Orthodox Jewish or Muslim households.
     
  16. Gibbs

    Gibbs Member

     
  17. mandoman

    mandoman Member

    to get rid of all the badgers :happy102
     
  18. Tuco

    Tuco Member

    I've tried several boar brushes but I like badger better.
     
  19. DClassic

    DClassic Member

Share This Page