Zenith B15 boar

What kind of shaving brush do you use? Tell us all about it!
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brothers
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Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:18 am
Location: Oklahoma City USA

Zenith B15 boar

Post by brothers »

Coming to me from Cleveland. I'm looking forward to another new premium boar in pursuit of my recently re-ignited interest in loading on the soap with the boars, and successfully breaking them in. This would be my second (or third?) Zenith chronologically, but however many, now I'm at zero where I've been for several years. Made in Sicily.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
brothers
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Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:18 am
Location: Oklahoma City USA

Re: Zenith B15 boar

Post by brothers »

Arrived yesterday. The Olive wood handle is comfortable in the hand. Bristles are soft when in contact with the face and not stiff. The softness of the bristles seems to exceed that of the 8 year old Semogue 2000, and it doesn't splay post-shave as dramatically large as the 2000. The dimensions of the knot are 27mm x 57mm, as advertised. No stink whatsoever, out of the box. I used it this morning with the Erasmic soap bowl. It wasn't at all prickly or scratchy. Just the opposite. Good face-feel and a plentiful and competent lather, as would be expected of brushes other than boar. I consider this to be an unexpected beneficial occurrence with a brand new boar brush.
SOTD 122920 Zenith B15 brush and Erasmic soap.jpg
SOTD 122920 Zenith B15 brush and Erasmic soap.jpg (483.4 KiB) Viewed 6572 times
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
CMur12
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Location: Moses Lake, Washington, USA

Re: Zenith B15 boar

Post by CMur12 »

Looks good, Gary!

- Murray
brothers
Posts: 21513
Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:18 am
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Re: Zenith B15 boar

Post by brothers »

It's been 10 months since I took delivery of the Zenith. I have 4 brushes in rotation, including the Z. I used it this morning to lather the TOBS Peppermint cream in the bowl. I use the cream tubs exactly as if it were a hard soap, and the Z boar hit the mark exactly as expected. When this happens (almost always) I am reminded of my reasons for abruptly selling off the other boars I was using at the time - SOC Cherrywood and the little Omega. Up to the day the Z arrived, I was having a ball with those two others, happy as a clam. Then when I used the Z a handful of shaves, there was no reason to deny the superiority of the Z over the other contenders.

When I read the positive reviews of the SOC and Omega boars, I fully understand and agree, and then I flash back to my own honest opinion of their impressive positive attributes before the Z showed up. This wasn't a matter of those others suddenly being bad brushes or anything negative, it was a simple case of how perfectly the Z has proven to fit my previously unidentified brush expectations, in contrast to the SOC and Omega.

Boom! I just met my match, and there was no looking back. It must be said that in my small group of 4 outstanding brushes in rotation, you will find the Elite Manchurian White badger, the Thater 4376/5 3 band badger, and the SilkSmoke synthetic, in addition to the Z boar.

I've been tempted recently when there has been discussion of other brushes with wonderful performance, but when I recall how many brushes have come and gone in my hands, I simply cannot imagine any other brushes outperforming any better than the ones I enjoy so much every time I shave.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
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TRBeck
Soapgeek
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Re: Zenith B15 boar

Post by TRBeck »

Gary, the small and diverse rotation of brushes you have is definitely appealing. I vacillate between more minimal collections like that and the larger rotation of really good brushes I have currently. I think your approach is probably ideal: keep only the absolute favorites.

I had a Zenith boar for a short time, an unbleached knot with a handle similar to yours (I forget the number), and it was very nice as I recall. I probably didn't give it enough time and sold it in a fit of decluttering.

I applaud your willingness to seek the very best for your own tastes and to shed the excess.
Regards,
Tim

Why should we not meet, not always as dyspeptics, to tell our bad dreams, but sometimes as eupeptics, to congratulate each other on the ever-glorious morning? - Henry David Thoreau
brothers
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Joined: Sun Sep 14, 2008 7:18 am
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Re: Zenith B15 boar

Post by brothers »

I just want to follow up regarding the Zenith boar brush. It came up in the regular rotation yesterday and it provided a very nice thick lather with the Taylor's Sandalwood cream.
Gary

SOTD 99%: Monday, Wednesday, and Friday, soaps & creams, synthetic / badger brushes, Colonial General razor, Kai & Schick blades, straight razors any time, Superior 70 aftershave splash + menthol + 444
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Brutus
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Location: Vancouver (Canada), Coimbra (Portugal)

Re: Zenith B15 boar

Post by Brutus »

All these positive comments about Zenith boar brushes have piqued my interest.
Wherever I looked, I found it near impossible to find negative reviews from owners.
Having said that, I also found it a bit challenging to find suppliers that stock an extensive range of Zenith shaving brushes.

Besides badgers and synthetics, I use boar brushes regularly, four Semogues, two Danidoms, and less frequently two Omegas brushes that just don’t appeal to me as much as the Semogues and Danidoms.

Zenith boar brushes have been missing in my line-up and I have now ordered a Zenith 506A and 506B boar brush to remedy that omission.
I am curious to see how (much) I will like them.


B.
The whole problem with the world is that fools and fanatics are always so certain of themselves, and wiser people so full of doubts.

Bertrand Russell
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