Good morning! I have been using a couple RazoRock synthetics for years. I have a Fuller boar my wife found, which looks like the one my dad used. I tried it this morning, unthinkingly treating it like a synthetic. Needless to say, it didn't go well. So, how do I break it in? How do I prep it for lathering? Thanks in advance.
The boar bristles should always be soaked in water for a few minutes before using, even after breaking in, as they absorb water. The wet/dry cycle with regular use will cause the ends to split, making it very soft and comfortable to use. Making a few test lathers in the palm can help the process along. I usually soak a new boar brush in water for 3 days, taking it out once a day and rub the bristle tips vigorously on a towel. Many criticize that method as a waste of time, but I find it really softens the bristles to make them more comfortable to use in the early break in stage.
I fill the sink with hot water and put my brush, razor, and soap mug/bowl in to soak (the soap mug floats) while I shower. I cover it with a towel to keep the heat in. One good shake of the brush and it’s ready to lather. Nothing special with new brushes, I just use them.
I let all my brushes, badger, boar, synthetic, soak in hot water before the shave. They absorb the heat and make for a warm lather. Breaking in a boar? Just use it.
This is going to be my last boar bristle brush to break in for a long time because I have 5 now and that works well for my brush rotation for many years of good lathering service. The fellows have been really talkative(I'm listening) on this subject thread and so I compiled a short reference for future information on breaking in boar brushes for some Newbies & seasoned shavers who want a boar brush for what ever reason. I enjoy a good broke in boar brush for lathering and that was my goal to speed it up because of my large brush rotation. I would never enjoy my boar brushes fully because of frequency of use in a large brush rotation to break one in by daily use properly. There are Different methods of breaking in a boar brush. The boar brush in the glass of water with the water level 3/4 of the way up the knot break-in for 2-3 day period for the split hairs to multiply is the method I like to use, my thoughts behind it is to soften the boar bristle fiber and then by towel drying the tips, it does a few things after some thought & experience is it gets rid of any lose & broken hairs and then the towel drying starts to fracture the hair ends from the soakings but gives the lower part of the bristles flexibility from breaking further down the whisker towards the glue plug. So it looks like there are 5 methods or more methods of breaking in a boar brush....... 1/- Manufactures pre-break in the tips with certain chemicals and also sterilizing by bleaching of hairs prier to packaging for retail sales gives a quicker bristle split end. 2/- Just use the brush and overtime it will naturally break in. (months of use from what I recall on my 1st boar brush) 3/- place boar brush in the glass filled 3/4 of the way up the knot with cold water and soak for 3 days and removed every 12- 24 hrs to towel dry the tips for 4-5 minutes to start the hair split ends process & back in the water until 3rd day of towel drying intervals gives about 70-80% break in and just use it and enjoy it . (I used this method on 4 brushes and works well). (Brushes did not have wooden handles, with wooden handles you have to be 3/4 or lower with water level so not to split the handle possibly or reduce time in the water to prevent this happening possibly IMO) 4/- Wet the brush well for a few hrs and just use the hair dryer on just the hair tip areas to help speed up split ends and leave for 24hr intervals to air dry brush . (need some skill level not to dry the whole length of bristle to glued plug of the knot, I could see this working also). 5/-I heard of a procedure where a fellow buys a new boar brush and in the morning soaks the new boar brush with his other old brush while prepping his shave, does a palm or bowl lathering with the new brush rinses it out and hangs it up to dry until the next day and proceeds with his shave with his old brush. Then he does this same procedure daily with his new boar brush for a couple of weeks or more until he is happy with results and then the brush is ready for his brush rotation is another method of breaking in a boar brush slightly quicker with out giving your face brush prickly feel or discomfort.( also might be a good method for brushes with wooden handles from splitting? I not sure if this is a problem at all?) Results of my latest boar brush break in using the 3 day cold water treatment and towel drying it every 12 hrs for 5> minutes. I would suggest it is about 70-80% broke in now. Yaqi "Robin" 24mm boar bristle brush in the picture below. Have some great shaves!
If you mean a completely new brush, i do the following: Take the brush out of the „packaging“, hold it under running warm water for a few seconds and then i fill a glass with cold water. Place the brush with the knot it the water and put it for 24h in the refrigerator. After that the process of breaking in is almost done by itself. For me it helps a lot. But the fun part of breaking in the knot by yourself is completely gone then.
I have never tried a boar brush. I have 2 synthetic and 2 badger brushes. Simpson's makes nice brushes. I have one of their synthetics coming today. I should get a boar brush to add to collection.
I just do that the tried and true use it technique. Soak, shake, lather and go. It doesn’t take to long before the hairs start to split. If I find a new boar is a little more scritchy than I care for the. I bowl or palm lather and use painting motions to reduce the scritch. It’ll be good before you know it.
The best cheapo boar brush I've come across is a rebranded nom (Mühle's cheapo line for shaving brushes) by German drugstore chain dm - it's under 4 bucks and even comes with an acrylic stand - since my old one fell on the floor and had a crack in the ring that holds the knot in place, I had to get a new one. Given the handle design it's an ugly duckling but very ergonomical plus the knot is exceptional quality - I prefer it over Omega's boars everyday all day. Will try the fridge method with this one to break it in.
I typically soak my boar brushes in a mug of warm water for 10 minutes before use. With a new boar I will do my regular pre-soak and then do two or three palm lathers, rinsing well in between lathers. Then I put it into regular use. It will retain a boar scent (often described as the smell of the south end of a north bound hog on a hot day) for a few days before it dissipates. I also find this break in process works better if you remove the brush from its packaging first.
For a long time I shied away from bristle brushes but have been enjoying them immensely now for about two or three years. When I get a new boar brush, a few palm lathers to clean and loosen the knot, then just use it. Generally, it’s been my experience that when the animal smell is completely and totally gone, the knot is almost broken in. I really enjoy the process of breaking in boar brushes. It’s excellent, geeky shave fun
If you're concerned about the animal smell that sometimes comes with a new boar brush, a few palm lathers with ARKO will kill the scent
