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Badger vs Synthetic

ParamedicAL

ParamedicAL

Shave Member
First Responder
What is the consensus on this forum badger or synthetic brushes. It only took me about 6 years to realize that while using badger brushes my skin feels irritated just from building the lather on my face before even dragging the blade in my face. And synthetic brushes seems to be better in my skin and better lather every time.
 
I have come to love both. I started on a cheap badger and a boar because I didn’t know any better. When curiosity got the better of me and my first synthetic came in...I was blown away. I pretty much stopped using natural hair brushes while diving into synthetics for the following 3+ years. Only recently, this year, have I come back around to badgers, being guided to some good brands. I still do love my synthetics, but a good badger is just a different experience. I love both now. Boars I’m still not sold on.
 
GearNoir said:
I have come to love both. I started on a cheap badger and a boar because I didn’t know any better. When curiosity got the better of me and my first synthetic came in...I was blown away. I pretty much stopped using natural hair brushes while diving into synthetics for the following 3+ years. Only recently, this year, have I come back around to badgers, being guided to some good brands. I still do love my synthetics, but a good badger is just a different experience. I love both now. Boars I’m still not sold on.
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When it comes to boar brushes the only one I tried and truly liked was zenith with aluminum handle you can find those on eBay. After few shaves they become super soft. What badger brushes do you currently have?
 
@ParamedicAL I have that Zenith brush. I lean more towards natural, maybe just for the old school vibe. I do have a couple of synth, but they feel off to me.
 
ParamedicAL said:
What badger brushes do you currently have?
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I have 2 currently, 3 once the group buy finishes up. The two I have are a Sorrentino (hobbyist here on TSC; don’t even know where the knot is from, it just works well, despite some shedding) and a Paladin. The 3rd will be from SV.
 
MilkCrate said:
@ParamedicAL I have that Zenith brush. I lean more towards natural, maybe just for the old school vibe. I do have a couple of synth, but they feel off to me.
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I know exactly what you mean. Badger retains heat synthetic may be feel weird I know that feeling. I have tried so many badger brushes from $100 to $300 and just can’t find one that doesn’t scrub too much. I am debating to may be order a Thäter 2 band silver tip.
 
ParamedicAL said:
I know exactly what you mean. Badger retains heat synthetic may be feel weird I know that feeling. I have tried so many badger brushes from $100 to $300 and just can’t find one that doesn’t scrub too much. I am debating to may be order a Thäter 2 band silver tip.
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I have a DSCosmetic in silvertip and it is nice. You missed the SV brush group buy, but maybe someone that has one can offer a review.
 
I love both badgers and synthetics.. and boars. There are a lot of variations of badgers so that can vary how they feel on your face. For me, I've stuck to Oumo handmaster knots and they're plenty soft with enough backbone. For synthetics, most of them are soft and perform excellently. If I'm having trouble lathering, I immediately go to synthetics and that usually does the trick. Some of my favorites synthetics are Timberwolf knots, Duro, and quartermoon.
 
I have and love both. The vast majority of my Badgers are Paladins. You are in for a treat with the one you just ordered. His knots are very soft, and won’t irritate your skin like some lesser badgers can. Some are very scritchy.
 
I'm a fan of badger, boar, and synthetic. All three can vary. I sort of match them to the type of soap. My Omega Pro 48 sees a lot of use with hard soaps like SV and MWF. I use my Simpson Chubby 2 Super on Sundays with MdC. I have 3 synthetics, a Thater, and two PAA brushes which are the softest of my brushes. They see the soft Italian soaps and the creams. My travel brush is a Wee Scot, and I have a Simpson Berkeley 46 which gets regular use, and may be overall the best brush for my preferences. I also have a small Semogue Boar and a WCS Silvertip Badger, neither of which seem to be getting much use. If I'm forced to make a choice of a single desert island brush, it would be the Berkeley 46.

Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 
I've only had one high-end badger but I preferred my cheapie synthetics by far over every badger I've owned.
My first synthetic was terrible because it was too stiff and springy but the ones I've had since then have been great.
 
I like synthetics when traveling as they dry out easily... or when just needing a quick shave, since you don’t have to soak them prior to use.

High-end badgers are my favorite though and a thing of luxury that really makes the overall experience for me.
 
ParamedicAL said:
Guys how do I get in touch with graydog to buy a brush?
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Can't buy one but he does lists for free ones as he has time @Graydog ........Just don't call Steve by the name Bruce like I did 🤪

Graydog

I still can’t figure out what color that handle for Rich is, it looks like a ghost. It's hard to describe, sometimes it looks blue then if you turn it a little it looks gray turn it a bit more and then it will take on a silver . When he first sent it to me I thought it was black 😜
theshavingcadre.com theshavingcadre.com
 
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ParamedicAL said:
I know exactly what you mean. Badger retains heat synthetic may be feel weird I know that feeling. I have tried so many badger brushes from $100 to $300 and just can’t find one that doesn’t scrub too much. I am debating to may be order a Thäter 2 band silver tip.
Click to expand...

Brad Sears Shave Works, Estate Series.
 
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