The plot thickens!
Boar doesn't get much love on the wetshaving forums. Sure, there are a few threads about it, but overall the badger is the king of the brush club. However, boar brushes have a long and celebrated history--your grandfather probably lathered up with a boar brush, unless he was named Rockefeller.
The main reasons for the badger fancy are:
1. Badger hair is softer and holds more water, so it is easier to get a lather going, especially with creams.
2. Boar hair is usually stiffer than badger, so it feels harsher on sensitive skin.
3. Badger is a luxury item. People can brag about their massive Plisson Horn Handle High White Mountain that cost $560, but their $15 pig hair brush? Not so much.
Nevertheless, I have been intrigued by reports of quality boar hair. I liked the price, and as I am a soap man, stiffer bristles mean better lather. So I started looking for a boar brush--never knowing that I already had one.
I was looking through my gym bag for some socks when I stumbled on that brush. I had stuffed it there for some odd reason...who knows why. But as I was looking at it, I realized that the bristles looked a lot like those I had seen in pictures of boar brushes. On closer inspection, they were tapered and not exactly uniform, which I thought odd for a synthetic brush. And then, when I got it wet it smelled like a wet dog!
I had boar!
Now, even with this grand revelation, I didn't have high expectations. We are talking about a 98 cent brush, here. But hey, you never know.
The brush is wood-handled, about 10 centimeters tall. The knot is about 2 centimeters, and it looks like it is set into a black plastic setting, which is then set into the beige wood handle. There are no markings, stickers or any other identifying features.
After a good warm water soak, the hair did soften up a bit. Enough so that when applied to the face it wasn't noticeably scratchier than my "St. James of London" badger brush (not, in and of itself, the most luxurious of brushes).
I tried it out lathering Mitchell's Wool Fat in my hand. The brush very clearly did not hold as much water as the badger, as I had to sprinkle more into my hand in the lathering process. It did, however, whip up a very nice, slick lather. It didn't hold as much volume in itself as the badger, but it created more lather, faster--most of it stayed on my hand, is all.
On face lathering, I had similar results. A good, fast lather, though the brush did not hold enough for a second pass.
Surprisingly, the brush only shed about 2 hairs. I was expecting much worse. At one point, the plastic knot setting did feel a little loose. After it had dried, a couple of spots of superglue fixed that right up.
All in all, I would say that I am pleasantly surprised by this product. For the price, you can't ask for much, but the brush delivered a completely acceptable performance. Would I recommend this to someone looking for a good brush to use for life? No. But if someone said to me "Hey, Jim, I got a couple bucks and I'm looking for a cheap travel brush, any ideas?" I'd say "Have I got a deal for you!"
It's a keeper!
**Update: I used the brush again, that would make it the third try. It fell apart. I mean, this was beyond shedding---it's like my brush had radiation poisoning! Big clumps of bristles started falling out and sticking to my face. Maybe the glue is water soluble...Soooo, recommendation retracted. Folks, stay away from this one.***
2 comments:
I use a economical Omega boar brush (10065). I've had it a year and, even though it sheds a bit, it has served me well. It holds water well enough to whip up the stiff lather I prefer. It sounds like yours was just a badly made brush. A boar bristle from a better supplier should work well for you for years to come.
Of course you're right, dextrous. I am awaiting an Omega as we speak.
Thanks for reading!
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