Shaving Brush Differences

What is the difference in brush hair grades: All shaving brushes will provide a lathery shave. However there are several different and distinct grades that determine price and performance. Information in parenthesis is to help clarify our understanding of the various terms used in the marketplace. Please understand there is no universal standard and bristle grading can be subjective.

A)   Synthetic bristles - Come in a faux boar nylon bristle or a faux badger synthetic fiber bristle and are alternatives to natural hair for making lather.

B)   Hog bristles “boar” (aka pure bristle, white or sketched) – Stronger and thicker than badger hair. These bristles are not as flexible as the badger. When water comes into the hog-bristles they are not as elastic as badger hair and the user cannot make the shaving soap as creamy as he could do with a badger brush.  That’s why hog bristles are the least expensive class.

C)  Standard Badger “dark solids” (aka dark badger) – This kind of hair is the under-hair of the badger. It is not as elastic as tapers for example. But it keeps it’s flexibility much better than hog bristles. This hair is dark (nearly black) and has a cylindrical structure. That means each hair is the same thickness at both ends. They are typically machine clipped to shape unless noted otherwise.

D)    Standard Badger “greys” (aka pure or grey badger) – This explanation is used for the hair from the tails and the back of the badger which has nearly the same structure as dark solids although it is from the upper-hair. This hair is more light than dark solids – nearly grey. They are typically machine clipped to shape unless noted otherwise.

E)    Premium Badger “tapers” (aka fine or best badger) – This hair has the typical sketch on it (light-dark-light). It comes from the back of the badger and its structure is conical. That means that the tips are thinner than at the base of the hairs. This provides a softer feel while in use. Moreover it guarantees better foaming of the shaving soap. This hair is much more expensive because it is more rare than the types c) or d). These brushes are hand assembled or handmade.

F)    Premium Badger “silver tips” (aka super badger) – This explanation is used for the neck hair only which is the softest, rarest and most expensive kind of badger hair. In the winter this neck hair gets extremely light tips. These brushes are hand assembled or handmade.