It took a little while to break in but I have been using it daily for years and love it!
I pick it over badger most of the time and think it is a fantastic brush. It is my favorite brush and even got a few for my brothers to get them started on wet shaving

I have a number of shave brushes, ranging from a badger to mainly synthetics but wanted something with more backbone and so I was drawn to looking for a boar brush.
Because I'm a faithful Stirling Soap customer, I knew they offered at least one of them and I investigated the reviews. For the price, I figured I couldn't go wrong and if, for some reason, I didn't care for it, I wasn't out a lot of money.
Let me tell you: this brush is simply outstanding! And it's not even totally broken in yet.
Two common complaints about boar brushes are the unpleasant scent and the loss of bristles.
1) This brush had virtually no odor whatsoever. I lathered it with some shampoo and let it dry and it's never emitted anything even approaching an unpleasant odor.
2) I believe after several shaves, I've lost a total of maybe 4 bristles.
The only break-in I followed was putting it in a cup of cold tap water for about 18 hours, then buffing it dry on a towel and letting it dry. You want the tips of the bristles to split and it's doing that, slowly but surely. As that happens, the tips will get softer and more efficient in picking up soap/cream but the bristle will still maintain a stiffness, which is exactly what I wanted.
I cannot recommend this brush highly enough. The handle is superb, a great shape for a firm grip.
Once again, Stirling has proven to provide the shaving public with a simply amazing value.

So I went from a $10 Omega bore brush from Amazon to this. It's definitely a step up for the same price. The Sterling has a little bit more hair, better backbone, and the better handle. The Omega has a hollow handle.

After trying numerous blades like Feather, Derby, Astra, Gillette Silver Blue, etc I have decided these are my go to blades. I am very prone to razor burn and ingrown hairs. With these blades, witch hazel with 2% salicylic acid, and the Stirling unscented post shave balm, my razor burn and ingrowns have subsided substantially. Would recommend if you experience the same.

my bf was super excited to use his new boar brush, its very good quality

So far so good! Great quality for the price!

I really love using this when I’m exfoliating! Great product

I decided to get a package combo with shave soaps and added the boars brush. As far as comfort and ease of use it’s good. The handle is a good size and shape. Lathers up nicely. The brush feels nice on the skin. But the one drawback is the bristles come loose easily. I notice lots of loose bristles stuck on the shave soaps and some in the sink after rinsing. Let’s hope that was just the break in period and down the line I don’t see more shedding.

Let's be honest - most of us wet shavers have a drawer full of abandoned shaving gear that didn't quite make the cut. That cheap brush from the big online retailer? Mine got demoted to vacation duty faster than you can say "pathetic lather." But this Stirling boar brush? I deliberately bought a second one. Yes, I'm that guy.

What sets this brush apart is its remarkable backbone - it stands up to your toughest soaps while still maintaining enough flexibility to work up a luxurious lather. However, fair warning: like all boar brushes, there's a break-in period where you'll wonder if you've made a terrible mistake. The initial and slight bristle shedding might test your patience. But stick with it! After a dozen uses, this brush transforms into something spectacular that performs like brushes three times its price.

If you're still suffering with that flimsy starter brush, do yourself a favor and upgrade to this boar beauty. Just be warned: you might end up buying a second one too.

I have four boar brushes, this being the fourth and least expensive. I wish I had bought this one first, then I would only have one. This is by far the best deal on a quality, and I mean very high quality boar out there. I've used on soft and triple milled soap and it's consistent everytime. The brush had minimal shedding and absolutely no funky smell. I didn't even have to do an overnight soak before I used it. I just soaked it for a few minutes before I shaved as normal and it performed great. It builds a lather super quick and holds enough soap for a three pass easily.

This boar brush is an absolute joy to use. I was able to break it in very quickly and it did not have a bad smell even out of the package. It lathers up great and feels wonderful on my face and has that great exfoliating spine I highly recommend this brush- my best brush yet!

Thank you.

This brush is satisfactory to own and use. This is the first boar brush I’ve ever used so can’t compare, however I have no complaints with the exception that on the first use at least a dozen hairs ended up on my face. The second use 2-3. After that no problem. All in all I don’t regret buying it.

This brush has been fantastic from day one. It performs wonderfully. Could not ask for more.

This is my first boar brush. I’ve used it for a couple of weeks and it is getting softer with each use, which I was definitely looking for! My only concern is that the brush is losing quite a few bristles at every stage - whether I’m letting it soak right before a shave, or even during the shave, probably about 10 bristles each use. For the price point I can’t complain too much, but it is a little surprising, not sure if this will get better with time.
Company experience has been great - quick shipping and appreciated the small bonus gift they included in my order!

Anazing brush for the money. I love a good boar brush.

This brush is hanging out with his best badger brother in their 4 slot brush/razor holder and are happy to be on my sink top. I absolutely love how this brush looks and feels and am glad I have it. Thanks Rod and Mandy!

OUTSTANDING

This brush is an excellent buy ,as one who has used shaving brushes for over 50 years it is very good quality and balance, don't hesitate to get one you won't find a better one especially at this price.

So far so good waiting for break in process

I had six brushes before I bought this one. I was looking for a stylish brush that was 24mm. The price can't be beat.
I like the this handle a lot. I love the weight and the balance. The color pattern is also cool. The only reason it is not a five ( I want't to give it a 4 1/2) is, it sheds.
I expected some hair loss but I got up to 5 hairs come off the 1st two weeks I had it. Now that I've broken in the brush I still get an occasional hair. Not a big deal but worth stating. Over all I really like the brush. Its a great addition to the collection for sure.

I have the white green strip synthetic brush that I like.

The brush is very nice, hard to believe you can get a brush of this quality at this price point.

I recently got my hands on the Stirling Soap Boar Brush, and it's been a real "Highway to ****" for my old brush since then! It has also really kickstarted my heart or shaving routine.

The handle is perfect for grip, and the bristles? They're like the perfect guitar riff—always there to rock your shave.

If you're in the market for a brush that's a cut above the rest, the Stirling Soap Boar Brush is the one you need to consider.

I have had this brush for many years, and I can say that it is my favorite (of many). I prefer it to all other boar, badger, and synthetics that I own. As it breaks in, the tips become very soft, while the rest of the knot retains its firm stiffness. This is by far, the easiest brush to produce a great lather.

By the title I meant this is pretty much the only brush I use now!! It does what you want a brush to do and it does it indescribably well!! I have other brushes I use to change things up but, honestly I hardly do. For the size of my hands ( I'm 5' 8" tall if that helps in any way) it's perfect. For the price you can't beat it!!

Gorgeous handle; great performance. I gave it some initial love breaking it in with calm expectations and it stepped up like a champ. I think I may only have had one or two shaves where it wasn’t quite fully drawing and lathering, but since then it has outperformed my hopes. My main driver has been a 30-year old Simpson badger, and this provides a marvelous counterpoint - I love the feel!!! Thank you, Stirlings!

Before this brush, I didn't have much experience in anything other than Synthetic. For the price and the fact that I want to support such a great company, I decided to give their boar brush a try. Their synthetic brush is top notch and I love their handle. I was surprised at the quality when it arrived - better than I expected. Like others have said, this brush will take a while before it feels fully broken in. For me personally, I gravitate towards bowl lathering, so I actually prefer a stiffer brush. It helps build up the lather better, IMO. The animal odor went away after a few shaves. It will shed a few hairs in the beginning - nothing major for me. I would recommend soaking it in water for a few minutes to soften up the bristles before each shave.

If you like softer bristles, I would recommend their badger brushes. If you're worried about the break in period, there's tricks online that will help speed up the process. Personally, you're better off simply using it and doing it the old fashion way. You can't go wrong with this brush. If you're on the fence about boar brushes, or Stirling's brushes in general, you will not be disappointed. It's a great company to support and they make amazing products.

Here's my review from 8/2017: I did the 3-day soak in the refrigerator, with daily 10-minute vigorous towel rubs, followed by one week of Suribachi bowl lathers. The results are stunning. Split ends galore and very soft. Another week or so and it should be fully broken in complete with those tiny hooks on the ends. The handle is perfect for my large hand and the whole brush looks great. At this price, you get incredible quality. Thank you, Stirling, for making this brush available.

What's changed since then? I still give it 5 stars after 5 1/2 years of nearly daily use. I think it has shed 3 hairs in total. The ends are perfect - just enough split ends to notice but not enough to damage the skin. There is enough backbone without being too stiff. It holds a ton of lather and does well when building lather on the face or in a bowl. And that handle! Perfect.

Thank you Stirling Soap Company.