About the breaking in of those boar brushes

One topic of ongoing conversation here at DFS, and rightfully so, is the breaking in period of a boar brush and the methods used to achieve those perfect bristles.  Am I the only one here who just uses the brush from the get-go and just lets it break in from use?

Yes, once boar hair splits, the feel on the face is usually a wonderful experience. However, I have never had a new boar brush prove to be too scritchy or irritating on my face. Obviously, after a few weeks the feel is much better but I rather enjoy the subtle changes over those weeks.

Once again, am I the only one who does this? Could it be the differences in our skin makeup? Could it be the way the brush builds lather as it breaks in?

I am in no way suggesting that one way is better than another but I am curious to know what others think about this. Thanks.

One topic of ongoing conversation here at DFS, and rightfully so, is the breaking in period of a boar brush and the methods used to achieve those perfect bristles.  Am I the only one here who just uses the brush from the get-go and just lets it break in from use?

Yes, once boar hair splits, the feel on the face is usually a wonderful experience. However, I have never had a new boar brush prove to be too scritchy or irritating on my face. Obviously, after a few weeks the feel is much better but I  rather enjoy the subtle changes over those weeks.

Once again, am I the only one who does this? Could it be the differences in our skin makeup? Could it be the way the brush builds lather as it breaks in?

I am in no way suggesting that one way is better than another but I am curious to know what others think about this. Thanks.

I'm with you Freddy. I will do some test/palm lathers with a new brush [badger/horse/natural too] just to clean and get rid of the funk.

Other than that, I just use 'em understanding that they will improve over time.

You know, kwsher, I  have had very few brushes have that funky smell, at most one or two, so I  just usually start shaving with the brush, no funk removal necessary.

Freddy im one of those guys that was until recently looking to figure out how to get good results out of my new boar brushes and thought I needed to "break them in". I would read how folks liked them better than badgers or synthetics and I always thought, how....I cant get mine to load up with enough lather to go past one pass and I couldn't for the life of me figure out what I was doing wrong. They are soft as all get out right out of the box and I enjoy them, but literally after the first pass all the lather would be gone from the bristles. What am I doing wrong, I have no issues with Badgers or Synthetics I get lather for days doing the same thing I was doing with the boar. I then discovered a couple videos on youtube that helped me out and made me aware (at least for me and the three Semogues that I have) that I was not using enough soap and I was not using enough water and there wasnt some Nirvana break in point that would fix that for me. After learning that I am now very happy with my boar hair brushes and while they may get even softer when they "break in" I think they were plenty soft out of the box. Softness wasnt my issue. Here are links to those three videos by the way, they may be helpful to someone else. I have done all three methods. While I knew about the marco method which is the third video I had never really used it. Works wonders with my boar brushes and I use it most of the time with them. Whipped up some Cella last night, was wonderful lather and I had enough lather for three shaves.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWHG8rOm...10&list=WL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UC1tucFF...=9&list=WL
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=heaz_1sD...11&list=WL

Oh and none of my Semogues had any funk that I felt I needed to get rid of. I do lather up some dish detergent and palm lather when I get a new brush, but I do that with all my brushes.

I like to do a few lathers to at least get it started in the break-in process (usually 2-3), solely because I find those first couple lathers can be done well, but it just takes more effort than I'd like to put in during my morning routine before work. After those few lather/dry cycles, then I find it's moved past the threshold of being able to use it without having to try too hard.

I haven't broken one in in quite some time, but when I was I would face lather and palm lather. On rare occasions I might not have face lathered but only palm lathered that day. I also lathered the brush 2-3 times per day after it dried out from the previous lathering.

I have only one boar brush. That one I did not break it in from use. I probably would do it differently now. I was not in any hurry though as I did have my other brushes. I can say it was not overly scratchy out of the box (except one weird uber thick bristle). So I could have started straight into using it if I did not have other options.

I've got a few boar brushes and I just use them - I make sure they're well soaked first but I don't find the break in period to be that big a deal. I'm really liking that $10 boar brush Joseph was selling at Italian Barber a few months back - long and floppy and broke in fast.  I have a $9 drugstore omega boar brush that I also like - broke in fine lathers well.

The funkiest smelling brush I've had was a badger brush.  I don't know where the artisan that made it got his knots but its tenaciously smelly.  In time it will surrender its animal smell.  I hope.
Mark

The funkiest smelling brush I've had was a badger brush.  I don't know where the artisan that made it got his knots but its tenaciously smelly.  In time it will surrender its animal smell.  I hope.
Mark

Funkiest I have ever had was and is an Epsilon horse hair brush. Took forever to get rid of the barn scent- I took it as a value add for a full shaving experience and enjoyed the shaves in the meantime