I find my preferences for my shaving hardware and software are changing over time. As for brushes, I started with a badger and I switched to boar. What is your preferred brush? Badger, boar, horse, or synthetic? All the above? Or none?
they all measure up against badger. just as soft as badger makes lather as well a badger plush and dense as a badger more backbone than a badger all measured against the badger high end always badger bottom line, badger is king among the shave brushes. although a have some of all kinds, badger is the MAC.
2 badger; 2 boar; one synthetic. I have a hard time choosing sometimes. So it's whatever strikes me for this shave. Lately I've been using my latest boar the most. Still busting that bronco. But it's looking good and feeling good. I usually choose by this method because it works for me... Badgers- creams and croaps. Boar- hard soaps. Synthetic- anything and travel.
I have 1 Boar that after 1 year is soft enough for me actually use. It's an origional 1985 Old Spice (of course), I only use it with soaps, which I only have a couple. My favorites are Silvertips from Larry over at Whipped Dog, deep set 45-52 mm. I have 1 Silvertip from another vendor, only cause Larry was out, and it's not even close, as far as being extremely soft with good backbone. I have 1 Synthetic and I like it, but it's not a Silbertip. I have a few vintage brushes with the origional badger knots that I use, but again they aren't Silvertips. YMMV
I have several "Oscar11 Brushes" and I also have Whipped Dog Silver Tip. My WD Silver Tip was my preferred brush. I got my first "Oscar 11" from Steve to try it out. There was no turning back. I prefer his custom made brushes. I am not running down Whipped Dog Brushes, they are far better than any of the other brushes that I have. But I will say that Oscar 11 Brush are superb and they will have to pry them from my cold dead hands, YMMV some thing I like my best friend may hate. To each his own.
I have 2 Synthetics, 6 Badgers, 5 boars, 1 mixed badger/boar, 1 unknown hair brush (probably goat) and 1 horsehair brush. With the exception of the unknown hair and the horsehair brush, they all get used randomly. The unknown is too small to comfortably use, or even uncomfortably use, and I detest horsehair brushes.
I have 1 badger and 4 boar (2 Omega and 2 Semogue). I use them in rotation, but often skip over the badger. I tend to use it infrequently. I prefer a brush with a bit of backbone...
When I started wet shaving I was a boar user, I sent out a brush to Gary for rehabbing, the knot needed to be replaced. It's an Ever-Ready 150, I left it up to Gary as far as what needed to be done as I completely trusted him. What Gary returned to me change the way I thought about synthetic brushes.
I prefer badger but sometimes I enjoy boar and horse. I'm not fond of the synthetics, the face feel is unnatural for me. I use badger 85%, boar 10% and horse 5%.
I don't care for horse hair. The rest I'm good with synthetic, boar and 2 band badger. I use boar the most.
Overall, I prefer boars.....although I have a number of badgers which are pleasurable to use. I like the way the boars feel when face lathering. I tried face lathering with the badgers and it does not work for me. I am back to my original brush use - badgers with creams - boars with hard/soft soaps. Kind of a wishy-washy answer.
I tend to rotate all three. If pushed I would go...Badger, Boar, then Syn. But as I stated I love them all with different types of soaps
