JDW, PREMIUM SHAVE BRUSH 100percentage NATURAL BOAR BRISTLES BLADE

Very happy with the quality! I took a chance with this CVS marketed Chinese Boar-Hair shaving brush because it is such a bargain at $6 and is identical to the $10 Van Der Hagen brush (also made in China).Natural Boar-Hairs are stiffer than Badger-Hairs, which are stiffer than synthetic hairs, and so this brush lathers shaving cream much faster in the bowl or cupped hand than those others. The cropping of the rounded tuft is smooth and the stiff hairs do not cause any irritation when gliding the brush and lather onto the face unless you actually poke and jab the brush harshly right into your skin.Note: When wet for the first time it has a barely discernible odor of wet fur but it is odorless when dry. This is probably due to the natural boar bristles not being overly processed with chemical cleaners during manufacturing. With shaving cream applied to the brush, the odor is undetectable. After rinsing clean, the very faint wet fur odor disappeared after first use as the hairs gradually absorb the scent of the shaving cream.The Boar-Hairs are in a very densely compact knot bundle that is well cinched by the handle's top metal ring and firmly glued into the seamless acrylic base. The head is 60mm (2.36in) and the base is 52mm (2in). As expected, it initially shed a few lose hairs on the first rigorous cleaning of the brush. But it didn't shed more than a dozen or so individual hair segments, and none thereafter. The solid glossy acrylic handle is large enough to hold comfortably and the total brush weight is 2.5oz which is 25% heavier than many. I would prefer an even heavier handle but it still weighs enough to reliably stand up on its base without toppling over when fully loaded with lather.

boars hair is stiffer than badger. i much prefer it to badager.