Badger or Boar ?

[northernshaveguy]

I'm new to the brush thing.  Any suggestions on which brush to use?

Do you reccomend cream, soap, oil, or a combination ?




Thanks,

[D.A.L.U.I.]

To start you don't need to do the big bucks brush thing, a $7-8 brush from Wal-Mart or similar.  I wet the brush with hot water and squirt a half a teaspoon or so of Headslick and a little glycerin on the brush and whip up the lather on the dome.  I'm sure there are other ways using a cup, but this is my general routine.  When traveling, to cut down on liquids through TSA, I pack a cake of shaving soap and put it in a cup in the hotel room and whip it up in the cup.  The cakes I buy come with a little plastic container that I use to keep the soap when packed up.  That's it, inexpensive and effective, IMO.

[sailor61]

My suggestion is to start out with an inexspensive boar brush, you should be able to get one for around 5 bucks. Staying in the economy mode I found a plain white corelle bowl at walmart for about 2 bucks.  It's not a  shaving mug but it's about the right size and being break resistant it's safe in the shower.  

Start out budget and make sure you like the experience - it is a bit more time consuming but, for me, it's well worth the extra time.  I like the whole routine so have ordered a moderate quality badger brush (20 bucks on amazon) - supposedly they are softer and do a better job with the lather.  Time will tell if that is true.

Product wise, and I'm still new and finding my way, I use a combination.  Cake of shaving soap in the bowl, a few drops of liquid glycerin (pharmacy dept at walmart), and then some headslick.  A bit of water and whip it up with the brush.  Before making my lather I rub a couple of drops of Shave Secret on. The right combo of "stuff" and water is trial and error.

Brush on a healthy layer of lather and let it sit a bit, then razor it off.  Since I've been using this routine I have not had a single knick.   Still get a bit of irritation on the backof my neck - see my recent post about Origins Firefighter.

[northernshaveguy]

Thanks for the great suggestions fellas ! Any opinions on colonel conk soap or geo f trumper ?

Also, any opinions on after cream ? I have sensative skin.


Thanks for all the help

[sailor61]

I've heard good things about them both but I use the cheap stuff I get at WalMart, it's about a buck and a quarter for a cake.  Works fine to start with.

[timetobeme]

I love my badger brush.  I started out with a cheap WalMart Winkin's Sword synthetic brush.  It is just a slight improvement over your hand.  I was going to break the bank and make an investment in a silvertip badger brush from one of the expensive shaving sites.  I decided I would take a chance first and order a silvertip badger brush from China off of Ebay.  It was about 15 bucks, about one tenth of the price from a shaving site.  Anyway, about a month later it came, and it is AWESOME!  I'm glad I have it.  And very glad I only paid $15.  I have never tried a boar brush, and probably never will.

[sailor61]

My badger brush arrived today.  I haven't used it for a shave yet but have experimented with making a bit of lather.  Compared to the boar bristle, the badger holds its shape better when wet, seems to pick up more lather and definitely lays down a more even coat.  As a classic boat owner I can tell you the difference between the 2 types of shaving brush are about identical to those between a budget paint brush and a good quality badger one. 

However, even with the benefits of the badger, I would still urge someone to experiment with the boar first.  Make sure you like doing the extra steps before spending the money.  (and a really good 50+ buck badger brush could be a really sweet birthday, Christmas or Father's Day gift to get...)

My next acquisition is going to be one of the hard rubber shaving mugs - the bowl I'm using is fine but a handle will be nice.

[northernshaveguy]

Okay fellas , here's what I have invested in this week. 

Every Mans Jack  facial scrub

 HeadBlade  slick

 HeadBlade  Sport razor

 a boar brush by Van der Hagen

 King of Shaves  kinexium shave oil

 King  of Shaves  SSE shave gel

 Nivea shave cream

 Proraso shave cream
 
 Origins  Firefighter aftershave lotion
 

Most of these items were recomended by members.  After one week of shaving with Slick and HeadBlade Sport , I tried the Kinexium oil and KofS gel today. Not bad !!!

I shave with the grain , then re-apply more cream and shave against. Still by the end of the day I feel like very subtle sandpaper. Am I doing something wrong ? Should it be soft and slick for more than a day ?  I would appreciate your input .  Thanks for all the help .

p.s.  I should let you fellas know, I wasnt going bald, so there was no soft spot to begin with. However, I do have very fair hair and thin. I always wore a brush cut since my mid 20's.  Now 45, I just wanted to jump in the SBG club. I'm lovin it. I just want to do thyings right !!!!

[t3ase]

I shave with the grain , then re-apply more cream and shave against. Still by the end of the day I feel like very subtle sandpaper. Am I doing something wrong ? Should it be soft and slick for more than a day ?  I would appreciate your input .  Thanks for all the help .

Nothing wrong... As someone else stated in another thread, it's like our head's 5 o'clock shadow.