Boars Hair brushes...

[Intercooled]

So you guys who use the Boars hair brushes, fill me in. I have never used one. They are suppose to be scratch proof and the finest thing to touch your cars surface. Is this true?

Are they pratical to use? too heavy, awkward etc? I looking for a nice big brush for my H2. A sponge just takes way to long on such a large vehicle. I am currently using the Meguires wash brush which covers a large area and works well. It is starting to fray at the tips and I`m not 100% confident in its scratch proof abilities. Do the boars hair brushes last a good long time? Overall, are they worth the extra money?

[spartacus_33]

I just dumped my Griots BH brush after ten years. I replaced it with the $50.00 brush from Auto Geek. The new one has longer hairs, and is softer. Some say they all scratch. I have not had any problems on a VW & BMW. I find it is better for cars that are not very dirty. I still prefer my sheepskin mitt, but in cold weather, the BH is faster.

[Accumulator]

Gee, I really do hate to do a "go search" :o but there`s a lot of good info on a few recent threads and I don`t have time to repost everything I usually say right now.



Short version: Gotta CD-test (properly, not dry), some are OK and some aren`t. Assuming it passes the test, it`s the dirt that causes the marring, not the brush *if* you use it right (very gently). I wouldn`t use one without a foamgun but I *do* use BHBs with a foamgun for the initial passes of every wash. Best way I`ve found to get the abrasive dirt dislodged-and-flushed off the surface, only way I can wash a winter-dirty car without marring.



Spray suds through the bristles with the foamgun while washing and jiggle the brush instead of doing big swipes with it.



If you just use them the way most people would, doing entire panels without rinsing, pressing hard enough to bend the bristles, etc. then you`re gonna get marring. But probably not much worse than you`d get if you use a mitt that way.



I`m tempted to buy a whole collection of BHBs and see who has the best one; I`m currently using my AutoGeen ones for most jobs, reserving my ancient one from BHMA for the S8 and the Jag. So far that BHMA (IIRC they`re out of business) one is the best, much softer than any others. I still use my Griot`s ones, but just for rocker panels.



Edit: durable? That BHMA one is 20 years old! The wear to watch for is the tips of the bristles; they`ll wear down and lose their "flagging". Somehow that just never happened to the BHMA one :nixweiss Other BHBs have still lasted a long time, many years easy. By not using them incorrectly (pressing hard) you don`t subject them to much wear and tear. Most of them shed bristles, but you don`t lose enough for it to matter in most cases. Expect years of use.

[Pb2theMax]

I`m also considering going to a BHB. Washing vehicles with a mitt in the winter time is not fun. I`ve got a foamgun, which I love. I`m thinking about this angled BHB. Looks like nice long bristles. Montana Original Boar’s Hair Wash Brush PLUS & Telescopic Handle (http://www.autogeek.net/bohawabrplte.html) Or maybe this bigger one Montana Original Tri-Angle Boar’s Hair Wash Brush (http://www.autogeek.net/trbohawabr.html)

[Accumulator]

Pb2theMax- Those don`t appeal to me because I`ll only use a BHB while blasting the suds through the bristles with the foamgun. I want the highest degree of control possible as it takes a bit of work to avoid marring.



The ones on the long handles position the BHB too far away for the above method.



The tri-angle one would, IMO, be difficult to keep fully sudsed. Just doing it with a regular/rectangular BHB is tricky enough- you`re spraying foam up and down the length of the BHB while jiggling it across the panels very gently...sorta the old rub stomach/pat head thing.



Note that using a BHB the "regular way" will result in the same light marring that you get with a mitt. Been there, done that (for many, many years).

[Pb2theMax]

I wonder if you could somehow run soap through the handle of the BHB, like the scrub brushes at a DIY car wash?

[Accumulator]

I wonder if you could somehow run soap through the handle of the BHB, like the scrub brushes at a DIY car wash?



I tried that using the Griot`s flow-through BHB and a siphon-feed hooked up to my hose. Didn`t work out *nearly* as well as I`d hoped and the last few of those flow-through BHBs were too coarse for my liking.



IMO you`re not gonna beat the combination of a foamgun and BHB, but admittedly it`s a bit awkward, at least until you get the hang of it (which doesn`t happen after just the first dozen washes ;) ).